Section 1: Size
Longest Snake
Much debate exists over this topic. For many years Guinness recognized the Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) as the longest living snake with a record length of 42.5 feet. This record was based an unconfirmed measurement. The snake was shot, measured, then regained consciousness and escaped. In the early 1990's Guinness dropped this record and began to recognize the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus) as the longest living snake with a record length 32' 9". The record snake was shoot near a mining camp on the north coast of Celebes, Indonesia in 1912. It was measuring by civil engineers using a surveying tape. There is only one other Guinness recognized case of a snake specimen exceeding 30 feet. A specimen of the African Rock Python (Python sabae) has been documented at 32'2". This specimen was shot near a school on the Ivory Coast of Africa in 1932. This animal doubled the average length of adult Rock Pythons. Fossil records have indicated Rock Pythons in Africa that were over 50' long.
Green Anaconda
Eunectes murinus
The longest somewhat verified length is 42.5'
Retic Python
Python reticulatus
Record Length: 32'9". Longest snake ever held in captivity was a 28.5' Retic held at the Highland Park Zoo in PA.
Rock Python
Python sabae
Record Length: 32'2".
Longest venomous snake
No debate exists over the longest venomous snake. The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is by far the longest venomous species in the world, with a recorded live captive specimen of 18'9".
King Cobra
Ophiophagus hannah
Longest venomous snake in the world, record 18'9"
Species Length Records
Burmese Python
Python m. bivittatus
One specimen measuring 27 feet was held at the Snakes Alive museum in Cherokee, NC. The skin still hangs on the wall.
Giant Boa Constrictor
Boa constrictor constrictor
The largest reported Boa was shoot near the Amazon Basin. It measured 18.5'. A 17' + specimen was once held at the RatnSnakes retail shop in Chattanooga, TN.
Crocodile Monitor
Varanus salvadori
One exaggerated specimen measured 15' 7", but it 70% tail.
Komodo Dragon
Varanus komodoensis
Longest bodied living lizard. A specimen once held at the St Louis Zoological Gardens measured 10'2".
Caledonia Giant Geckos
Rhacodactylus leachianus ssp
Adults have been measured at 15". They are believed to be the largest living geckos.
Turtles
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
The largest turtle in the world. A specimen found dead on a beach in Wales in 1988 was 9'5".
Alligator Snapper
Macroclemys temminckii
The largest fresh water turtle in the world. The pictured specimen belongs to John Richards of MO.
Link
http://www.turtleman.com/
Galapagos Tortoise
Chelonoidis nigra
The Galapagos is the largest species of tortoise. A huge specimen still held in Seffner, FL measures 54" long, 41" wide, and 28" high.
Longest Frogs & Toads
Goliath Frog
Conraua goliath
The world's largest frog. A specimen captured alive in 1989 in Cameroon measured 2'11" overall.
Marine (Cane) Toad
Bufo marinus
The world's largest species of toad. A specimen held in Sweden measured 21" over all.
Common Bull Frog
Rana catesbeinana
The largest species of frog in the US. Adult bull frogs average a length of over 12"
Longest Crocodilian
Salt Water Crocodile
Crocodylus porosus
One of the last true man-eaters. In 1823 a 27' Specimen was killed in the Philippines. (He was a notorious man-eater) His skull is on display at Harvard University. There is currently a captive specimen in eastern India that measures over 23'.
American Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
The Alligator is the longest reptile in the US. The largest recorded specimen was trapped in LA in the early 1900's. It was 19'2".
American Crocodile
Crocodylus acutus
The largest true crocodile in the US. A 15' specimen is currently on display at Gaterland in Orlando. "Alf" is thought to be the largest American Croc in the world.
(Link)
http://www.gatorland.com/
Heaviest Snakes
While debate rages over the longest species, there is no question as the the heaviest snakes. Green Anacondas (Eunectes murinus) can weight as much as double what a Retic Python (Python reticulatus) of the same length weights. Guinness currently recognizes an Anaconda shoot in Brazil in 1960 as the heaviest specimen. The snake was 27' 9" with a girth of 44". The estimated weight was 500 pounds. Older versions of the Guinness book recognize a specimen shoot in Columbia in 1944 as the heaviest. This specimen was shoot and measured, but later covered from the injuries and escaped back into the wild. The snake taped at 37.5' and Guinness estimated the weight at 1,000 pounds. Assuming these estimates to be true, the 42.5' specimen should have weighted in the neighborhood of 1,250 pounds. Rock Pythons (Python sabae) achieve much greater girth then the Retics, so the 32' Rock specimen was probably in the 500 pound range also.
