Sumatran short-tailed python: Difference between revisions

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'''''Python curtus''''', commonly known as '''Sumatran short-tailed python''', is a [[species]] of the family [[Pythonidae]], a nonvenomous snake native to [[Southeast AsiaSumatra]].<ref name=iucn/> Three [[species]] are recognized, including the nominate species described here,<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=634783 |taxon=''Python curtus'' |accessdate=11 September 2007}}</ref>

==Taxonomy==

[[File:Python curtus.jpg|thumb|A Sumatran short-tailed python]]

''Python curtus'' was the [[scientific name]] proposed by [[Hermann Schlegel]] in 1872 for a python with a short tail from Sumatra.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schlegel |first1=H. |year=1872 |title=De Diergaarde van het Koninklijk Zoölogisch Genootschap Natura Artis Magistra te Amsterdam: De Kruipende Dieren |editor1-last=Witkamp |editor1-first=P. H. |___location=Amsterdam |publisher=Van Es |pages=53–54 |chapter=De Pythons |chapterurl=https://archive.org/details/dedierentuinvanh00schl/page/54}}</ref> The [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] is Sumatra.<ref name="McD99">McDiarmid, R. W., Campbell, J. A., Touré, T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. {{ISBN|1-893777-00-6}} (series). {{ISBN|1-893777-01-4}} (volume).</ref>

==Description==

[[File:PythonCurtusRooij.jpg|thumb|left|The arrangement of labial scales identify this illustration as ''Python brongersmai''.]]

The Sumatran short-tailed python has narrow subocular [[Scale (anatomy)|scales]] between the bottom of the eye and the top of the labial scales. The parietal scales do not join each other. ''P. curtus'' and ''P. breitensteini'' can be distinguished by the frontal and parietal scales on the tops of their heads. In both ''P. brongersmai'' and ''P. breitensteini'', the parietal scales join.

Adults grow to {{convert|1.5|-|1.8|m|ft|abbr=on}} in length and are heavily built. The tail is extremely short relative to the overall length. The color pattern consists of a beige, tan, or grayish-brown ground color overlaid with blotches that are brick- to blood-red in color.<ref name="Meh87">Mehrtens, JMJ. M. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. {{ISBN|0-8069-6460-X}}.</ref>

The three species of short-tailed pythons can be distinguished by small differences in head scalation. In blood pythons (''P. brongersmai''), the labial scales fill in the entire gap between the bottom of the eye and the lip - in Borneo short-tailed pythons (''P. breitensteini'') and Sumatran short-tailed pythons (''P. curtus''), narrow subocular scales occur between the bottom of the eye and the top of the labial scales. ''P. curtus'' and ''P. breitensteini'' can be distinguished from each other by the frontal and parietal scales on the tops of their heads. In ''P. curtus'', the parietal scales do not join each other, or meet at an extremely sharp angle. In both ''P. brongersmai'' and ''P. breitensteini'', the parietal scales join together.

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==Distribution and habitat==

TheyThe areSumatran foundshort-tailed inpython [[Southeast Asia]]occurs in southern [[Thailand]], [[Malaysia]] ([[Peninsular Malaysia|Peninsular]] and [[Sarawak]]) (including [[Penang|Pinang]]) and [[Indonesia]] ([[Sumatra]], [[Riau Archipelago]], [[Lingga Islands]], [[Bangka Island]]s, [[Mentawai Islands]] and [[Kalimantan]]). According to Stimson (1969), the [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] is Sumatra.<ref name="McD99"/> They occupy [[rainforest]]s, in [[marsh]]es, swamps, and along river banks and streams.<ref name="Meh87"iucn/>

It inhabits [[rainforest]]s, [[marsh]]es, swamps, and the vicinity of river banks and streams.<ref name="Meh87"/>

==Diet==

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The species is kept as an exotic pet. They are often regarded as unpredictable and aggressive, but captive-bred individuals tend to be more docile than wild-caught specimens.

The blood python has been extensively harvested for [[leather]]; an estimated 100 000 individuals are taken for this purpose each year. The commercial trade regards this as a single species. Authors who elevate these island populations to species note that skins are readily distinguished.<ref name="keogh">{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/j.1095-8312.2001.tb01350.x|last=Keogh|first=J. Scott |last2=Barker|first2=David|last3=Shine|first3=Richard|year=2001|title=Heavily exploited but poorly known: systematics and biogeography of commercially harvested pythons (Python curtus group) in Southeast Asia (abstract)|pages=113|journal=Biological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=73 |issue=1 |url=http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118995661/abstract|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105061953/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118995661/abstract|dead-url=yes|archive-date=2013-01-05}}</ref>

==Taxonomy==

[[File:Python curtus.jpg|thumb|A Sumatran short-tailed python]]

''Python curtus'' was the [[scientific name]] proposed by [[Hermann Schlegel]] in 1872 for a python with a short tail from Sumatra.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schlegel |first1=H. |year=1872 |title=De Diergaarde van het Koninklijk Zoölogisch Genootschap Natura Artis Magistra te Amsterdam: De Kruipende Dieren |editor1-last=Witkamp |editor1-first=P. H. |___location=Amsterdam |publisher=Van Es |pages=53–54 |chapter=De Pythons |chapterurl=https://archive.org/details/dedierentuinvanh00schl/page/54}}</ref>

==See also==