Woma python

[Ceratodromeus]

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Pythonidae
Genus: Aspidites
Species: Aspidites ramsayi

Conservation status: endangered


Description: the woma is a mid sized python. of the 74 individuals taken in a study, A. ramsayi averaged 148cm(4.8ft) and the largest, a male, maxed out at 220cm(7.2 ft) {1}. In some parts of its range it is commonly reported at 5kg. Its coloration is predominately brown and yellowish white bars going own the entirety of its body. the head is orange or red with black markings above the eyes and at the end of the snout. They lack the heat recepting pits of most other pythons, perhaps this is why they have the dietary habits like the closely relate black headed python. It is mainly a nocturnal animal, but frequently roams during day time hours.


Distribution: this snake is found in the interior of Australia and on the coast near Shark bay.


They inhabit arid regions, usually sticking to pockets of canegrass or the burrows of small mammals -- in which they will eat the residents first before staking the burrows as their own.


Dietary habits: Like its close relative the Black Headed Python (A. melanocephalus), the Woma eats pimarily reptiles -- a favorite being the Spiny Tailed Monitor (V. acanthurus) in some locales they are more apt to take rodents when offered, though. Something worth noting is that these snakes don't use typical constriction -- they feed maly in burrows, grabbing a prey animal and squashing it against the wall, sometimes throwing a coil over said prey item to prevent it from escaping{2}.



Predators: the Mulga Snake is a rather active predator of this python. To what degree was not really noted until reintroduction of the woma was attempted in 2011.{3} A small passage from the study documenting this:
" Results

The most noteworthy outcome of this study was that all released woma pythons were dead between 41 and 123

days following release, either definitely or most likely killed by Mulga Snakes. Three python mortalities were attributed to at least two, probably three, different mulga snakes. Two of these womas were eaten by different mulga snakes that continued to be radio-tracked until they excreted their transmitters 33 and 23 –27 days later. The other woma (# 98 )was observed being repeatedly struck and dragged around by a mulga snake but was not swallowed. Three other womas were most likely killed by mulga snakes thatwere observed entering woma burrows immediately before their death (#97) or they were located near death or dead with severe bruising and/or heart and lung damage con-sistent with mulga snakes."
...
 The final woma transmitter (#99) was lost after it had moved widely on a swale for several days without being sighted, which was consistent with the movements of both mulga snakes known to have consumed womas. We assume that this woma was swallowed by a mulga snake shortly before the long-distance movements of its transmitter commenced. "

aside fom the Mulga Snake, feral cats and foxes also have been known to prey on this snake. raptorial birds and other reptiles  are also known predators.


Reproduction: the mating season occurs from may - july, with the eggs hatching 50-65 days later. A typical clutch size is 6-8 eggs, though larger females have been reported to lay more.

the eggs are small, and the neonate(newly hatched) snakes are ~6 inches in length.


References
{1}Shine, Richard, and David J. Slip. "Biological aspects of the adaptive radiation of Australasian pythons (Serpentes: Boidae)." Herpetologica (1990): 283-290.
{2}HOSER, RAYMOND T. "AUSTRALIAN PYTHONS (PART THREE)."
{3}Read, J. L., G. R. Johnston, and T. P. Morley. "Predation by snakes thwarts trial reintroduction of the Endangered woma python Aspidites ramsayi." Oryx 45.04 (2011): 505-512.

[Ceratodromeus]

Arboreality, excavation, and active foraging: novel observations of radiotracked woma pythons Aspidites ramsayi
Abstract
Novel wild behaviours were observed during a 21 month intensive radiotracking study of the woma python Aspidites ramsayi (Macleay, 1882) in south-western Queensland, Australia. Arboreal behaviour was unexpected in this terrestrial and burrow-dwelling species, with no previous anecdotal or published reports. Arboreal activity occurred strictly at night during warm weather and was associated with sleeping reptile predation, particularly predation upon bearded dragons Pogona barbata (Cuvier, 1829). Excavation behaviour in wild womas was predicted from captive specimens in 1981, but has not been reported to date. Two observations of radiotracked womas excavating in alluvial clay soils are detailed with comments on the function of this behaviour. Finally, brief descriptions and a summary of all thirteen feeding observations are given. Bearded dragons P. barbata, sand goannas Varanus gouldii (Gray, 1838) and yakka skinks Egernia rugosa (De Vis, 1888) were the most commonly observed prey items; however predation and ingestion of one large mammal - an adult hare Lepus capensis (Linneaus, 1758) - was also observed. Pre- and post-feeding movements indicate an active foraging strategy predominates; however ambush behaviour was also observed. Here I outline and summarise these novel wild behavioural observations and discuss them in the context of known snake ecology and physiology. These observations greatly enhance the behavioural and ecological understanding of this large, yet elusive python.

FIG. 4. Novel Aspidites ramsayi feeding behaviours and prey: A, An adult male python ingests an adult sand goanna Varanus gouldii, captured inside a single-ended hollow log; B, An adult female python consumes an adult hare Lepus capensis captured in long grass; C, An adult male python swallows a bearded dragon Pogona barbata whilst hanging vertically from a 4 m high mulga Acacia aneura tree limb; D, An adult male python traps and ‘squashes’ an adult V. gouldii inside a single-ended hollow log.
link to paper