Southern pythons
| Southern pythons | ||||||||||||
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Antaresia maculosa |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Antaresia | ||||||||||||
| Wells & Wellington , 1984 |
The southern pythons ( Antaresia ) or spotted pythons are a genus of the python family (Pythonidae). It includes four types of smaller pythons. The distribution area mainly covers the northern two thirds of Australia. They occur in very different biotopes; from open grasslands to forests to predominantly rocky areas. The proximity of settlements is not avoided either.
The southern pythons feed on mice, rats, birds and bats, but also on skinks and geckos . Southern pythons are crepuscular and nocturnal, very lively and skilled climbers. Like all pythons, the southern pythons are non-toxic and kill their prey by entangling them.
Systematics
The genus includes four species:
- Spotted python ( Antaresia childreni Gray 1842), northern Australia, brown spot drawing on a light brown background, which is mostly lost in the adult animals. Length 80-100 cm.
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Spotted python ( Antaresia maculosa ) with two subspecies:
- Antaresia m. maculosa (Peters 1873) northeastern Australia, dark brown to almost black, strong spots on a light brown ground. Length 80–100 cm (in captivity max. 150 cm).
- At the. brentonologhlini (Hoser 2003), in comparison to the nominate form, the basic color is significantly lighter with about 10% less dark markings and about 10 cm longer in adult form.
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Stimson's python ( Antaresia stimsoni Smith 1985), Western and Central Australia, rust-brown spots on a sand-colored background. Length 70-80 cm; with two subspecies:
- A. s. stimsoni
- A. s. orientalis
- Perth dwarf python ( Antaresia perthensis Stull 1932), western Australia, rust-brown markings on a light brown background. Length 40-70 cm.
Between A. childreni , A. maculosa and A. stimsoni it comes within the common distribution area sometimes to Bastardisierungen .
swell
- L. Trutnau: Non-toxic snakes, part 1. Eugen Ulmer GmbH & Co, (1979/2002), ISBN 3-8001-3223-0 .
- Hoser, RT: Australia's dwarf pythons - genus Antaresia . In: Monitor . No. 10, 1999, pp. 24-32.
- Dr. Justin Julander, Nick Mutton & Peter Birch: The complete Childrens Python, ECO Herpentological Publishing & Distribution ISBN 978-1-938850-05-9 .
