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Python is the common name for a group of non-venomous
constricting snakes, specifically the family Pythonidae. Other sources
consider this group a subfamily of the Boas (Pythoninae). Pythons are
more related to boas than to any other snake-family. There is also a genus
within Pythonidae which carries the name Python (Daudin, 1803). Pythons
are distinguishable from boas in that they have teeth on the premaxilla,
a small bone at the very front and center of the upper jaw. Most boas
produce live young, while pythons produce eggs. Some species of sandboas
(Ericinae) are also called python.
Geographic Range and Habitat
Pythons are found in Australia, Southeast Asia, India, and Africa.
Most pythons live in the dense
underbrush of rugged tropical rainforest regions. They are excellent climbers;
some species, like the Green Tree Python, are arboreal. Like all snakes,
they are also capable swimmers.
Description
Pythons range in size from 4.5 to 6 metres (15 to 20 feet) in length.
They are among the longest species of snake in the world; according to
the Guinness Book of World Records the Reticulated Python holds the record
for longest snake, at 10m (32ft 9.5in).[1]
Some species exhibit vestigial
bones of the pelvis and rear legs, which are externally apparent in the
form of a pair of anal spurs on each side of the cloaca. These spurs are
larger in males than females, and are used by the male to stimulate the
female during copulation. Pythons are distinguishable from boas in that
they have teeth on the premaxilla, a small bone at the very front and
center of the upper jaw.
Some pythons display vivid patterns
on their scales while others are a nondescript brown. They usually reflect
appropriate camouflage for their native habitat.
Behavior
Pythons are constrictors, and feed on birds and mammals, killing them
by squeezing them to death. They coil themselves up around their prey,
tighten, but merely squeeze hard enough to stop the prey's breathing and/or
blood circulation. Large pythons will usually eat something about the
size of a house cat, but larger food items are not unknown. They swallow
their prey whole, and take several days or even weeks to fully digest
it. Despite their intimidating size and muscular power, they are generally
not dangerous to humans. While a large adult python could kill a human
being (most likely by strangling rather than actual crushing), humans
are outside the normal size range for prey. Reports of python attacks
on humans are extremely rare. Despite this, pythons have been aggressively
hunted, driving some species (like the Indian Python) to the brink of
extinction.
Most pythons have heat-sensing organs in their lips. These enable them
to detect objects that are hotter than the surrounding environment. Pythons
that do not have heat-sensing organs identify their prey by smell. Pythons
are ambush predators: they typically stay in a camouflaged position and
then suddenly strike at passing prey. They then grasp the prey in their
teeth, and kill by constriction. Death is usually a result of suffocation
or heart failure rather than crushing. Pythons will not usually attack
humans unless startled or provoked, although females protecting their
eggs can be aggressive.
Reproduction
Pythons lay eggs which they arrange in a pile. They coil around the pile
until all eggs have hatched. Since pythons cannot regulate their internal
body temperature, they cannot incubate their eggs per se; instead, they
raise the temperature of their eggs by small movements of their body—essentially,
they "shiver". This is one of only a few documented cases of
parental behaviour in snakes. Dr. Steve Gorzula has noted in his CITES
Ball Python Survey report that Ball Pythons do not exhibit shivering behaviour
to increase the temperature of a clutch during incubation.
In Captivity
Most species of python are available in the exotic pet trade.
The larger species such as the
Burmese python and Reticulated Python should only be owned by those with
experience of snakes. Many cases of large pet pythons killing their owners
have been documented , but all were due to poor husbandry on the part
of the owner, rather than the snake just attacking at random. Ron Crawford,
a professional ball python breeder who operates RCReptiles.com has indicated
that ball pythons are very friendly pythons and are not dangerous unlike
their larger python cousins, the Burmese python and Reticulated Python.
The Everglades National Park
has had an invasive population of Burmese Pythons that have caused harm
to the natural environment of the Everglades; more than 200 have been
removed.
