Rough-scaled python: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Species of snake}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Rough-scaled python

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| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN"iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/42494086/42494094 |title=''Morelia carinata'' |author1author=Cowan, M. |author2=Wilson, S. |author3=Teale, R. |author4=Oliver, P. |author5=Melville, J. |author6=Ellis, R. |author7=Doughty, P. |yeardate=2018 |title=''Morelia carinata'' |volume=2018 |page=e.T42494086A42494094 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T42494086A42494094.en |access-date=919 November 20202021}}</ref>

| authority = ([[L. A. Smith|L.A. Smith]], 1981)<ref name="Smith1981">{{cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=L.A. |title=A Revision of the Python Genera ''Aspidites'' and ''Python'' (Serpentes: Boidae) in Western Australia.|journal=Records of the Western Australian Museum |date=1981 |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=211–226 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/218395}}</ref>

| synonyms =

* ''Python carinatus'' <br><small>L.A. Smith, 1981</small>

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}}

The '''rough-scaled python''' ('''''Morelia carinata''''') is a large-scaled [[Pythonidae|python]] [[species]] [[endemic]] to [[Australia]]. No [[subspecies]] are currently recognized.<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=634778 |taxon=''Morelia carinata'' |accessdate=19 September 2007}}</ref>

==Description==

The rough-scaled python is able to grow to around {{convert|2|m|ft|abbr=on}} in total length. It has a triangular -shaped head with a conspicuous constriction at the neck area.<ref name=arp/> ''M. carinata'' is distinguished by the presence of a large [[parietal scale]] and by having distinct [[keeled scales|keeled]] dorsal scales. The body is slim and muscular. The color pattern is light honey-tan with darker reddish-brown markings or dark brown with pale brown blotches. The blotches become larger toward the tail, so the patterpattern appears to be reversed.<ref name=arp/> The belly is white, possibly with black spots. The markings are thought to assist in providing [[camouflage]]. The wrinkled to corrugated scales also assist the snake in climbing up sandstone and crevices.<ref name=Porter2012/>

The species was first formally identified by the biologist L.A. Smith in 1981 as part of the work ''A revision of the python genera Aspidites and Python (Serpentes: Boidae) in Western Australia'' as published in the ''Records of the Western Australian Museum''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:6f45f851-b78e-4846-9817-351fb7628511#names|title=''Morelia carinata'' (Smith, 1981) Rough-Scaled Python|accessdate=2 February 2019|work=Atlas of Living Australia|publisher=[[Global Biodiversity Information Facility]]}}</ref>

==Captivity==

They are now available to private owners, originating from a few wild -caught specimens, as itthey waswere found theyto breed readily in captivity.

Three males and two females were collected and transferred to the [[Australian Reptile Park]] in 2000 and had produced 71 offspring by 2012. These, in turn, had produced another offspring.<ref name=Porter2012/>

==Distribution and habitat==

FoundThese snakes are found in [[Australia]], in northwestern [[Western Australia]] in the lower sections of the [[Mitchell River National Park (Western Australia)|Mitchell]] and [[Hunter River (Western Australia)|Hunter Rivers]], just inland from the coast.<ref name="Porter2012">{{cite journal |last1=Porter |first1=R. |last2=Weigel |first2=J. |last3=Shine |first3=R. |title=Natural history of the rough-scaled python, ''Morelia carinata'' (Serpentes: Pythonidae) |journal=Australian Zoologist |date=January 2012 |volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=137–142 |doi=10.7882/AZ.2012.024 |url=https://publications.rzsnsw.org.au/doi/pdf/10.7882/AZ.2012.024|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] given is "[[Mitchell River (Western Australia)|Mitchell River Falls]], Western Australia (14°50'S, 125°42'E)" [Australia].<ref name="McD99"/>

They are found in rocky [[valley]]s of [[Kimberley (Western Australia)|Kimberley]] region in far northern [[Western Australia]], where they climb on low [[tree]]strees and [[shrub]]sshrubs of monsoon [[rainforest]]. The species has one of the smallest distributions of any snake.<ref name=arp>{{cite web|url=https://reptilepark.com.au/animals/reptiles/snakes/python/rough-scaled-python/|title=Rough-scaled python Scientific Name: ''Morelia carinata''|accessdate=2 February 2019|publisher=[[Australian Reptile Park]]|year=2018}}</ref> They are present in the [[Charnley River–Artesian Range Wildlife Sanctuary]] in the Kimberley region.<ref name=awcwww>{{cite web | title=Charnley River – Artesian Range: ACE | website=[[Australian Wildlife Conservancy]] | url=https://www.australianwildlife.org/where-we-work/charnley-river/ | access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref>

The [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] given is "[[Mitchell River (Western Australia)|Mitchell River Falls]], Western Australia (14°50'S, 125°42'E)" [Australia].<ref name="McD99"/>

The species is often associated with fruit-bearing trees, possibly indicating a preference of ambush sites for [[herbivorous]] animals, and also close to permanent freshwaterfresh water.<ref name=Porter2012/>

They are found in rocky [[valley]]s of [[Kimberley (Western Australia)|Kimberley]] region in far northern [[Western Australia]] where they climb on low [[tree]]s and [[shrub]]s of monsoon [[rainforest]]. The species has one of the smallest distributions of any snake.<ref name=arp>{{cite web|url=https://reptilepark.com.au/animals/reptiles/snakes/python/rough-scaled-python/|title=Rough-scaled python Scientific Name: ''Morelia carinata''|accessdate=2 February 2019|publisher=[[Australian Reptile Park]]|year=2018}}</ref> They are present in the [[Charnley River–Artesian Range Wildlife Sanctuary]] in the Kimberley region.<ref name=awcwww>{{cite web | title=Charnley River – Artesian Range: ACE | website=[[Australian Wildlife Conservancy]] | url=https://www.australianwildlife.org/where-we-work/charnley-river/ | access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref>

The species is often associated with fruit-bearing trees, possibly indicating a preference of ambush sites for [[herbivorous]] animals, and also close to permanent freshwater.<ref name=Porter2012/>

==Behavior==

So far, they are reported to be strictly [[crepuscular]]. TheTheir temperament is quite docile with rarely any attempts to bite.

==Reproduction==

This species is confirmed to be an egg-layer ([[oviparous]]) like other [[Pythonidae|pythons]]. The mating season is between July and August, after which the female will typically find a vacant mammal or reptile burrow (or an otherwise dark, secluded ___location) to occupy for a number of weeks, effectively converting the space into a nursery. Females usually lay around ten semi-soft, leathery, oval-shaped eggs, andwhich they then incubate with their body heat for several weeks, abstaining from all food or water, not wishing coilsto aboutdeprive themany providingessential warmth to the developing eggs until they hatch. Once the eggs do hatchbegin cracking, and the femaleyoung pythons finally take their first breaths of air, the likely starving and parched mother leaves her offspring in-search of nourishment, never to return. She does not take care of the youngbabies, which are instead born with a hunter’s instinct. The snakelets begin their lives by hunting larger insects, such as beetles or large crickets, before gradually moving-on to mammalian prey.<ref name=arp/>

==Media==

This species was only filmed for the first time by wildlife conservationist [[Malcolm Douglas (documentary maker)|Malcolm Douglas]], and shown on his ''Kimberley Adventure'' Part 1. (1997)

==References==