Scientific name of different coastals

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MissScarlett

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Hi all! Please feel free to move this if I'm posting in the wrong forum. I have just brought a Proserpine and a Cape York and I'm a bit confused for documentation purposes their scientific names in particular the Cape York .
 
They are both Morelia spilota or Morelia spilota mcdowelli if you accept the subspecies.
What were they sold to you as?
 
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Just sold as per their common name and I just assumed Morelia S but was getting confused as per the paperwork the DSE gave me. m.s is listed as a Top End carpet
 
Just sold as per their common name and I just assumed Morelia S but was getting confused as per the paperwork the DSE gave me. m.s is listed as a Top End carpet
Hmm, I can see why you're confused then.
Whilst they're all considered to be Morelia spilota, not all Morelia spilota are Top End Carpet Pythons.

Does the department recognize the various subspecies of M. spilota?
If they do, then I suggest that you discuss it with them or just list them as Morelia spilota if they don't.
 
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Even though Proserpines, Cape Yorks and Wenlocks are a recognised as distinct color forms of Coastal Carpets, they still all come under Morelia s mcdowelli under they are designated they own name if warrented
 
If you are in Vic you will find the the subspecies split in the list.

Coastal is listed as Mcdowelli (if you don't have the list it is obtainable from DEPI website)
 
I believe they have as of the updated list I received in July. Not sure when the split happened though. I'm not home ATM to check the actual numbers when I get home if you like?

The subspecies are as below:

yma6a7ur.jpg
 
So for anyone interested in it, the split carpet subspecies in the VIC schedule are:

Diamond - M. s. spilota - 2968
Central - M. bredli - 2623
Top End - M. s. variegata - 2969
Eastern - M. s. mcdowelli - 2009
Jungle - M. s. cheynei - 2010
M/D - M. s. metcalfei - 2012
Western - M. a. imbricata - 2015

As at 18/7/13 :)
 
That list posted is wrong. They have every Carpet under Morelia spilota when in actual fact there are 3 distinct species. Morelia imbricata (found only in south west Australia) Morelia bredli ( found in Central Australia) and Morelia spilota (found in Eastern Australia and PNG). These 3 species are distinct from each other according to DNA evidence and there are large gaps between each of their ranges meaning they never meet.

Morelia spilota is then divided into different subspecies to describe the different colour forms throughout its range.

Cape Yorks are nothing like Jungles and should not be under cheynei. This actually happens a lot as most people have little knowledge of species and their ranges where they are found. At this point in time(till they warrant a new sub species) they should be under mcdowelli
 
So for anyone interested in it, the split carpet subspecies in the VIC schedule are:

Diamond - M. s. spilota - 2968
Central - M. bredli - 2623
Top End - M. s. variegata - 2969
Eastern - M. s. mcdowelli - 2009
Jungle - M. s. cheynei - 2010
M/D - M. s. metcalfei - 2012
Western - M. a. imbricata - 2015

As at 18/7/13 :)

This should make for an interesting wildlife return for this year... the form they sent to everybody still just state's "carpet python" species code 2969 - no sub species brake down. All of us that had carpets prior to July 2013 all have "Northerns" according to our books, some are very yellow others very grey but all of them are M. s. variegata
 
That list posted is wrong. They have every Carpet under Morelia spilota when in actual fact there are 3 distinct species. Morelia imbricata (found only in south west Australia) Morelia bredli ( found in Central Australia) and Morelia spilota (found in Eastern Australia and PNG). These 3 species are distinct from each other according to DNA evidence and there are large gaps between each of their ranges meaning they never meet.

Morelia spilota is then divided into different subspecies to describe the different colour forms throughout its range.

Cape Yorks are nothing like Jungles and should not be under cheynei. This actually happens a lot as most people have little knowledge of species and their ranges where they are found. At this point in time(till they warrant a new sub species) they should be under mcdowelli
I concur. Bigguy is right here. This list is a mess and the department need to redo it. I think it's important that they do so asap, otherwise new keepers will unknowingly produce hybrids. Someone should write to the department to let them know.
 
Such a waste of time, and very likely to be totally innaccurate since many of the things on the market now are just sold on the basis of what they end up looking like, not what they actually are, given that cross-breeding is so rife now.

Jamie
 
With cape York's as they are intergrades some are listed as cheynei as they look more jungle and others are listed as mcdowelli. Interestingly enough I've never heard or seen them on licence as variegata

Same as coastal/diamond intetgrades, while most a listed as mcdowelli some are on record as spilota.

Do the people who owned carpets prior have to swap over there codes from 2069 to the subspecies they actually own? Sounds very confusing and probably could have been handled better.
 
This should make for an interesting wildlife return for this year... the form they sent to everybody still just state's "carpet python" species code 2969 - no sub species brake down. All of us that had carpets prior to July 2013 all have "Northerns" according to our books, some are very yellow others very grey but all of them are M. s. variegata



Oh I definitely agree there and have wondered myself how this situation would be handled.

I never owned 'carpets' in vic until late this year so for me it's no issue.

Would love to hear if anyone knows how the split will affect existing records.

:)
 
Even though Proserpines, Cape Yorks and Wenlocks are a recognised as distinct color forms of Coastal Carpets, they still all come under Morelia s mcdowelli under they are designated they own name if warrented

Wenlocks are on my books a cheynei,even though to me they should be mcdowelli.Got them off a well known guy in the hobby and he had them on his books as cheynei so cheynei they are,even though to me there is zero jungle about them.
 
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