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Wildlife Featured in this article
- Northern green anaconda
Scientists on film shoot find new anaconda species
The researchers were traveling with a team from National Geographic when they identified the snake
A team of scientists traveling with a film crew in the Amazon made a striking discovery for the documentary. The researchers were searching for what was rumored to be the largest anacondas in the world. After examining several individuals, they determined the newly named northern green anaconda (Eunectes akayima), had never been described before.
“This discovery is the highlight of my career,” said Bryan Fry, a professor at the University of Queensland, in Australia and an author on the study describing the anaconda as a distinct species in MDPI Diversity.
Researchers say one female anaconda measured 6.3 meters.
The species was found while filming with National Geographic for an upcoming Disney+ series, Pole to Pole with Will Smith. The team’s Waorani collaborators in the Amazon were co-authors on the paper.
Read more from National Geographic.
Header Image: Biologists determined the northern green anaconda is a separate species from other anacondas. Credit: Jesus Rivas
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