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RE: Huge Freakin' Snake!



Looks like the snake was cold or something, as well as relatively small (3 m
or so, possibly less than two years old). I thought it should have been able
to bite and constrict, but never strikes. I know a python who was badly
bitten by a rat once, and has been terrified of rats ever since; also, in
other species of snakes I've kept there's a lot of variation in competence
at dealing with certain prey types, and phenotypic plasticity where
incubation conditions affect speed and strength is now well known. With
another snake on another day, the results would have been different
(anacondas eat jaguars too). That's why Mrs Jaguar was so impressed.

-----------------------------------------------
Dr John D. Scanlon, FCD
Riversleigh Fossil Centre, Outback at Isa
riversleigh@outbackatisa.com.au
http://tinyurl.com/f2rby
 
"Get this $%#@* python off me!", said Tom laocoonically.
-----Original Message-----
From: Dann Pigdon [mailto:dannj@alphalink.com.au] 
Sent: 06 February, 2009 2:04 PM
To: dinosaur@usc.edu
Subject: Re: Huge Freakin' Snake!

Quoting Augusto Haro <augustoharo@gmail.com>:

> Ok., boids are slower than most other snakes. It may be partially for
> their locomotion, walking by moving scale per scale, instead of the
> lateral ondulation of most other, faster caenophidians. But that does
> not seem to mean that all movements of the snake will be slow, as you
> say in your second message on the velocity of boids to coil around
> their foes.

Here's what happens when a powerful and agile endotherm (in this case a
Jaguar) decides to take 
on a large ectotherm (an anaconda):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBebLguAfwg

The snake easily outweighs the jaguar, yet it's far too concerned about
trying to escape to make 
any serious attempt at throwing some coils around it's attacker.

Is it usual to see a male jaguar catching prey to feed it's partner and cub?
Mrs jaguar even helps 
out towards the end (although after the black male has done most of the
dangerous work).

-- 
___________________________________________________________________

Dann Pigdon
GIS / Archaeologist              http://geo_cities.com/dannsdinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia             http://heretichides.soffiles.com
___________________________________________________________________