Antaresia maculosa

Stain Python ( Antaresia maculosa )

The stain Python ( Antaresia maculosa ) is a species of snake in the family of pythons ( Pythonidae ). It is closely related to the spotted python (A. childreni ) and this was externally very similar, so that no distinction is made between two types of long time.

Features

The species grows to about 75 to 80 cm long on average, isolated to just over a meter. In general, the animals in the northern part of the range are larger. In captivity lengths up to 1.5 m can be achieved. The body coloration consists of a light - yellow-brown ground color with dark brown pattern, which varies greatly between different individuals. The pattern remains lifelong receive strong unlike many other species. The unpatterned belly is lighter. The head is, clearly separated in contrast to A. childreni from the neck and has no sense of heat pits on.

A subspecies (A. m. Brentonoloughlini ) was described in 2003. These animals have a much lighter base color to be about 10 cm longer than the nominate subspecies (A. m. Maculosa ), and are found in the area around the Cape York Peninsula.

Distribution and habitat

The stain Python comes on the east coast of Australia from Cape York Peninsula across eastern Queensland to north- east of New South Wales and upstream on a series of islands off Queensland. The species inhabited different habitats, but is found mainly in dry forest areas.

Life and reproduction

The stain Python adheres preferably in rock crevices, termite mounds, hollow logs or near caves. For wide-ranging spectrum of prey include birds, rodents, lizards, small lizards, frogs and bats that are hanging on the tail, captured from the air leaving the sleeping caves.

Mating takes place from April to August. The nests are made which are incubated by the mother by tremors and occasionally moistened by the female from 4 to 20 eggs. The 25 to 30 cm long young hatch after about 80 days and feed mainly on small lizards.

Swell

• Trutnau, L. (1979/2002) Non-toxic snakes, Part 1, Eugen Ulmer GmbH & Co. ISBN 3-8001-3223-0