If you look in the records there is a lot of controversy over which snake holds the world's record for massive size. The dimensions that have earned the anaconda the title of king is its total body mass or its weight (the sheer physical bulk of it). The other snake that competes with the anaconda is the Asiatic Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus).

The python holds the world's record for length of a snake, with the longest ever measured at 33 feet. Even though the longest python is longer than the record-holding anaconda, the girth of the anaconda is far bigger. Anacondas in the jungles of South America can grow as big around as a grown man!

So what are the world's largest snakes and how do they live their lives? Let's take a closer look at some of the world's big snakes that often inspire fear and the occasional Hollywood flop. Let's look at four big snakes that top the "scales" like none other -- the green anaconda, the reticulated python, the African rock python and the Burmese python.

Green Anaconda - World's Biggest or Largest Snake

Aside from reptile enthusiasts, few people realize there are actually two species of anaconda -- the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) and the yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus). Both are big snakes but the green anaconda is by far the larger of the two species. Average adult length for a green anaconda is about 5 meters, or nearly 17 feet long. The longest recorded length for a green anaconda was just over 8 meters (or nearly 26 feet).

Thought the average adult reticulated python is a bit longer than the average adult green anaconda, the anaconda is usually considered the "largest" of the giant snakes. If you are ranking the giant snakes by their overall size (taking into account thickness and weight in addition to length), the green anaconda is at the top of the list. In fact, full-grown green anacondas are so heavy that they have to live primarily in water environments to help support their weight.

Adult anacondas have very few enemies in the wild, aside from humans. They feed on just about anything they can catch and overpower, which puts a lot of animals on the menu. This giant snake can even eat caiman and crocodiles.

From a distance, the anaconda appears to be dark brown or olive-colored with no pattern. But up close, the big snake actually has an attractive pattern of black and yellow spots.

The Reticulated Python

The reticulated python is arguably the longest snake in the world, with an average adult size of 6 meters (18 feet) long. This giant snake makes its home in the steamy rainforests of Southeast Asia. It is an ambush predator, and is well suited for that role with its exceptional camouflage pattern.

One of the most striking features (pun intended) about this big snake are its eyes. Like many nocturnal snakes, the reticulated python has vertical pupils. But it also has bright orange irises. The eyes of the "retic" enable the giant snake to catch prey at night, usually by ambushing its prey and constricting until the prey stops moving.

The reticulated python is a big snake all right. With its excellent camouflage and hunting ability, it's a marvel of nature by any yardstick.

The Burmese Python

As its name suggests, the Burmese python inhabits the rain forests of Southeast Asia. They often reside near water, but are not dependent on water environments like the anaconda is.

Surprisingly, these big snakes are also excellent climbers and can be found in trees. The Burmese python is often found near villages within its native habitat, where it performs a necessary role of eating rats and other rodents.

Another thing that makes this giant snake unique is the way it can raise its body temperature to incubate eggs. All pythons wrap their bodies around their eggs to keep them warm. The Burmese python, however, is unique in its ability to take this a step further by actually elevating its core body temperature. Scientists don't fully know how the big snake is able to do this.

Of all the big snakes on this list, the Burmese python is one of the most popular within the pet trade. While certainly a giant snake, the Burmese python has a reputation for being docile and easy to handle (unless food is nearby). The same cannot be said of the other snakes on this list.

African Rock Python

My favorite episode of the Jeff Corwin show (the older show before he started the Jeff Corwin Experience) showed Jeff trying to get his hands on an African rock python. I've never seen Corwin so unnerved by a snake before ... and I can't blame him. These giant snakes will defend themselves aggressively, as Jeff found out when trying to approach one in the wild. It repeatedly lunged at him, teeth first.

As Jeff Corwin illustrated, this big snake does have a reputation for being aggressive toward humans, but only when harassed or cornered in the wild. Despite their defensive "enthusiasm," there has only been one known case of a person (a child) being eaten by an African rock python.

Biggest Venomous Snake - The King Cobra

The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is not one of the biggest snakes in the world, generally speaking. But is by far the longest venomous snake in the world, so I thought it deserved an honorable mention in this tutorial on big snakes of the world.

The king cobra can reach lengths of six meters (or 18 feet), making it by far the longest of the venomous snakes.

I hope you enjoyed learning about the biggest and largest snake in the world. When we tried to find out which is the biggest snake in the world we found this information. The information above on the biggest snake in the world is gathered from various world record resources. So, the biggest or largest world record holder may change.