Diamond Python

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=95 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="21a8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>SOFAR</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SOFAR"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id102.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Red bellied Black"><U>Red - bellied Black</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bandybandy"><U>Bandy-bandy</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Childrens Python"><U>Children's Python</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Coastal Carpet Python"><U>Coastal Carpet Python</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Olive Python"><U>Olive Python</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id147.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Water Python"><U>Water Python</U></A>   |   <B>Diamond Python</B>   |   <A HREF="id146.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Yellowfaced Whip Snake"><U>Yellow-faced Whip Snake</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id148.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Curl Snake"><U>Curl Snake</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mainland Taipan"><U>Mainland Taipan</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id154.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eastern Brown Snake"><U>Eastern Brown Snake</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id155.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bluebellied Black Snake"><U>Blue-bellied Black Snake</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id156.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Blackheaded Python"><U>Black-headed Python</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="21a8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Diamond Python</I></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="753" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#003300" BORDERCOLORDARK="#006633" FRAME="BOX" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="379"><div> <I><B>Common Name: </B></I>Diamond Python</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP ROWSPAN=6 WIDTH="357"><div> <IMG SRC="18547d20.jpg" border=0 width="327" height="210" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="186f3ed0.jpg" border=0 width="243" height="237" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> These pictures are from Green guide Snakes & other reptiles of Australia by Gerry Swan.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="379"><div> <I><B>Scientific Name: </B></I>Morelia s. spilota</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP ROWSPAN=4 HEIGHT= 1 WIDTH="379"><div> <I><B>General characteristics: </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Arial" >Non-V<I>enomous.  </I></FONT>Olive black with creamy yellow rosettes along the body, black and yellow patterning along with other variations.<I><B> </B></I> They grow to about 4 metres.  Found across a variety of habitats. Often found near wetlands and lives in trees, among dense reed beds or in the burrows of other animals.  They are nocturnal.  Breeding usually occurs during Spring.  A female Diamond pythons lay down a scent trail as they move around and males pick this up and follow it.  The snakes form groups of one or two females and several males.  The males all attempt to mate with the females and the strongest sperm from each male will fertilize the eggs.  Consequently the hatchlings will have the same mother but very possibly different fathers.  They are egg laying and may lay up to 47 eggs in a clutch.  Newly hatched young measure about 300 mm.  </div> <div> <I><B>Diet: </B></I>A wide range of mammals, birds, frogs and lizards.</div> <div> <I><B>Habitat: </B></I>From the Kimberley's of WA, through the "Top End" of the NT, most of QLD and NSW, along the Murray River to southern SA and south - western WA. </div> <div> <I><B>Status:</B></I> Secure</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> </tR> <tR> </tR> <tR> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Page updated 1 February 2006</div> </td> </tr></table></body>