This has really been confusing me so I'v decided to try and clear it up. Carpet pythons, daimond pythons, scrub pythons, rouph scaled pythons, oenpelli pythons, green pythons and jungle pythons are all under the genus moriela, am I correct? If so, why is the jungle python often refered to as the jungle carpet python? I know that they're a sub-species of the carpet python but aren't all the other pythons listed above sub-species too? So how come only the jungle python is refered to as the jungle
carpet python, and none of the others are? Is it closer related to the carpet python than the others? Just a question thats been on my mind. Any answers are appreciated
Hi Josiah,
I'll try and explain this as easily as possible without going into to much details regarding taxonomy and the rules set down by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature that guide the naming of an animal or plant. It should be noted too that the term species and subspecies are open to interpretation and both terms are acceptable and recognized by the scientific community even if they refer to the same animal or plant.
You are correct that all the above snakes are of the genus Morelia. They are members of the genus because they all share a combination of similar characteristics. That being:- Teeth on the premaxiilla (located at the tip of the upper jaw bone), heads scales are small, irregular shields [Carpets (Spilota Group), Green Pythons, Rough Scales]
or symmetrical large head shields (Scrubbies and Oenpelli), labial pits, prehensile tail and they are oviparous.
Carpets/Diamonds, Green Trees, Rough Scales, Scrubbies and Oenpellis are classified as separate taxon (group) because they display unique, individual characteristics that separate them from other members of the genus. It is currently accepted that Central Carpets (
M. bredeli) and South West Carpets (
M. imbricata) are a separate species to Carpets/Diamonds but the work done to separate and elevate them both to species level is questionable as it's simply based on colouration and distribution however: according to ICZN rules, colouration and distribution are not considered unique individual characteristics alone to elevate a taxon to species level. So all things considered, there is a reasonable possibility that this might change in the future once the systematics of the Carpets are better understood and confirms the status of both one way or the other.
The Carpets are a separate species to all of the others as again they all share so many similar morphological characteristics and for this reason are often referred to as the
Morelia spilota (Spotted Morelia) complex or group. Original taxonomy identifies Diamonds as the Type Specimen which means it was the first of the species to be described an allotted a binomial (scientific) name, that being
Morelia spilota spilota. Then Carpets followed and were originally described as a single subspecies
Morelia spilota variegatta (variegated spotted morelia).
Wells and Wellington separated both Jungle Pythons
(Morelia cheynei) and what is now referred to as Darwin Carpets
(Morelia variegata) from the
M. spilota group and raised them to species level in their work of 1983.
However, In 1994 Barker and Barker considered "M.
variagata" to represent 4 distinct subspecies being - Jungles (
M. spilota cheynei), Coastals (
M. sp mcdowelli), Murray Darling (
M. sp metcalfei) and Darwins (
M. sp variagata). So as it stands at the present time...you'll find that in most if not all current literature and field guides, Jungle Pythons are grouped with and considered a subspecies of the
Morelia spilota group.
So hopefully that might explain why Jungle Carpets are referred to as Jungle Carpet Pythons and other members of the Morelia Genus aren't.
Cheers,
George.