Amethystine python: Difference between revisions

| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn|urlauthor=https://wwwTallowin, O.iucnredlist|author2= Allison, A.org/details/177501/0|author3= Parker, F. |author4= O'Shea, M. |name-list-style=amp |year= 2017 |title= ''Morelia amethistina'' |authorpage=Auliya Me.T177501A1489667 |yeardoi=201010.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T177501A1489667.en |access-date=3028 November 20142023}}</ref>

The '''amethystine python''' ('''''[[Simalia]] amethistina''''', formerly known as '''''Morelia amethistina'''''), also known as the '''scrub python''' or '''''sanca permata''''' in [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], is a [[species]] of non-[[venomous snake]] in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Pythonidae]]. The species is found in [[Indonesia]] and [[Papua New Guinea]]. Popular among reptile enthusiasts, and noted for its coloration and size, it is one of the [[List of largest snakes|largest snakes in the world]], as measured either by length or weight, and is the largest native snake in Papua New Guinea. Until 2000, the larger ''[[Simalia kinghorni|S.&nbsp;kinghorni]]'' was generally considered a subspecies of ''S.&nbsp;amethistina'', and this change of classification has still not beebeen universally reflected in literature. Because of this issue, ''S.&nbsp;amethistina'' has often been described as the largest snake in Australia, but this is not accurate since under the current classification, this species does not occur in Australia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jcu.edu.au/reptilelab/public/groups/everyone/documents/journal_article/jcutst_055702.pdf |title=Giant snakes in tropical forests: a field study of Australian scrub pythons |author1=Fearn S |author2=Schwarzkopf L |author3-link=Richard Shine |author3=Shine R |publisher=CSIRO Publishing / Wildlife Research |access-date=2013-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927071210/http://www.jcu.edu.au/reptilelab/public/groups/everyone/documents/journal_article/jcutst_055702.pdf |archive-date=27 September 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Formerly, five [[subspecies]] of ''Morelia amethistina'', including the nominate race, ''M. a. amethystina'', were generally recognized. The [[Moluccan Islands]] (including [[Halmahera]], [[Ternate]] and [[Tidore]]) are home to the former ''M. a. tracyae''. The [[Tanimbar Islands]] are home to a smaller subspecies, the former ''M. a. nauta''. On the island of [[Seram]], the former ''M. a. clastolepis'' can be found. On mainland of [[Papua New Guinea]] (including the Indonesian western half, once called Irian Jaya—now [[West Papua (province)|West Papua]]), and many of its nearby offshore islands, the former ''M. a. amethystina'' is quite common. In Australia, the former ''M. a. kinghorni'' is represented.<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=634775 |taxon=''Morelia amethistina'' |access-date=18 September 2007}}</ref> American biologist Michael Harvey and colleagues investigated the amethystine python complex and recognised five separate species{{snd}} ''Simalia amethistina'', ''[[Simalia clastolepis]]'', ''[[Simalia kinghorni]]'', ''[[Simalia nauta]]'', and ''[[Simalia tracyae]]''{{snd}} based on cladistic analysis of cytochrome b sequences and morphology.<ref name="Harvey2000">{{cite journal | firstfirst1 = Michael B. | lastlast1=Harvey | first2 = David G. | last2=Barker | first3 =Loren K. | last3=Ammerman | first4 = Paul T. | last4=Chippindale | title=Systematics of Pythons of the ''Morelia amethistina'' Complex (Serpentes: Boidae) with the Description of three new Species | journal= Herpetological Monographs | volume=14 | year= 2000 | pages= 139–185| doi= 10.2307/1467047| jstor=1467047 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256197534_Systematics_of_Pythons_of_the_Morelia_amethistina_Complex_Serpentes_Boidae_with_the_Description_of_Three_New_Species256197534}}</ref> In 2014 cladistic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial genes of pythons and boas, R. Graham Reynolds and colleagues supported the distinctness of ''M. tracyae'', ''M. amethistina'', and ''M. clastolepis'', but were less confident of ''M. kinghorni'' and ''M. nauta''.<ref name="Reyn01">{{cite journal |lastlast1=Reynolds | firstfirst1= R. Graham|last2=Niemiller | first2= Matthew L. |last3=Revell | first3= Liam J. |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 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.011 | pmid= 24315866| url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259246220_Toward_a_Tree-of-Life_for_the_boas_and_pythons_Multilocus_species-level_phylogeny_with_unprecedented_taxon_sampling259246220}}</ref>

Specimens of ''S. amethistina'' have reportedly been measured at more than {{convertcvt|5.5|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} in total length (including tail), but this is exceptional, as {{convertcvt|4|m|ft|abbr=on}} specimens are already considered extremely large. Although the amethystine python is smaller than the [[Australian scrub python]], some sources claim that ''S. amethistina'' is able to reach lengths of {{convert|6|m|ft|abbr=on}}, with a weight up to {{cvt|5027|kg}}<ref name="Daniel Natusch">{{Cite journal|first1=Daniel |last1=Natusch |first2=Jessica |last2=Lyons |first3=Richard |last3=Shine |year=2022|journal=[[Scientific Reports]] |title=Spatial ecology, activity patterns, and habitat use by giant pythons (''Simalia amethistina'') in tropical Australia|volume=12|issue=1|page=5274 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359517466|doi=10.1038/s41598-022-09369-5 |pmid=35347214 |pmc=8960824 |bibcode=2022NatSR..12.5274N }}</ref> and perhaps even {{cvt|30|kg}}.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Daniel |last1=Natusch |first2=Jessica |last2=Lyons |first3=Lea-Ann |last3=Mears|first4=Richard |last4=Shine |year=2021 |publisher=Department of Biological HoweverSciences, the[[Macquarie largestUniversity]] specimen|title=Biting wasoff measuredmore atthan you can chew: attempted predation on a human by a giant snake (''Simalia amethistina'') {{convert|6url=https://research-management.mq.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/167828778/134330879_AAM.pdf |mjournal=[[Austral Ecology]] |ftvolume=46 |abbrnumber=on1 |pages=159–162 |doi=10.1111/aec.12956 |bibcode=2021AusEc..46..159N |s2cid=225105592 }}<!-- This article refers to the "Australian scrub python", and talks about it being in Cape York, but calls it S. amethistina, which seems to mean it is really referring to S. kinghorni. S. kinghorni is not explicitly mentioned in the article at all (except in the keywords, which is strange). --></ref>

The Amethystine python is found in Indonesia ([[Maluku Islands]], [[Tanimbar Islands|Timur Laut Islands]], [[Banda Islands|Banda]], [[Kai Islands]], [[Aru Islands]], [[Misool]], [[Salawati]], most of [[Western New Guinea]], many islands in [[Cenderawasih Bay|Geelvink Bay]], such as Biak, Numfor, Yapen, and Supiori), and [[Papua New Guinea]] (including [[Umboi Island]], [[Bismarck Archipelago]], [[Trobriand Islands]], the [[d'Entrecasteaux Islands]] to [[Rossel Island (Yela)|Rossel Island]], [[Louisiade Archipelago]]). Amethystine pythons are also distributed in Northern Australia. The [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] is unknown.<ref name="McD99"/>

''S. amethistina'' occurs in both [[bushland]] and [[suburb]]ia. In Indonesia, it is found mostly in [[rainforest]]s. Warm, humid [[habitat]]s with good water sources are preferred. In northern Australia and New Guinea, it mostly lives in [[Shrubland|scrublands]].