How has the anaconda (Asiatic reticulator python) evolved over time?
143122
OK, first things first. \nThe anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) is a South American aquatic constrictor boa. \nPythons are Asiatic/African constrictors (mostly arboreal); they belong to a different subfamily (some authors even assign them to a different family) from South American boas. \nThe evolutionary history of the family Boidae (in a broad sense, i.e. including both these groups) is a very interesting paleontological issue; their phylogenetic (ancestral-descendant) relationships are still being discussed. \n\nAs the original question is not clear, I'd like to know if you're interested in the evolution of a particular species or the Boidae in general. \nHere's two links to papers on snake phylogeny, including the Boidae \nhttp://www.kingsnake.com/aho/pdf/menu2/slowinski2002.pdf\nhttp://evo.bio.psu.edu/hedgeslab/Publications/PDF-files/67.pdf\nI'll check back :-)
505630
Definitely the ANACONDA...din't you see the movie? (probably didn't see the sequal...it wasn't as good).
1098773
We did not evolve from apes. I find it hard to believe evolution can create two different species.  That's like a cat evolving into a duck.
1103236
Western, European, Asian of Philipine pond turtle?\n\nThink in the range of 125 days. for the non exotic (non asian) ones.
46590
yes from adam... duh.... they just evolved to have slightly different features to suit their environment....
25529
I believe so. I think they have just evolved into smaller things like iguanas, gheckos, lizards....etc.
350652
Here you go, check this out.\n\nhttp://evolution.berkeley.edu/
131055
I'd like to think that you're asking this question with an earnest wish to get good informative answers. If that is the case, I invite you to see the link that Kurdiatcha left, or to do a web search for the term, or else, to read some good Evolution textbooks such as Ridley's "Evolution" or Freeman & Herron's "Evolutionary analysis", or Futuyma, or Stephen Jay Gould if you want something more entertaining.\nIf that is not the case, I'm not bothering anymore *sigh*
1017561
Danged interesting.  I will look into this.  I have said myself that the future belongs to the best breeders of any species.  Why are the pandas and white tigers endangered and the racoon and rat thriving? Adaptability and reproduction.  It's like WHO do you think are going to inherit the earth? The little WASP couple in the gated community with one or two perfect little lily white children or the Mexican couple with eight kids who will live anywhere and do anything to survive?  Whose kids are going to be the most capable of adapting and thriving? The robust little peasants or the little hot house plants?
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The largest known anaconda measured about 11.5 meters (37.4 feet) long, but unverified reports of much larger snakes have occasionally been made. This is the famous Lamon-Dunn record, this geological survey expedition from 1944, geologists who led the expedition found the gigantic snake by the water of the Orinoco river in East Venezuela. Together with a platoon of soldiers of the Farc they shot the dangerous snake, and with the help of 20 men, carried it out on shore. The anaconda was measured with a special measuring device for geological purposes. Although this is probably the largest verified anaconda account, the animal was unfortunately not weighed because after shooting it, the workers went back to camp for lunch. When they returned, it was apparent that the snake was not dead as it had left and the trails indicated that it swam up the river.[2]\n\nAn anaconda of 9 meter can weigh up to about 1100 lb (500 kg), thus the 11.5 could weigh in excess of 750 to 850 kg. The well-fed ones typically weigh about a hundred kilograms per meter of length. A snake this large can kill a large bull or Tapir easily; records show that female anacondas become sometimes larger than the ones captured. Zoological research has shown trails of snakes on the dry riverbeds on the llanos in Venezuela that indicate extremely large snakes awaiting discovery, some of them were more than 0.60 m wide[citation needed]. Zoologists speculate that it is possible that they correspond to snakes of 12 to 13 meters (40 to 44 ft) in length. Anacondas, like all large species of boas and pythons, continue to grow throughout their lives. Their growth speed reduces after reaching maturity but these snakes possibly reach 50 or 60 years of age, some maybe 80.\n\nThere are some historical reports of early European explorers of the South American jungles seeing giant anacondas up to 100 feet long and some of the native peoples of the South American jungle have reported seeing anacondas up to 50 feet long.[3] No one has caught and measured an anaconda anywhere near that size. Additionally, it is important to note that there is nothing in their natural habitat that could satisfy the feeding requirements of an anaconda that size.\n\nOne notable account was reported by adventurer Percy Fawcett. In 1906, Fawcett wrote that he had shot and wounded an anaconda in South America; he reported the snake measured some 18.9 meters (62 ft) from nose to tail. [4]\n\nOnce publicized, Fawcett’s account of the giant snake was widely ridiculed, although he insisted his account was both truthful and accurate. Bernard Heuvelmans came to his defense arguing that Fawcett was generally honest and reliable when relating things. [5] Furthermore, Heuvelmans noted that mainstream experts were repeatedly forced to revise their limits regarding the maximum size of snakes when confronted with specimens that defied the generally-accepted estimates. At one point in time, 6 meters (20 feet) in length was the widely-accepted maximum size of an anaconda. These giant snakes are one of the few that have documented, but not verified, cases of eating people. Given maximum size, it is possible, although likely exceedingly rare. When it sheds, an adult anaconda relieves itself of an average of 2 pounds of skin. An anaconda's skin can stretch up to 30% larger than the original size of the snake.
