Morelia spilota
| Carpet python | |
|---|---|
| File:Australian-Carpet-Python.jpg | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Pythonidae |
| Genus: | Morelia |
| Species: | M. spilota
|
| Binomial name | |
| Morelia spilota (Lacépède, 1804)
| |
Morelia spilota, commonly known as the carpet python, is a large snake of the family Pythonidae found in Australia, New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea), Bismarck Archipelago, and the northern Solomon Islands.[1][2][3] Many subspecies are recognised; ITIS lists six,[4] the Reptile Database six,[5] and the IUCN eight.[1]
Description
[edit | edit source]
M. spilota is a large species of python in the genus, reaching between 2 and 4 m (6.6 and 13.1 ft) in length and weighing up to 15 kg (33 lb). M. s. mcdowelli is the largest subspecies, regularly attaining lengths of 2.7–3.0 m (8.9–9.8 ft).[6] M. s. variegata is the smallest subspecies, typically 120–180 cm (3.9–5.9 ft) in length. The average adult length is roughly 2 m (6.6 ft). However, one 3-year-old captive male M. s. mcdowelli, measured in Ireland, was found to exceed 396 cm (12.99 ft). Males are typically smaller than females; in some regions, females are up to four times heavier.[6] The head is triangular with a conspicuous row of thermoreceptive labial pits.
The colouring of M. spilota is highly variable, ranging from olive to black with white or cream and gold markings. The patterning may be roughly diamond-shaped or have intricate markings made up of light and dark bands on a background of grey or a version of brown.
Reproduction
[edit | edit source]The species is oviparous, with females laying 10–50 eggs at a time. Afterward, females coil around the eggs to protect them and keep them warm through using muscular contractions to generate heat.[7] This type of maternal care, which is typical for pythons, ceases once the hatchlings have emerged.
Behaviour
[edit | edit source]Differences in activity are noted throughout various subspecies; as a whole, the species is generally active during both daytime and nighttime,[7] although the subspecies M. s. variegata is noted to be primarily nocturnal.[8] Carpet pythons favor arboreal living conditions, although they can also be found on the ground, and they commonly use open spaces to bask.[7][8]
Seasonal activity
[edit | edit source]In the northern Australian city of Darwin, carpet pythons are significantly more likely to be encountered in suburban areas during the dry season months of May–July.[9] This is indicative of shifts in snake behaviour or movement across the year, with snakes likely moving out of natural forest areas in the later dry season to the more productive suburban areas in search of prey or mates.
Diet
[edit | edit source]Carpet pythons kill prey by constriction. Their diet consists mainly of small mammals, birds, and lizards. Incidents of carpet pythons devouring domestic cats and small dogs have been reported.[10]
Distribution and habitat
[edit | edit source]The species is found throughout mainland Australia, with the exception of the arid centre and the western regions. It is widely distributed throughout the forest regions of Southwest Australia.[11] It is also found in Indonesia (southern Western New Guinea in Merauke Regency), Papua New Guinea (southern Western Province, the Port Moresby area of Central Province), and on Yule Island. The type locality given is "Nouvelle-Hollande" [Australia].[12]
It occurs in a wide variety of habitats, from the rainforests of northeastern Queensland (M. s. cheynei) through the River Red Gum/Riverbox woodlands of the Murray and Darling Rivers (M. s. metcalfei), to the arid, treeless islands of the Nuyts Archipelago off the South Australian west coast (M. s. imbricata). It is also found in temperate grasslands with hot and dry weather. It is often found near human habitation, where it performs a useful service by eating rats and other vermin. M. spilota is known to occur in areas that receive snowfall.
Conservation
[edit | edit source]M. spilota is not threatened as a species.[1] The nominate subspecies, M. s. spilota, is listed as threatened with extinction in Victoria.[13] The subspecies M. s. imbricata is regarded as near threatened in Western Australia, due to loss of habitat.[11]
Captivity
[edit | edit source]This species is a popular pet among snake enthusiasts. Some forms can be more irascible than others, such as M. s. mcdowelli and M. s. variegata. Forms that tend to be more even tempered include M. s. spilota and M. s. metcalfei. Although they can be nippy as hatchlings, most grow into docile adults. However, care must be taken when feeding, as these snakes have a strong "feeding response" that can be mistaken for aggression.
