BIGGEST SNAKE PHOTOS: Prehistoric Giant Discovered

nationalgeographic ^ | February 4, 2009-

[JoeProBono]

Found in a Colombian coal mine, a vertebra from a 45-foot (14-meter) Titanoboa cerrejones dwarfs a similar bone from a 17-foot (5.2-meter) anaconda--currently the world's biggest, if not longest, snake species. (View anaconda pictures and facts.)

The ancient snake's giant size suggests that mean year-round temperatures in the tropics were several degrees warmer than they are today, according to a study that analyzed the relationships among a snake's body size, its metabolism, and the outside temperature.

"We were able to use the snake, if you will, as a giant fossil thermometer," said biologist Jason Head, lead author of the new study, to be published February 5, 2009, in the journal Nature.

[JoeProBono]

The biggest snake yet discovered, Titanoboa cerrejones, slithers alongside one of its presumed prey, a primitive crocodile, 60 million years ago in an artist's conception. (View a prehistoric time line.)

At least 42 feet (13 meters) long and weighing 2,500 pounds (1,135 kilograms), the snake was "longer than a city bus ... and heavier than a car," said University of Toronto Mississauga biologist Jason Head, who announced the find today. he biggest snake yet discovered, Titanoboa cerrejones, slithers alongside one of its presumed prey, a primitive crocodile, 60 million years ago in an artist's conception. (View a prehistoric time line.)

At least 42 feet (13 meters) long and weighing 2,500 pounds (1,135 kilograms), the snake was "longer than a city bus ... and heavier than a car," said University of Toronto Mississauga biologist Jason Head, who announced the find today.

In an undated photo, an Indonesian family holds their pet reticulated python--probably the longest living snake species at a maximum of more than 30 feet (9 meters).

By contrast, Titanoboa cerrejonesis measured at least 42 feet (13 meters), according to a February 2009 study. The newfound, 60-million-year-old snake species' giant size was driven by the warmer temperatures of its era.

So could Titanoboa-size snakes return with global warming? "Maybe," study co-author Jonathan Bloch said. "They definitely could, or maybe ... the warming could happen so rapidly that [snakes] wouldn't have time to adapt."

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

vertebra ping

[KeyLargo]

[Bryanw92]

>>The ancient snake’s giant size suggests that mean year-round temperatures in the tropics were several degrees warmer than they are today

Sooooooo, the Earth survived that and....ummm....animals seemed to thrive.

But a 0.8C rise over a century will doom the world?

[cripplecreek]

I’d show ya but I’d be banned for sure.

[LRS]

the snake was “longer than a city bus ... and heavier than a car,”

And meaner than a junkyard dog?

[Huebolt]

The HARRY POTTER BASILISK (Chamber of Secrets) sounds like the perfect image to put here!

I thought it was cool that the "chamber of secrets" was THE GIRL'S BATHROOM ! ! ! !

[Pontiac]

The ancient snake's giant size suggests that mean year-round temperatures in the tropics were several degrees warmer than they are today, according to a study that analyzed the relationships among a snake's body size, its metabolism, and the outside temperature.

Whoa there Nelly!

But aren’t the global temperatures we are experiencing now unprecedented and indicative of man’s impact on the environment?

[JoeProBono]

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

That’s what they all say :-)

[Cheburashka]

“Snakes. Why’d it have to be snakes?”

[Ditter]

uuuunnnngggggggg! Snakes for pets, that creeps me out. The only good snake is a dead snake!

[SunkenCiv]

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·
	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks JPB. So, ya going for the record? Largest snake was 'size of bus' Largest prehistoric snake slithers into record books Prehistoric titanic-snake jungles laughed at global warming (at 3-5° hotter then) World's Biggest Snake Lived in 1st "Modern" Rain Forest Prehistoric titanic-snake jungles laughed at global warming Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[SkyDancer]

[martin_fierro]

The biggest snake yet discovered, Titanoboa cerrejones, slithers alongside one of its presumed prey, a primitive crocodile, 60 million years ago in an artist's conception.

Oh. I thought it was an actual photo.

[JoeProBono]

Record? Everyone's gotta have a hobby

[goat granny]

***But aren’t the global temperatures we are experiencing now unprecedented and indicative of man’s impact on the environment?***

Only to idiots and marxists.. :O) but I repeat myself..

[goat granny]

Lets call him Leroy Brown...

[fred2008]

“Titanoboa”

Oh good. I have a new playful nickname :-)