Liasis fuscus

The Brown Water Python ( Liasis fuscus, Latin fuscus - brown, dark ) is a species of snake in the family of pythons. Some authors do not distinguish the type of Timor- water python ( Liasis mackloti ).

Features

With a length of 1.5 to 2 meters, in some cases up to 3 meters, the brown water python is one of the medium sized pythons. The elongated head is not clearly separated from the neck. Head and back are brown to gray-green, dark brown in specimens from New Guinea to black. Chin and throat are white, the body underside is light gray to yellow. The subspecies fuscus Liasis jackyae differs from the Nominatunterart fuscus fuscus Liasis by darker upper lip shields. A prehensile tail is missing.

The frontal and the Supraokularschild are great. The head side there are a large Loreal and Postokularschild and two small Postokularschilde available. There are two pair and two pairs of prefrontal Parietalschilde and a pair Interparietalschilde available. The Internasalschild is shared by a small, related to the rostral plate. There are ten to twelve Supralabialschilde, of which the fifth and sixth touch the rim of the eyes, and 14 to 17 Infralabialschilde of which carry three to four heat sensory pores, exist. The hull has 45 to 48 scale rows, 271-286 Ventralschilde, 72-89 paired Subkaudalschilde and an undivided anal shield.

Distribution and habitat

The brown water python is found in New Guinea, in tropical northern Australia and Iceland on Cornwallis and Sir Charles Hardy Iceland. The type is always found near fresh water and lacking in permanently dry areas.

Life and reproduction

The brown water python lives mainly nocturnal, hiding during the day under plants or in crevices. When prey are small mammals, birds, small reptiles and young crocodiles. The species is not aggressive enough and flees preferably threat to the water.

The mating season is during the dry season from July to August the males fight through wraps and bite the females. The pregnant females take for about a month until the oviposition no food. The clutch of 3-24 eggs are preferably stored in abandoned burrows of monitor lizards or under tree roots. When storing under tree roots show the females brood care by wrapping around the eggs and this partially heated by tremors. The 30 cm long juveniles hatch after about two months.

Swell

• Ludwig Trutnau: Non-toxic snakes, Part 1 4th edition. Eugen Ulmer GmbH & Co., Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-8001-3223-0.