home    herpetological articles    herpetological species index    herpetological care sheets     herpetological links


Pythons - General Information

* Contributions of Python related information (care sheets, factual wildlife info, links to Python web sites) will gladly be excepted. If you have Python information to share, e-mail: web site editor

Home: Pythons are found in Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Indonesian Islands

Habitat: Most pythons are terestrial however, some are arboreal. Most pythons prefer drier habitats, although some species occur in tropical rain forest.

General Description (Genus): Large head that is set off from body. Heat sensitive labial pits that are within the labial scales. Patterned coloration. Size varies from approx. 3' to > 27'. Bodies vary from somewhat slender to very robust.

Diet: Mostly mammals and birds; Some reptiles.

Breeding: Pythons are egg layers. Some females brood their nests.

Python vs Boa: Boas are ovoviviparous (Eggs inside females are surrounded by a membrane instead of a hard shell. They develope inside the female untill they hatch.) Pythons are oviparous (egg laying).

In the Wild: Large Boas, Pythons, and Anacondas are all at least somewhat threatened due to habitat loss.

Family Tree :

All Living Creatures
Kingdom Animalia,
Creatures that are made of more than 1 cell. They do not have chlorophyll. They gain most of their nutrition by eating. They digest their food internally.
Kingdom Fungi, Kingdom Monera,
Bacteria and Blue-Green Algea
Kingdom Prostista,
Single cell and multicellular creatures. They eat by photsynthesis, absorbtion, or ingestion
Kingdom Plantae
Plants
Phylum Chordata,
Creatures with "rods" in their backs that support their bodies. They also have nerve cords.
Phylum Platyhelminthes,
Flatworms
Phylum Mollusca, Phylum Hemichorddata,
Acorn Worms
Phylum Coelenterata,
Extremely symmetrical Marine animals.
Phylum Annelida,
Segmented Worms
Phylum Echinodermata,
Star Fish and similar creatures
Phylum Nematoda,
Round Worms
Phylum Anthropoda,
"bugs"
Phylum Porifera,
Sponges
Phylum Rotifera
Subphylum Vertebrata,
Vertebrates
Subphylum Urochordata, Subphylum Cephalochordata
Class Reptilia,
All Reptiles including: Snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodiles
Class Mammalia, Class Osteichthyes,
Bony Fish
Class Chondrichthyes,
Sharks and Rays
Class Amphibia,
Forgs, toads, salamnders, etc
Class Agnatha,
Jawless Fish
Class Aves
Birds
Order Squamata,
Snakes and Lizards
Order Chelonia,
Turtles
Order Crocodylia
Alligators and Crocodiles
Suborder Serpentes,
Snakes
Suborder Sauria,
Lizards
Suborder Amphisbaenia
"Worm Lizards"
Family Boidae,
Pythons and Boas
Family Leptotyphlopidae,
Slender Blind Snakes
Family Viperidae,
Vipers
Family Typhlopidae,
Blind Snakes
Family Colubridae,
Snakes including: Rat snakes, Corn snakes, King snakes, Garter snakes, etc
Family Anillidae,
Ringed Snakes
Family Elapidae,
Snakes including: cobras and mambas
Family Anomalepididae,
Dawn Blind Snakes
Family Uropeltidae,
Shield-tailed Snakes
Family Tropidophiidae,
Dwarf Boas
Family Hydrophiidae
Sea Snakes
Subfamily Pythoninae,
Typical Pythons
Subfamily Erycinae,
Sand Boas, Rosy Boas, Rubber Boas
Subfamily Tropidophinae,
Dwarf Boas
Subfamily Bolyeriinae,
Round Island Boas
Subfamily Loxoceminae,
Loxocemus bicolor
Subfamily Boinae,
Boas
Subfamily Calabarinae,
Calabar Ground Python
Genus Python: Python curtus
Blood Pythons
Python molurus
Burmese Python
Python timorensis
Timor Pythons
Python sebae
African Rock Pythons
Python anchietae
Angolan Pythons
Python reticulatus
Reticulated Pythons
Python regius
Ball Pythons
Genus Morelia: Morelia spilotes
Carpet Python, Diamond Python
Genus Chondropython: Chondropython viridis
Green Tree Python

For more species info see these other web sites:

Pythons

NERD - Care Sheets for various species

A Quick Guide to Pythons

Maintenance Requirements - Borneo short tailed Python (Python curtus)

Blood Python

Burmese Python - Oakland Zoo

Burmese Python - Python molurus bivittatus

African Rock Python by EnchantedLearning.com

Angolan Python - Cinncinatti Zoo

Python Reticulatus by University of Michigan


For more information

Gensis Park Reptile Evolution / Classifiaction


home   herpetological articles   herpetological species index    herpetological care sheets    herpetological links    
Google
WWW www.scaredcricket.com