Reticulated python: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 03:26, 21 August 2025

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==Taxonomy==

The reticulated python was first described in 1801 by German naturalist [[Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider]], who described two [[zoological specimen]]s held by the Göttingen Museum in 1801 that differed slightly in colour and pattern as separate species, ''Boa reticulata'' and ''Boa rhombeata''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schneider |first1=J. G. |author-link=Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider |year=1801 |title=Historiae Amphibiorum naturalis et literariae Fasciculus Secundus continens Crocodilos, Scincos, Chamaesauras, Boas, Pseudoboas, Elapes, Angues, Amphisbaenas et Caecilias |___location=Jenae |publisher=Wesselhoeft |chapter=''Reticulata'' |chapter-url=https://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/id/PPN582122139?tify={%22pages%22:[274],%22view%22:%22info%22} |pages=264–266 |language=la}}</ref> The [[Specific name (zoology)|specific name]], ''reticulatus'', is [[Latin]] meaning "net-like", or [[Wiktionary:reticulated|reticulated]], and is a reference to the complex color pattern.<ref name="Got">{{cite book |last1=Gotch |first1=A. F. |year=1986 |title=Reptiles – Their Latin Names Explained |___location=Poole, UK |publisher=Blandford Press |isbn=0-7137-1704-1}}</ref> The [[Generic name (biology)|generic name]] ''Python'' was proposed by French naturalist [[François Marie Daudin]] in 1803.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Daudin |first1=F. M. |author-link=François Marie Daudin|year=1803 |title=Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière, des reptiles |volume=((Tome 8)) |___location=Paris |publisher=De l'Imprimerie de F. Dufart |language=fr |page=384 |chapter=''Python'' |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/histoirenaturel181802daud/page/384}}</ref> American zoologist [[Arnold G. Kluge]] performed a cladistics analysis on morphological characters and recovered the reticulated python lineage as sister to the genus ''Python'', hence not requiring a new generic name in 1993.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Kluge, A. G. |author-link=Arnold G. Kluge|year=1993 |title=Aspidites and the phylogeny of pythonine snakes |journal=Records of the Australian Museum |issue=Supplement 19 |pages=1–77}}</ref>

In a 2004<!-- The publication date on the referenced website says "First published: 28 February 2006". --> genetics study using [[cytochrome b]] DNA, [[species:Robin Lawson|Robin Lawson]] and colleagues discovered the reticulated python as sister to Australo-Papuan pythons, rather than ''[[Indian python|Python molurus]]'' and relatives.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lawson |first1=R. |author-link=species:Robin Lawson |last2=Slowinski |first2=J. B. |author-link2=Joseph Bruno Slowinski|last3=Burbrink |first3=F. T. |author3-link=species:Frank T. Burbrink |date=2006 |title=A molecular approach to discerning the phylogenetic placement of the enigmatic snake ''Xenophidion schaeferi'' among the Alethinophidia |journal=Journal of Zoology |volume=263 |issue=3 |pages=285–294 |doi=10.1017/S0952836904005278}}</ref> The Australian author and snake exhibitor [[Raymond Hoser]] erected the genus ''Broghammerus'' for the reticulated python in 2004, naming it after the German snake breeder Stefan Broghammer, on the basis of dorsal patterns distinct from those of the genus ''Python'', and a dark mid-dorsal line from the rear to the front of the head, and red or orange (rather than brown) iris colour.<ref name="Hos04">{{cite journal |last1=Hoser |first1=R. |year=2004 |title=A Reclassification of the Pythoninae Including the Descriptions of Two New Genera, Two New Species, and Nine New Subspecies. Part II |url=http://www.smuggled.com/pytrev2.htm |journal=Crocodilian - Journal of the Victorian Association of Amateur Herpetologists |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=21–40}}</ref> <!-- cites previous 2 sentences -->In 2008, Lesley H. Rawlings and colleagues reanalysed Kluge's morphological data and combined it with genetic material, finding the reticulated clade to be an offshoot of the Australo-Papuan lineage as well. They adopted and redefined the genus name ''Broghammerus''.<ref name="Rawl01">{{cite journal |last1=Rawlings |first1=L. H. |last2=Rabosky |first2=D. L. |author2-link=species:Daniel L. Rabosky |last3=Donnellan |first3=S.C. |author-link3=Steve Donnellan (scientist)|last4=Hutchinson |first4=M. N. |author4-link=species:Mark Norman Hutchinson |title=Python phylogenetics: inference from morphology and mitochondrial DNA |year=2008 |journal=[[Biological Journal of the Linnean Society]] |volume=93 |issue=3 |pages=603–619 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8312.2007.00904.x |doi-access=free}}</ref>

