Fossils Reveal Anacondas Have Been Giants for Over 12 Million Years

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Fossil discoveries in Venezuela reveal that anacondas have been giant snakes for over 12 million years, maintaining their massive size since the Miocene epoch.

Fossils Reveal Anacondas Have Been Giants for Over 12 Million Years

For millions of years, South America has been home to some of the largest reptiles on Earth. A new study led by the University of Cambridge shows that anacondas (genus Eunectes) reached their giant size around 12.4 million years ago and have remained enormous ever since.

Ancient Giants of the Miocene

  • During the Middle to Upper Miocene (12.4–5.3 million years ago), many animals were much larger than their modern relatives.
  • Fossil evidence shows giant caimans (Purussaurus) reaching 12 meters and freshwater turtles (Stupendemys) up to 3.2 meters.
  • Unlike these extinct giants, anacondas survived and retained their massive size, making them one of the few enduring reptilian giants.

Fossil Evidence

  • Researchers analyzed 183 fossilized anaconda vertebrae, representing at least 32 snakes, found in Falcón State, Venezuela.
  • Measurements revealed that ancient anacondas averaged 4–5 meters in length, the same as modern specimens.
  • Rare individuals today can reach 7 meters, but the study found no evidence of larger snakes in the fossil record.

Evolutionary Resilience

Lead author Andrés Alfonso-Rojas, a Gates Cambridge Scholar, explained that while other giant reptiles disappeared due to cooling climates and shrinking wetlands, anacondas adapted and thrived in tropical habitats.

  • Their preferred environments—swamps, marshes, and rivers like the Amazon—continue to provide abundant prey such as fish and capybaras.
  • This ecological stability has allowed them to maintain their size for millions of years.

Scientific Significance

  • The study challenges previous assumptions that ancient anacondas must have been larger due to warmer climates.
  • Using ancestral state reconstruction, researchers confirmed that anacondas evolved large body size early and never downsized.
  • This makes them a rare example of evolutionary stability among giant vertebrates.

Conclusion

Anacondas are not just modern marvels of size—they are living fossils of gigantism, unchanged for over 12 million years. Their resilience highlights the importance of tropical ecosystems in preserving ancient evolutionary traits.

Source: University of Cambridge, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (2025).
Original article: Phys.org – Fossils reveal anacondas have been giants for over 12 million years


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