Species
Genus Aspidites
- Black-headed Python, Aspidites melanocephalus (Krefft, 1864)
- Woma Python, Aspidites ramsayi (Macleay, 1882)
Genus Antaresia
- Children's Python, Antaresia childreni (Gray, 1842)
- Spotted Python, Antaresia maculosa (Peters, 1873)
- Pygmy Python, Antaresia perthensis (Stull, 1932)
- Stimson's Python, Antaresia stimsoni (Smith, 1985)
Genus Apodora
- Papuan Python, Apodora papuana (Peters & Doria, 1878)
Genus Bothrochilus
- Bismark Ringed Python, Bothrochilus boa (Schlegel, 1837)
Genus Leiopython
- D'Albert's Python or White-lipped Python, Leiopython albertisii (Peters
& Doria, 1878)
Genus Liasis
- Brown Water Python, Liasis fuscus
- Liasis fuscus fuscus (Peters, 1873)
- Liasis fuscus jackyae (Hoser, 2003)
- Liasis mackloti
- Macklot's Python, Liasis mackloti mackloti (Duméril & Bibron,
1844)
- Savu Python, Liasis mackloti savuensis (Brongersma, 1956)
- Olive Python, Liasis olivaceus
- Liasis olivaceus olivaceus (Gray, 1842)
- Liasis olivaceus barroni (Smith, 1981)
Genus
Morelia
- Carpet Python, Morelia spilota
- Amethistine Python, Morelia amethistina (Schneider, 1801)
- Boelen's Python, Morelia boeleni (Brongersma, 1953)
- Centralian Carpet Python or Bredl's Python, Morelia bredli (Gow, 1981)
- Rough-scaled Python, Morelia carinata (Smith, 1981)
- Mollucan Python, Morelia clastolepis (Harvey, Barker, Ammerman &
Chippindale)
- Australian Scrub Python, Morelia kinghorni (Stull, 1933)
- Morelia macburniei (Hoser, 2003)
- Morelia mippughae (Hoser, 2003)
- Tanimbar Python, Morelia nauta (Harvey, Barker, Ammerman & Chippindale)
- Oenpelli Python, Morelia oenpelliensis (G.F. Gow, 1977)
- Carpet Python, Morelia spilota
- Southwestern Carpet Python, Morelia spilota imbricata (Smith, 1981)
- Jungle Carpet Python, Morelia spilota cheynei (Wells & Wellington,
1985)
- Morelia spilota macrospila (Werner, 1910)
- Coastal Carpet Python, Morelia spilota mcdowelli (Wells & Wellington,
1985)
- Diamond Python, Morelia spilota spilota (La Cépède, 1804)
- Northwestern Carpet Python, Morelia spilota variegata (Gray, 1842)
- Inland Carpet Python, Morelia spilotes metcalfei (Wells & Wellington,
1985)
- Green Tree Python, Morelia viridis(Schlegel, 1872)
- Halmahera Python, Morelia tracyae (Harvey, Barker, Ammerman &
Chippindale)
- Morelia viridis shireenae (Hoser, 2003)
Genus Python
- Borneo Short-tailed Python, Python breitensteiniAngolan Python, Python
anchietae (Bocage, 1887)
- Borneo Short-tailed Python, Python breitensteini (Steindachner, 1881)
- Red Blood Python, Python brongersmai (Stull, 1938)
- Sumatran Short-tailed Python, Python curtus (Schlegel, 1872)
- Indian Python, Python molurus
- Python molurus molurus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Burmese Python, Python molurus bivittatus (Kuhl, 1820)
- South African Python, Python natalensis (Smith, 1833)
- Ball Python or Royal Python, Python regius (Shaw, 1802)
- Reticulated Python, Python reticulatus
- Python reticulatus reticulatus (Schneider, 1801)
- Selayer Reticulated Python, Python reticulatus saputrai (Auliya, 2002)
- Kayaudi Dwarf Reticulated Python, Python reticulatus jampeanus (Auliya,
2002)
- African Rock Python, Python sebae (Gmelin, 1789)
- Timor Python, Python timoriensis (Peters, 1876)
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