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Python, from the Greek word (πύθων/πύθωνας), is a genus of nonvenomous pythons[2] found in Africa and Asia. Currently, 7 species are recognised.[2] A member of this genus, P. reticulatus, is among the longest snakes known.
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Geographic range [edit]
Found in Africa in the tropics south of the Sahara, but not in southern Africa, the extreme southwestern tip, or in Madagascar. In Asia it is found from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, including the Nicobar Islands, through Myanmar, east to Indochina, southern China, Hong Kong and Hainan, as well as in the Malayan region of Indonesia and the Philippines.[1]
Some suggest that P. molurus and P. sebae have the potential to be problematic invasive species in South Florida.[3] The United States Department of Agriculture reports that only Python molurus bivittatus is an invasive species in the United States.[4] More recent data suggests that these pythons would not withstand winter climates north of Florida, contradicting previous research suggesting a more significant geographic potential range.[5][6][7]
Species [edit]
| Species[2] | Taxon author[2] | Subsp.*[2] | Common name | Geographic range[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P. anchietae | Bocage, 1887 | 0 | Angolan python | Africa in southern Angola and northern Namibia. |
| P. curtus | Schlegel, 1872 | 0 | Sumatran python | Southeast Asia in southern Thailand, Malaysia (Peninsular and Sarawak) (including Pinang) and Indonesia (Sumatra, Riau Archipelago, Lingga Islands, Bangka Islands, Mentawai Islands and Kalimantan). |
| P. bivittatus | Kuhl, 1820 | 0 | Burmese Python | S Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, S China (S Yunnan east to Fujian, incl. Hainan and Hong Kong; Sichuan, Guangxi, Guangdong), Indonesia (Java, Bali) |
| P. brongersmai | Pauwels, 2000 | 0 | Red blood python | Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Bangka Island, Lingga islands, Riau islands, and Pinang |
| P. breitensteini | Pauwels, 2000 | 0 | Borneo Short-tailed python | Borneo, including Sarawak |
| P. molurusT | (Linnaeus, 1758) | 1 | Indian python | Pakistan, India, Florida, Sri Lanka, southern Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China, (Sichuan and Yunnan east to Fujian, Hainan, Hong Kong), Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Peninsula Malaysia and Indonesia (Java, Sumbawa, Sulawesi). |
| P. regius | (Shaw, 1802) | 0 | Ball Python/ Royal Python | Africa from Senegal, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin, Niger and Nigeria through Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic to Sudan and Uganda. |
| P. reticulatus | (Schneider, 1801) | 0 | Reticulated python | Southeast Asia from the Nicobar Islands, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, east through Indonesia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago (Sumatra, Mentawai Islands, Natuna Islands, Borneo, Sulawesi, Java, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores, Timor, Maluku, Tanimbar Islands) and the Philippines (Basilan, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro, Negros, Palawan, Panay, Polillo, Samar, Tawi-Tawi). |
| P. sebae | (Gmelin, 1788) | 1 | African rock python | Africa south of the Sahara from Senegal east to Ethiopia and Somalia, including Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Upper Volta, Ghana, Togo, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe south to northern Namibia, Botswana and northeastern South Africa (to Natal, Florida). |
| P. timoriensis | (Peters, 1876) | 0 | Timor python | Indonesia on the Lesser Sunda Islands (Flores, Lombien and Timor Islands). |
| P. europaeus† | Syzndlar & Rage, 2003 | 0 | - | Remains found in present day France.[8] |
*) Not including the nominate subspecies.
T) Type species.[1]
Uses [edit]
Python skin is used to make clothing such as vests, belts, boots, shoes or fashion accessories such as handbags. It may also be used to cover the sound board of some string musical instruments, such as the banhu, sanxian or the sanshin.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ 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 d e "Python". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 11 September 2007.
- ^ Python Snakes, An Invasive Species In Florida, Could Spread To One Third Of US at ScienceDaily. Accessed 18 October 2008.
- ^ http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/animals/main.shtml
- ^ Avery, M. L., Engeman, R. M., Keacher, K. L., Humphrey, J. S., Bruce, W. E., Mathies, T. C., & Mauldin, R. E. (2010). Cold weather and the potential range of invasive Burmese pythons. Biological invasions, 12(11), 3649-3652.http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/animals/main.shtml
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmese_Python#Invasive_species
- ^ Python Snakes, An Invasive Species In Florida, Could Spread To One Third Of US
- ^ "Annotated checklist of the recent and extinct pythons".
Unreviewed
Source:
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