Stories of reticulated pythons reaching sizes of 50 to 150 feet are common among folklore, however they have not been documented. Since the turn of the last century rewards have been offered for any snake 30 ft. or larger. To date the New York Zoological Society is offering $50,000 for a snake of this size (Murphy and Henderson 1997). An interesting fact about this snake is its ability to consume large artiodactyls, even those with antlers. If the antlers are small enough they are simply ingested and digested, however if they are too large the snake can actually break them back to lie along the body allowing them to be engulfed when the animal is consumed. It has been noted that these animals are sometimes swallowed hind quarters first (rarely) and that when the snakes works its way to the antlers, it stops, and allows its digestive acids to breakdown the animal's flesh until the antlers actually become weak and drop off.
This snake is widespread throughout its range but diminishing. Hundreds of thousands of reticulated pythons are taken from the wild to be killed for their skins each year, raising doubts about the long-term sustainability of this species (Shine 1999). These animals also fall victim to the Asian ritual of blood drinking and gall bladder removal (McCurley 1999). When encountered in its natural state by humans this snake is almost always killed. Rapid growth rate, early maturation and high fecundity are the only things keeping this snake around (Shine 1999).
This snake does provide economically for the humans in its range that exploit them. They are heavily sold for their skin and meat. Also tourists visiting these areas often buy materials made from these snakes.
Reticulated pythons are strictly carnivorous. They are most productive as ambush predators, often waiting in trees for unsuspecting prey (Murphy and Henderson 1997). They are also known to be active foragers, however this method of hunting is seldom used because of the amount of energy it requires. P. reticulatus typically feeds on birds and mammals. This diet extends however to dogs, large deer, pigs and on rare occasions humans (Mattison 1999, Murphy and Henderson 1997). R. Shine (1999) found that prey sizes increased rapidly with growth. Small snakes feed mostly on rats, but shift to larger mammals (e.g. pangolins, porcupines, monkeys, wild pigs, and mouse deer) at only 3-4 meters body length. Reticulated pythons, like all reptiles, have a low metabolic rate allowing them to go without food for long periods of time. In 1926, a captive specimen at Regent's Park refused food for 23 months, after which it accepted a meal and continued to feed normally (Murphy and Henderson 1997).
Reticulated pythons can be found throughout Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago.
Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native )
Reticulated pythons inhabit steamy tropical rainforests (Mattison 1999). These snakes are heavily dependent on water and can often be found near small rivers or ponds. They require tropical environments with temperatures in the range of 80 - 92 degrees F.
Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 21.3 years.
Average lifespan
Sex: male
Status: captivity: 25.3 years.
Mass: up to 350 lbs.
The reticulated python has a complex, geometric pattern, which incorporates a number of different colors. A series of irregular diamond shapes are positioned dorsally along the
back, usually flanked with smaller markings which have light centers. This gives the snake a netlike pattern, which is where it gets its common and Latin name. The head of this species is unmarked with only a conspicuous line running from each eye to the angle of the jaws. The size of this animal along with the unmarked head is usually enough to identify this species, even though there is some variation in pattern (Mattison 1999). Some of the variations in the pattern of this snake are listed as; Normal, Yellow Head, Calico, Albino, Tiger, Super Tiger, Jaguar and island forms (McCurley 1999). This is an extremely large snake, considered by many as the largest snake in the world (definitely the longest). Lengths of more than 16 feet are common and sizes of 25 feet or more occur regularly. The largest Reticulated python maintained in captivity was at the Pittsburgh Zoo; a 28.5 ft 320 lbs female named Colossus. They are sexually dimorphic in size, as females attain larger sizes than males. The largest reticulated python ever measured which was 32 ft 9.5 inches and holds the record for the largest snake in the world according to the Guiness Book of World Records, 1991 (Murphy and Henderson 1997). This is also a long lived snake; accounts of specimens 25 years old are commonplace in captivity.
Range mass: 0 to 158 kg.
Average mass: 0 kg.
Average basal metabolic rate: 2.7349 W.
