Aspidites
| Aspidites | |
|---|---|
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| Black-headed python, A. melanocephalus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Pythonidae |
| Genus: | Aspidites Peters, 1877 |
| Synonyms | |
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Aspidites is a genus of pythons found in Australia. The name can be translated as "shield bearer" and pertains to their two symmetrically shaped head scales. Currently, two species are recognized.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Description
These snakes lack the heat sensitive pits between the labial scales that most other python species have. The head is narrow and the eyes have round pupils.
[edit] Geographic range
Found in Australia except in the south of the country.[1]
[edit] Behavior
Both species are nocturnal.[3]
[edit] Reproduction
Oviparous. The females stay with their eggs until they hatch.
[edit] Species
| Species[2] | Taxon author[2] | Common name[3] | Geographic range[1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. melanocephalusT | (Krefft, 1864) | Black-headed python | Australia in the northern half of the country, excluding the very arid regions. |
| A. ramsayi | (Macleay, 1882) | Woma | Australia in the west and center of the country: from Western Australia through southern Northern Territory and northern South Australia to southern Queensland and northwestern New South Wales. Its range may be discontinuous. |
*) Not including the nominate subspecies.
T) Type species.[1]
[edit] Taxonomy
Two new subspecies. A. ramsayi panoptes, the western woma python, and A. r. richardjonesii, the desert woma python, were described by Hoser (2001).[4] However, these descriptions are questionable, as they do not include proper diagnoses and seem to be based only on distribution.[4] [5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ a b c "Aspidites". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=209582. Retrieved 9 September 2007.
- ^ a b Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
- ^ a b Aspidites ramsayi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 9 September 2007.
- ^ Wüster W, Bush B, Keogh JS, O'Shea M, Shine R. 2001. Taxonomic contributions in the "amateur" literature: comments on recent descriptions of new genera and species by Raymond Hoser. Litteratura Serpentium 21:67-91. PDF at Wolfgang Wüster. Accessed 10 September 2007.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aspidites |
- Aspidites at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 9 September 2007.
