Aspidites

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Aspidites
Black-headed python, A. melanocephalus
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
  • Aspidiotes - Krefft, 1864
  • Aspidiotus - Peters, 1876
  • Aspidites - Peters, 1877[1]
Common names: (none).

Aspidites is a genus of non-venomous pythons found in Australia. The name can be translated as "shield bearer" and pertains to their two symmetrically shaped head scales. Currently, 2 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] Authority[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 (typical form).
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.[5] [4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ 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).
  2. ^ a b c Aspidites (TSN 209582). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 9 September 2007.
  3. ^ a b Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
  4. ^ a b Aspidites ramsayi at the TIGR Reptile Database. Accessed 9 September 2007.
  5. ^ 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