Sexual maturity is reached in the first 2 - 4 years. Males breed at 7 - 9 ft, while females are typically 11ft. before they become receptive. Breeding usually takes place between the months of September - March. Reduction in the photo-period and overall temperature declines are the primary driving factors that stimulate breeding behavior in these snakes. Both male and females may fast during this time, so appropriate weight is necessary. Fasting may last up until the eggs are laid in the case of females and most probably until the eggs have hatched (McCurley 1999). Females usually lay 25 - 80 plus eggs, which are then maternally incubated at 88-90 degrees F, for 80 - 90 days. Eggs are also large in size, greater than 250 g (Shine 1999). Female Reticulated pythons show maternal care for their offspring only in that they brood the eggs. While the eggs are developing females will coil around them and "shiver" producing muscle contractions which serve to increase the overall temperature of the eggs. Females will also defend their eggs against predators, however once the eggs hatch, they are on their own.
The reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) is a python species native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the world's longest snake, and is among the three heaviest. It is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List because of its wide distribution. In several countries in its range, it is hunted for its skin, for use in traditional medicine, and for sale as pets.[1] Due to this, reticulated pythons are one of the most economically important reptiles worldwide.[6]
It is an excellent swimmer, has been reported far out at sea, and has colonized many small islands within its range.
Like all pythons, it is a non-venomous constrictor. Adult humans have been killed (and in at least two reported cases, eaten) by reticulated pythons.[7][8][9]
The reticulated python was first described in 1801 by German naturalist Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider, who described two zoological specimens held by the Göttingen Museum in 1801 that differed slightly in colour and pattern as separate species—Boa reticulata and Boa rhombeata.[10] The specific name, reticulatus, is Latin meaning "net-like", or reticulated, and is a reference to the complex color pattern.[11] The generic name Python was proposed by French naturalist François Marie Daudin in 1803.[12] American zoologist Arnold G. Kluge performed a cladistics analysis on morphological characters and recovered the reticulated python lineage as sister to the genus Python, hence not requiring a new generic name in 1993.[13]
In a 2004 genetics study using cytochrome b DNA, Robin Lawson and colleagues discovered the reticulated python as sister to Australo-Papuan pythons, rather than Python molurus and relatives.[14] Raymond Hoser erected the genus Broghammerus for the reticulated python in 2004, naming it after German snake expert Stefan Broghammer, on the basis of dorsal patterns distinct from those of the genus Python, and a dark mid-dorsal line from the rear to the front of the head, and red or orange (rather than brown) iris colour.[15] In 2008, Lesley H. Rawlings and colleagues reanalysed Kluge's morphological data and combined it with genetic material, finding the reticulated clade to be an offshoot of the Australo-Papuan lineage as well. They adopted and redefined the genus name Broghammerus.[16]
However, this and numerous other names by the same author were criticized by several authors, who proposed ignoring them for the purposes of nomenclature despite this being contrary to the ICZN Code that underpins binomial nomenclature, ostensibly promoting the establishment of a dual nomenclature.[17] R. Graham Reynolds and colleagues subsequently and knowing that it was described already, redescribed the genus Malayopython for this species and its sister species, the Timor python, calling the Timor python M. timoriensis.[18] Hoser has since argued that the Malayopython name is a junior synonym of Broghammerus.[19] Neither of these proposed reclassifications has been recognized by the ITIS,[20] but Malayopython has been recognized by a number of subsequent authors[21][22] and the Reptile Database.
Three subspecies have been proposed:
The latter two are dwarf subspecies. Apparently, the population of the Sangihe Islands north of Sulawesi represents another such subspecies, which is basal to the P. r. reticulatus plus P. r. jampeanus clade, but it is not yet formally described.[24]
The proposed subspecies M. r. "dalegibbonsi", M. r. "euanedwardsi", M. r. "haydnmacphiei", M. r. "neilsonnemani", M. r. "patrickcouperi", and M. r. "stuartbigmorei"[3][15] have not found general acceptance.
