Central African rock python: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 11:06, 24 November 2024

Revision as of 12:13, 16 March 2025

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==Description==

[[File:Albertus Seba Python sebae.jpg|thumb|left|An 18th-century illustration]]

Africa's largest snake species<ref name=Holland>{{cite book |title=Boas and Pythons of the World|year=2007 |publisher=New Holland Publishers |___location=London |author=[[Mark O'Shea (herpetologist)|O’Shea M]] |isbn=978-1-84537-544-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VDIbbpl_ktgC}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref name=Collins>{{cite book|title=Collins Guide to African Wildlife |isbn=000220066X |year=1996 |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |___location=London |vauthors=Alden PC, Estes RD, Schlitter D, McBridge B}}</ref> and one of the world's largest,<ref name="Meh87"/> the Central African rock python adult measures {{cvt|3|to|3.53|m|ftin}} in total length (including tail), with only unusually large specimens likely to exceed {{cvt|4.8|m|ftin}}. Reports of specimens over {{cvt|6|m|ftin}} are considered reliable, although larger specimens have never been confirmed.<ref name="Mur97">Murphy JC, Henderson RW (1997). ''Tales of Giant Snakes: A Historical Natural History of Anacondas and Pythons''. Krieger Pub. Co. {{ISBN|0-89464-995-7}}.</ref><ref name="Starin" /><ref name=ark11/> Weights are reportedly in the range of {{cvt|55|to|65|kg|lb}} or more.<ref>{{cite book |title=Giant Snakes |date=2019 |publisher=Murphy, John C., and Tom Crutchfield |pages=7 |url=https://www.academia.edu/download/59221813/Giant_SnakesSamplePages20190512-111758-7gzr3m.pdf}}{{Dead link |date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Exceptionally large specimens may weigh {{cvt|91|kg|lb}} or more.<ref>Spawls S, Howell K, Drewes R, Ashe J (2002). ''A Field Guide to Reptiles of East Africa''. San Diego, California: Academic Press.</ref><ref>Spawls S, [[:fr:William Rpy Branch|Branch B]] (1995). ''The Dangerous Snakes of Africa''. South Africa: Southern Book Publishers, Ltd.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ott |first1=B.D. |last2=Secor |first2=S.M. |s2cid=6757894 |year=2007 |title=Adaptive regulation of digestive performance in the genus ''Python'' |journal=Journal of Experimental Biology |volume=210 |issue=2 |pages=340–356 |doi=10.1242/jeb.02626 |pmid=17210969 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2007JExpB.210..340O }}</ref> On average, large adults of Central African rock pythons are quite heavily built, perhaps more so than most specimens of the somewhat longer [[Reticulated python|reticulated]] as well as [[Indian python|Indian]] and [[Burmese python]]s and far more so than the [[amethystine python]], although the species is on average less heavily built than the [[green anaconda]]. The species may be the second heaviest living snake with some authors agreeing that it can exceptionally exceed {{cvt|90|kg|lb}}.<ref>Murphy, J. C., & Henderson, R. W. (1997). ''Tales of giant snakes: a historical natural history of anacondas and pythons''. Florida: Krieger Publishing Company.</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Vincent | first1 = S. E. | last2 = Dang | first2 = P. D. | last3 = Herrel | first3 = A. | last4 = Kley | first4 = N. J. | year = 2006 | title = Morphological integration and adaptation in the snake feeding system: a comparative phylogenetic study | journal = Journal of Evolutionary Biology | volume = 19 | issue = 5| pages = 1545–1554 | doi = 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01126.x | pmid = 16910984 | s2cid = 4662004 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>Bodson, L. (2003). ''A Python (" Python sebae" Gmelin) for the King: The Third Century BC Herpetological Expedition to Aithiopia (Diodorus of Sicily 3.36–37)''. Museum Helveticum, 60(1), 22-38.</ref> One specimen, reportedly {{cvt|7|m|ftin}} in length, was killed by K. H. Kroft in 1958 and was claimed to have had a {{cvt|1.5|m}} juvenile [[Nile crocodile]] in its stomach.<ref name = "Wood">{{cite book | author = Wood, Gerald | url = https://archive.org/details/guinnessbookofan00wood | title = The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats | year = 1983 | publisher = Guinness Superlatives | isbn = 978-0-85112-235-9 }}</ref> An even larger specimen considered authentic was shot in [[the Gambia]] and measured {{cvt|7.5|m|ftin}}.<ref name=Starin/><ref name=ark11/>

[[File:Brehm VII 331 - Python sebae.png|thumb|right|Illustration by Brehms Thierleben]]

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People are often fearful of large pythons and may kill them on sight.<ref name=Holland /><ref name=ark9/> The Central African rock python is threatened by hunting for leather in some areas.<ref name=ark14>{{cite journal|vauthors=Luiselli L, Akani GC |year=2002|title= An investigation into the composition, complexity and functioning of snake communities in the mangroves of south-eastern Nigeria|journal= African Journal of Ecology|volume= 40|pages=220–227|doi=10.1046/j.1365-2028.2002.00358.x|issue=3|bibcode=2002AfJEc..40..220L }}</ref> Consequently, it is listed as a [[Near threatened]] species. It is also collected for the pet trade, although it is not generally recommended as a pet due to its large size and unpredictable temperament.<ref name=Bartlett /> Little information is available on levels of international trade in this species.

Some of the Central African rock python's habitats are also known to be under threat. For example, mangrove and rainforest habitats and their snake communities are under serious threat in southeastern Nigeria from habitat destruction and exploration for the oil industry.<ref name=ark14/><ref name=ark15>{{cite journal|vauthors=Akani GC, Barieenee IF, Capizzi D, Luiselli L |s2cid=24757927|year=1999|title=Snake communities of moist rainforest and derived savanna sites of Nigeria: biodiversity patterns and conservation priorities|journal= Biodiversity and Conservation|volume= 8|pages=629–642|doi=10.1023/A:1008849702810|issue=5|bibcode=1999BiCon...8..629A }}</ref>

[[File:African rock python.JPG|thumb|left|300px|The Central African rock python on the road to the south of [[Ivindo National Park]], [[Gabon]]]]