绿水蚺饲养
绿水蚺饲养
绿水蚺 森蚺
Eunectes murinus
The Green Anaconda, also known as the water boa. There is also the yellow Anaconda, Eunectes notaeus.
The name "Anaconda" comes from the Sri Lankan language, Sinhalese, which originally probably referred to the Reticulated python. No one is sure how this name came to represent a South American snake, unless these two snakes, Anaconda and Python, were mistaken as the same species. Both snakes are swimmers and two of the largest snakes in the world.
The Tamil word for Anaconda is "Anaikolra" which means "elephant killer". The early Spanish settlers referred to this snake as "Matatoro" or "bull killer".
Classification:
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Reptilia
Order - Squamata
Family - Boidae
Circadian Cycle - Nocturnal
Physical Characteristics
The Anaconda is considered the biggest snake in the world. These snakes may reach lengths of over 29 feet. There are many exaggerated stories about anacondas being much longer, but they cannot be confirmed.
The Anaconda is the heaviest snake, but it may or may not be the longest.The Reticulated python rivals the Anaconda for the longest snake. A 20-foot Anaconda will weigh more than a 33-foot python. The Anaconda can weigh 550 pounds or more, but will usually top out at a few hundred pounds. These snakes can measure more than 12 inches in diameter. The female typically outweighs the males.
The Green Anaconda is dark green in color with black oval patches on its back. This drab pattern blends the snake in well with the wet, dense vegetations of its habitat. The sides have similar spots with yellow centers. The Yellow Anaconda is true to its name and is mostly yellow with similar black spots. The scales of the yellow and black underside of the lower tail on these Anacondas have a particular pattern which is unique to each snake. It's a form of identification, like a human fingerprint.
Snakes have a cavity called a cloaca which is where the intestinal and genitourinary tracks empty. Anacondas have spurs on either side of the cloaca. The cloaca of the Anaconda has a gland which emits a foul-smelling musk. This brownish musk is quite poisonous to small organisms. This may prevent ticks and leeches from attaching themselves here. When Anacondas are out of the water for long periods of time they usually become infested with ticks.
The Anaconda come equipped with a large head and a thick neck. Its eyes and nostrils are positioned on the top of the head, enabling the Anaconda to breathe and to see its prey while its stocky body lays submerged under water. The extremely muscular Anaconda is a constrictor and is not poisonous; however, it still has teeth and powerful jaws that it utilizes to clench onto its prey. It grabs its victim and pulls it underwater, drowning the prey.
Range: Neotropical
The Anaconda is found in the Guianas, throughout tropical South America, east of the Andes and mainly in the Amazon and Orinoco Basins The Yellow Anaconda can be found as far south as Argentina.
Habitat
The various biomes where Anacondas are usually found are tropical rainforests, savannas, grasslands, scrub forests, and deciduous forests. The Anaconda prefers to be in the water, but they do enjoy spending some time on land in shallow caves by the water's edge, or in riverbank trees to bask in the sun.
On land they can become tick-infested and they cannot move as quickly as they do in water. In water, they can stay completely submerged for 10 minutes. They often lay submerged waiting for prey. They are agile swimmers but sometimes prefer to let the river's current carry them downstream with only their nostrils above the watery surface. Once they are satisfied with the change in scenery, they simply drift to the river's edge.
Anacondas are more often found in swamps and calmer waters than in swift-moving rivers.
Diet -- Carnivorous
They typically feed on large rodents, tapirs, capybaras, deer, peccaries, fish, turtles, birds, sheep, dogs and aquatic reptiles. They have been known to occasionally prey on jaguars and attacks on humans can be confirmed, although this is rare. Younger Anacondas feed on mice, rats, chicks, frogs and fish.
Anacondas are usually coiled up in a murky, shallow pool or at the river's edge. They wait to ambush their unsuspecting prey when they come down for a drink. Anacondas bite their prey with their sharp teeth, hold on with their powerful jaws and pull them under water. The victim may drown first or it may be squeezed to death in the Anaconda's muscular coils. Anacondas, true to the Boa family, constrict their hapless victims to death. The snake squeezes tighter each time its prey breathes out, so the prey cannot breath in again. Suffocation does not take long. Anacondas swallow their prey whole, starting with the head. This is so the legs fold up and the prey goes down smoothly. The Anaconda can swallow prey much bigger than the size of its mouth since its jaw can unhinge and the jawbones are loosely connected to the skull. while the snake eats, its muscles have wave-like contractions, crushing the prey even further and surging it downward with each bite.
The Anaconda has a very slow-acting digestive system. After a big meal the Anaconda will rest for several days while digestion occurs. Many Anacondas will not eat again for several weeks or even months, depending on the size of the last meal. One captive Anaconda is on record for fasting over two years!
