Eunectes deschauenseei
Species of snake
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eunectes deschauenseei, commonly known as the dark-spotted anaconda[1][4] or De Schauensee's anaconda,[5] is a species of snake in the subfamily Boinae of the family Boidae. The species is native to northeastern South America. Like all boas, it is a nonvenomous constrictor. No subspecies are currently recognized.[4]
| Eunectes deschauenseei | |
|---|---|
| |
| Dark-spotted anaconda in Beni, Bolivia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Boidae |
| Genus: | Eunectes |
| Species: | E. deschauenseei |
| Binomial name | |
| Eunectes deschauenseei | |
 | |
| Natural range of E. deschauenseei | |
Taxonomy
The specific name, deschauenseei, is in honor of American ornithologist Rodolphe Meyer de Schauensee,[6] who donated a specimen to the Philadelphia Zoo in 1924.[4] The type locality given is "probably collected on the island of Marajo at the mouth of the Amazon".[3]
Distribution and habitat
Eunectes deschauenseei is found in South America, in northern Brazil (the Pará and Amapá states) and French Guiana.[1][4] E. deschauenseei is a semi-aquatic species usually found in swampy, seasonally flooded freshwater areas at elevations below 300 m (980 ft).[1]
Description
Adult males of E. deschauenseei measure 130–211 cm (51–83 in) and adult females 120–231 cm (47–91 in) in snout-to-vent length (SVL).[7]
Reproduction
Vitellogenesis in E. deschauenseei probably occurs from autumn to spring (May to December). Gestation may last as long as nine months. Litter size among five gravid females ranged from 3 to 27 (mean 10.6). Newborns measure 29–53 cm (11–21 in) in snout–vent length.[7]
Conservation
The savanna habitat of E. deschauenseei is highly threatened by agricultural expansion, but the threat posed on this species is not known.[1]
