TITANOBOA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: TITANOBOA CERREJONENSIS

"TITANIC BOA"

The Titanoboa was named for its enormous size with “Titan” referencing its gigantic proportions and “boa” indicating its relation to modern boa constrictors.

QUICK FACTS

Time Period
Titanoboa lived during the middle to late Paleocene, about 58-60 million years ago. It evolved into existence right after the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs.
Diet
Titanoboa was a carnivorous predator that preyed primarily on large fish that lived in rivers during the Paleocene epoch. They also preyed on crocodilians, turtles, birds, and other reptiles.
Size
Titanoboa reached estimated lengths of 42-50 feet and weighed up to 2,500 lbs. Its body could get up to 3 feet wide at its thickest points.
Location Found
Titanoboa was found in the ancient tropical rainforests of South America, primarily in the Cerrejón Formation in Colombia.

OVERVIEW

One of the largest snakes to have ever inhabited the earth, the Titanoboa was the apex predator of its ecosystem. Living up to its name, this titanic snake was longer than a school bus.

DID YOU KNOW?

Titanoboa was about twice as long and up to four times as heavy as today’s largest snakes, such as the green anaconda
Titanoboa had a forked tongue, which helped it sense and locate prey, even underwater

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Titanoboa was distinguished by a densely packed set of teeth, more numerous than those of modern boas, an adaptation likely specialized for catching slippery prey such as fish.

Its massive backbone featured uniquely strong, T-shaped neural spines with a pentagonal cross-section, providing exceptional support for its enormous body.

Notably, Titanoboa’s skull and jaw were specially adapted to swallow large prey whole, with a low-angled hinge that allowed its jaw to open extraordinarily wide - extending well behind its brain - enabling it to consume animals much larger than those tackled by most modern snakes.

HABITAT / ENVIRONMENT

Titanoboa lived in warm, lush coastal plains dominated by wet tropical forests, slow-moving rivers, swamps, and lagoons.

During the Paleocene epoch, this region experienced a “Greenhouse Climate” with consistently high temperatures ranging from 86 to 93 °F annually.

Titanoboa shared its environment with formidable large crocodilians, giant turtles, and abundant large fish, creating a rich and competitive ecosystem along the waterways.

BEHAVIOR AND LIFESTYLE

Titanoboa was a powerful ambush predator that relied on constriction rather than venom to subdue its prey. Spending much of its time in the water, it would lie in wait among dense vegetation or along riverbanks before striking suddenly.

Much like modern large constrictor snakes, Titanoboa was likely a solitary creature, spending most of its life alone and interacting with others primarily during the mating season.

After birth or egg-laying, it probably provided little to no parental care, with the young immediately fending for themselves.

FOSSIL DISCOVERIES

Titanoboa was first discovered in the early 2000s within the Cerrejón coal mine in Colombia’s La Guajira region by a research team from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the University of Florida.

The most complete Titanoboa skeleton ever found is now housed at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, offering unparalleled insight into this giant prehistoric snake.

This fact page was checked for accuracy by Paleontologist Evan Jevnikar. Visit his website here for additional resources.