Common names: yellow anaconda, Paraguayan anaconda.

Eunectes notaeus is a non-venomous boa

Boinae

The Boinae are a subfamily of boas found in Central and South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. Five genera comprising 28 species are currently recognized.-Geographic range:...

 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 found in South America

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

. No subspecies

Subspecies

Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...

 are currently recognized.

Description

Adults are not as large as the green anaconda, E. murinus, but nevertheless grow to an average of 10 to 12 ft (3 to 3.7 ) in length. The maximum size is almost certainly larger. Females are larger than males.

The color pattern consists of a yellow, golden-tan or greenish-yellow ground color overlaid with a series of black or dark brown saddles, blotches, spots and streaks.

Habitat

Prefers mostly aquatic habitat

Habitat

* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...

s including swamp

Swamp

A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...

s, marshes, and brush covered banks of slow moving river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

s and streams.

Feeding

These snakes were studied in regularly flooded areas in the Pantanal

Pantanal

The Pantanal is a tropical wetland and one of the world's largest wetland of any kind. Most of it lies within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay, sprawling over an area estimated at between and...

 region of southwestern Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

. The data collected was directly observed from predatory instances, analysis and examination of gut and waste contents, as well as affirmations by local residents and other researchers. These studies indicate that the species is a generalist feeder. The prey list analyzed and other evidence suggests that E. notaeus employs both "ambush predation" and "wide-foraging" strategies. The snakes forage predominately in open, flooded habitats, in relatively shallow water; whereas most predation instances occur from June to November, when flooded areas have noticeably dried out, with Wading birds being the most common prey. They have also been known to prey on fish, turtles, small-sized caiman

Caiman

Caimans are alligatorid crocodylians within the subfamily Caimaninae. The group is one of two subfamilies of the family Alligatoridae, the other being alligators. Caimans inhabit Central and South America. They are relatively small crocodilians, with most species reaching lengths of only a few...

s, lizards, birds eggs, small mammals and fish carrion. The prey to predator weight ratio is often much higher than those known for other types of boids.