Reproduction
Normally the Anaconda is a solitary creature that stays within its own hunting area. This changes with the onset of the rainy season. Courtship can last for several months with this species. During this time, the female in breeding condition gives off pheromones, a chemical scent, which is tracked by nearby males. Some scientists believe the females lay down a pheromone trial which the males follow. Others believe that her scent is an air-borne chemical emission. This latter theory is supported by the fact that the female is not very active during this time and males come to her from all directions. Males have also been observed flicking the air to pick up the chemical presence.
Courtship and copulation usually take place in the water. The male presses his body to the female and rests his head on her neck. His tongue flicks and his spurs become erect. The spurs rub against the female's vent region which encourages her to copulate. As he presses his cloacal region against hers, his spurs make a scratching sound. Copulation is complete when the female raises her cloacal region to meet the male's. The male holds her against him tightly by wrapping his tail and lower body around her.
The gestation for the Anaconda is approximately 6 months. Anacondas are viviparous, bearing live young. A typical litter may consist of 20-40 babies, but a female can birth up to 100 neonates. These babies are usually 2 feet long at birth. Many newborn Anacondas refuse food for the first few months of life. Because of their small, newborn stature, many Anaconda babies are prey for other animals.
Within hours after birth, Anaconda neonates can swim, hunt and care for themselves. Baby Anacondas grow rapidly until they reach sexual maturity at the age of 3-4 years. They do continue to grow after this time, but at a slower rate.
Life Span
Anacondas can live into their thirties.
Special Adaptations
The Anaconda has eyes high on its head so that it can stay camouflaged underwater while watching and waiting for its prey. Its nostrils are positioned there as well, so that it can breathe easily while almost completely underwater. Another form of camouflage is the Anaconda's color pattern of dull green with black spots. This blends in with the dense vegetation of its habitat and also with the murky water that Anacondas love.
At Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
If you would like to see one of the world's largest snakes, come on out to the Park! Our Anaconda measures 18 feet long! This amazing creature is housed in our Unseen New World exhibit along with some other very creepy and very crawly critters! We hope to see you soon.
Status
CITES, Appendix II
Conservation
At present, all South American countries prohibit trade regarding the Anaconda. However, some of these countries will allow live export for zoos and research in a limited capacity.
