Burmese pythons have evolved a distinct feature that allows their jaws to stretch immensely wide, a new study revealed.
This species of pythons, which can grow to reach up to 5 meters (16 feet) in length, have an incredible ‘gape,’ allowing them to swallow whole a large deer or alligator – something that other similarly-sized snakes cannot boast.
The Python molorus bivittatus, as it is called, has extremely stretchy skin between its lower jaws, discovered the research, funded in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation. The findings of the research were published in Integrative Organismal Biology.
Ian Bartoszek, an environmental scientist for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, together with three other researchers, took a closer look at the biology of the massive and voracious snake, a native of Southeast Asia. While this species is vulnerable in its original habitat due partly to the impact of human activity, in Florida, where they have been introduced, they are “changing the Everglades ecosystem,” according to Bartoszek.
To compare the gape of various-size snakes, the scientists examined wild-caught and captive brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis) that hunt birds and other small prey, along with the Burmese pythons.
After measuring the snakes as well as their potential prey, the researchers estimated the largest animals the snakes could eat. The study also analyzed the relative benefits of exploiting a wider range of prey held by snakes with a 'gape' advantage.
Greater body size not only provides a broader menu for snakes, the researchers add, it also helps them stay off the menu for other predators.
"Once those pythons get to a reasonable size, it's pretty much just alligators that can eat them," said University of Cincinnati College of Arts and Sciences professor Bruce Jayne, adding:
"And pythons eat alligators."
Researchers revealed that they routinely find deer hooves and the remains of other big animals in the snakes' stomachs. Bartoszek, who recently photographed a python regurgitating a full-grown white-tailed deer, added:
“Some things you can’t unsee on this python project. Last season, we removed one snake that weighed 215 pounds.”
A wild Burmese python regurgitates an adult white-tailed deer in Everglades National Park.
© Photo : UC/Ian Bartoszek
Earlier research revealed that constrictors such as Burmese pythons kill their prey by cutting off the animals' blood flow.
While the new study stopped short of focusing on how to control the invasive species, it could potentially aid scientists in anticipating the effect of voracious Burmese pythons on wetland ecosystems.
"It's not going to help to control them. But it can help us understand the impact of invasive species. If you know how big the snakes get and how long it takes for them to get that size, you can place a rough upper limit on what resources the snake could be expected to exploit," said Jayne.