{{small|Schneider, 1801}}\n*''Python amethystinus''
{{small|— [[François Marie Daudin|Daudin]], 1803}}\n*[''Constrictor''] ''amethystina''
{{small|— [[Johann Georg Wagler|Wagler]], 1830}}\n*''Boa amethystina''
{{small|— Wagler, 1830}}\n*''Python amethystinus''
{{small|— [[Hermann Schlegel|Schlegel]], 1837}}\n*[''Boa Python''] ''amethystinus''
{{small|— Schlegel, 1837}}\n*''Liasis amethystinus''
{{small|— [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1842}}\n*''Liasis amethystinus''
{{small|— [[André Marie Constant Duméril|A.M.C. Duméril]] & [[Gabriel Bibron|Bibron]], 1844}}\n*''Liasis'' (''Simalia'') ''amethystinus''
{{small|— Gray, 1849}}\n*''Aspidopython Jakati''
{{small|[[Adolf Bernhard Meyer|A. Meyer]], 1874}}\n*''Liasis amethystinus''
{{small|— [[Wilhelm Peters|W. Peters]] & [[Giacomo Doria|Doria]], 1878}}\n*''Liasis duceboracensis''
{{small|[[Albert Günther|Günther]], 1879}}\n*''Hypaspistes dipsadides''
{{small|[[James Douglas Ogilby|Ogilby]], 1891}}\n*''Python amethystinus''
{{small|— [[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1893}}\n*''Liasis clarki''
{{small|[[Thomas Barbour|Barbour]], 1914}}\n*''Liasis a''[''methistinus'']. ''amethistinus''
{{small|— [[Olive Griffith Stull|Stull]], 1933}}\n\n*''Liasis amethistinus''
{{small|— [[Leo Brongersma|Brongersma]], 1953}}\n\n*''Liasis amethystinus amethystinus''
{{small|— [[James Roy Kinghorn|Kinghorn]], 1956}}\n*''Liasis amethistinus''
{{small|— Stimson, 1969}}\n*''Python amethistinus''
{{small|— McDowell, 1975}}\n*''Morelia amethistina''
{{small|— [[Harold Cogger|H.G. Cogger]], [[species:Elizabeth E. Cameron|Cameron]] &
[[species:Heather M. Cogger|H.M. Cogger]], 1983}}\n*''Australiasis amethistinus''
{{small|— [[Richard Walter Wells|Wells]] & [[Cliff Ross Wellington|Wellington]], 1984}}\n\n*''Morelia amethistina''
{{small|— [[:fr:Garth Underwood|Underwood]] & [[species:Andrew Francis Stimson|Stimson]], 1990}}\n*''M''[''orelia'']. ''amethistina''
{{small|— [[Arnold G. Kluge|Kluge]], 1993}}\n*''Morelia amethystina''
{{small|— [[David G. Barker|D. Barker]] & [[Tracy M. Barker|T. Barker]], 1994}}\n*''Morelia amethistina amethistina''
{{small|— [[Mark O'Shea (herpetologist)|O'Shea]], 1996}}[[species:Roy Wallace McDiarmid|McDiarmid RW]], [[Jonathan A. Campbell|Campbell JA]], [[species:T'Shaka A. Touré|Touré TA]] (1999). ''Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1''. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. {{ISBN|1-893777-00-6}} (series). \n{{ISBN|1-893777-01-4}} (volume).\n*''Simalia amethistina''
{{small|— [[species:Robert Graham Reynolds|Reynolds]] et al., 2014}}{{EMBL species|genus=Simalia|species=amethistina}}. www.reptile-database.org."}},"i":0}}]}" id="mwCw">
Amethystine python | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Pythonidae |
Genus: | Simalia |
Species: | S. amethistina |
Binomial name | |
Simalia amethistina (Schneider, 1801) | |
Range shown as dark orange and bright orange regions | |
Synonyms | |
|
The amethystine python ( Simalia amethistina, formerly known as Morelia amethistina), 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. [4]
Formerly, five subspecies of Morelia amethistina, including the nominate race, M. a. amethystina, were generally recognized. The Moluccan Islands (including Halmahera, Ternate and Tidore) are home to the former M. a. tracyae. The Tanimbar Islands are home to a smaller subspecies, the former M. a. nauta. On the island of Seram, the former M. a. clastolepis can be found. On mainland of Papua New Guinea (including the Indonesian western half, once called Irian Jaya—now West Papua), and many of its nearby offshore islands, the former M. a. amethystina is quite common. In Australia, the former M. a. kinghorni is represented. [5] American biologist Michael Harvey and colleagues investigated the amethystine python complex and recognised five separate species –Simalia amethistina, Simalia clastolepis , Simalia kinghorni , Simalia nauta , and Simalia tracyae – based on cladistic analysis of cytochrome b sequences and morphology. [6] In 2014 cladistic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial genes of pythons and boas, R. Graham Reynolds and colleagues supported the distinctness of M. tracyae, M. amethistina, and M. clastolepis, but were less confident of M. kinghorni and M. nauta. [7]
According to McDiarmid et al. (1999), all cases in which the specific name was spelled with a y follow Daudin's (1803) Python amethystinus and are therefore unjustified emendations. [2] The specific name, amethistina, is an allusion to the milky iridescent sheen on its scales, which gives it an amethyst-like colour.
