Order: Squamata

Family: Pythonidae

 

Size: up to 210-360 cm in length.

 

Key Features: Body thick with shiny smooth scales. Dorsal surface full of irregular shaped patches of dark brown or blackish color; ground dorsal color white mixed with yellow, gray or brown. Ventral scales much narrower than typical snakes. Color whitish or yellow with dark colour patches mostly near the edge. Both sexes have “spur” (thorn like structure) on each side of anal; larger in males. Subcaudal scales paired in zigzag manner, sometimes few scales found to be unpaired. Head triangular, clearly broader than neck. Heat sensitive pits found laterally on snout. Color pinkish-brown in all life forms. In all specimens, arrow shape mark present on posterior side of the head, usually faint in adults. Two streaks, passes from eyes and touches middle and posterior of upper lips. Eyes have vertical pupil; tongue color pinkish-red or purplish with brown spots. Tail short, having dark yellow and black reticulations.

 

Breeding: Oviparous, up to 100 eggs are laid by the animal, which are protected and incubated by the female. It has been shown that they are capable of raising their body temperature above the ambient level through muscular contractions. The hatchlings are 45–60 cm (18–24 in) in length and grow quickly.

 

Diet: Chief food of adults is mammals, monitors, large rodents and birds. Juveniles feed on rodents, lizards, sometimes frogs also.

Habitat: Occurs in a wide range of habitats, including grasslands, swamps, marshes, rocky foothills, woodlands, "openys. They depend on a permanent source of water.

 

Habits: It is a nocturnal species but can be seen at day time also during basking and opportunistic foraging on prey animals. Activity usually terrestrial but climbs well to good heights and can stay there for roosting. Locomotion slow. Behavior usually non-offensive and try to escape to hide in natural surroundings. On provocation makes coil of body and keeps head slightly above the ground; hiss almost same like Russell's Viper and bites repeatedly if one comes in its attacking range. On catching it tightly coils around catcher's limbs and try to suffocate.

 

Conservation Status: Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

 

 

 

 

 

References:

Python molurus. In IndianSnakes.Org. Retrieved on January 19, 2015  from: http://www.indiansnakes.org/content/indian-rock-python

Mehrtens J.M. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.

 

Hutchison, V.H.; Dowling, H.G. & Vinegar, A. (1966), "Thermoregulation in a Brooding Female Indian Python, Python molurus bivittatus", Science 151 (3711): 694–695

 

Photo Courtesy

Pratik Jain. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.