Spotted python

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Spotted python
Antaresia maculosa.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Pythonidae
Genus: Antaresia
Species:
A. maculosa
Binomial name
Antaresia maculosa
(Peters, 1873)
Synonyms
  • Liasis maculosus - Peters, 1873
  • Antaresia maculosus - Wells & Wellington, 1984
  • A[ntaresia]. maculosa - Kluge, 1993 [1]

The spotted python, eastern small-blotched python, or eastern Children's python (Antaresia maculosa) is a python species found in northern Australia and New Guinea. [2] It is a popular pet among Australian reptile enthusiasts and other reptile enthusiasts abroad due to its small size and even temperament. No subspecies were originally recognized. [2] [3] However, two subspecies were recognized as of 2020; A. m. maculosa and A. m. peninsularis.

Contents

The spotted pythons of New Guinea were proposed to be reclassified in 2021 as their own unique species, A. papuensis or the Papuan spotted python, in the same study that discovered the two mainland subspecies. [4] However, both ITIS and The Reptile Database currently consider the two variants as synonyms.

Taxonomy

Wilhelm Peters described the spotted python in 1873. A new subspecies, A. m. brentonoloughlini was described by Hoser (2003), [2] but this taxon is not considered valid by other herpetologists. [2] [5] [6] Two subspecies of A. maculosa were recognized in 2020; A. m. maculosa and A. m. peninsularis. [4]

Description

Adults average about 100–140 centimetres (39–55 in) in length, though a record exists of a 69 in (180 cm) specimen. It is the largest species of the genus Antaresia. [7] It has an irregular, blotched color pattern throughout its life. The blotches have ragged edges because the dark pigmentation occurs only on complete scales. [8] [9] Interestingly, the largest recorded example of this species was a male, suggesting males of this species as well as others in the genus Antaresia may compete for females. This behavior has never been witnessed in the wild, and has only been witnessed in captive specimens. Combat between males in such scenarios usually consists of constriction, striking, and biting. These snakes are primarily nocturnal, and are semi-arboreal with younger animals preferring to utilize elevated hiding spots more than adults. These snakes are the oldest species within the genus Antaresia, having diverged from other species in the genus 27 million years ago. [7]

Distribution and habitat

Found in Australia from the extreme north of the Cape York Peninsula, south through eastern Queensland to northern New South Wales. Also on many islands off the coast of Queensland. The type locality given is "Rockhampton, Port Mackay, Port Bowen [= Port Clinton]" [Queensland, Australia]. L.A. Smith (1985) restricted the type locality to "Port Mackay" (Mackay, Queensland, in 21° 09'S, 149° 11'E) by lectotype designation. [1] Antaresia maculosa has also been recorded from the southern Trans-Fly region of Papua New Guinea, at Weam in Western Province [10] and there are concerns it may be being exploited for the pet trade across the border in Indonesian West New Guinea. [11] [12] Found in most types of habitats, but prefers rocky hillsides and outcrops with crevices and caves. [13] The Papua specimen was found behind discarded corrugated tin sheets beside a disused airstrip in Eucalypt savanna-woodland habitat dotted with numerous termite mounds.

Feeding

One of its favorite foods are the insectivorous bats that it catches at the entrance of their caves. Being the largest members of this genus, captive specimens will usually accept mice and other small rodents. They also frequently feed on other reptile species such as the local gecko, Dubious dtella.

Spotted Pythons are often mistaken for the Children's python. Python, Spotted.JPG
Spotted Pythons are often mistaken for the Children's python.

Reproduction

The spotted python is oviparous, with females laying up to 15 eggs in a clutch.

In captivity

Spotted pythons are often kept as pets due to their small size, docile temperaments, strong feeding responses, resiliency and easy captive care. They and other species in the genus Antaresia are often seen as a good beginner species for keeping reptiles, particularly snakes. While not as popular or diverse in colors as ball pythons, these snakes can range in color from albino and leucistic to ebony, melanistic, and piebald color morphs to name a few. The few known leucistic individuals that have been documented were wild individuals released back into their native habitat after capture, leaving some python breeders disappointed by the lost opportunities to create different captive strains of these animals. The varying coloration between individuals also makes them quite attractive to many herpetoculturalists who work with and breed exotic reptiles. In captivity, this species are very tolerant of differing humidity levels ranging from 20%-80% due to the wide range of habitats they occur in throughout their range, and shedding problems that occur in captive animals are usually the result of temperatures being too high or low rather than problems with humidity. Spotted pythons are also fairly easy to breed, though some individuals (mostly males) may refuse to eat for a few weeks when they are interested in mating. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Antaresia</i> Genus of snakes

