Taxonomy
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Taxonomy
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| First Description Genus Leiopython Taxonomic history L. albertisii Mussau Is. Population Emirau Is. Population L. hoserae L. bennettorum L. fredparkeri L. huonensis L. biakensis |
Leiopython albertisii Peters & Doria 1878 |
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| Common names D'Albertis' Python (as the species was named in honor of Luigi Maria d’Albertis, the name D'Albert's python is not correct!); Northern White-Lipped Python Northern White-Lipped Python Synonymy Liasis alberitisii Peters and Doria, 1878 Leiopython gracilis Hubrecht, 1879 Liasis albertisii Boulenger, 1893 Liasis fuscus albertisii Stull, 1935 Liasis fuscus albertisi Capocaccia, 1961 Liasis fuscus albertisii Stimson, 1969 Liasis albertisii Switak, 1973 Liasis albertisii McDowell, 1975 Bothrochilus albertisii Cogger, Cameron, and Cogger, 1983 Lisalia albertisii Wells and Wellington, 1984 Morelia albertisii Underwood and Stimson, 1990 Leiopython albertisii Kluge, 1993 Leiopython albertisii McDiarmid et al., 1999 Leiopython albertisii albertisii Hoser, 2000 Leiopython albertisii Schleip, 2008 Syntypes Two specimens from Papua collected at Kapoar [Fak Fak regency, Papua], Onin peninsula (MSNG 29990) by Mr. L. M. D’Albertis on April 1872 and at Andai (near Dorei) [Manokwari regency, Papua], Birds Head Peninsula (MSNG 29989) collected during June 1875 by Beccari. The present state of disposition of the syntypes is unknown (see also McDowell, 1975).  Figure 1: Leiopython albertisii, captive held specimen. Diagnosis Leiopython albertisii is distinguishable from Leiopython hoserae, Leiopython bennettorum, and Leiopython huonensis sp. nov. by the presence of two pairs of parietals. A pair of large scales often separated from the median line by one or more small interparietal follows the anterior pair.  Figure 2: Parietal structure found in Leiopython albertisii from different localities. It further differs from the former two species and from Leiopython fredparkeri sp. nov. by the presence of whitish postocular spots, and can easily be distinguished from Leiopython bennettorum in the number of loreals and prefrontals, the average number of postoculars, dorsal midbody rows, ventrals, and subcaudal scales. Leiopython albertisii further differs from Leiopython hoserae and from Leiopython fredparkeri in lighter dorsal color and in having a yellowish flank (Parker, 1982; Barker and Barker, 1994; O’Shea, 1996, 2007), smaller average body size in hatchlings and adults, and additionally from Leiopython hoserae by molecular evidence. Leiopython albertisii can be distinguished from Leiopython biakensis by higher average subcaudal, and supralabial scale counts along with a higher number of supralabials entering the eye. Description Medium-sized unpatterned python; elongate head and snout; rostral with two to three diagonal pits; nasals with diagonal slitlike pits; one pair of internasals; 12–13 supralabials, first and second or first to third pitted and fifth to seventh entering the orbit, lateral depression dorsally on fifth and sometimes also on the sixth supralabial; 16–17 infralabials, seventh to 12th pitted and in a skin fold; single loreal and preocular scale; usually three postoculars; four to five anterior and posterior temporals; one pair of elongate prefrontals, two to three times longer than the internasals; bell-shaped frontal; two pairs of parietals, anterior ones in median contact but most often not in contact with the uppermost postoculars, posterior parietals sometimes separated by one or more interparietals at median line. Scales are smooth and arranged in 43–51 longitudinal dorsal rows; 262–283 ventrals; anal entire; 65–79 subcaudals mostly paired. The color of the dorsum is yellowish or reddish-brown to purplish-brown with an iridescence gleam, fading to lighter yellowish laterally, and white ventrally. Specimens from the Sorong peninsula are often lighter yellowish in color dorsally (D. G. Barker, pers. comm.). Specimens from the Fak Fak and Manokwari regencies, as well as from the Madang Province are more brownish-violet dorsally fading to brownish-yellow laterally and white ventrally. The dorsal surface of the head is shiny black with iridescence gleam. Supra- and infralabials are white with black vertical markings on anterior edge of supralabials, reaching into infralabials. Chin is white. Whitish markings on postoculars (sometimes on supraoculars, too) were found in all but one specimen (ZMUC R-5445, Mussau Island). This species also shows physiological color change by turning lighter at night and darker brownishviolet within a period of 20 min during the day (pers. obs.). Pictures of this species in the wild can be found in O’Shea (1996, 2007). Variation In general, only little variation in morphological characters occurs in L. albertisii throughout its distribution. Minor differences in the presence/absence and in the number of interparietals were recognized. Additionally, as already stated by McDowell (1975), ventral counts of specimens from the western part of Papua (Birds Head [including Salawati Island] and the Onin Peninsulas) exceeded those found in specimens from eastern Jayapura (near the border to PNG) and from PNG significantly. Nevertheless, no significant variation was found in other characters, but two specimens from the Sorong peninsula (pictures only) were morphologically aberrant from L. albertisii. |
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© 2001-2009
by Wulf Schleip