GREEN PYTHONS
GENUS CHONDROPYTHON MEYER, 1874
Normanby island green tree
python
Chondropython viridis
Adelynhoserae HOSER 2009
The following is taken from the paper:
Chondropython viridis Adelynhoserae subsp. nov.
Holotype:
A specimen in the Australian Museum R129716, from Normanby Island, Milne Bay,
Papua New Guinea.
Diagnosis: This
is the form of Green Python restricted to Normanby Island, Milne Bay Province,
PNG.
It
is separated from all other Chondropython
in New Guinea and Australia by it’s adult dorsal pattern of (smallish) white
blotches that in the main do not cover the spinal ridge, as seen in all other
Australian and other PNG Chondropython.
Sometimes
Chondropython from elsewhere will
have similar blotches, but invariably, these snakes either also have a
mid-dorsal line or dots (not seen in adelynhoserae),
or the blotches run well over the spinal (mid dorsal) mid-line.
MtDNA
for the holotype was examined by Rawlings and Donellan 2003 and compared with
other Chondropython yielding traits
broadly in line with C. viridis viridis
(but a three per cent sequence divergence) (see p. 41 their paper). Having said that, it also shared five
nucleotide substitutions that would otherwise be synapomorphies of the northern
lineage, one of which is an indel.
This
result in terms of mtDNA and base pair analysis, as published by Rawlings and
Donellan 2003, forms an additional and/or alternative diagnostic means of
identifying and separating C. v.
adelynhoserae subsp. nov. from other Chondropython.
In
other words, the taxon C. v.
adelynhoserae subsp. nov. can be separated from other C. viridis by the degree of base pair separation/divergence of
mtDNA and/or nuclear DNA as detailed by Rawlings and Donellan 2003.
This
is the only Chondropython taxon found
on Normanby Island, Milne Bay Province, PNG and is allopatric to all other C. viridis or C. azureus.
Etymology:
Named after the elder daughter of this author, Adelyn (pronounced: Adder-lyn)
Hoser, in honor of her valuable education work at educational reptile
demonstrations and the like, including from the age of five safely handling
venomoid versions of the world’s five deadliest snake genera, namely Parademansia, Oxyuranus, Pseudonaja, Notechis and Acanthophis and most importantly after five years of doing so,
never having had a single bite! This emphatically proves that the best way to
avoid snakebites is to be nice to them.
CHONDROPYTHON SUMARY
Based
on what is now believed to be allopatric distribution and factors outlined elsewhere,
the named taxa of Green Python are now as follows:
Chondropython
viridis (Schlegel 1872), southern New Guinea generally and offshore
Islands.
Chondropython
viridis shireenae Hoser 2003, Australia only.
Chondropython
viridis adelynhoserae subsp. nov. (this paper), Normanby
Island, New Guinea.
Chondropython
azureus Meyer 1875, New Guinea north of the central range, including
offshore islands.
Maxwell
(2005), gave detailed information about local “races” of Chondropython, including from islands. However noting the extreme phenotypic variation of the genus and
the non-sampling of intermediate populations (when available), and the added
variables of local adaptations to altitude and so on resulting in localized
colour variants and the like, there is no evidence that any of the forms
identified in the book warrant recognition beyond the taxa (to subspecies
level) identified in this paper based on available evidence, most notably that
of Rawlings and Donnellan 2003.
Notwithstanding
this, the book remains mandatory reading for those with an interest in the
genus.
The
above is from the paper:
Click on the above
text to download the paper.
Webpage keywords include:Green Python Chondropython viridis, Australia, Australian, Chondropython viridis shireenae, Chondropython azureus is from Northern New Guinea, species and subspecies, Chondropython adelynhoserae is from Normanby Island, PNG, Meyer, Hoser, 2009, Hoser 2003, Green Tree Python, Chondropython nominate form is from southern New Guinea and nearby Islands
