Reptiles of the Amazon
South America's Amazon rainforest, the drainage basin for the Amazon river and its tributaries, is the world's largest tropical rainforest. It is home to a variety of reptile species, including snakes, turtles, caimans and lizards. Many of these species are endemic to the Amazon, which means they are found nowhere else.
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Anaconda
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Anacondas are non-venomous aquatic snakes that inhabit slow-moving waters in the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. They belong to the boa family. There are four anaconda species: green, yellow, dark-spotted and Beni. Anacondas can be between 20 and 30 feet long and weigh up to 550 lbs. The green anaconda is the largest snake in the world.
Anacondas are carnivores. They incapacitate prey by wrapping themselves tightly around the animal until it can no longer breathe. The jaws of the anaconda are attached by ligaments that stretch, which allows them to swallow prey many times their size, including caimans, deer and large rodents. Like all boa species, anacondas give birth to live young.
Giant Amazon River Turtle
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The giant Amazon river turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in South America. Females weigh up to 200 lbs. and their shells can be up to 40 inches long. Males are smaller, with shells rarely exceeding 19 inches in length. While their diet consists mainly of fruits and seeds, giant Amazon river turtles will also eat insects and sponges.
Giant Amazon river turtles are experts swimmer that rarely, if ever, leave the water. Females come ashore only to nest, which is a communal behavior. Each female lays between 50 and 150 eggs at a time.
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Dwarf Caiman
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The dwarf caiman is the smallest crocodilian species in the Americas. Males can be up to 5 feet long, while females are usually around 4 feet long. Unlike most other crocodilians, the dwarf caiman has a short, smooth head with a high dome and an upturned snout.
Dwarf caimans occur primarily in Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana and Guyana. They prefer fast-moving streams and rivers. As juveniles, they consume invertebrates like crustaceans. As adults, their diet consists primarily of fish.
Caiman Lizard
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The caiman lizard can be identified by its contrasting red head and green body. The dorsal scales on its back resemble those of caimans, hence its name. Caiman lizards can be up to 39 inches long.
The range of the caiman lizard encompasses parts of Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Guyana. They can be found in and along rivers, streams and swamps. Their diet consists of freshwater snails.
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References
- Photo Credit amazonian brazilian image by Eduardo Azeredo from Fotolia.com
