Overview
- A Cambridge-led team analyzed 183 fossilized vertebrae from at least 32 snakes found in Falcón State, Venezuela, and dated the size plateau to roughly 12.4 million years ago.
- Ancient anacondas measured about 4–5 meters (13–16.5 feet), effectively matching modern Eunectes, with rare individuals reaching up to 7 meters.
- Body-length estimates from vertebrae were validated using ancestral state reconstruction on a snake family tree, strengthening confidence in the results.
- The findings contrast with other Miocene megafauna such as Purussaurus and Stupendemys, which shrank or vanished as climates cooled and habitats contracted.
- Authors propose that stable access to wetlands and diverse prey helped sustain anacondas’ large bodies over time, though they caution that deforestation and climate change now threaten those conditions.