1134801
Relationship to other primates had been suspected for years before Darwin   (1840's)-- simple observation.  Now with the deciphering of the geome for both chimps, and humans, relationship has been proved beyond a shadow of a doubt.  We are all so similar even back to fish ---a central body with 5 protrusions -- head and 4 limbs.  I don't know it all, lady, but taught science and math for years, read Discover Magazine, Scientific American, and watch the Science channel.   Fascinating.... Evolution is no longer a theory, but a fact, a lovely fact.  Our medical research on rats, dogs, and other critters would be worthless if evolution were not..   Helpful?  The question is toooo complicated to fully explain.  But you can start by reading scientific journals....   Good luck  Life is a life-long learning process.....  and god has nothing to do with it.  Critters survived, and evolved.  If a gene were detrimental, the critter carrying it didn't live long enough to procreate.  It the mutated gene was beneficial, it aided in that critter to live long enough to reproduce.  Lots of evolution is even occuring today.  Google things like Darwin's Finches, pigmy elephants, and of course dinasaurs.  \n\nOne quick interesting thing about moths in England to illustrate evolution:  In the early 1600's, before the Industrial Revolution began and coal producing smoke was a fact of life, a particular moth was mostly white, and blended into the tree bark on which it laid its eggs. The tree bark was white. Occasionally a grey-black one was hatched, but never lived very long -- birds got it.  As the Industrial Revolution took off in England, producing black soot, that black soot began to cover the trees' bark.  In less than 150 years, the white variety was gone, and there existed only the darker mutant.  Beginning in 1950 when England passed anti air pollution laws, those trees began loosing the soot off of the tree bark.  Yup, you guessed it..... the white variant is now dominant........ evolution in action  ,,,,,Helpful????
112629
Very roughly 2 billion years ago.  But you should be aware of two points. \n\nThe first is that the date is a matter of considerable debate and it could easily be half a billion years either side of that.\n\nThe second is that the transition was extremely slow, starting with the addition of oxygen by inorganic processes and then taking a massive leap with the evolution of oxygen producing autotrophs.
599686
Female anacondas do not devour the males!\n\n- Praying mantis\n- Many spiders\n- Ceratopogonid midges\n\nhttp://www.yesbutnobutyes.com/archives/ugly_animal_kingdom/index.html\n\n---------\nUpdate: An interesting article that discusses adaptive and nonadaptive hypotheses for sexual cannibalism in spiders.  The evidence suggests that, at least in spiders, there's a connection between foraging decisions and cannibalistic behaviour towards males. \nhttp://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1420-9101.2002.00363.x/full/\n(let me know if you cannot download the article)
898107
The reticulated python can reach 33 feet and weigh several hundred pounds, perhaps 400 pounds or more. They can eat a full-grown man and there have been confirmed reports of them eating an adult man in Asia, they are man-eaters. Though pythons rarely eat humans, it has happened. An adult man is not too large for a 30 foot snake to swallow. Some exceptionally large constrictor snakes can eat things twice the average adult man's size.\n\nNo, people should not exterminate all pythons. They play a vital role in the ecosystem. They are living things that have a desire to live. People just need to avoid areas a python could be hiding and exercise some common sense not to be eaten like staying together with a bunch of people and not venturing off somewhere alone where there have been massive snake sightings reported in the past.
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http://dev.biologists.org/cgi/content/full/130/17/4123?ck=nck
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http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CB/CB928_1.html\nhttp://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CB/CB928.html\n\nSome brief information there. More explained in Origin of Species for example.
829729
The eurasian jay would be classified as a corvid because in evolutionary terms, it has a much more recent common ancestor with other crows than it does with the thrushes.\n\nAny observed behavioural similarities would be an example of convergent evolution, similar to comparing old world vultures, which are related to birds of prey and new world vultures, which are more closely related to storks.\n\nPersonally, I think of the jay as behaviourally more like a shy version of the magpie (also a corvid), than a thrush.  E.g. both jays and magpies are nest robbers, preying on the young of other birds.