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Giant boid snake from the Palaeocene neotropics reveals hotter past equatorial temperatures

Author

Listed:
  • Jason J. Head

    (University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada)

  • Jonathan I. Bloch

    (Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7800, USA)

  • Alexander K. Hastings

    (Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7800, USA)

  • Jason R. Bourque

    (Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7800, USA)

  • Edwin A. Cadena

    (Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7800, USA
    Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon Republic of Panama)

  • Fabiany A. Herrera

    (Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7800, USA
    Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon Republic of Panama)

  • P. David Polly

    (Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405-1405, USA)

  • Carlos A. Jaramillo

    (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon Republic of Panama)

Abstract

It's a long story The discovery of the world's largest known snake — living around 60 million years ago in tropical South America — has important implications for our understanding of the evolution of global climate. The fossil, found in northeastern Columbia — is of a relative of the boa constrictor; it was 13 metres long (compared to about 10 metres for the longest live snakes reported) and would have weighed more than a tonne. A snake this size would have required mean annual temperatures between 30 and 34 ° C, higher than the tropics today. This calls into question the idea that the climate system has a 'thermostat' that regulates tropical temperatures.

Suggested Citation

  • Jason J. Head & Jonathan I. Bloch & Alexander K. Hastings & Jason R. Bourque & Edwin A. Cadena & Fabiany A. Herrera & P. David Polly & Carlos A. Jaramillo, 2009. "Giant boid snake from the Palaeocene neotropics reveals hotter past equatorial temperatures," Nature, Nature, vol. 457(7230), pages 715-717, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:457:y:2009:i:7230:d:10.1038_nature07671
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07671
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