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Black-headed Python
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- Order: Squamata (scaled reptiles)
- Suborder: Serpentes (=Ophidia) (snakes)
- Family: Boidae ( boas and pythons)
- Genus: Aspidites (fence and spiny
lizards)
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Scientific Name: Aspidites
melanocephalus Krefft, 1864 |
| Habitat: Found in a
variety of habitats from tropical forest to dry woodland to arid
regions. |
aspid="shield," ites="bearer,"
melano="black," cephalus="head"
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| Length: to over 8 feet
total. |
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| Food: Small mammals,
birds, reptiles (venomous snakes included). |
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I found this absolutely beautiful snake crossing
the Carpentaria Highway. This particular specimen wasn't
very big; maybe 3 feet long (see photograph with my foot in view
for reference). The pictures don't do it justice: in
the glare of the headlights, the animal initially appeared to be
striped in black and white. After getting a closer look, the
colors appeared as they do here--beige striped with dark brown,
with a glossy black head. |
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| It is thought the dark coloration
of the head is useful in thermoregulation--the snake can be safely
hidden in a burrow, crevice, or hollow log, with only the head
exposed. The black head heats up the blood as well as the
brain more quickly, allowing the snake to remain alert while the
rest of its body warms up. |
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| Another interesting feature of
these pythons is that they don't normally constrict their prey--in
the case of rodents and other terrestrial mammals, the python uses
its body to crush the prey against the side of the burrow or
hollow log. |
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| Upon being confronted with a
flashlight and video camera, this specimen "perked up"
and struck a defensive posture (last photograph), complete with
some sort of strange head-bobbing behavior--not really striking,
but "jerking" its head upwards which I assume is
supposed to be a threat. |
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I looked into prices for captive-bred black-headed
pythons, because after seeing this example, as well as a much
larger one which disappeared before I could get the car turned
around, I was very interested in keeping them. The current
high prices have discouraged me, though! |
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