The reticulated python has smooth dorsal scales that are arranged in 69–79 rows at midbody. Deep pits occur on four anterior upper labials, on two or three anterior lower labials, and on five or six posterior lower labials.[25]
The reticulated python is the largest snake native to Asia. More than a thousand wild reticulated pythons in southern Sumatra were studied, and estimated to have a length range of 1.5 to 6.5 m (4 ft 11 in to 21 ft 4 in), and a weight range of 1 to 75 kg (2 lb 3 oz to 165 lb 6 oz).[26] Reticulated pythons with lengths more than 6 m (19 ft 8 in) are rare, though according to the Guinness Book of World Records, it is the only extant snake to regularly exceed that length.[27] One of the largest scientifically measured specimens, from Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, was measured under anesthesia at 6.95 m (22 ft 10 in) and weighed 59 kg (130 lb 1 oz) after not having eaten for nearly 3 months.[28]
The specimen once widely accepted as the largest-ever "accurately" measured snake, that being Colossus, a specimen kept at the Highland Park Zoo (now the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during the 1950s and early 1960s, with a peak reported length of 8.7 metres (28 ft 7 in) from a measurement in November 1956, was later shown to have been substantially shorter than previously reported. When Colossus died on 14 April 1963, its body was deposited in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. At that time, its skeleton was measured and found to be 20 ft 10 in (6.35 m) in total length, and the length of its fresh hide was measured as 23 ft 11 in (7.29 m) – both measurements being significantly shorter than what had been previously estimated in 1956.[29] The hide tends to stretch from the skinning process, thus may be longer than the snake from which it came – e.g., by roughly 20–40% or more.[30] The previous reports had been constructed by combining partial measurements with estimations to compensate for "kinks", since completely straightening an extremely large live python is virtually impossible. Because of these issues, a 2012 journal article concluded, "Colossus was neither the longest snake nor the heaviest snake ever maintained in captivity." Too large to be preserved with formaldehyde and then stored in alcohol, the specimen was instead prepared as a disarticulated skeleton. The hide was sent to a laboratory to be tanned, but it was either lost or destroyed, and now only the skull and selected vertebrae and ribs remain in the museum's collection.[29] Considerable confusion exists in the literature over whether Colossus was male or female (females tend to be larger).[29][30] Numerous reports have been made of larger snakes, but since none of these was measured by a scientist nor any of the specimens deposited at a museum, they must be regarded as unproven and possibly erroneous. In spite of what has been, for many years, a standing offer of a large financial reward (initially $1,000, later raised to $5,000, then $15,000 in 1978 and $50,000 in 1980) for a live, healthy snake 30 ft (9.14 m) or longer by the New York Zoological Society (later renamed as the Wildlife Conservation Society), no attempt to claim this reward has ever been made.[30]
The colour pattern is a complex geometric pattern that incorporates different colours. The back typically has a series of irregular diamond shapes flanked by smaller markings with light centers. In this species' wide geographic range, much variation of size, colour, and markings commonly occurs.
In zoo exhibits, the colour pattern may seem garish, but in a shadowy jungle environment amid fallen leaves and debris, it allows them to virtually disappear. Called disruptive colouration, it protects them from predators and helps them to catch their prey.[36]
The huge size and attractive pattern of this snake has made it a favorite zoo exhibit, with several individuals claimed to be above 20 ft (6.1 m) in length and more than one claimed to be the largest in captivity.[37] However, due to its huge size, immense strength, aggressive disposition, and the mobility of the skin relative to the body, it is very difficult to get exact length measurements of a living reticulated python, and weights are rarely indicative, as captive pythons are often obese.[30] Claims made by zoos and animal parks are sometimes exaggerated, such as the claimed 14.85 m (48 ft 9 in) snake in Indonesia which was subsequently proven to be about 6.5–7 m (21 ft 4 in – 23 ft 0 in) long.[38] For this reason, scientists do not accept the validity of length measurements unless performed on a dead or anesthetized snake that is later preserved in a museum collection or stored for scientific research.[30]
A reticulated python kept in the United States in Kansas City, Missouri, named "Medusa" is considered by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the longest living snake ever kept in captivity. In 2011 it was reported to measure 7.67 m (25 ft 2 in) and weigh 158.8 kg (350 lb 2 oz).[35]
In 2012, an albino reticulated python, named "Twinkie", housed in Fountain Valley, California, was considered to be the largest albino snake in captivity by the Guinness World Records. It measured 7 m (23 ft 0 in) in length and weighed about 168 kg (370 lb).[39]
Dwarf forms of reticulated pythons also occur, from some islands northwest of Australia, and these are being selectively bred in captivity to be much smaller, resulting in animals often referred to as "super dwarfs". Adult super dwarf reticulated pythons are typically between 1.82 and 2.4 m (6 ft 0 in and 7 ft 10 in) in length.[40]
The reticulated python is found in South and Southeast Asia from the Nicobar Islands, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, east through Indonesia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago (Sumatra, the Mentawai Islands, the Natuna Islands, Borneo, Sulawesi, Java, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores, Timor, Maluku, Tanimbar Islands) and the Philippines (Basilan, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro, Negros, Palawan, Panay, Polillo, Samar, Tawi-Tawi). The original description does not include a type locality. The type locality was restricted to "Java" by Brongersma (1972).[2]
Three subspecies have been proposed,[24] but are not recognized in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. The color and size can vary a great deal among the subspecies described. Geographical location is a good key to establishing the subspecies, as each one has a distinct geographical range.