Antaresia is a genus of pythons, nonvenomous snakes in the family Pythonidae. The genus is native to Australasia. The genus is known by the common name Children's pythons, the name of the type species, Antaresia childreni. Gray named A. childreni in honour of his mentor, John George Children, who was a curator of the zoological collection at the British Museum around that time. It contains the smallest members of the Pythonidae. Four species and two subspecies are recognized, although they were all considered part of the same species until recently. A newly described form called the pygmy banded python may be a distinct species, but analysis has not yet been performed on this animal. The largest recorded examples of Antaresia species have all been males, suggesting males of the known species in this genus may compete for females. This behavior has never been witnessed in the wild, and has only been witnessed in captive specimens.

<i>Leiopython</i> Genus of snakes

Leiopython is a genus of snakes in the family Pythonidae.

<i>Xenopeltis</i> Genus of snakes

Xenopeltis, the sunbeam snakes, are the sole genus of the monotypic family Xenopeltidae, the species of which are found in Southeast Asia. Sunbeam snakes are known for their highly iridescent scales. Three species are recognized, each one with no subspecies. Studies of DNA suggest that the xenopeltids are most closely related to the Mexican burrowing python and to the true pythons (Pythonidae).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green tree python</span> Species of snake

The green tree python, also known as the emerald green python, is a species of snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is native to New Guinea, some islands in Indonesia, and the Cape York Peninsula in Australia. First described by Hermann Schlegel in 1872, it was known for many years as Chondropython viridis. As its common name suggests, it is a bright green snake that can reach a total length of 2 m (6.6 ft) and a weight of 1.6 kg (3.5 lb), with females slightly larger and heavier than males. Living generally in trees, the green tree python mainly hunts and eats small reptiles and mammals. It is a popular pet, and numbers in the wild have suffered with large-scale smuggling of wild-caught green tree pythons in Indonesia. Despite this, the green tree python is rated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of endangered species.

<i>Morelia spilota</i> Species of snake

Morelia spilota, commonly known as the carpet python, is a large snake of the family Pythonidae found in Australia, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, and the northern Solomon Islands. Many subspecies are recognised; ITIS lists six, the Reptile Database six, and the IUCN eight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children's python</span> Species of reptile

Children's python is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is named after John George Children. It is a nocturnal species occurring in the northern half of Australia and generally found on the ground, although it often climbs trees. Usually growing to about 1.0 m (3 ft) in length or more depending on the polymorphic variant, it is typically a reddish-brown colour, darker on the upper surface, and with many darker blotches, especially on younger specimens. The Stimson's python variant has much stronger and more variable colours; often being adorned with reddish-brown to chocolate blotches against lighter tan. It feeds mostly on small mammals and birds, and as with other pythons, it constricts its prey before swallowing it whole. It is a popular pet among reptile enthusiasts.

<i>Simalia boeleni</i> Species of snake

Simalia boeleni is a species of python, a nonvenomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is endemic to the mountains of New Guinea. No subspecies are recognized. Its common names include Boelen's python and the black python.

<i>Apodora</i> Genus of snakes

Apodora papuana is a species of python, commonly known as the Papuan python, Irian python or Papuan olive python. It is found in New Guinea. It is the only species in the genus Apodora. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amethystine python</span> Species of snake

The amethystine python, also known as the scrub python or sanca permata in Indonesian, is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Popular among reptile enthusiasts, and noted for its coloration and size, it is one of the largest snakes in the world, as measured either by length or weight, and is the largest native snake in Papua New Guinea. Until 2000, the larger S. kinghorni was generally considered a subspecies of S. amethistina, and this change of classification has still not been universally reflected in literature. Because of this issue, S. amethistina has often been described as the largest snake in Australia, but this is not accurate since under the current classification, this species does not occur in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oenpelli python</span> Species of snake

The Oenpelli python or Oenpelli rock python is a species of large snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is endemic to the sandstone massif area of the western Arnhem Land region in the Northern Territory of Australia. There are no subspecies that are recognised as being valid. It has been called the rarest python in the world. Two notable characteristics of the species are the unusually large size of its eggs and its ability to change colour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pygmy python</span> Species of snake

The pygmy python, also known as the anthill python, is a species of snake found in Western Australia. Their common names refer to the fact that they are the smallest member of the family Pythonidae and are often found in termite mounds. The specific epithet is derived from the state capital, Perth, despite the fact that this place is not within the range of the species. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Python brongersmai</i> Species of snake

Python brongersmai is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is native to Southeast Asia.

