By RICHARD GRAY FOR MAILONLINE
-Biologists took daily X-ray images of a Burmese python after it swallowed an alligator to show the digestion process -Pythons increase their metabolic rate by 40 times after eating and many of their organs increase in size to cope -After three days the alligator’s soft tissue has been digested by powerful enzymes and acid leaving bone and skin -By day seven the entire alligator had been digested away, leaving little trace, and the snake’s gut returned to normal
They are both formidable predators, sitting at the top of their respective food chains.
But a series of X-ray images has revealed what happens when a Burmese python, one of the largest species of snake in the world, takes on an alligator and manages to swallow it whole.
The X-ray images, captured by biologists at the University of Alabama, show how the snake’s digestive system kicks into overdrive to quickly break down the crocodilian’s body.
Day 1: Scientists have taken x-ray images of a python as it digests an alligator it has devoured. Shown above the alligator can be clearly seen inside the gut of the snake on the first day just after feeding, causing the python’s body to bulge with the bulk of its meal.
The scientists found that after feeding, the python’s body undergoes some dramatic changes to cope with its meal.
It organs rapidly change size and function at many times their resting rate.
Professor Stephen Secor from the University of Alabama and his colleagues found that the snake’s heart increases by 40 per cent while its pancreas increases by 94 per cent and its liver more than doubles in size. The reptile’s kidney’s also increase in size by 72 per cent.
The python also floods its small intestine with powerful enzymes and acid, while its metabolic rate increases by forty times.
As the digestion goes on, the python has to contend with gases produced as the bacteria in the alligators gut cause it to putrefy, stretching its stomach further.
The images captured by Dr Secor and Dr Scott White reveal that within just three days the body of the alligator has already begun to break down.
By day four, most of the soft tissue and most of the bones have been digested leaving just the tough skin and skeleton which passes into the large intestine where it is digested further.
Following six days almost the whole alligator has been broken down and by day seven the entire meal has been digested.
Burmese pythons can grow to be up to seven metres (22 feet) long but on average reach around 3.7 metres (12 feet). American alligators grow on average around four metres (13.1 feet) long while their smaller Chinese cousins rarely exceed 2.1 metres (6.9 feet).
It is thought in this case the alligator was a juvenile and so was easily swallowed by the python.
Burmese pythons are capable of eating prey that are nearly as large as them and can ramp up their digestive system to cope with the meal. After feeding, the python’s heart increases by 40 per cent while its pancreas increases by 94 per cent and its liver more than doubles in size.
Day 2: The soft tissue has been dissolved away and the skeleton is also starting to break down inside the python’s small intestine. After a large meal the python floods its small intestine with powerful enzymes and acid, while its metabolic rate increases by forty times
Writing in the Journal of Experimental Biology about some research into python digestion, Dr Secor said: ‘For the Burmese python, native to southeastern Asia, the next meal could range from a monitor lizard or ground-dwelling bird to a prey as formidable as a pangolin, deer or leopard.
’When it does eventually capture a prey and feed, the python’s previously dormant gut rapidly resumes function to tackle the difficult task of digesting a prey that may exceed half of the python’s own body mass.
‘Each meal triggers dramatic increases in metabolism, upregulation of tissue function and tissue growth.
‘Upon the completion of digestion, these postprandial responses are thrown into reverse; tissue function is collectively downregulated and tissues undergo atrophy.’
Dr Secor said: ‘When [a Burmese python] does eventually capture a prey and feed, the python’s previously dormant gut rapidly resumes function to tackle the difficult task of digesting a prey that may exceed half of the python’s own body mass.‘ This grab was taken from a video by blogger Ojatro and shows a similar python swallowing the head of an alligator
Day 3: The bones and scaly skin of the alligator are now being digested by the powerful acid and enzymes released by the python’s gut. For such large meals the python will be almost immobile while it digests – leaving it vulnerable to attack from other predators. As a result the snake has developed a powerful digestive system. After eating, the pH of its stomach drops from seven to two within 24 hours
Day 4: Only the hardest parts of the alligator remain and they pass into the snake’s large intestine where they undergo final digestion. Enzymes including pepsin dissolve the soft tissues and skeleton of the prey within a few hours while the bacteria in the gut of the animal it has eaten also help the process.
Pythons are typically ambush predators, attacking their prey by surprise and using their powerful bodies to squeeze the air from the animal. Once dead, the python can distend their jaw to swallow prey that is almost as large as they are (example pictured)
Day 5: Just a few fragments of the large meal remain. The python has also had to deal with gases released by the putrefying body inside it. After eating, a python can then go for several weeks if not months without needing to eat again.
Day 6: There is little trace of the alligator left in the python’s gut and by day seven the entire digestion process will be complete
For such large meals the python will be almost immobile while it digests – leaving it vulnerable to attack from other predators.
As a result the snake has developed a powerful digestive system. After eating, the pH of its stomach drops from 7 to 2 within 24 hours.
Enzymes including pepsin start dissolving the soft tissues and skeleton of the prey within a few hours while the bacteria in the gut of the animal it has eaten also help the process.
After eating, a python can then go for several weeks if not months without needing to eat again.
Professor Stephen Secor (above) has studied the genome and digestive system of the Burmese python to better understand these snakes.
