Coastal or Intergrade???

[Pythoninfinite]

I think the waters are getting a bit muddied here, they are actually all the SAME SPECIES, Morelia spilota, but DIFFERENT SUBSPECIES of M. spilota, M. spilota cheynei, M. spilota mcdowelli and M. spilota spilota. The diamond python, M. spilota spilota was the first carpet python described, so it remains the definitive carpet python and all other carpets (subspecies of the same species) are described using the diamond as a basis.

When I was a nipper (a LOOOONGGG time ago...) there was Morelia spilota spilota, and Morelia spilota variegata, and M. s. variegata covered ALL the other forms of carpet python everywhere else in Australia, even isolated subspecies such as M.s. imbricata in SW WA were known as "variegata". But reptile taxonomists have been at work and now consider there to be sufficient differences between the various races of carpets to split them into more subspecies. It is clear that there is still much work to be done on the carpet pythons, it is an incredibly widespread conglomerate of species (M. bredli) and subspecies, it inhabits most of the continent with the exception of the Pilbara, the far south east, and some of the arid areas in the centre. For a large predator, it has been incredibly adaptable. Along with the other Morelias, they remain my all-time favourites, because they are just so diverse and generally very beautiful.

Jamie.
.

Jungles, coastals, diamonds, etc... are most likely the same species so the combined offspring are not hybrids in the true sense of the word.



What are you basing this on?????

 

[Australis]

Isnt it possible that the "Natural intergrades" of Northern NSW, are one of the steps of Evolution for the Coastal Carpet python as it slowly moved south inhabiting the cooler enviroment of NSW, in the end resulting in the evolution of the Diamond pythons?

Anyone think im onto something here? :?
Or am i way off?

Is there any research into how Morelia came to inhabit Australia, and if so did they start from the North and work there way down?

Matt

 

[SnakeWrangler]

Jamie, I don't suppose you would have a reference that talks about the taxonomical work thats been done? I am not saying your wrong or anything, I am just interested to read about it...

The point remains that there is not enough difference to make an entirely new species and a true hybrid is one species crossed with another, I am ALL FOR keeping the localities pure, I would hate to see that disappear and I think there should be a term to describe offspring of a mix of the two sub-species, but I think hybrid is wrong for that.

I am very interested to find out exactly what the differences are that make each sub-species distinct, is it actually the genetic structure or simply the "values" of those genes are different. I thought that if the genetic structure was different then the offspring is most likely not viable because the genes do not match...

MattQld83, I think that is right only it isn't really evolution but rather adaption, evolution would be an entirely new species, diamonds are so close to coastals and other carpets that they are still the same species, only supposedly different sub-species.

 

[Australis]

MattQld83, I think that is right only it isn't really evolution but rather adaption, evolution would be an entirely new species, diamonds are so close to coastals and other carpets that they are still the same species, only supposedly different sub-species.

I consider this adaption of Diamonds to colder climates to be Evolution from enviromental pressure

How ever it would be intrersting to know what Morelia was up to before Australia become so arid, before the loss of large amounts of forrest, was there a giant Morelia during the mega fauna period in Australia or else where?? :?


Matt

 

[Retic]

Jungles, coastals, diamonds, etc... are most likely the same species so the combined offspring are not hybrids in the true sense of the word.

This is true and I don't think a true hybrid can come from breeding what are at best sub species of the same species.

 

[Jungleland]

AGAMIDAE

ok so what would the scientific name be?

MORELIA SPILOTA AUSTRALIANA

 

[Snow1369]

So i should tell her it's a........???

 

[Retic]

Well judging by opinions on here tell her it's a Morelia spilota variegata cheynei mcdowelli

 

[AGAMIDAE]

AGAMIDAE

ok so what would the scientific name be?

MORELIA SPILOTA AUSTRALIANA

SOLD... LOL

 

[AGAMIDAE]

I disagree with you all actually its a Morelia spilota spilotachenyeimetcalfeimcdowelliveriegataimbricatabredlicarinata x Morelai oenpelliensisamethistinaviridis

 

[Retic]

That's ridiculous, it obvioulsy has stimsoni blood in there.

 

[AGAMIDAE]

hehe..yeah I tried to even say that name and hurt myself in the process

 

[cris]

ok so what would the scientific name be?

bob

 

[Davo66]

JMO, putting it into laymans terms. Isn't a Carpet and a Diamand breeding the same as a Black labrador mating with a golden Labrador? arent Carpets and Diamonds the same animal? Morelia and Morelia. Why can't we just say the darker yellow spotted carpets of the south can cross breed with the lighter blotchier carpets of the north and where they meet you get a bit of both?

Davo

 

[MDPython]

Morelia spilota spilotachenyeimetcalfeimcdowelliveriegataimbricatabredlicarinata x Morelai oenpelliensisamethistinaviridis

PMSL..... :mrgreen:

 

[cris]

Isn't a Carpet and a Diamand breeding the same as a Black labrador mating with a golden Labrador?

no it isnt like that.
Diamonds and coastals are completely differant subspecies or races if you want to put it that way. While the dogs are simply just differant colours of the same thing.

 

[Retic]

Yes I certainly think a lot of people would agree with that, they are considered the same species by many and interbreeding between overlapping 'subspecies' does occur in the wild.

JMO, putting it into laymans terms. Isn't a Carpet and a Diamand breeding the same as a Black labrador mating with a golden Labrador? arent Carpets and Diamonds the same animal? Morelia and Morelia. Why can't we just say the darker yellow spotted carpets of the south can cross breed with the lighter blotchier carpets of the north and where they meet you get a bit of both?

Davo

 

[cris]

Yes I certainly think a lot of people would agree with that, they are considered the same species by many and interbreeding between overlapping 'subspecies' does occur in the wild.

I dont really think that is true, you will get integrade between the differant species and subspecies where the ranges meet, so it would be extremely unlikely for any as differant as a coastal and a diamond to naturally breed together.IMO

I dont have a problem with ppl creating hybrids between differant sub species IF they dont sell them a pure animals, but to say they arnt hybrids is just BS IMO.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

So i should tell her it's a........???

coastal,tell her its a coastal
baz

 

[AGAMIDAE]

So i should tell her it's a........???

coastal,tell her its a coastal
baz

NO DONT....its an intergrade...lol