Green Anaconda
Eunectes murinus
Record weight estimated near 1,250 pounds.
Eastern Diamond Back
Crotalus adamanteus
Heaviest snake in the US, and the heaviest venomous snake in the word. Record snake was 7'9" and weighted 34 pounds.
Gaboon Viper
Bitis gabonica gabonica
Heaviest snake in proportion to length, rarely exceeds 6'. Heaviest specimen was 25 pounds.
Burmese Python
Python m. bivittatus
This unusually large specimen was housed at Serpent Safari in Gurnee, IL. "Baby" was 26.5' and was certified by Guinness at 403 pounds in 1998. She was later estimated at 440 pounds and is the heaviest snake ever held in captivity.
Heaviest Lizard
Komodo Dragon
Varanus komodoensis
Adult males average 200 pounds, with the 10'2" specimen housed on the St Louis Gardens scaling at a world world 365 pounds.
Heaviest Crocodilian[/img]
Salt Water Crocodile
Crocodylus porosus
Adult males average over 1,100 pounds. The 27' man-eater killed in the Philippians was estimated to weight 4,400 pounds.
American Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
Exaggerated specimen can weight over 2,000 pounds
American Crocodile
Crocodylus acutus
The heaviest true croc in North America. the 15' specimen in Orlando tips the scale at over 1,200 pounds.
[b]Heaviest Turtle & Tortoises
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
The dead specimen found on the beach in Wales scaled at 2,120 pounds. The beast surely weighted 2,300 when is was in prefect health.
Alligator Snapper
Macroclemys temminckii
The largest specimen recorded for a fresh water turtle was a 248 pound alligator snapper housed an the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, TN. It died soon after being placed on display.
Link http://www.tnaqua.org/
Galapagos Tortoise
Chelonoidis nigra
A Galap named Goliath currently housed in Seffner, FL scales at 911 pounds. A specimen named Jack, housed in S. Africa walks under cars and lifts them off the ground.
Heaviest Frogs & Toads
Goliath Frog
Conraua goliath
The 1989 specimen weighted just over 8 pounds and is the heaviest frog ever recorded.
Marine (Cane) Toad
Bufo marinus
The 15" specimen housed in Sweden weighed almost 6 pounds.
Common Bull Frog
Rana catesbeinana
Adult specimens can weight over 4 pounds and feed on birds and mice.
Longest Snake
Much debate exists over this topic. For many years Guinness recognized the Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) as the longest living snake with a record length of 42.5 feet. This record was based an unconfirmed measurement. The snake was shot, measured, then regained consciousness and escaped. In the early 1990's Guinness dropped this record and began to recognize the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus) as the longest living snake with a record length 32' 9". The record snake was shoot near a mining camp on the north coast of Celebes, Indonesia in 1912. It was measuring by civil engineers using a surveying tape. There is only one other Guinness recognized case of a snake specimen exceeding 30 feet. A specimen of the African Rock Python (Python sabae) has been documented at 32'2". This specimen was shot near a school on the Ivory Coast of Africa in 1932. This animal doubled the average length of adult Rock Pythons. Fossil records have indicated Rock Pythons in Africa that were over 50' long.
Green Anaconda
Eunectes murinus
The longest somewhat verified length is 42.5'
Retic Python
Python reticulatus
Record Length: 32'9". Longest snake ever held in captivity was a 28.5' Retic held at the Highland Park Zoo in PA.
Rock Python
Python sabae
Record Length: 32'2".
Longest venomous snake
No debate exists over the longest venomous snake. The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is by far the longest venomous species in the world, with a recorded live captive specimen of 18'9".
King Cobra
Ophiophagus hannah
Longest venomous snake in the world, record 18'9"
Species Length Records
Burmese Python
Python m. bivittatus
One specimen measuring 27 feet was held at the Snakes Alive museum in Cherokee, NC. The skin still hangs on the wall.
Giant Boa Constrictor
Boa constrictor constrictor
The largest reported Boa was shoot near the Amazon Basin. It measured 18.5'. A 17' + specimen was once held at the RatnSnakes retail shop in Chattanooga, TN.
Crocodile Monitor
Varanus salvadori
One exaggerated specimen measured 15' 7", but it 70% tail.
Komodo Dragon
Varanus komodoensis
Longest bodied living lizard. A specimen once held at the St Louis Zoological Gardens measured 10'2".
Caledonia Giant Geckos
Rhacodactylus leachianus ssp
Adults have been measured at 15". They are believed to be the largest living geckos.
Turtles
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
The largest turtle in the world. A specimen found dead on a beach in Wales in 1988 was 9'5".