Specimens of S. amethistina have reportedly been measured at more than 5.5 m (18.0 ft) in total length (including tail), but this is exceptional, as 4 m (13 ft) specimens are already considered extremely large. Although the amethystine python is smaller than the Australian scrub python, some sources claim that S. amethistina is able to reach lengths of 6 m (20 ft), with a weight up to 27 kg (60 lb) [8] and perhaps even 30 kg (66 lb). [9]
The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 39–53 rows at midbody. There are deep, heat-sensing pits on six or seven of the posterior lower labials. [10]
The Amethystine python is found in Indonesia (Maluku Islands, Timur Laut Islands, Banda, Kai Islands, Aru Islands, Misool, Salawati, most of Western New Guinea, many islands in Geelvink Bay, such as Biak, Numfor, Yapen, and Supiori), and Papua New Guinea (including Umboi Island, Bismarck Archipelago, Trobriand Islands, the d'Entrecasteaux Islands to Rossel Island, Louisiade Archipelago). The type locality is unknown. [2]
S. amethistina occurs in both bushland and suburbia. In Indonesia, it is found mostly in rainforests. Warm, humid habitats with good water sources are preferred. In New Guinea, it mostly lives in scrublands.
The diet of the amethystine python generally consists of birds, bats, rats, possums, and other small mammals. [11] Larger Papuan specimens catch and eat wallabies, and cuscus, waiting by creek and river banks for prey seeking drinking water.
The Boidae, commonly known as boas or boids, are a family of nonvenomous snakes primarily found in the Americas, as well as Africa, Europe, Asia, and some Pacific islands. Boas include some of the world's largest snakes, with the green anaconda of South America being the heaviest and second-longest snake known; in general, adults are medium to large in size, with females usually larger than the males. Six subfamilies comprising 15 genera and 54 species are currently recognized.
Morelia is a genus of large snakes in the family Pythonidae. The genus is native to Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea. As of 2024, up to eight species are recognized.
The green tree 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.
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.
The spotted python, eastern small-blotched python, or eastern Children's python is a python species found in northern Australia and New Guinea. 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. However, two subspecies were recognized as of 2020; A. m. maculosa and A. m. peninsularis.
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.
Morelia bredli is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is endemic to Australia. No subspecies are recognized. Its common names include Bredl's python, the Centralian python, the Centralian carpet python, the central Australian carpet python, Bredl's carpet python, the central Australian Bredl's carpet python, and the central Bredl's carpet python.
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. It is the longest snake native to the Northern Territory.
Simalia is a genus of snakes in the family Pythonidae.
Scrub python refers to snakes of the Simalia genus, especially including:
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.
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.
The olive python is a species of snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is endemic to Australia. Two subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Liasis mackloti, commonly known as Macklot's python or the freckled python, is a species of python, a non-venomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is endemic to Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, and coastal northern Australia. Three subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
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.
David G. Barker is an American herpetologist specialized in pythons and rattlesnakes.
The Australian scrub python, also known commonly as Kinghorn's python and simply as the 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. In 2014 it was reclassified to the genus Simalia alongside a few other former Morelia species, but scientific debate over this continues.
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.