for the pros (Morelia and liasis)
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Wild_Storm
Well-Known Member
Thank you Dan. Oops, I just realised this is off topic... Sorry everyone!
peterjohnson64
Very Well-Known Member
Hey Scott,
I also keep hearing about these studies into the Morelia genus including both spilota and amysthena but have yet to see anything formal. I regularly ask the question... What is the formal source for current taxonomy of australian reptiles? I have thought that probably the Australian Museaum herpetology department would be but th ething there is ... they have an encyclopaedia of australian reptiles that shows the morelia spilota all as separate sub species.
anyway, go here http://www.austmus.gov.au/herpetology/research/index.htm#encyclopedia
I also keep hearing about these studies into the Morelia genus including both spilota and amysthena but have yet to see anything formal. I regularly ask the question... What is the formal source for current taxonomy of australian reptiles? I have thought that probably the Australian Museaum herpetology department would be but th ething there is ... they have an encyclopaedia of australian reptiles that shows the morelia spilota all as separate sub species.
anyway, go here http://www.austmus.gov.au/herpetology/research/index.htm#encyclopedia
monkeyboy
Not so new Member
Wicked thread, love learning about this stuff. Is there a way for those of us that are interested to get copies or read online any of these papers? I can imagine some of them would be a tough read but it would be great to see the work that these people have done and are no doubt still doing.
Respect,
Steve.
Respect,
Steve.
Australis
Almost Legendary
Luke1,
If you look at Morelia boeleni, apparently its more closely related
to Scrub pythons than anything native to Australia.
Of course many may disagree, but i think it was Richard Wells
(with or with out Wellington i don't recall) that wanted to move the
Scrub complex as well as other species away from the Morelia genus..
species like M. carinata, M. viridis and M. boeleni were to get the chop.
If you look at Morelia boeleni, apparently its more closely related
to Scrub pythons than anything native to Australia.
Of course many may disagree, but i think it was Richard Wells
(with or with out Wellington i don't recall) that wanted to move the
Scrub complex as well as other species away from the Morelia genus..
species like M. carinata, M. viridis and M. boeleni were to get the chop.
Hi all,
With regards to sourcing papers they are often published in journals like herpetological review, Copeia etc. Often getting copies of the papers can be difficult (If you don't know the authors) or don't subscribe to the journal.
In 2003 cheynei, mcdowelli and Metacalfi were sunk as sub specific taxa, bredli was moved back to being a sub species of spilota. As it presently stands (from Mt DNA studies) Jungles, Coastals and Inlands are THE SAME AS Darwins. SO therfore its M.s. variegata, M.s. imbricata, M. s. bredli, M. s spilota.
Barker et al did the Scrubbies, Rawlings et al was the recent python revision, Schlip just did one on Leiopython, Donnelan et al 2003 did the Morelia spilota revision and I cannot remember the Aspidites paper's author (I know Pike might be able to help out though.
As a formal list of Australian species.....
Museums can be a fair guide, however how many would adopted this years Lucasium, Saltuarius, Phyllurus, Oedura, Ctenotus and Cryptoblepharus splits yet??
Certainly Wilson and Swan 2008 is a fair guide, however sinces it out about 30 species have formally described and named if its revisied again in 4 years time (2013) with new descriptions it would not be surprising to have another 90 more species in the next edition.
Cheers,
Scott
With regards to sourcing papers they are often published in journals like herpetological review, Copeia etc. Often getting copies of the papers can be difficult (If you don't know the authors) or don't subscribe to the journal.
In 2003 cheynei, mcdowelli and Metacalfi were sunk as sub specific taxa, bredli was moved back to being a sub species of spilota. As it presently stands (from Mt DNA studies) Jungles, Coastals and Inlands are THE SAME AS Darwins. SO therfore its M.s. variegata, M.s. imbricata, M. s. bredli, M. s spilota.
Barker et al did the Scrubbies, Rawlings et al was the recent python revision, Schlip just did one on Leiopython, Donnelan et al 2003 did the Morelia spilota revision and I cannot remember the Aspidites paper's author (I know Pike might be able to help out though.
As a formal list of Australian species.....
Museums can be a fair guide, however how many would adopted this years Lucasium, Saltuarius, Phyllurus, Oedura, Ctenotus and Cryptoblepharus splits yet??
Certainly Wilson and Swan 2008 is a fair guide, however sinces it out about 30 species have formally described and named if its revisied again in 4 years time (2013) with new descriptions it would not be surprising to have another 90 more species in the next edition.
Cheers,
Scott
Luke1
Very Well-Known Member
PhilK
Very Well-Known Member
Liasis have heat pits in the bottom corners of their mouths.. Scrubbies have them (as do other carpets) in that spot, but also on the 'nose' of the upper lip. Liasis don't have prehensile tails (scrubbies and Morelia do). You shouldn't ever use size as a classification..
Phylogenetics is wicked confusing sometimes and they have all sorts of ways to group animals together - better to just trust they did it properly, as they usually do!
EDIT: okay sorry, there were a lot better answers I didn't read!
Phylogenetics is wicked confusing sometimes and they have all sorts of ways to group animals together - better to just trust they did it properly, as they usually do!
EDIT: okay sorry, there were a lot better answers I didn't read!
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