Deformed One-legged snake found by a woman
A WOMAN has made hisstory after discovering a ONE-LEGGED snake in her bedroom.
Terrified Duan Qiongxiu jumped out of her skin when she came across the mutant reptile.
Scientists are now studying the slithering creature to see how it managed to grow a foot complete with four clawed toes on its stomach.
Duan, 66, of Suining, southwest China, said: "I woke up and heard a strange scratching sound. I turned on the light and saw this monster working its way along the wall using his claw."She was so scared she grabbed a shoe and beat the beast to death before preserving its body in a bottle of alcohol.
The creature which is 16 inches long and the thickness of a little finger is now being studied at the Life Sciences Department at China's West Normal University in Nanchong.Snake expert Long Shuai said: "It is truly shocking but we won't know the cause until we've conducted an autopsy.
Via
October 16, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Not deformed. This is a pure guess by an absolute non-expert. This snake has some kind of condition that causes it to digest very slowly, and scar tissue formed around what likely was largest this this snake ever ate. Maybe it has a condition that cause scar tissue to grow too fast too. It doesn't have the DNA code to make arms(guessing).
October 18, 2009 at 3:46 AM
Actually, snakes devolved legs much earlier in their evolutionary history. It's entirely possible that a mutant gene or two activated some long-hidden limbs, the same way that human embryos have gills which normally disappear in the womb.
October 19, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Call me crazy, but to me, it looks like the snake ate a lizard of a similar color that pierced through the snake's flesh. The bulge around the leg and the way that the color pattern warp around it are pretty clear to me, as is the apparent swelling at the base of the leg due to the constriction of the snakes skin acting as a tourniquet. Makes sense to me!
February 25, 2010 at 10:41 PM
A good number of the large constrictors still have toes/claws. I'd guess the genes for legs are still there, just switched off.
June 2, 2010 at 4:39 PM
Or, God forgives the snakes to be responsible for the original sin by giving them legs. \o/
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