Snakes are reptiles that arouse the curiosity of many people, especially in terms of food, since many are capable of consuming relatively large animals when stopped at their size. With that in mind, researchers detailed the ability of Burmese pythons (Python molorus bivittatus) to extend their jaws to grab prey.
This species was chosen because its ability is really extraordinary. Burmese pythons have a jaw opening that can be up to six times larger than similarly sized snakes. Burmese pythons are huge and can grow up to 5 meters in length, managing to ingest prey as large as deer or alligators.
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Wild Burmese pythons are actually vulnerable to extinction in their natural habitat in Southeast Asia due to human occupation there. In contrast, in Florida, where this species was introduced, native species are being decimated, a situation that harms the ecosystem.
According to Live Science, environmental scientist Ian Bartoszek, who led the study, stated that it is possible to visualize a real-time change in the Florida Everglades ecosystem, as the snake feeds on virtually everything it finds in its path.
Bartoszek's research has shown that Burmese pythons have super elastic skin between their lower jaws. This feature allows them to devour even larger animals than their highly mobile jaws would allow. This point is decisive for defining the food of these snakes, after all, they tend to swallow their prey whole, without chewing it first.
Also, to achieve such a wide opening, the ligament between the mandible and the maxilla of this python is loosely connected by a very elastic ligament. According to evolutionary biologist and co-author of the study, Bruce Jayne, although most snakes have expandable jaws, in the Burmese python the degree of elasticity is even greater.
parity between similar snakes
By stopping snakes of similar sizes and the size of their eventual prey, the researchers were able to estimate the size of animals these snakes could be. The data obtained suggest that for smaller snakes it is more worthwhile to feed on larger prey. However, a larger body size in pythons not only provides a broader menu for snakes, but also helps them stay off the menu of other predators.
The scientists admit that this research is aimed at exploring how this species behaves, and it was not intended to discover ways to control the "invasive species" in Florida. Jayne claims that despite this factor, the study can contribute to understanding the “impact of invasive species”. "If you know how big the snakes are and how long it takes for them to get to that size, you can put a rough upper bound on what resources the snake could be expected to exploit," said the researcher.
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