<i>Morelia spilota spilota</i> Subspecies of snake

Morelia spilota spilota is a subspecies of carpet python, popularly known as the diamond python. It is a medium to large snake, found in coastal areas and adjacent ranges of south-eastern Australia. It is the most southerly occurring python in the world and is found at higher altitudes than any other species of Australian python.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timor python</span> Species of snake

The Timor python is a python species found in Southeast Asia. A dwarf species, no subspecies are recognized as being valid. Like all pythons, it is a nonvenomous constrictor; unlike larger species such as the reticulated python, it is not considered dangerous to humans.

<i>Morelia spilota variegata</i> Subspecies of snake

Morelia spilota variegata, commonly known as Torresian carpet python, Darwin carpet python or northwestern carpet python, is a subspecies of python found in New Guinea and Australia, smaller than the nominate subspecies Morelia spilota spilota and has a more restricted geographic range.

<i>Simalia tracyae</i> Species of snake

Simalia tracyae, the Halmahera python, is a species of python found only on the Indonesian island of Halmahera. It belongs to the family Pythonidae and the genus Simalia. This snake was previously believed to have belonged to the Simalia amesthistina species; however, studies in recent years have caused scientists to distinguish between the two types of snakes, resulting in the reclassification of the Halmahera python as its own species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian scrub python</span> Species of snake

The Australian scrub python, or simply scrub python is a species of snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is indigenous to forests of northern Australia. It is one of the world's longest and largest snakes, and is the longest and largest in Australia. Recently, it has been reclassified to the genus Simalia alongside a few other former Morelia species, but scientific debate over this continues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D'Albertis python</span> Species of snake

D'Albertis' python, also known commonly as D'Albert's water python or the northern white-lipped python, is a species of python, a non-venomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is endemic to New Guinea. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.

Leiopython fredparkeri, the Karimui Basin whitelip python or Karimui Basin white-lipped python, is a species of snake in the family Pythonidae. It is endemic to New Guinea. It was first described by Wulf Schleip in 2008.

References

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  2. 1 2 3 4 Antaresia maculosa at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 20 November 2017.
  3. "Antaresia maculosa". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 18 September 2007.
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  6. Kaiser, Hinrich; Crother, Brian I.; Kelly, Christopher M. R.; Luiselli, Luca; O'Shea, Mark; Ota, Hidetoshi; Passos, Paulo; Schleip, Wulf D.; Wüster, Wolfgang (2013). "Best practices: in the 21st century, taxonomic decisions in herpetology are acceptable only when supported by a body of evidence and published via peer-review". Herpetological Review. 44 (1): 8–23. hdl: 2436/621767 .
  7. 1 2 3 Julander, Justin; Mutton, Nick; Birch, Peter (2013). The Complete Children's Python: A Comprehensive Guide to the Natural History, Care, and Breeding of Antaresia species.
  8. "NOTES ON ANTARESIA MACULOSA (SPOTTED PYTHON)" (PDF).
  9. "Spotted Python (Antaresia maculosa) | ReptileTalk NET". ReptileTalk NET. 2016-05-08. Retrieved 2017-11-19.
  10. O'Shea, M.; R.G. Sprackland & I. Bigilale (2004). "First record for the genus Antaresia (Squamata: Pythonidae) from Papua New Guinea". Herpetological Review. 35 (3): 225–227. hdl: 2436/622466 .
  11. Natusch, D.J.D. & J.A. Lyons (2011). "The harvest of Antaresia maculosa (Pythonidae) from West Papua, New Guinea". Herpetological Review. 42 (4): 509–511.
  12. Natusch, D.J.D. & J.A. Lyons (2012). "Exploited for pets: the harvest and trade of amphibians and reptiles from Indonesian New Guinea". Biodiversity and Conservation. 21 (11): 2899–2911. doi:10.1007/s10531-012-0345-8. S2CID   1626125.
  13. Barker, D.G. & T.M. Barker 1994. Pythons of the World Vol.1 Australia. The Herpetocultural Library. xviii + 171 pp. ISBN   1882770277.

Further reading