Morelia spilota cheynei

Morelia spilota cheynei
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Pythonidae
Genus: Morelia
Species: M. spilota
Subspecies: M. s. cheynei
Trinomial name
Morelia spilota cheynei
Wells & Wellington, 1984
Synonyms
  • Morelia cheynei
    Wells & Wellington, 1984
  • Morelia spilota cheynei
    Barker & Barker, 1994[1]

Morelia spilota cheynei, or the jungle carpet python, is a python subspecies[2] found in the rainforests of Queensland, Australia.

Etymology

The specific name, cheynei, is in honor of Cheyne Wellington.[3]

Geographic range

The type locality given is "Ravenshoe, on the Atheron Tableland, north Queensland, in Lat. 17° 36' S, Long 145° 29' E" (Australia).[1][4]

Size

Adults of these medium-sized pythons typically measure 5–7 ft (1.5-2.1 m) in total length. However, wild caught females are known to grow to over 8.5 ft (2.6 m). As with most species of snakes, females are typically larger than males. This is not, however, always the case.

Diet

These semiarboreal snakes are strictly carnivorous. They feed on medium-sized rodents such as rats, mice, and baby rabbits in captivity.

References

  1. 1 2 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. "Morelia spilota cheynei". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
  3. Wells & Wellington, 1984. p. 107.
  4. Wells & Wellington, 1984. p. 106.

Further reading

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