Water pythons
| Water pythons | ||||||||||||
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Olive python ( Liasis olivaceus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Liasis | ||||||||||||
| Gray , 1842 |
The water pythons ( liasis ) are a genus of snakes from the python family .
description
With a length of 1.5 to 4 meters, the water pythons are among the medium-sized giant snakes . They have teeth on the intermaxillary bone and the elongated head is covered by large, symmetrical shields . Some of the labials have temperature-sensitive pits. The body is roughly cylindrical with the head mostly clearly set off.
The distribution area of the genus extends from northern Australia over New Guinea to a number of islands in Indonesia . The animals usually settle near the water, but the olive python can also be found in dry habitats.
species
There are currently four species of the genus Liasis :
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Olive python ( Liasis olivaceus )
- 2 subspecies: Liasis olivaceous olivaceus , Liasis olivaceus barroni
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Brown water python ( Liasis fuscus )
- 2 subspecies: Liasis fuscus fuscus , Liasis fuscus jackyae
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Timor water python ( Liasis mackloti )
- 3 subspecies: Liasis mackloti mackloti , Liasis mackloti dunni , Liasis mackloti savuensis
- Papuan python ( Liasis papuana )
Some authors count liasis fuscus because of its great similarity to liasis mackloti .
Systematics
Originally the genus Liasis was defined much broader and also included the white-lipped python , some of the diamond pythons , the spotted python , the Papuan python and the Bismarck ring python . More recent morphological studies led to the division of the genus. Molecular studies have shown that the brown python and the Timor water python are much more closely related than with the olive python, while the separation of the other species also makes sense from a molecular genetic point of view.
Protection status
All species of the Liasis genus are listed in Appendix II of the Washington Convention on Endangered Species . This means that the import and export of animals must be approved. Furthermore, animals that are kept privately must be registered with the competent authority (municipality and lower nature conservation authority).
See also : Systematics of snakes
swell
- ^ RT Hoser: Australian pythons (Part 2) The smaller Liasis . In: The Herptile (UK) . tape 6 , no. 3 , 1981, p. 13-19 (English).
- ^ Liasis in The Reptile Database
- ↑ a b A.G. Kluge: Aspidites and the phylogeny of the pythonine snakes . In: Records of the Australian Museum . tape 19 , 1993, pp. 1-77 (English).
- ↑ LH Rawlings, DL Rabosky, SC Donnellan, MN Hutchinson: Python phylogenetics: inference from morphology and mitochondrial DNA . In: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society . tape 93 , 2008, p. 603-619 (English).
- ↑ Appendices to the agreement at www.cites.org (eng.)
- Ludwig Trutnau : Non-poisonous snakes, part 1 . 4th edition. Eugen Ulmer GmbH & Co., Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-8001-3223-0 .
