water python article

[Fuscus]

Very interesting article on wild water pythons, one clanger though, see if you can spot it.

http://abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/December2000/default.htm

 

[Bruce]

Pythons?

Not sure if it is your clanger or not Fusucs, but since when have pythons not been snakes?

 

[luke]

The water python shares a common ancestor
with snakes.?????? Image:Thomas Madsen
The Python

Name: The water python, Liasis fuscus,

(Profile: Pythons aren't snakes, but they both share a common ancestor. Water Pythons are one of 13 species of python in Australia, and are common across the northern part of the country, found in the Kimberley, Northern Territory and tropical parts )


this is from that site what do they mean not snakes??

 

[wattso]

this dont sound right~" However in a bad year even female pythons in poor condition will reproduce. This is hard on the females. Some of them stop feeding for about 3 months during breeding and they lose up to 50% of their body mass. Many become very emaciated and quite a few will die. "...........losing 50% in 3 months?

Or this~ " However the eggs are more likely to be eaten by predators because the female pythons leave just a few days after laying."

I think the "not snakes" reference refers to the fact that pythons are considered "primative" having spurs and two lungs, other snakes refered to as "modern" having no spurs and one lung. but i could be wrong

 

[Slateman]

If pythons are not snakes, I just learned somthing Fuscus. I did not realised that.

 

[luke]

man its the first iv herd of this dose any one els have proof to back this up

 

[Fuscus]

The thing I found strange was "pythons are not snakes". The article is dated dec 2000 so I'm certain I would have heard by now if they have been re-classified. I does make me worried about the rest of the article.

 

[kevyn]

They haven't been reclassified. I just don't think the author had there facts straight.

 

[Slateman]

We will see what David thing about this one when he get to read it.

 

[africancichlidau]

I know what you mean Fuscy, if you spot an obvious mistake in an article it sure makes you think of the validity of the rest.

 

[Parko]

Ofcourse they aren't snakes, they are mutton birds.

 

[wattso]

not snakes ~ Sure it was just a poor choice of phrase, see my post. what about the fast weightloss and leaving the eggs ???????

 

[Moclobe]

One has too wonder about this article as last time I checked there were no tigers in Africa.

 

[Fuscus]

That was well spotted, Moclobe! I missed that.

Another thing is the author having the young WP feeding exclusivly on rats, I'm sure that they would eat lizards (isn't that the standard baby food).

I get the feeling that this way one of the writers first articles and/or there was a tight deadline!

 

[Slateman]

I was thinking about this feeding on pinkies rats my self. I would imagin that rat mother would kill the hatchling easy if she would see it close to her nest. But I have no experteeeze to know what the ratus would do. I am sure that my rats will protect their pinkies. Scar on my finger can tell.

 

[wattso]

not snakes ~ Sure it was just a poor choice of phrase, see my post. what about the fast weightloss and leaving the eggs ???????

 

[Guest]

hatchlingwater pythons actualy eat baby water rats "the only food sufficientfor newly hatched water pythons is baby water RATS. if rats fail to breed or breed to early only few will survive that year