Morelia oenpelliensis
Encyclopedia
Morelia oenpelliensis is a very large python species
found in Australia
. It is commonly known as the Oenpelli python. No subspecies
are currently recognized.
, a genus of the Pythonidae family. Adults grow up to 4 m in length. The color pattern is dark olive-brown with darkened blotches. The belly is pale and dull, varying from cream to yellow. It is an ambush predator
that remains motionless for long periods, waiting for prey such as possum
or large macropods. The mammal becomes asphyxiated as the snake coils itself around it.
The species occurs in a restricted range in the Northern Territory
, in the sandstone outcrops of western Arnhem Land
. The species is found in habitat is located on a sandstone massif
, in the regions surrounding the upper reaches of the Cadell, South Alligator and East Alligator rivers. They are territorial animals who roam between discrete positions, such as overhangs and caves in sandstone gorges or in a shady tree. Sightings are also reported in the region's woodland, heathland, and open rocky plains. It is noted as having an association with the Kombalgie sandstone gorges.
The total population is poorly surveyed, and no study has been made of the rate of its decline. This is partly due to the inaccessibility of the region, a factor that may help the preservation of the species. The conservation status of Morelia oenpelliensis is listed by the Northern Territory Government as vulnerable to extinction. This has been evaluated by known threatening factors, such as altered land use and fire regimes, and population inferred from the relative abundance of its prey. This is estimated to be below 10,000, which is inferred from several factors. As a large predator, the species is particularly vulnerable to declines in available prey. These larger mammals more susceptible to changes in land use and threats such as introduced species. Suitable habitat is also limited in the distribution range of the species. The species is known to be illegally collected for private use, which is likely to impact on some subpopulations. This threat is limited by the inaccessibility of its habitat, the same factor that has restricted study of the species. Variation and decline in subpopulations has not been fully evaluated. It is found within a conservation reserve known as Kakadu National Park
.
Morelia oenpelliensis was first described in 1977, the author placing it in the genus Python
. This was recognised by Cogger
and Cameron as a species of Morelia. The name is derived from the type locality, which is given as "6.5 km S.W. of Oenpelli, Northern Territory
, Australia (12°21'S, 133°01'E)."
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
found in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is commonly known as the Oenpelli python. No subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
are currently recognized.
Description
A very large and rare species of MoreliaMorelia
Morelia is a city and municipality in the north central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital of the state. The main pre-Hispanic cultures here were the P'urhépecha and the Matlatzinca, but no major cities were founded in the...
, a genus of the Pythonidae family. Adults grow up to 4 m in length. The color pattern is dark olive-brown with darkened blotches. The belly is pale and dull, varying from cream to yellow. It is an ambush predator
Ambush predator
Ambush predators or sit-and-wait predators are carnivorous animals that capture prey by stealth or cunning, not by speed or necessarily by strength. These organisms usually hide motionless and wait for prey to come within striking distance. They are often camouflaged, and may be solitary...
that remains motionless for long periods, waiting for prey such as possum
Possum
A possum is any of about 70 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi .Possums are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails...
or large macropods. The mammal becomes asphyxiated as the snake coils itself around it.
The species occurs in a restricted range in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
, in the sandstone outcrops of western Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land
The Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National...
. The species is found in habitat is located on a sandstone massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
, in the regions surrounding the upper reaches of the Cadell, South Alligator and East Alligator rivers. They are territorial animals who roam between discrete positions, such as overhangs and caves in sandstone gorges or in a shady tree. Sightings are also reported in the region's woodland, heathland, and open rocky plains. It is noted as having an association with the Kombalgie sandstone gorges.
The total population is poorly surveyed, and no study has been made of the rate of its decline. This is partly due to the inaccessibility of the region, a factor that may help the preservation of the species. The conservation status of Morelia oenpelliensis is listed by the Northern Territory Government as vulnerable to extinction. This has been evaluated by known threatening factors, such as altered land use and fire regimes, and population inferred from the relative abundance of its prey. This is estimated to be below 10,000, which is inferred from several factors. As a large predator, the species is particularly vulnerable to declines in available prey. These larger mammals more susceptible to changes in land use and threats such as introduced species. Suitable habitat is also limited in the distribution range of the species. The species is known to be illegally collected for private use, which is likely to impact on some subpopulations. This threat is limited by the inaccessibility of its habitat, the same factor that has restricted study of the species. Variation and decline in subpopulations has not been fully evaluated. It is found within a conservation reserve known as Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin.Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It covers an area of , extending nearly 200 kilometres from north to south and over 100 kilometres...
.
Morelia oenpelliensis was first described in 1977, the author placing it in the genus Python
Python (genus)
Python, from the Greek word , is a genus of non-venomous pythons found in Africa, Asia and Australia. Currently, 7 species are recognised. A member of this group, P. reticulatus, is among the longest snakes known.-Geographic range:...
. This was recognised by Cogger
Harold Cogger
Harold George Cogger is an Australian herpetologist. He was curator of reptiles and amphibians at the Australian Museum from 1960-1975, and Deputy Director from 1976-1995...
and Cameron as a species of Morelia. The name is derived from the type locality, which is given as "6.5 km S.W. of Oenpelli, Northern Territory
Oenpelli, Northern Territory
Oenpelli is an Aboriginal community in west Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia.-Access:The sealed Arnhem Highway links Darwin to Jabiru, the town within Kakadu National Park...
, Australia (12°21'S, 133°01'E)."