Timor python

Physical features

Non-venomous and powerful constrictors
Reaches lengths of 6-8 feet; The front 1/3 to ½ of the snake is yellow with darker markings while the rest of the snake is a uniform brownish color.

Range – Indo-Pacific; Indonesian islands (Lesser Sunda, Flores, Lombien Islands)
Habitat – forests; This species is semi-arboreal and will spend extended periods of time in the trees.
This species is not actually native to Timor Island. Although improperly named for the Island of Timor, this python has never been observed natively there. It was improperly named because it was first shipped from Timor when collected but has never been observed on Timor. The confusion may have also come from observations of the somewhat similar looking Macklott’s python which does occur on Timor. Many prefer the common name “Lesser Sundas python.”

Timor Pythons lay eggs and like many python species, the female coils around her clutch and broods them through hatching.

Posses a series of heat-sensing pits between their nostrils and mouth that they use to detect warm blooded prey in the darkness.
Even though they are cold-blooded (meaning their body temperature is determined by their surrounding tempura), through a series of twitches and/or contractions, Timor pythons can raise their body temperatures during egg brooding. If the female detects the eggs are too warm, she loosens her coils to allow more air flow to cool them down.

EOL: Encyclopedia of life (online). Python timorienis .2015. Accessed at http://eol.org/pages/1055450/overview
Fowler, J., Barnes R. 2015. Lesser Suda Python or Timor Python (online). Accessed at http://australianherpetology.com/PythonsoftheWorld/timorpython.html
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. (Online). Accessed at http://www.iucnredlist.org/search
Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2015. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed at http:/animaldiversity.org.
Reed, Rholda. USGS. Giant Constrictors (online). Accessed at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1202/pdf/OF09-1202.pdf

Updated 2015