Aspidites - Major New Discovery

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I have just been talking to Dave Mackintosh from Pilbara Pythons.
Dave and Adrien Hogg have for quite some time considered aspidites to have 1 or more heat sensing pits.
Dave confirmed a banana shaped heat sensor is located underneath the rostral scale in aspidites.
Reasearch is continuing.
This is a major breakthrough for this species thought to be the only australian pythons not to have heat sensor pits.

 

[NoOne]

Serious! :shock: It can't be easily visable?

 

[Guest]

whats the common name for aspidites?

 

[hugsta]

aspidites ramsayi- woma python
aspitides melanacephalos (not sure if speeling is correct) - blackheaded python

 

[sxereturn]

So what hey are saying is that it is an internal sensor?

 

[Guest]

Ah. true!!

 

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[NoOne]

I've noticed that before, didn't think anything of it.

 

[instar]

Thats intresting stuff indeed. maybe its covered with rostrum scale because it dosent get as much use as other species. I.e. There diurnal arnt they? If so they'd be more sight/movement orientated, not seeking food in darkness when its cooler?? just a thought.
On the other hand i might be way off, might be because their natural diet (atleast bhp's) are other snakes (not as much radient body heat as mammalian prey???

 

[westaussie]

Aspidites are mostly nocturnal, inny.

 

[Guest]

BHP's still would accept rats and other rodents wouldn't they. i mean can u iimagine if u actually had to feel it snakes. that would b soooooooo bad.

 

[Fuscus]

Interesting - they were considered a "primative" python because they lacked a heat sensor.
Libby - BHPs in the wild tend to feed on reptiles in the wild but mammal prey is acceptable.

 

[instar]

Aspidites are mostly nocturnal, inny.

LOL, what do you know, atleast i was right about being way off. lol I really had the impression they were diurnal, maybe im thinking of another species. thanks for that tidbit.

 

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Amazing discovery indeed, I will be very interested to see what America and Europe think of the news!

 

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Update. My pic of the woma was wrong - my bad interpretation,

here is a pic of a bhp showing it clearly.


http://www.aussiepythons.com/module...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

 

[Magpie]

Maybe the fact that they burrow / dig means that dirt would catch in / fill up the normal type heat pits?

 

[Slateman]

I think that Magpie have point there.
We will hear a lot about this in next few months, I am sure.

 

[africancichlidau]

Is a groove a pit?

 

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Has anyone checked their snakes?
I was experimenting with my bhp last night.
I think it has merit, certainly not as advanced as morelia, but thats evolution.

Has anyones bhp not got the pit?
http://www.aussiepythons.com/module...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

 

[NoOne]

I checked a couple of mine, pretty cool, i never took any notice of it before.
Not very big and it's in a bad place if they where using it for hunting.

Maybe it's something to do with regulating or knowing their body temp as they use their heads to warm up alot of the time.

Very interesting, i'm sure there will be some good debates as to what is used for.
I personally can't see how it would be good for hunting, it's quite consealed it would be dragging the ground, heat trails? Other pythons are pointing straight out.

Have you ever noticed when bhps get excited or are in a new place they make a sort of head bobbing motion, could be exposing the pit...... i'm crapping on now