Titanoboa

Titanoboa = Modern Animal: Boa Constrictor =

The Titanoboa was the largest snake that slithered the earth around 65.5 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period and the Eocene Epoch. It fossils was found in Colombia. The Titanoboa weighs around 1,135 kg and reached a length of 43 feet, and the width of the body measured 1 meter in diameter. The vertebra of the backbone was discovered in a Quarry in Colombia, along with the fossil of its prey.



Habitat
The Titanoboa was the largest snake that slithered the earth around 65.5 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period and the Eocene Epoch. It fossils was found in Colombia during 2009. The snake is an ancestor to the present day Boa Constrictor. The fossils of the Titanoboa that were found in Colombia suggest that the Titanoboa lived in a rainforest environment where the temperature reached high levels that had affected the size of the Titanoboa. It was also very moist, precipitation occurred almost daily. Titanoboas lived underneath shrubs on the forest floor and trees, the same behaviour as todays’ Boa Constrictor. Titanoboas’ could hide underneath shrubs to prepare as they attack their prey. The Titanoboa was marine reptile due to the amount of moisture and rain in the environment that the Titanoboa lived in. The Titanoboa adapted to the water conditions and used water passages to attack their prey (crocodiles) and travel efficiently from place to place, Compared to the present day Boa Constrictor the Titanoboa spent most of its time in the water like the Anaconda, because it was easier for the Titanoboa to catch it’s prey. The Titanoboa didn't have any predators becuase it was a very feared species itself. The Titanoboa was a predator to most animals during the Cretacous Period.

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**__Structural Adaptations__**

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__**Body:**__ The Titanoboa reached an enormous length of 43 feet, which is longer than an average school bus. The width of the Titanoboa measured 1 meter in diameter. The long length of the snake took advantage to killing its large prey such as the Crocodile. The muscles in this large snake gave the ability for the snake to feed on large animals and survive for a long period of time. The Titanoboa didn’t have any predators; it was the largest snake during that Period. =====

**__Size:__** The Titanoboa grew to such a large size is because of the warm temperatures in the environment that reach up to 30-34 degrees celcius. The Titanoboa adapted to the warm temperatures, because temperature of an environment relates tot he size that a snakes reaches to. The Titanoboa was so big because the temperatures back during the Palocene Epoche were much hotter than today’s climate. The __environmental pressure__ that caused the Titanoboa to become extinction could have been caused by volcanic eruptions at the end of the Cretacous Period when most animal species disappeared from the earth. The amount of Iridium in the earth caused volcanic eruptions, and these volcanic eruptions caused the climate conditions to alter and changing ocean levels. Alterations of the climate and ocean levels could have caused the Titanoboa to lose control of their body temperature.

Physiological Adaptation:
**__Body Temperature:__** The Titanoboa was ectothermic and relies on the outside temperature to control heir body temperature, either warmer or cooler. The metabolisms of the Titanoboa was high due to the warm temperatures of the environment and meant that it could eat more and move around quickly. The warm temperatures allowed the Titanoboa to control it body heat during the day and cool down during the night. The high metabolism allowed the snake to consume more prey and move around quickly.

**__Behavioural Adaptations:__**

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**__Movement:__** The Titanoboa moved around in a concertina motion, where the snake will fold together and then stretch forward. Thhe front of the snake rely on the back to accelerate the snake forward. This technique would be used to attack the Titanoboas prey. This helped them to be able to enjoy their prey each day and move around stealthily and lay low from other animals. ======

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**__Senses:__** The Titanoboa uses a hissing sound when a predator is approaching. The hiss implies that animals or potential prey should stay clear of the area. Hissing also allowed the Titanoboa to sense if prey was near, because the tongue could sense smell. This adaptation meant that if a predator was threatening the Titanoboas babies it would hiss to tell the predator to keep out of the area, allowing for the Titanoboa to survive. =====



Bibliography  Carnivora (n.d.) Titanoboa vs. Boarcroc. Retrieved June 20, 2011. from: http://carnivora.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=interspecific&action=display&thread=8974

Science 2.0 (2011) Titanoboa - Titanic Boa Fossil From Colombia Is World's Largest Snake. Retireved June 20, 2011. From: http://www.science20.com/news_releases/titanoboa_titanic_boa_fossil_colombia_worlds_largest_snake

About.com (1996) Dinosaurs, Boa Constrictor. Retireved June 21, 2011. From: http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/predinosaurreptiles/p/Titanoboa.htm

Amazing Notes (n.d.) Titanoboa-The worlds largest snake, Titanoboa. Retireved June 23, 2011. From: http://amazingnotes.com/2011/01/25/titanoboa-the-worlds-largest-snake/