''Leiopython'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of snakes in the
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Pythonidae
The Pythonidae, commonly known as pythons, are a Family (biology), family of Venomous snake, nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia. Among its members are some of the largest snakes in the world. Ten Genus, genera and 39 specie ...
.
Species
The genus ''Leiopython'' contains the following
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
:
*''L. albertisii'' –
D'Albertis' python, northern white-lipped python
*''
L. fredparkeri'' – Karimui Basin white-lipped python, southern white-lipped python
*''
L. biakensis'' – Biak white-lipped python
''
Nota bene
( ; plural: ) is the Latin language, Latin phrase meaning ''note well''.
In manuscripts, ''nota bene'' is abbreviated in upper-case as NB and N.B., and in lower-case as n.b. and nb; the editorial usages of ''nota bene'' and ''notate bene'' fi ...
'': A
binomial authority
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, altho ...
in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Leiopython''.
Description
Female adults of the northern white-lipped python (''L. albertisii)'' grow to an average of about 213 cm (6–7 ft) in total length (including tail), whereas the southern white-lipped python (''L. fredparkeri)'' can reach up to in total length. Both species are patternless, except the northern white-lipped python has some light markings on its
postoculars,
[ Mehrtens JM (1987). ''Living Snakes of the World in Color''. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. .] which are absent in the southern whitelip python.
Behavior
Although mostly
terrestrial
Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth, as opposed to extraterrestrial.
Terrestrial may also refer to:
* Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on o ...
, snakes of the genus ''Leiopython'' can and are known to occasionally climb.
White-lipped pythons are reportedly aggressive, though this is reduced in those born and raised in captivity. These snakes have also been observed to regularly regurgitate fur balls from their prey.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q13431241
Snake genera
Pythonidae