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COMMON NAME: Woma Python
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Aspidites ramsay
FAMILY: Boidae
GENUS: Aspidites
STATUS: Secure
SIZE (cm): 102 |
DESCRIPTION: Womas belong to the genus Aspidites and
differ from all other pythons except black-headeds by the absence of
heat sensing labial pits. Womas are a medium sized python with dark
eyes, quite stout body, short tail, slender yellow to orange coloured
head which is slightly set off from the neck, a quite pointed snout
and alternate dark and light coloured banding. Womas can be ravenous
feeders and, like black-headeds, have an incredible feeding instict
that can become rather aggressive once the first prey item is eaten.
Hatchlings generally feed readily on rat pinks or fuzzy mice, in the
wild they will also consume reptiles.
PREFERRED HABITAT: Womas are is found in drier parts
of the mainland of Australia, inhabiting desert areas of every mainland
state except Victoria. There are numerous populations of this species,
each having their own distinguishing features. The 3 most commonly
accepted forms are the Northern Territory or Tanami Desert form, the
South Australian form (which grows to nearly 3m) and the endangered
South Western Australian form. The most obvious difference between
these and melanocephalus is the lack of a black head and neck. These
snakes often subdue their prey by pressing it against the wall of
a burrow when space will not allow it to constrict in the normal manner.
MICROHABITAT: Shelters in caves, rock crevices,
hollow timber, abandoned burrows, termitaria and surface debris.
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