New species of Blood Python found.

[marvelfreak]

I came across this on another forum and just had to share. The link also as pictures of the new species.


Species New to Science: [Herpetology • 2011] Python kyaiktiyo • new Python from Burma (Myanmar): Short-tailed python (Reptilia: Squamata) (http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2012/01/2011-python-kyaiktiyo-myanmar.html)

[Caylan]

Looks like a brong crossed with a sarawak! Too bad they are found in Myanmar...

[Trent]

Nice looking snake!

[youngster]

Awesome. Love how we still haven't found nearly all the species of animal on Earth :)

[millertime89]

very cool! I love reading the new studies.

[CDN_Blood]

I think they'll eventually find that there was a brong or two which were displaced by a tropical storm and then mixed with something else to create these in that location.

Let that be a lesson for us Blood Python keepers out there - don't intergrade or hybridize your Bloods; the results are hideous!

[Caylan]

Is it just me, is it oddly long and thin bodied for a blood? Its very similar to a burm shape!!!!
Then I looked at the head drawings a bit more... and more... Ummm is anyone else seeing what I'm seeing yet?

[CDN_Blood]

...
Then I looked at the head drawings a bit more... and more... Ummm is anyone else seeing what I'm seeing yet?

I thought the head scale drawings looks Reticish, but I've been playing mix-n-match with my meds lately to keep things interesting, so I could be a tad confused, but I *am* sure that zebra-patterened elephant I chased out of my yard this morning won't be back :)

[Caylan]

So a little more research leads to the finding of them having 180 or more ventral scales. Man I'm itching for more info...!!

[jdavy]

I *love* bloods, although my first impression of this one is not all that hot. I agree; to me it looks like an integrade gone wrong too.

I'll be interested to see what they find out as they do more research.

On the upside, it *is very* cool that we still find new species. We'll see if this actually turns out to be one or not.

[Caylan]

Brongs have 167 ventral scales, breits and curtus have 165, this thing has 184, could easily be a burm hybrid long down the line... It was found with 6 eggs, assuming they hatch, I'd be interested in their ventral scale count... Regardless I like it, and would love to have one lol. Caylan.S.

[millertime89]

I'm very interested to see what comes out of those eggs. Caylan can you keep this thread updated on that? I'll probably forget to check back.

[Trent]

Brongs have 167 ventral scales, breits and curtus have 165, this thing has 184, could easily be a burm hybrid long down the line... It was found with 6 eggs, assuming they hatch, I'd be interested in their ventral scale count... Regardless I like it, and would love to have one lol. Caylan.S.
I am with you on that one.

[Caylan]

I'm all over this $h** don't you worry. Already tried contacting the Kevin and the Barkers for their info. They will have the inside scoop, here's hoping I can get in on it too.
I do have another theory which moreso derives from evolution, assuming all 4 species came from the same ancestor species, this could be one of the variations that hasn't fully evolved in the way the shorties we know have. Perhaps these snakes are closer related to the burmese python, but are still curtus complex because of what they ultimately evolved to look like. Essentially this would mean that all snakes may have came from a single species and are different variations adapted to their enviroment, so perhaps this is the the split from burm to blood, before they got incredibly short in their isolated areas they are normally found in. I can't explain it well, but think of how an Irian Jaya Carpet Python is soo much smaller then a coastal carpet python. These snakes are obviously related but each better suited their particular locality.
SO essentially this new python could be a missing genetic link between when they were longer snakes way back when... and the bloods we know now. We know burms and retics chose length as their adaptation, why wouldn't a blood in the same area choose the same? So many thoughts on this, I really want to know more.... I want to know it all lol! I just answered in another forum my dream job would be working in a zoo, scratch that, I still want to do field studies on things like this..... electrician here I come....

[millertime89]

We actually discussed phylogenetic differentiation in my Geology class a week or two ago. It basically works like this, on the evolutionary tree, pythons and boas evolved seperately and diverged at some point with the majority of the boas ending up in the new world (the Americas) and the majority of pythons in the old world. A common ancestor (we'll call it Python A, or PA) evolved and eventually individuals split off and became specialized for certain niche environments and roles. Python molurus, bivittatus, curtus, regius, sebae, and natalensis all evolved into a heavier bodied snakes while the rest are more slender (except for timorensis and reticulatus when they reach massive proportions). As the world split apart the species became even more specialized at what they do. However some seem to have maintained some of the characteristics of their cousins. Like you said this python my be something of a missing link between bivittatus/molurus and curtus, just like it seems that timoriensis is the missing link between morelia (specifically amethystinia) and reticulatus and liasus (olive python) seems to be that link to leiopython (white lipped).

This is all just speculation because I'm honestly not sure as all of these evolved separately and I won't be surprised if the genus python is broken up. Its starting to happen as P. timoriensis and P. reticulatus have recently been put into their own genus (Broghammerus) although it is not universally accepted yet. This leaves only the heavier bodied pythons under that genus, molurus, bivittatus, sebae, natalensis, curtus, regius, and achietae. I would be surprised to see the 4 biggest split into their own genus, with achietae being changed to a subspecies of regius (based on what I've seen/read about them) and curtus going about its own way as well, with P. c. curtus, brongersmai, and breitensteini remaining species/subspecies and this new one as a seperate species.

Taxonomy is confusing.

[Caylan]

Angolans are another similar adaptation like this, a longer more slender version of the shorter chunkier version. The Kyaiktiyo is to Bivittatus, like Achietae is to Regius so to speak. I've also heard of a locality of regius that are religiously protected, that are a giant strain of regius, consistently growing lengths in excess of 5 feet. I haven't heard much about these either, but they do exist apperently, and it may account for some of the larger ball pythons we see occasionally... its not like they are religiously kept from breeding normal ball pythons... or are they?... lets not get into that... I say this as I have seen some accounts now that just don't seem normal... But back to the task at hand, I don't know what to really believe in terms of theories... if the babies hatch witht he same ventral scale count, we can assume it either found a sibling to mate with, another of it's kind, or possibly parthenogenesis... if they have lowered ventral scale count, we can assume it found and mated with a brong(linking to that it was a brong x burm long down the line) and slowly lowering its ventral scale count generation by generation. I want to believe its a new species, or older species rather, but being the only one found so far... I dunno. I imagine its length makes it semi more arboreal like a burm at a young age, which would make this species so cool to observe in captivity as well... I know its a long shot, but I hope it pulls a crested gecko lol! Mini blood burms... *DROOOL!*

[millertime89]

I wouldn't be surprised if its a completely separate species. We're finding them all the time, just not usually larger species. Can't wait to see what comes out of those eggs.

[Caylan]

I wonder what's more probable, a new species discovery of this calibre, or a hybridisation of the same level? They could easily be a burm blood hybrid, but in another sense there's just no way! Then to be fertile even... Sure wish I was older and rich, I'd just go check it... That's how curious I am lol! The babies are the key, if they do come out the same but different genders... then there has to be more.... how is it bloods are found so easily but these aren't, where were they when burms were being imported by the thousands... errr....

[exwizard]

Theres already a Borneo as well as a Sumatran and now theres apparantly a Burmese Blood. Oh wait, that sounds like a hybrid. Ok, Myanmar Blood sounds so much better. Beautiful species btw.