inspires as much terror and curiosity as
the Python one of the world’s longest
snakes is a Python the reticulated
python of Southeast Asia usually grows
around 16 feet long however the current
record holder for the longest
reticulated python measured at 25 feet
pythons long bodies help the reptiles
kill by way of constriction they wrap
their bodies around prey and every time
the prey exhales the Python squeezes
more tightly this disrupts the preys
respiration and blood flow inevitably
called Spurs these two limbs appear as
small bumps on the sides of a pythons
pelvis while too small for Lokomotiv
function the Spurs and pelvis are
remnants of pythons evolution from
lizards this evolution occurred around
100 million years ago one possible early
ancestor of pythons called the tetrapod
office was a fusion of lizard and
snake-like features and had hind legs
interestingly scientists found that
pythons have retained the genetic
mutation for growing limbs
this means pythons may be capable of
having fully functional legs once again
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pythons do not unhinge their jaws when
they eat contrary to popular belief
pythons cannot unhinge their jaws rather
their jaws rest on a multi hinged joint
that provides for incredible flexibility
and enables the snakes to devour large
prey flexibility is also aided by
pythons lower right and left jaw bones
unlike mammals which have one solid
lower jawbone pythons lower jaws are
made of two bones linked by an elastic
ligament this allows the bones to
stretch more widely to help swallow prey
at least two to three times wider than
Python skulls can walk over prey pythons
have six rows of teeth in their skulls
two in their lower jaws two in their
upper jaws and two more in the roof of
their mouth through a phenomenon called
cranial Kinesis or pterygoid walk each
of these rows can be moved independently
which allows snakes to drag prey into
their throats without the use of front
limbs Python teeth also help this
process they are extremely sharp and
curved backwards perfect for catching
and clinging onto prey some pythons have
become invasive species while native to
the tropics of Africa Asia and Australia
several Python species have been
transported to the United States by way
of pet trafficking Florida’s Everglades
National Park in particular is home to
tens of thousands of invasive Burmese
pythons poor care neglect and accidents
have caused many pythons originally
taken in as pets to kill native wildlife
other pets and even children but when
left alone in their natural habitat
pythons are generally docile pythons are
some of nature’s most incredible
predators their long bodies constricting
capabilities and skulls optimized for
devouring large prey are enough to
strike fear and awe in anyone’s heart
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