Jungle or Jungle

[cwarren72]

I am hoping that there is someone out there who can answer a question for me in regards to a naming issue which has arisen. I am looking at purchasing a Jungle Python and have been studying up on them reading and printing off just about everything I could find on them but I have found myself now in a confusing situation in that I have found pictures identifying snakes as jungle but I find them under two Scientific names. The first is Morelia Spilota Cheynei, which is what I have always knon them as, but also I have found them under the name of Morelia Spilota Variegata. can someone (In the famous words of Pauline Hanson,, "Please Explain"???)



Confused Regards
Col

 

[Greebo]

The Cheynei are the black and gold jungles that are so popular.
There are other colour phases of jungles, I guess they come under Variegata (a guess) .
Or maybe some one got it wrong?
Ace jungles will be able to answer this one I bet.

 

[ad]

col, at one point everything was lumped under Variegata and they have gradually named the different species.
Cheynei is the correct name nowadays, and the variegata name remains with the darwin or nt carpet.
Thats the problem with old reference books, they become out of date, interesting to read still.
Either that or you cant tell the difference between an nt carpet and a jungle! lol
Cheers
Ad

 

[FrOnToSa_FrEaK]

Yep what Ad said.

 

[cwarren72]

Cheers thanks for that. I guess that explains why they were refering to eveything as Liasis instead of Anteresia still. That's the correction

 

[Nicole]

I thought Anteresia was a currently used name, and that Liasis was the older classification..?
Someone please steer me right if I'm wrong...

 

[FrOnToSa_FrEaK]

Antaresia is the new classification.

 

[Greebo]

I have been trying to find out what the local carpet species (in the Wagga area ) are classed as. They are not any of the major ones like Coastal,Inland,Brisbanes etc.I have been told that they are classed as Variegata. Does anyone know for sure?

 

[Fuscus]

There is a ten dollar book available called "Keeping Carpet Pythons" by Simon Kortlang and Darren Green, it worth much more, I recommend everyone buys a copy. Anyhow it has distrbution maps of the various carpet sub species. The sub-species found in wagga is M. s. metcalfei.

Also according to this book the carpet python was described in 1804 from a diamond. In 1842 the species was divided into M. s. spilota( the diamond) and M. s. variegata (everything else). Many books and zoos still use these names.
Now it gets confusing.
In 1981 the carpet got another sub-species M. s. imbricata and M. bredi promoted to a seperate sub species.
In 1984 M. s. variegata had three sub species removed from it
M. s. cheynei , M. s. mcdowelli and M. s. metcalfei.
Hope that makes it clearer, but don't be surprised if the coastal/diamond intergrade and the cape york become seperate sub species.

Oh and there is a color vareity in the flinders ranges (haven't seen it or a photograph yet) and a isolated population on St. Francis Island SA(sounds like an easter trip)

 

[cwarren72]

I wish they would make their minds up, It seems every time you turn around they have a new name for things. Bloody scientist

 

[Fuscus]

Its all part of the learning process, without it the sun would still orbit around a flat earth

 

[Greebo]

Thanks for the info Fuscus.
I was under the impression that metcalfei refered to Inland Pythons/Murray Darling Pythons.The carpet pythons around here look nothing like Inlands.

 

[Fuscus]

Got a photo of the local CPs Greebs?
But with an animal as varible as the carpets it would proberly just mucky the waters

 

[gudang]

what genus do olive and water pythons come under? are they still Liasis?

 

[Tommo]

yep

 

[Robert]

Isn't that why antaresia was given to childrens as they are unlike any of the Liasis family.
I think it is great they need to clasify a few more in their own catergory.
The cape york's,even atherton's should be changes aswell.I think it is to generilzed still.

 

[hey_im_sam]

On Roy Pail's site he refers to:
Olive Python - Bothrochilus olivaceus
Water Python - Bothrochilus fuscus
Children's Python - Bothrochilus childreni
Large Blotched Python - Bothrochilus stimsoni,

While maccies are Liasis (though lets focus on the Bothrochilus thing rather than the liasis vs. antaresia bit ).

Anyone know what's up with that?

 

[Greebo]

I will try and get a pic Fuscus.
They look a bit like Prosepine Carpets, although we are a long way from Proserpine.

 

[Lunar_Psycho]

URS has Palmerstons, Jungles and Athertons all under Morelia spilota cheynei. What do Athertons look like anyway? I cant seem to fins any actual Atherton pics.

Cheers, Jay

 

[FrOnToSa_FrEaK]

They are all the same species but are of a different geographical locale. The proper scientific name and species name are used but keepers have added a locality name to the common name to verify what area the species comes from in their wild state.

Proserpine, Cape york, Grafton, Coffs harbour, Brisbane or Qld etc are all Coastals (mcdowelli)

Atherton, Palmerston, Cape tribulation etc are all Jungles (cheynei)

EG:
A coastal carpet from Grafton is still titled Morelia S. mcdowelli - Coastal carpet python but also uses the following locale/common names (Grafton carpet python....Grafton carpet.... Grafton coastal etc)

A jungle carpet from the Atherton rain forest is still titled Morelia s. cheynei - Jungle carpet python but also uses the following locale/common names (Atherton jungle carpet python.....Atherton carpet.....Atherton jungle.....Athertons etc.)

Alot of keepers/breeders are now using locality/common names to describe their animals. You might see Tennant creek Stimmies, Cape york macs, Pilbara BHP etc. It is a bit confusing at times especially for newbies, but I think it is great that people are trying to give the animals a "natural area" description and will help purists out there that would like to breed animals of the same locality to keep pure blood.