The care requirements can be generalized for all subspecies.[14] The subspecies M. s. spilota, the cold-weather diamond python, has some separate requirements and habits.[15] As medium to large snakes, carpet pythons need a proportionately sized enclosure that allows for climbing as well as crawling around on the ground. They generally require moderately high basking temperature and moderate humidity. Captive specimens are normally fed live or frozen (defrosted to room temperature) rats or mice, but it is considered best practice to offer a varied diet which includes other types of rodents and birds to create more balanced nutrition. Young carpet pythons can be fed every 1–2 weeks, but adults have slower metabolisms and should be fed every 2–4 weeks depending on body condition.
With good care, the carpet python is capable of living up to 30 years.
Subspecies
[edit | edit source]The geographic distribution and common names can be summarised as the following:[4][12]
| Subspecies[4] | Taxon author[4] | Common name | Geographic range |
|---|---|---|---|
| M. s. cheynei
|
Wells & Wellington, 1984 |
|
Australia in northeastern Queensland |
| M. s. mcdowelli
|
Wells & Wellington, 1984 |
|
Australia in eastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales |
| M. s. metcalfei
|
Wells & Wellington, 1984 |
|
Australia in the Murray-Darling Basin of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia |
| M. s. spilota
|
(Lacépède, 1804) |
|
Australia in eastern New South Wales and the extreme east of Victoria |
| M. s. variegata
|
Gray, 1842 |
|
New Guinea (Western New Guinea and Papua New Guinea) and Australia in northwestern Western Australia and in the northern portion of the Northern Territory (specimens from New Guinea are referred to by Hoser (2000) as M. harrisoni, but this is not officially recognized as a separate species or subspecies) |
Hybrids
[edit | edit source]- Morelia spilota X viridis
Naming and taxonomy
[edit | edit source]The first description of M. spilota was by Lacépède (1804), who placed it in the genus Coluber as Coluber spilotus. The species has since been described by various authors as containing a number of subspecies and hybrids; these have also been known by various informal names.[3][5] The attempted arrangement of taxa in this, and other, Australasian Pythonidae has produced numerous synonyms. The discreet and roaming habits of this species have produced a low number of recorded specimens, giving inadequate sample numbers to support descriptions of a taxon's morphology.[13] This is the case with proposed names which are sometimes cited, such as the Papuan Morelia spilota harrisoni (Hoser),[16] despite being unaccepted or invalid.[17] Common names are regional variants of carpet and diamond python or snake.[18][19]
The following is an incomplete list of synonyms:[12][5]
- [Coluber] Arges - Linnaeus, 1758
- [Coluber] Argus - Linnaeus, 1766
- Coluber spilotus - Lacépède, 1804
- [Python] punctatus - Merrem, 1820
- [Coluber (Natrix)] Argus - Merrem, 1820
- [Vipera (Echidna)] Spilotes - Merrem, 1820
- Python Peronii - Wagler, 1828
- Python spilotes - Gray In G. Grey, 1841
- Morelia punctata - Gray, 1842
- Morelia argus - A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844
- Morelia spilotes - Gray, 1849
- M[orelia]. argus var. fasciolata - Jan In Jan & Sordelli, 1864
- Python spilotes - Boulenger, 1893
- [Python spilotes spilotes] - Werner, 1909
- Python spilotes macrospila - Werner, 1909
- Morelia argus - Loveridge, 1934
- Morelia argus - Stull, 1935
- Morelia spilotes spilotes - Worrell, 1961
- Morelia argus argus - Stimson, 1969
- Python spilotes - McDowell, 1975
- [Python spilotus spilotus] - L.A. Smith, 1981
- Morelia spilota - Cogger, Cameron & Cogger, 1983
- Morelia spilota - Underwood & Stimson, 1990
- Morelia spilota spilota - Barker & Barker, 1994
References
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- ^ a b c d Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b c Morelia spilota at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 19 January 2016.
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b c McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). (series). Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). (volume).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Hoser, R. (2000a) A revision of the Australasian pythons. Ophidia Review 1(1): 7-27.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
- ^ Ditmars RL. 1933. Reptiles of the World. Revised Edition. The MacMillan Company. 329 pp. 89 plates.
Further reading
[edit | edit source]- Lacépède, B.G. 1804. Mémoire sur plusieurs animaux de la Nouvelle-Hollande dont la description n'a pas encore été publiée. Annales du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris 4: 184–211. (Coluber spilotus, p. 209.)
- Mattison, C. 1999. Snake. DK Publishing. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
External links
[edit | edit source]File:Wikispecies-logo.svg Data related to Morelia spilota at Wikispecies
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons
- DPIPWE (2012) Carpet Python (Morelia spilota) PDF — Detailed description and pest risk assessment — Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment. Hobart, Tasmania.
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