Most taxonomists choose to ignore ''Broghammerus'' and other names by Hoser, as its description lacked scientific rigour and was not published in a reputable journal.<ref name=Kaiser>{{cite journal |title=Best Practices: In the 21st Century, Taxonomic Decisions in Herpetology are Acceptable Only When Supported by a Body of Evidence and Published via Peer-Review |url=http://www.markoshea.info/downloads/Kaiser-et-al-2013.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.markoshea.info/downloads/Kaiser-et-al-2013.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |last1=Kaiser |first1=H. |author-link=species:Hinrich Kaiser |last2=Crother |first2=B. I. |author2-link=species:Brian I. Crother |last3=Kelly |first3=C. M. R. |author3-link=species:Christopher M.R. Kelly |last4=Luiselli |first4=L. |author4-link=species:Luca Luiselli |author5-link=Mark O'Shea (herpetologist) |last5=O'Shea, M. |last6=Ota |first6=H. |author6-link=species:Hidetoshi Ota |last7=Passos |first7=P. |author7-link=species:Paulo Passos |last8=Schleip |first8=W. |author8-link=species:Wulf D. Schleip |author9-link=Wolfgang Wüster |last9=Wüster, W. |year=2013 |journal=[[Herpetological Review]] |volume=44 |issue=1 |pages=8–23}}</ref> [[species:Robert Graham Reynolds|R. Graham Reynolds]] and colleagues accordingly proposed the name ''Malayopython'' for this species and its sister species, the [[Timor python]], in 2014.<ref name="Reyn01">{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.011 |vauthors=[[species:Robert Graham Reynolds|Reynolds RG]], [[species:Matthew L. Niemiller|Niemiller ML]], [[species:Liam J. Revell|Revell LJ]] |title=Toward a tree-of-life for the boas and pythons: multilocus species-level phylogeny with unprecedented taxon sampling |year=2014 |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=71 |pages=201–213 |pmid=24315866 |bibcode=2014MolPE..71..201G}}</ref> ''Malayopython'' has been recognized by subsequent authors<ref name="Barker01">{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/zoj.12267|vauthors=[[David G. Barker|Barker DG]], [[Tracy M. Barker|Barker TM]], [[species:Mark A. Davis|Davis MA]], [[species:Gordon W. Schuett|Schuett GW]] |title=A review of the systematics and taxonomy of Pythonidae: an ancient serpent lineage |year=2015 |journal=[[Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society]] |volume=175 |pages=1–19 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Booth01">{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/bij.12744|author1=Booth, W. |author2=Schuett, G.W. |title=The emerging phylogenetic pattern of parthenogenesis in snakes |year=2016 |journal=Biological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=118 |issue=2 |pages=172–186|doi-access=free}}</ref> and the [[Reptile Database]]. Hoser has argued that ''Broghammerus'' was validly published and ''Malayopython'' name is invalid as it is a [[junior synonym]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hoser |first=R. T. |author-link=Raymond Hoser |title=The Wüster gang and their proposed 'Taxon Filter': How they are knowingly publishing false information, recklessly engaging in taxonomic vandalism and directly attacking the rules and stability of zoological nomenclature |url=http://www.smuggled.com/issue-25-pages-14-38.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Australasian Journal of Herpetology |volume=25 |pages=14–38 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.smuggled.com/issue-25-pages-14-38.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |access-date=26 March 2022}}</ref> Nevertheless, the name ''Malayopython'' remains in use by reliable sources.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Barends |first1=J. M. |last2=Naik |first2=H. |date=2023 |title=Body size predicts prey preference but not diet breadth in pythons |journal=Journal of Zoology |volume=321 |issue=1 |pages=50–58 |doi=10.1111/jzo.13092 |doi-access=free}}</ref>