Sometimes, you find an animal so similar to one on the other side of the world—if it makes you wonder how that might happen, you’re not alone! Scientists have debated it and even have a term for it: convergent evolution.

Convergent evolution is where two unrelated animals share a trait. It can be winged flight like birds and bats, or limbless bodies like snakes and legless lizards. However, my favorite examples of this principle are the emerald tree boa (and its newish sister species the Amazon Basin tree boa), native to South America, compared with the green tree python of Southeast Asia.

Both species live high in the trees where they eat birds and small mammals and there’s more:

  • Bright green adults with white markings that helps them camouflage
  • Juveniles are born (boas) or hatched (pythons) a different color and mature into green
  • Massive jaw muscles to hold onto wiggly prey

Pythons and Boas—Different but Similar

Pythons were once classified as a subgroup in the Boidae family. Yet, physical similarities aside, pythons are not closely related to boas. If we’re talking actual genetic similarities—you’ll need to look at the sunbeam snakes of the Xenopeltis genus and the Mexican burrowing python in the genus Loxocemus.

Genetics aside, pythons and boas occupy similar habitats worldwide. They specialize in getting into areas for prey that other animals can’t or won’t go into—I mean legs are sometimes obstacles on their own!

They’re all nonvenomous, even though some like to pretend they’re dangerous—viper boa, I’m looking at you! Of course, a few get big enough to pose a danger to pets and sometimes children—like reticulated and Burmese pythons or green anacondas. That said, there are precious few stories about people actually being eaten by a giant snake, so stop worrying.

Yes, I know there’s a silly little song, “I’m being eaten by a boa constrictor,” but a boa constrictor could never be big enough to do that!

I digress.

Convergent Evolution Explains Similar Species in Different Parts of the World

When you’re talking about evolution, the water gets a little muddy. It’s not a straight line and similar animals or similar body shapes have evolved millions of years apart, like dolphins and ichthyosaurs. Scientists debate and argue and research, but mostly seem to agree that evolution is nature’s equivalent of a crapshoot—toss the dice and see what comes together. With a little bit of luck and a lot of adaptability, new species rise and fall. Sometimes, humans cause the fall, others it’s just bad timing.

But green tree pythons and emerald tree boas? Totally convergent evolution. Over millions of years, they evolved very similar behavior and body styles to occupy similar habitats in their respective environments.

Fiona & Fuzz in the Amazon

So this month, Fiona and Fuzz are ziplining through the Amazon, from tree to tree, checking out the wildlife that lives in the upper canopy. They spot several Emerald tree boas and even see one as it snatches a bird from the air. Nevermind that this is actually rare, that’s covered too.

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Compare the two! Emerald tree boa is on the left and green tree python is on the right.
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