Alligator Snapper
Macroclemys temminckii
The largest fresh water turtle in the world. The pictured specimen belongs to John Richards of MO.
Link
http://www.turtleman.com/
Galapagos Tortoise
Chelonoidis nigra
The Galapagos is the largest species of tortoise. A huge specimen still held in Seffner, FL measures 54" long, 41" wide, and 28" high.
Longest Frogs & Toads
Goliath Frog
Conraua goliath
The world's largest frog. A specimen captured alive in 1989 in Cameroon measured 2'11" overall.
Marine (Cane) Toad
Bufo marinus
The world's largest species of toad. A specimen held in Sweden measured 21" over all.
Common Bull Frog
Rana catesbeinana
The largest species of frog in the US. Adult bull frogs average a length of over 12"
Longest Crocodilian
Salt Water Crocodile
Crocodylus porosus
One of the last true man-eaters. In 1823 a 27' Specimen was killed in the Philippines. (He was a notorious man-eater) His skull is on display at Harvard University. There is currently a captive specimen in eastern India that measures over 23'.
American Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
The Alligator is the longest reptile in the US. The largest recorded specimen was trapped in LA in the early 1900's. It was 19'2".
American Crocodile
Crocodylus acutus
The largest true crocodile in the US. A 15' specimen is currently on display at Gaterland in Orlando. "Alf" is thought to be the largest American Croc in the world.
(Link)
http://www.gatorland.com/
Heaviest Snakes
While debate rages over the longest species, there is no question as the the heaviest snakes. Green Anacondas (Eunectes murinus) can weight as much as double what a Retic Python (Python reticulatus) of the same length weights. Guinness currently recognizes an Anaconda shoot in Brazil in 1960 as the heaviest specimen. The snake was 27' 9" with a girth of 44". The estimated weight was 500 pounds. Older versions of the Guinness book recognize a specimen shoot in Columbia in 1944 as the heaviest. This specimen was shoot and measured, but later covered from the injuries and escaped back into the wild. The snake taped at 37.5' and Guinness estimated the weight at 1,000 pounds. Assuming these estimates to be true, the 42.5' specimen should have weighted in the neighborhood of 1,250 pounds. Rock Pythons (Python sabae) achieve much greater girth then the Retics, so the 32' Rock specimen was probably in the 500 pound range also.
Green Anaconda
Eunectes murinus
Record weight estimated near 1,250 pounds.
Eastern Diamond Back
Crotalus adamanteus
Heaviest snake in the US, and the heaviest venomous snake in the word. Record snake was 7'9" and weighted 34 pounds.
Gaboon Viper
Bitis gabonica gabonica
Heaviest snake in proportion to length, rarely exceeds 6'. Heaviest specimen was 25 pounds.
Burmese Python
Python m. bivittatus
This unusually large specimen was housed at Serpent Safari in Gurnee, IL. "Baby" was 26.5' and was certified by Guinness at 403 pounds in 1998. She was later estimated at 440 pounds and is the heaviest snake ever held in captivity.
Heaviest Lizard
Komodo Dragon
Varanus komodoensis
Adult males average 200 pounds, with the 10'2" specimen housed on the St Louis Gardens scaling at a world world 365 pounds.
Heaviest Crocodilian[/img]
Salt Water Crocodile
Crocodylus porosus
Adult males average over 1,100 pounds. The 27' man-eater killed in the Philippians was estimated to weight 4,400 pounds.
American Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
Exaggerated specimen can weight over 2,000 pounds
American Crocodile
Crocodylus acutus
The heaviest true croc in North America. the 15' specimen in Orlando tips the scale at over 1,200 pounds.
[b]Heaviest Turtle & Tortoises
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
The dead specimen found on the beach in Wales scaled at 2,120 pounds. The beast surely weighted 2,300 when is was in prefect health.
Alligator Snapper
Macroclemys temminckii
The largest specimen recorded for a fresh water turtle was a 248 pound alligator snapper housed an the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, TN. It died soon after being placed on display.
Link http://www.tnaqua.org/
Galapagos Tortoise
Chelonoidis nigra
A Galap named Goliath currently housed in Seffner, FL scales at 911 pounds. A specimen named Jack, housed in S. Africa walks under cars and lifts them off the ground.
Heaviest Frogs & Toads
Goliath Frog
Conraua goliath
The 1989 specimen weighted just over 8 pounds and is the heaviest frog ever recorded.
Marine (Cane) Toad
Bufo marinus
The 15" specimen housed in Sweden weighed almost 6 pounds.
Common Bull Frog
Rana catesbeinana
Adult specimens can weight over 4 pounds and feed on birds and mice.