Tales of Giant Snakes : A Historical Natural History of Anacondas and Pythons

by Murphy, John C.; Henderson, Robert W.

• ISBN13: 9780894649950
• ISBN10: 0894649957
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1997-09-01
• Publisher: Krieger Pub Co

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	vii	(3)
Acknowledgments	x
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION	1	(6)
Methods	2	(1)
A Note on Taxonomy	3	(1)
Conversions for Weights and Measures	4	(3)
CHAPTER 2 GIANTS IN THE LANDSCAPE	7	(16)
The Common Anaconda, Eunectes murinus	7	(2)
The Indian Python, Python molurus	9	(4)
The Reticulated Python, Python reticulata	13	(3)
The African Python, Python sebae	16	(3)
The Near Giants	19	(1)
Summary	19	(4)
CHAPTER 3 HOW BIG DO GIANT SNAKES GET?	23	(34)
Are Snake Skins Useful Artifacts to Determine Size?	24	(2)
Field Estimates as Reliable Measures	26	(1)
The Supersnake Hypothesis	27	(7)
Ancient Giants?	34	(1)
Snakes, Sex, and Size	35	(1)
Adaptive Radiation, Bell Curves, and Giantism	35	(2)
Near Giants from Australia and New Guinea	37	(1)
Size of the Anaconda, Eunectes murinus	37	(8)
Doubt About a Long-standing Record-sized Snake	43	(2)
Size of the Indian Python, Python molurus	45	(2)
Size of the Reticulated Python, Python reticulata	47	(3)
Size of the African Python, Python sebae	50	(4)
Pritchard's Rule	54	(1)
Unclaimed Rewards for Big Snakes	55	(1)
Summary	56	(1)
CHAPTER 4 FOOD AND FEEDING	57	(44)
How Do Snakes Recognize Food?	58	(1)
Diversity of Food Eaten by Giant Snakes	59	(9)
Invertebrates	60	(1)
Fishes	60	(1)
Amphibians	61	(1)
Reptiles	61	(1)
Birds	62	(1)
Mammals	63	(5)
Individual Preferences for Food	68	(1)
Do Giant Snakes Eat Fruits?	69	(1)
Giant Snakes as Scavengers	69	(1)
Hunting Techniques	70	(9)
Ambush	70	(5)
Active Foraging	75	(2)
Charming Prey	77	(2)
The Strike	79	(2)
Constriction and Swallowing	81	(6)
Do Snakes Shape Their Prey Before Swallowing It?	83	(1)
Some Erroneous but Nevertheless Interesting Killing Methods Attributed to Giant Snakes	83	(1)
Flexibility of the Jaws When Swallowing Prey	84	(1)
Do Snakes Cover Prey with Mucus Before Swallowing? Before Swallowing	86	(1)
Swallowing While Submerged	86	(1)
Size of Giant Snake Prey	87	(6)
The Anaconda, Eunectes murinus	88	(2)
The Indian Python, Python molurus	90	(1)
The Reticulated Python, Python reticulata	91	(1)
The African Python, Python sebae	92	(1)
Digestion	93	(2)
Do Giant Snakes Swallow Animals with Horns or Antlers?	95	(1)
Vulnerability to Predators During and After Feeding	96	(2)
Fasting	98	(2)
Summary	100	(1)
CHAPTER 5 SEX AMONG THE GIANTS	101	(16)
Aggregations	102	(1)
Incubation to Hatching	103	(4)
Pre-egg Laying Posture	106	(1)
Nesting	107	(1)
The Brooding Python Controversy	107	(8)
Postpartum Behavior	115	(1)
Summary	116	(1)
CHAPTER 6 ENCOUNTERS	117	(14)
The Anaconda, Eunectes murinus	117	(8)
The Indian Python, Python molurus	125	(1)
The Reticulated Python, Python reticulata	126	(2)
The African Python, Python sebae	128	(2)
Summary	130	(1)
CHAPTER 7 ATTACKS ON HUMANS	131	(36)
Defensive Attacks	133	(4)
Snakes Make Mistakes	137	(1)
Attempts by Giant Snakes to Eat Humans	138	(17)
Accidents with Captive Giants	155	(4)
Death by Anaconda and Murder by Python?	159	(1)
Some Tall Tales	160	(4)
Summary	164	(3)
CHAPTER 8 EXPLOITATION, POPULATIONS, AND CONSERVATION	167	(36)
Giant Snakes as Symbols	167	(4)
Beliefs from the Western Hemisphere	168	(1)
Beliefs from the Eastern Hemisphere	168	(3)
Giant Snakes Used for Rodent Control	171	(2)
Giant Snakes as Food	173	(2)
Giant Snakes as a Source of Traditional Medicine	175	(2)
Giant Snakes as a Source of Entertainment and as Pets	177	(3)
Giant Snakes as Captives	180	(4)
Giant Snakes as a Source of Leather and Related Products	184	(9)
Eunectes murinus	185	(1)
Python molurus	186	(1)
Python reticulata	187	(1)
Python sebae	188	(2)
An Equatorial Belt?	190	(3)
Populations, Abundance, and Status	193	(6)
Conservation of the Anaconda	199	(1)
Conservation of the Indian Python	199	(1)
Conservation of the Reticulated Python	200	(1)
Conservation of the African Python	200	(1)
Summary	201	(2)
LITERATURE CITED	203	(12)
INDEX	215