| Largest
Snake: This
one is up for debate |
- The
reticulated python is the longest officially recorded at
32’ 10” but the unofficial sighting of a green
anaconda at 39 plus feet is a possible contender as well
as the many rumors of sightings of even longer of both species.
However, That only deals with length.
|
- The
bulkiest or fattest of the large snakes are the green anacondas
and the Burmese pythons.
|
- The
heaviest recorded snake was a Burmese python, tipping the
scales at 405 pounds!
|
- An
unofficial weighing of a green anaconda of 500 pounds is
also a nominee.
Both of these species have the potential of being in excess
of 400 pounds.
|
| Smallest: |
- The
lesser antillian threadsnake measures in at a monstrous
4 inches and is about the girth of a matchstick.
|
| Fastest: |
- The
black mamba has been clocked at 12 mph in short bursts,
most snakes are not nearly that fast but are quick
|
| Oldest: |
- The
oldest recorded snake was a boa constrictor that lived 40
years 3½ months (contrast that to a Madagascan radiated
tortoise that lived 188 years !!!)
|
| Longest
fangs: |
- The
gaboon viper from Africa has 2 inch fangs that inject half
a pint of venom each bite!!
|
| Skeleton: |
- A skull
and a long rib cage, most snakes have between 150 and 585
vertebrae.
|
| Other
Tidbits: |
- Australia
has the greatest population of venomous snakes, in fact
there are more venomous species then non-venomous species
in Australia.
- Although
Australia reigns supreme with number of venomous snakes,
India is the country boasting the largest numbers of deaths
due to snakebites. The numbers range anywhere from 10,000
to 25,000 annually depending on the source of information.
- There
are anywhere from 2500 species to over 4000 species of snakes
again depending on the source, suffice it to say-there’s
a bunch!
- There
are generally accepted 19 families and half of all the species
of snakes fall into the colubridae family.
|