The reticulated python lives in rainforests, woodlands, and nearby grasslands. It is also associated with rivers and is found in areas with nearby streams and lakes. An excellent swimmer, it has even been reported far out at sea and has consequently colonized many small islands within its range.[36] During the early years of the 20th century, it is said to have been common even in busy parts of Bangkok, sometimes eating domestic animals.[41]
As with all pythons, the reticulated python is an ambush predator, usually waiting until prey wanders within strike range before seizing it in its coils and killing by constriction. Its natural diet includes mammals and occasionally birds. Small specimens up to 3–4 m (9 ft 10 in – 13 ft 1 in) long eat mainly small mammals such as rats, other rodents, mouse-eared bats, and treeshrews, whereas larger individuals switch to prey such as small Indian civet and binturong, primates, pigs, and deer weighing more than 60 kg (132 lb 4 oz).[42] As a rule, the reticulated python seems able to swallow prey up to one-quarter its own length and up to its own weight. Near human habitation, it is known to snatch stray chickens, cats, and dogs on occasion.[26] Among the largest documented prey items are a half-starved sun bear of 23 kg (50 lb 11 oz) that was eaten by a 6.95 m (22 ft 10 in) specimen and took some 10 weeks to digest.[28] At least one case is reported of a foraging python entering a forest hut and taking a child.[43]
The reticulated python is oviparous. Adult females lay between 15 and 80 eggs per clutch. At an optimum incubation temperature of 31–32 °C (88–90 °F), the eggs take an average of 88 days to hatch.[23] Hatchlings are at least 61 cm (2 ft) in length.[41] Reticulated pythons have been observed shivering to increase the ambient temperature around them. This is used exclusively by female Reticulated Pythons during the incubation of eggs.
The reticulated python is among the few snakes that prey on humans. On April 9, 2015, the species was added to the Lacey Act list in the United States, prohibiting import and interstate transport due to its "injurious" history with humans.[44] Attacks on humans are not common, but this species has been responsible for several reported human fatalities, in both the wild and captivity. Considering the known maximum prey size, a full-grown reticulated python can open its jaws wide enough to swallow a human, but the width of the shoulders of some adult Homo sapiens can pose a problem for even a snake with sufficient size. Reports of human fatalities and human consumption (the latest examples of consumption of an adult human being well authenticated) include:
Increased popularity of the reticulated python in the pet trade is due largely to increased efforts in captive breeding and selectively bred mutations such as the "albino" and "tiger" strains. Smaller variants such as the "super dwarf" variants found on small islands are likewise popular due to their smaller size, as they grow to a fraction of the lengths and weights of their mainland kin due to genetics, limited space and prey availability.[58] It can make a good captive, but keepers working with adults from mainland populations should have previous experience with large constrictors to ensure safety to both animal and keeper. Although its interactivity and beauty draws much attention, some feel it is unpredictable.[59][60] It does not attack humans by nature, but will bite and possibly constrict if it feels threatened, or mistakes a hand for food. While not venomous, large pythons can inflict serious injuries by biting, sometimes requiring stitches.
In Moonraker (1979), a reticulated python tries to suffocate James Bond (Roger Moore), but Bond kills the snake with a hypodermic pen.
The reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) is a python species native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the world's longest snake, and is among the three heaviest. It is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List because of its wide distribution. In several countries in its range, it is hunted for its skin, for use in traditional medicine, and for sale as pets. Due to this, reticulated pythons are one of the most economically important reptiles worldwide.
It is an excellent swimmer, has been reported far out at sea, and has colonized many small islands within its range.
Like all pythons, it is a non-venomous constrictor. Adult humans have been killed (and in at least two reported cases, eaten) by reticulated pythons.
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