Morelia amethistina

Morelia amethistina
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Pythonidae
Genus:	Morelia
Species:	M. amethistina
Binomial name
Morelia amethistina (Schneider, 1801)
Synonyms
[Boa] Amethistina Schneider, 1801 Python amethystinus – Daudin, 1803 [Constrictor] amethystina – Wagler, 1830 Boa amethystina – Wagler, 1830 Python amethystinus – Schlegel, 1837 [Boa Python] amethystinus – Schlegel, 1837 Liasis amethystinus – Gray, 1842 Liasis amethystinus – A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844 Liasis (Simalia) amethystinus – Gray, 1849 Aspidopython Jakati Meyer, 1874 Liasis amethystinus – W. Peters & Doria, 1878 Liasis duceboracensis Günther, 1879 Hypaspistes dipsadides Ogilby, 1891 Python amethystinus – Boulenger, 1893 Liasis clarki Barbour, 1914 Liasis a[methistinus]. amethistinus – Stull, 1933 Liasis amethistinus kinghorni Stull, 1933 Liasis amethistinus – Brongersma, 1953 Liasis amethystinus kinghorni – Kinghorn, 1956 Liasis amethystinus amethystinus – Kinghorn, 1956 Liasis amethistinus – Stimson, 1969 Python amethistinus – McDowell, 1975 Morelia amethistina – H.G. Cogger, Cameron & H.M. Cogger, 1983 Australiasis amethistinus – Wells & Wellington, 1984 Australiasis kinghorni – Wells & Wellington, 1984 Morelia amethistina – Underwood & Stimson, 1990 M[orelia]. amethistina – Kluge, 1993 Morelia amethystina – Barker & Barker, 1994 Morelia amethistina amethistina – O'Shae, 1996 Morelia amethistina kinghorni – O'Shae, 1996[2]

Morelia amethistina is a non-venomous species of snake, known as the amethystine, scrub python or Sanca permata locally, found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Popular among reptile enthusiasts, and noted for its coloration and size, it is one of the six largest snakes in the world, as measured either by length or weight, and is the largest native snake in Australia and Papua New Guinea. There are currently four subspecies of the nominate race, Morelia amethystina amethystina, which are generally recognized. The Mollucan islands, including Halmahera, Ternate and Tidore are home to Morelia a. tracyei. The Tanimbar Islands are home to a smaller race, Morelia a. nauta. On the island of Seram, Morelia a. clastolepis can be found, and mainland PNG (including the Indonesian western half, once called Irian Jaya—now West Papua) and many of its near offshore islands Morelia a. amethystina is quite common. In Australia, Morelia a. kinghorni is represented.^[3]

Description

Amethystine Python near Cooktown, Queensland, Australia. 2014

Amethystine Python visiting kitchen at home near Cooktown, Queensland, Australia. 2014

Specimens have reportedly been measured at more than 8.5 m (27.9 ft) in total length, but this is exceptional, as 5 m (16.4 ft) specimens are already considered large. As is typical for very large constricting snakes, almost no verified specimens of this species have exceeded 6 m (19.7 ft). However, in 1990, while conducting a herpetological survey, Tom Mendelson collected a wild female specimen on Biak Island, far Eastern Indonesia, which measured 22 feet 7 inches. Another huge female, in a report considered reliable by the staff of the Guinness Book of World Records, was measured by S. Dean in 1954 as 7.2 m (23.6 ft).^[4] A typical adult specimen will measure around 2 to 4 m (6.6 to 13.1 ft).^[5] Females typically weigh around 15 kg (33 lb). Some exceptional specimens have been confirmed to weigh over 30 kg (66 lb) and unconfirmed outsized specimens have been reported to scale 90 kg (200 lb), although no specimen of this enormous size has been authenticated.^[4][6][7] Males are much smaller and slimmer, averaging at 5.1 kg (11 lb) in mass at maturity, and occasionally weighing upwards of 11 kg (24 lb).^[8] The body is relatively slim, unlike those of many other large members of this family.

The specific name, amethistina, is an allusion to the milky iridescent sheen on its scales, which gives it an amethyst-like color.

The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 39–53 rows at midbody. There are deep pits on 6 or 7 of the posterior lower labials.^[9]

Geographic range

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), Papua New Guinea (including Umboi Island, Bismarck Archipelago, Trobriand Islands, the d'Entrecasteaux Islands to Rossel Island, Louisiade Archipelago), and Australia (on some islands in the Torres Strait, the northern Cape York Peninsula south including the Atherton Tableland and the eastern foothills of the Great Dividing Range). The type locality is unknown.^[2]

Habitat

Occurs in both bushland and suburbia. In Indonesia and northern tropical Queensland, Australia, it is found mostly in rainforests. Warm, humid habitats with good water sources are preferred.

In northern Australia and New Guinea, it mostly lives in scrublands.

Feeding

The diet generally consists of birds, bats, rats, possums, and other small mammals. Larger Australian and Papuan specimens will catch and eat wallabies, and cuscus, waiting by creek and river banks for prey seeking drinking water.

Taxonomy

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]

Gallery

• 
  3.2 metre long, intact python skin in Australia. The snake that shed this skin would be significantly shorter than 3.2 meters, as the snake skin is folded on top of and below each scale. This causes a shed skin to be almost twice as long as the snake that shed it.
• 
  Morelia amethistina from the Bronx Zoo in New York City.
• 
  Wild Morelia Amethistina, North Queensland.

References

1. Auliya, M. (2010). "Morelia amethistina". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
2. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
3. "Morelia amethistina". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 18 September 2007.
4. Wood, Gerald (1983). The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. ISBN 978-0-85112-235-9.
5. Rainforest Reptiles – Skyrail Nature Diary. Skyrail. Retrieved on 2012-08-21.
6. "Snakes- Wet Tropics Management Authority". Wet Tropics Management Authority. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-10.
7. "The world's largest snakes". Socialphy. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-10.
8. Fearn, S.; Schwarzkopf, L. & Shine, R. "Giant snakes in tropical forests: a field study of Australian scrub pythons" (PDF). CSIRO Publishing- Wildlife Research. Retrieved 2013-01-10.
9. Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families...Boidæ... Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, Printers.) London. xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I.- XXVIII. ("Python amethystinus", pp. 83-84.)

Further reading

• Schneider, J.G. 1801. Historiae Amphibiorum naturalis et literariae Fasciculus Secundus continens Crocodilos, Scincos, Chamaesauras, Boas, Pseudoboas, Elapes, Angues, Amphisbaenas et Caecilias. Frommann. Jena. vi + 364 pp. + 2 plates. ("[Boa] Amethistina", p. 254.)

External links

• Morelia amethistina at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 18 September 2007.
• Amethystine python at Bristol Zoo. Accessed 18 September 2007.