Southern African rock python

Southern African rock python
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Pythonidae
Genus: Python
Species:
P. natalensis
Binomial name
Python natalensis
Smith, 1833
Map of Africa showing highlighted range of two subspecies covering much of the continent south of the Sahara Desert
  Range of Southern African rock python
  Range of Python sebae
  Range of hybrids
Synonyms
  • Python sebae natalensis

The Southern African rock python (Python natalensis) is a large python species native to Southern Africa inhabiting savanna and woodland. It was first described by Andrew Smith in 1833. Growing a length of more than 5 m (16 ft), this is one of the largest snakes in the world.

Description

Cephalic features of the Southern African rock python (top) and the Central African rock python (Python sebae) on the bottom

The Southern African rock python has a colouration that is similar to its northern relative, however it is described as being "drabber". Below the light stripe on both snakes' head, the southern species has a narrower dark patch that resembles a stripe instead of a patch. The Central African rock python (Python sebae) has two prominent light lines from the nose, over the eye to the back of the head, which are much duller in the Southern African rock python. The northern species has considerably larger head scales. It is also noticeably inferior in size to size the Central African rock python.

Size

drawing of snake
A 1840 drawing of the Southern African rock python by Sir Andrew Smith
Southern African rock python edge Cuando River, Botswana

The Southern African rock python reaches an average length of between 2.8 and 4 m (9 ft 2 in and 13 ft 1 in). Individuals longer than 4.6 m (15 ft) are rare. Regarding body length and mass, this species exhibits sexual dimorphism, as females are significantly larger and heavier than males. Of 75 individuals measured in South Africa the longest female was 4.34 m (14.2 ft) long and weighed 53.4 kg (118 lb). The largest male was 4.23 m (13.9 ft) long and weighed 31.1 kg (69 lb). There is one reliable record of a living specimen reaching 5.56 m (18.2 ft). The longest South African python measured 5.8 m (19 ft), recorded in the former Transvaal. One specimen, reportedly 7 m (23 ft 0 in) in length, was killed by K. H. Kroff in Zambia in 1958 and was claimed to have had a 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) juvenile Nile crocodile in its stomach.

Behavior and ecology

Feeding

The Southern African rock python mainly feeds on small antelopes, jackals, hares, monkeys, and occasionally fish and crocodiles.

Reproduction

The female can produce 30-60 eggs and in some cases over 100 eggs. Juveniles measure 50-70 cm in length. Females incubate the eggs, and after hatching may care for the juveniles for 2 weeks or longer. Individuals can turn almost entirley black during the 6-months breeding cycle; this "facultative melanism" may be connected with faster heat retention during sun basking, and has not been documented for any other snake species.

In culture

In Where Men Still Dream, the South African journalist and author Lawrence G. Green speculates that the legend of the Grootslang, a mythical being in South African prospector folklore resembling a giant serpent and said to live in the Orange River, most likely originated from sightings of unusually large rock pythons in the river, which were exaggerated into descriptions of a monstrous being.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Alexander, G.J. & Tolley, K.A. (2021). "Python natalensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021 e.T13300560A13300564. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  2. ↑ Smith, A. (1849). "Python natalensis". Illustrations of the zoology of South Africa : consisting chiefly of figures and descriptions of the objects of natural history collected during an expedition into the interior of South Africa, in the years 1834, 1835, and 1836; fitted out by "the Cape of Good Hope Association for exploring Central Africa": together with a summary of African zoology, and an inquiry into the geographical ranges of species in that quarter of the globe. London: Smith, Elder and Co. pp. 42–44.
  3. ↑ "Difference from P. sebae".
  4. 1 2 "Snake Comparison – African Rock Python vs Southern African Python". 2019.
  5. ↑ Spawls, K.; Howell, R. & Drewes, J A. (2002). A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa. London: Academic Press. pp. 305–310. ISBN 0-12-656470-1.
  6. 1 2 FitzSimons, F. W. (1930). Pythons and their ways. London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd. pp. 12–67.
  7. ↑ Broadley, D. G. (1984). "A review of geographical variation in the African Python, Python sebae (Gmelin)". British Journal of Herpetology. 6: 359–367.
  8. ↑ Alexander, G. J. (2007). "Thermal Biology of the Southern African Python (Python natalensis): Does temperature limit its distribution?". In Henderson, R. W.; Powell, R. (eds.). Biology of the Boas and Pythons. Eagle Mountain: Eagle Mountain Publishing Company. pp. 51–75. ISBN 978-0-9720154-3-1.
  9. ↑ Branch, W. R. & Haacke, W. D. (1980). "A Fatal Attack on a Young Boy by an African Rock Python Python sebae". Journal of Herpetology. 14 (3): 305–307. doi:10.2307/1563557. JSTOR 1563557.
  10. ↑ Wood, Gerald (1983). The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. Guinness Superlatives. ISBN 978-0-85112-235-9.
  11. ↑ Alden, P. C.; Estes, R. D.; Schlitter, D.; McBridge, B. (1996). Collins Guide to African Wildlife. London: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0-00-220066-X.
  12. ↑ "Southern African Python - ASI". African Snakebite Institute. Retrieved 2026-10-20.
  13. ↑ Alexander, G.J. (2018). "Reproductive biology and maternal care of neonates in southern African python (Python natalensis)". Journal of Zoology. 305 (3): 141–148. doi:10.1111/jzo.12554Digital.
  14. ↑ Green, L. G. (1948). Where Men Still Dream. Cape Town: Standard Press Ltd. pp. 125–126.