UDSpacearrow's+Titanoboa

Alesander Tszsang/UD Spacearrow's Titanoboa MODERN SPECIES- COBRA CONCEPT SPECIES- SUPER COBUS 3000

__**Titanoboa**__
The Titanoboa is the largest snake used to be around on earth. It existed around 60-58 million years ago, during the Paleogene era. Titanoboas reached lengths of up to a staggering 12 meters. These gigantic snakes were found in the Amazon forest, mainly in Columbia in the South America. In 2009, fossils of the Titanoboa had been found in the Amazon, and its vertebrates are said to be as wide as a man's hand. The Titanoboa is related to the cobra, as both of them have the habit of killing or immobilizing their prey before eating them, and have similar body structures. The Titanoboa is also related to the [|Boa Constrictor], as they are of the same family.

Vertebrate (backbone) of an [|anaconda], compared to the Titanoboa

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Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder- Serpentes

====1.(Structural) Body Size- The Titanoboa has such a huge body, which helps it to tower over prey, and hence, eat them. The Titanoboa is believed to have a height of up to a man's waist, and has the length of a city bus. The big body size allows the Titanoboa to keep up with competition, especially with crocodiles and other larger animals, so that Titanoboas can eat them. Its body size is also able to scare off potential predators. Using its body size and its weight, Titanoboas can also coil its body around prey and suffocate them.====

====2. (Behavioral) Ectothermic- Titanoboas are ectothermic. They don't produce their body temperature, but relies on the outside air temperature. Therefore, they are able to adapt to various climates, without much trouble. Hotter temperatures increase the metabolic rate of the Titanoboa, so the Titanoboa survives the best in the hotter tropical temperatures of the Amazon.====

====3. (Behavioral/Psychological/Structural) Ability to slither- The Titanoboa is believed to be the first, if not one of the first species to be able to slither. They use their muscular scales (called scutes) on their bellies to help it move, and a layer of oil on their bellies makes movement easier. It reduces noise, so that smaller prey might not be aware of its presence. Because it was the largest species after the extinction of the dinosaurs, its huge body size might scare away the small prey, and it jeopardizes the Titanoboa from consuming prey. The Titanoboa is also unable to move quickly due to its weight, so it needs to be quiet and hunt prey by means of ambushing.====

====4.(Structural) Body Weight and Muscles- With the Titanoboa weighing over a tonne, it is particularly good in doing one thing- suffocating prey. They are able to coil their long and heavy bodies around their prey, suffocating them before they ate them, therefore, it makes their mealtime easier. Sometimes, they can also crush the prey by coiling their bodies, especially for killing smaller animals. The reason for the heavy body weight and strong muscles can be related to its body size, and its requirement to consume lots of food.====

====5.(Structural) Green or dark body color- scientists believe that the Titanoboa has a black or dark green color. The reason for this is easy- as it is to blend in with the forest, as camouflage. The Amazon rainforest contained a large amount of mud, bush, shrubs and trees, so a darker color is necessary, since most sunlight was blocked by trees. Due to the fact that the Titanoboa is a a big sized predator, it doesn't want to frighten away its prey and limit its food source.====

[[image:800px-Paleogene-EoceneGlobal.jpg width="587" height="301" align="left"]]
====The Titanoboa lived the Amazon rainforest of the Columbia region in South America during the Paleogene Era. As seen in the map, there was still a sea, separating the Colombian region. That sea has now been narrowed to from the Amazon River. However, the habitat conditions are relatively the same, as there was believed to have heavy vegetation, and relatively lots of rainfall. Based on the Titanoboa fossils, scientists believe that the overall temperature of the earth during the Paleogene era was 5-6 degrees celcius higher than nowadays. The Amazon forest had a median temperature 35 degrees celcius, allowing the Titanoboa's metabolism to perform normally. The fossils of the Titanoboa were recently found in an open coal mine in Columbia. So far, Titanoboa fossils still aren't found in other areas of the world.====

__**Extinction**__
====The Titanoboa probably went extinct due to the temperature drop during the past million years. The average temperature of the present day is around 26-27 degrees Celcius. Scientists believe that the climate in the Amazon in prehistoric days probably reached an average of 35 degrees Celcius, where the metabolism of the Titanoboa functions the best.The metabolism of the Titanoboa might not be able to keep up with the temperature change, the cooling of the earth, and hence, they died off eventually.====

Smith, L. (2009, Feburary 9). //Giant titanoboa snake ruled the earth after the dinosaurs//. Retrieved from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/article5662915.ece

Yong, E. (2009, Feburary 4). //Titanoboa - thirteen metres, one tonne, largest snake ever.//. Retrieved from http://scienceblogs.com/notrocketscience/2009/02/titanoboa_-_thirteen_metres_one_tonne_largest_snake_ever.php

Coleman, L. (2009, Feburary 4). //Snake longer than schoolbus discovered//. Retrieved from http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/titanoboa/

ScienceDaily,. (2009, Feburary 3). //Ancient crocodile relative likely food source for titanoboa, largest snake ever known//. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100202154408.htm

DinosaurJungle. (2010). //Titanoboa cerrejonensis//. Retrieved from http://www.dinosaurjungle.com/prehistoric_animals_titanoboa_cerrejonensis.php