The impact of top predators on the dynamic of the communities increasing species diversity was discovered during the 1960s. A particular organism may have a strong effect up or down the trophic chain greatly affecting the status and conditions of other species or the whole community ( Terborgh and Estes, 2010 Estes et al., 2011 Kerkhoff, 2011 Coll and Hargadon, 2012). Trophic interactions are critical processes in the dynamics of an ecological community. This later evidence supports the notion that there is redundancy in tropical food chains and, strong as the effect of Capybara abundance might be, Anacondas do not entirely rely on them. We also found an unexpected strong influence of precipitation and primary productivity on Anaconda breeding ratio not related to the abundance of Capybara, likely affecting abundance of other prey or affecting non-trophic variables. Capybara abundance itself is also under strong bottom-up influence determined by precipitation and Net Primary Productivity.ĭiscussion: These strong interactions are not what is expected from a tropical ecosystem. In particular Capybara abundance has a strong effect. Results: Our data show a strong interaction of these variables on the percentage of Anacondas that reproduce in a given year (here forth breeding ratio). Methods: We studied the effect of bottom-up forces affecting the population of green Anaconda ( Eunectes murinus) in the Venezuelan llanos looking at net primary productivity, precipitation, and the abundance of an important prey item, Capybara ( Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris). Studies of trophic interactions in the tropics suggest that the trophic chains are longer because of the high productivity and because of the high diversity there is abundant intraguild redundancy which results in weak interactions. Top predators are often controlled from the bottom-up by the abundance of their prey base while prey animals are often controlled from the top-down. Introduction: Trophic cascades can produce important effects on a community where some species may have strong effects on other parts of the community up, down the food chain, or both. 2Department of Biology, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM, United States.1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States.

Map of anaconda distribution: National Geographic Maps. Anaconda in tree: Martin Krause, Dreamstime. Other species of anaconda are smaller in size, and include the yellow anaconda and the dark-spotted anaconda.Īnaconda in water: Photograph by Patrick K. And boy does this snake have a gob on it! Stretchy ligaments allow it to open its mouth wide enough to swallow prey whole – which could be large fish, rodents, caiman (relatives of crocodiles), wild pigs, small deer and even jaguars! Once an anaconda has suffocated its victim, it’s time to open wide. Instead, constrictors wrap their bodies around their prey and squeeze until it stops breathing – yikes! Constrictors are not venomous snakes, which means they don”t kill prey by delivering venom through a bite.

The green anaconda is a member of a family of snakes called constrictors. Picture it – that”s longer than six ten-year-olds lying head to foot, and heavier than all of them put together! When taking into account both weight and length, the green anaconda is the largest snake in the world, growing up to 9m long and weighing as much as 227kg. The name applies to a several snakes in the genus Eunectes, but it is commonly used to refer to one species in particular – the green anaconda. The anaconda is a semiaquatic snake found in tropical South America. Habitat: Swamps and rivers of tropical South America

Scientific name (green anaconda): Eunectes murinus

Green anaconda facts