A team of researchers from the University of Queensland, Austrilia, led by Australian professor Bryan Fry, revealed through a video the existence of a new species of anaconda in the Amazon rainforest.
During the expedition in the Ecuadorian Amazon, in collaboration with the Waorani indigenous community and in the framework of the production Pole to Pole with Will Smit of National Geographic, scientists managed to get close to a large anaconda. This specimen, a female, measured no less than 6.3 meters long. The discovery was recorded on video.
However, the team of experts is aware that there are snakes in the region even larger than the one they found, specifically anacondas that might reach 7.5 meters in length and weigh up to 500 kilograms, figures that change current records and that They would place this species as the largest and heaviest snake known to science.
The newly identified species, named the northern green anaconda (Eunectes akaima), shows a significant genetic divergence of 5.5% from its closest relatives, suggesting an evolutionary separation dating back almost 10 million years. This genetic difference is considerable, especially considering that humans and chimpanzees differ by 2%.
The researchers have published their findings in the journal Diversityin an article titled “Untangling the Anacondas: Revealing a New Green Species and Rethinking Yellows.”
This study not only sheds light on the diversity hidden within anacondas but also raises important questions regarding Amazon conservation and the need to protect unique habitats that are home to such extraordinary creatures.
Deforestation and other risk factors such as forest fires and climate change threaten the delicate balance of this ecosystem. According to Professor Fry, habitat loss in the Amazon basin might affect up to 40% of its forests by 2050, endangering unique species such as the northern green anaconda.
This discovery is not only a milestone for science, but also an urgent call to action to protect one of our planet’s last true wild paradises.
Insane! 😲 Scientists have discovered a new species of snake, and it may be the biggest in the world pic.twitter.com/DEFIOWmviO
— KPLC (@KPLC7News) February 26, 2024
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