REPTILIA: SQUAMATA: PYTHONIDAE: Morelia

Morelia boeleni (Brongersma, 1953)

Boelen's python

Photo & text by Dr. Robert Sprackland.

Range: The highland regions of New Guinea, in cooler environments than frequented by many other reptiles.

Diagnosis: A blue-black python with a white belly and lateral bars, and black and white barred lips. The head is tall, with very long subocular scales. There are no dorsal markings on the head. The belly is white. 

Description:  

Natural History: This is one of the few, and possibly largest, cold-tolerant reptiles. Boelen's pythons are found in the higher elevations of the central mountain backbone of New Guinea. They are more terrestrial than smaller, lighter pythons, and take a variety of warm-blooded prey. 

Reproduction: An egg-laying species.

Taxonomy & Relationships:

Variation: Though there is little variation among adults, newly-hatched specimens are brick-red or chocolate brown with numerous thin white bands. Color changes as the snake matures.

Additional Comments:

Type Specimen: In the RMNH, Leiden.

 Literature:  

Kluge, Arnold. 1993. Aspidites and the phylogeny of pythonine snakes. Records of the Australian Museum Supplement 19.

O'Shea, Mark. 1996. A guide to the snakes of Papua New Guinea. Independent Publishing, Port Moresby, PNG. ISBN: 981-00-7836-6.

Walls, Jerry. 1998. The living pythons: a complete guide to pythons of the world. TFH Publications. ISBN: 0-7938-0467-1