The greatest threat to the Anaconda is man. Most local people kill these snakes on sight, out of the fear that they are man-eaters. In most instances, if an Anaconda senses humans in the area, it will retreat in another direction. Human death by Anaconda is quite rare. Habitat destruction is another problem that the Anaconda faces.
There is much to learn about the Anaconda. Presently, CITES, PROFAUNA and The Wildlife Conservation Society jointly are conducting the first field study of the Anaconda. Hopefully many questions will be answered by this study.
分类：脊椎门，爬行纲，有鳞目，蟒科，夜行性
生理特征：水蚺被认为是世界上最大的蛇类，体长可以达到29英尺甚至更长。在很多的记载和传言中水蚺的长度被过分夸大，不过都没有得到科学证实。水蚺毫无疑问是最重的蛇，但可能并不是最长的。网纹蟒的长度足以同水蚺竞争世界第一长蛇。一条20英尺的水蚺比一条33英尺的蟒还要重，可以达到550磅甚至更重，但通常几百磅也是它们的封顶重量。它们的身体直径达到甚至超过12英寸，基本上雌性比雄性要更重。绿水蚺颜色为深绿，背上有黑色的椭圆印记。这样的体色使它们与潮湿浓密的植物环境紧密结合不易被发现，它们的身体两侧中间有黄色的斑点。黄水蚺蛇如其名，大多数是黄色的并有相似的黑色印记。水蚺的后尾部下侧的黄黑相间处有这区分其他同类的特殊图案，这中独一无二的图案是一种区分身份的印记，就像人类的指纹一样。
蛇类具有泄殖孔，用来排泄泌尿留下踪迹。水蚺的泄殖孔侧面具有突出物，它们的泄殖孔会分泌难闻的麝香，这些褐色的麝香对于小型生物来说是有毒的，可以防止虱子和水蛭的攻击。当水蚺长时间离开水时它们的身体上通常会滋生大量的扁虱。水蚺具备了大脑袋和粗脖子，眼睛和鼻孔都分布在头顶的位置，这样当它的巨大身躯沉于水下时仍然可以将头探出进行呼吸和观察猎物。水蚺没有毒性却有着力量惊人的肌肉，它的牙齿和下颚也是很强的武器，用来紧咬住猎物，它们缠住猎物并拉入水下使其溺死。
生存范围：热带雨林
水蚺是在南美洲圭亚那热带地区被发现的，分布于安第斯山脉以东，奥里诺科盆地，最多分布于亚马逊雨林。黄水蚺是在阿根廷以南地区被发现。
生活环境
水蚺生活的大部分环境为热带雨林，亚热带草地，草原，灌木丛和落叶林。它们更喜欢待在水里，不过也喜欢待在浅水区洞穴的地面，或者在河床树林里晒太阳。在陆地上它们身上会滋生虱子并且移动速度也不像在水中那么迅速。它们可以在水底待满十分钟，经常躲在水下等候猎物。水蚺是敏捷的游泳高手但很多时候它们喜欢只将鼻孔露出水面利用河里的水流载着它们到达下游，一旦对周围环境感到满意便会游到河边。比起湍急的河流，水蚺在沼泽地和静水中更常见。
食性：肉食类
它们通常捕食大型的啮齿动物，貘，水豚，鹿，野猪，鱼类，龟，禽类，羊，狗和水生爬行动物。现在已知它们偶尔会捕食美洲虎和袭击人类，尽管这并不经常发生。幼年的水蚺主要吃老鼠，小鸟，青蛙和鱼。水蚺经常盘绕着待在浅水区和河岸边，等着埋伏那些粗心大意的猎物来喝水，它们用锋利的牙齿咬住猎物再用强有力的下颚咬紧并将其拉进水中，猎物会迅速溺死，或被水蚺强壮的身躯绞死。水蚺属于蚺科，猎物每呼吸一次都会使水蚺的绞杀变得更紧，直到猎物无法呼吸为止，不用太久就会窒息。水蚺会从头部开始将猎物整个吞食，它可以吞食比自己头部大的多的猎物，因为它的下颚有很强的延伸性，下颚骨也可以同头骨分离，当蛇吃食时，它们的肌肉会呈波纹状蠕动以推动食物下咽。水蚺有着一个非常缓慢的消化系统，一顿大餐可以花上数天用来消化。根据上一顿吃了多少很多水蚺可以数周甚至数月不用进食，有记载一条水蚺禁食记录居然达到了两年！
繁殖
通常来说水蚺都是独立在自己的捕食区域行动，在雨季这一切就将改变。求爱过程会持续几个月的时间。在这期间发情的雌性会散发一种带化学成分的气味表达交配的意愿，附近的雄性会捕捉到这些信息。有些科学家相信雌性留下了生化激素来吸引雄性，另外一些则认为雌性气味的化学成分是靠空气传播的，这一理论的有利证据就是雌性在发情期并不主动而雄性从四面八方赶来这一事实。雄性会在空气中捕捉到这些化学成分。求爱和交配通常是在水中进行的，雄性用身体挤压雌性并将头部靠在雌性的脖子上，开始吐信子并出现突出物即附肢立起现象，不断刺激着雌性的排泄区鼓励其进行交配。当雄性的排泄孔对着雌性的相应部位时，突出物会发出抓挠的声响。当两性的生殖孔对接时**便宣告完成，雄性会用身体尾部将雌性紧紧缠住。水蚺的妊娠通常为6个月。胎生性。每一窝生20到40条小蛇，母蛇最多可以生100条幼体，它们刚出生时只有两英尺长，一些新生儿在出生后几个月会拒食。因为个体的原因，许多水蚺宝宝都会被别的动物捕食。水蚺幼体在出生几小时后便可以游泳，捕猎和照顾自己了。从小蛇到性成熟的这3至4年时间里它们生长得很快，在这以后也会继续生长，只不过生长速度会较慢。
寿命：30年左右。
特征：
水蚺的眼睛长在头的上部，这样它们就能躲在水下伪装并伸出头观察猎物的情况。它们的鼻孔同样长在头上的位置，可以在身体处于水中时轻松探头呼吸。水蚺的另外一种伪装方式就是它绿黑相间的外表。使的水蚺在自己喜欢的充满植被的水域很难被发觉。
纳什维尔动物园
如果你想看看世界上最大的蛇之一，去动物吧，有一条达到了18英尺。这种奇特的生物同很多吓人的动物一起都在我们的未知世界中。欢迎你的到来。
现状
现在许多南美国家禁止贩卖水蚺，但还是有些国家允许向动物园和研究机构限量出口。水蚺面临的最大威胁来自于人类，许多当地人毫不畏惧它们是可吃人的巨蛇，见蛇就杀。其实大多数情况下，当人与水蚺相遇时，水蚺会选择撤退。水蚺伤人的事件实在少的可怜。生存环境的破坏是水蚺面临的又一大问题。
水蚺还有很多值得研究的地方，很多组织和科研机构都在进行水蚺的进一步研究。希望关于水蚺的一些未解之谜早日得到解答。
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