Boa vs Python differences

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Boas and pythons are some of the world’s biggest snakes, and with a very similar appearance, they are commonly misidentified by many people.

These 2 types of snakes have several differentiating physical characteristics, reproduction methods and they are also found in different habitats and parts of the world.

So how can we tell Boas and Pythons apart?

Habitat / Range

Most boa species live in the western hemisphere, in central and South America like the boa constrictor, emerald tree boa, or the Brazilian rainbow boa. But a few species live in Africa and islands such as Madagascar, Fiji and Reunion Island.

Pythons are exclusively Old World snakes, found in Africa like the ball python, Australia like the carpet python and olive python, and Asia.

But they were accidently introduced to North America, and since the 1980's the Burmese python, African rock python and the reticulated python are considered an invasive species in the Florida Everglades.

Anatomy

The bones found in the head of boas are distinct from other snake species like pythons since they have fewer bones. Boas also have fewer teeth when compared to pythons. In pythons, we find a pair of upper jaw bones called the “premaxilla” that also have teeth.

They both have tiny vestigial limbs a remainder of their legged ancestors, that can be seen today as small "spurs" near their tail. Both snake species also have 2 lungs, although most snake species have only 1 lung.

Most python species heat-sensing pits along the lips, these specialized organs enable them to detect tiny differences in temperature, allowing these snakes to hunt down warm-blooded prey, such as mammals and birds.

Reproduction

Most species of boas are ovoviviparous snakes meaning they are born as live hatchlings from eggs incubated inside their mother.

The pythons are oviparous snakes, meaning they lay eggs. The female after laying the eggs, incubates them to keep them warm.

Size

Boas on average are smaller than pythons. Most large boa species measure anywhere from 4 to 12 feet (1.2 to 3.7 m) depending on the species and gender, the only "giant snake" in the boa group is the green anaconda capable of reaching more than 20 ft in length.

Whereas pythons have several "giant" species reaching more than 20 feet (6 meters) in extreme cases. These giants include the invasive species mentioned before, the Burmese python, the African rock python and the reticulated python.

When it comes to size both snakes have been considered the biggest snake in the world, depending on how they are categorized. The green anaconda grows to be the heaviest snake whereas the reticulated python grows to be the longest snake in the world.

But even these giants are dwarfed by the extinct Titanoboa (Titanoboa cerrejonensis), which measured a whopping 42 feet (13 meters) and weighed about 2,500 lb (1,135 kg ).

Green Anaconda, world's heaviest snake

The green anaconda is found mostly in the Amazon basin, and are considered one of the world's biggest snakes.

This is true when considering their overall weight, they are for sure the heaviest, but they aren't actually the longest snakes.

They are so heavy that must stay in the water almost exclusively to be able to move around, this is why they are also sometimes called water boas.

The largest measured green anaconda was over 28 feet in length, but their average size is about 15 feet, a bit smaller than those giant snakes in Hollywood movies.

Reticulated Python, world's longest snake

The reticulated python is without a doubt the longest snake in the world. The species average adult size is about 18 feet long (5.5 meters) and the maximum recorded length is over 32 feet (9.75 meters).

These giant snakes are found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia and with their exceptional camouflage, they are truly the perfect ambush predator. They are also found in the Everglades where they are considered one of Florida's invasive snake species.

They are powerful constrictors, this means they will coil around their prey and squeeze it until it dies, then swallow it whole.

Did You Know?

The african gaboon viper has the longest fangs of any venomous snake measuring up to 2 inches (5 cm).