# Australian scrub python

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Species of snake

Not to be confused with [Amethystine python](/source/Amethystine_python).

Simalia kinghorni Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Pythonidae Genus: Simalia Species: S. kinghorni Binomial name Simalia kinghorni (Stull, 1933) Synonyms[1] Liasis amethistinus kinghorni Stull, 1933 Australiasis kinghorni — Wells & Wellington, 1984 Morelia kinghorni — Harvey et al., 2000 Simalia kinghorni — Reynolds et al., 2014

Releasing a scrub python back to the wild, near [Cooktown](/source/Cooktown). 1999

The **Australian scrub python** (***Simalia kinghorni***), also known [commonly](/source/Common_name) as **Kinghorn's python** and simply as the **scrub python** is a [species](/source/Species) of snake in the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Pythonidae](/source/Pythonidae). The species is indigenous to forests of northern [Australia](/source/Australia). It is [one of the world's longest and largest snakes](/source/List_of_largest_snakes), and is the longest and largest in [Australia](/source/Australia). In 2014 it was reclassified to the [genus](/source/Genus) *[Simalia](/source/Simalia)* from *[Morelia](/source/Morelia_(snake))*, alongside the rest of the scrub python species.

## Taxonomy

American herpetologist [Olive Griffith Stull](/source/Olive_Griffith_Stull) described this taxon as *Liasis amethistinus kinghorni* in 1933 from a specimen at the [Museum of Comparative Zoology](/source/Museum_of_Comparative_Zoology) which had been collected at [Lake Barrine](/source/Lake_Barrine%2C_Queensland) in north Queensland, classifying it as a [subspecies](/source/Subspecies) of the [amethystine python](/source/Amethystine_python) based on its larger number of scales.[2] The [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)), *kinghorni*, is in honour of Australian herpetologist and ornithologist [James Roy Kinghorn](/source/James_Roy_Kinghorn).[3] It was first raised to species status by [Wells and Wellington](/source/Wells_and_Wellington_affair) in 1984, and given the name *Australiasis kinghorni*. American biologist Michael Harvey and colleagues investigated the amethystine python complex and confirmed its classification as a separate species based on cladistic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences and morphology.[4] In 2014 cladistic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial genes of pythons and boas, [R. Graham Reynolds](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Robert_Graham_Reynolds) and colleagues concluded that the support for its distinctness was weak.[5]

## Description

The Australian scrub python is commonly considered arboreal or tree-dwelling,[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] making it one of the world's largest and longest arboreal species of snakes.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] This snake has an ornate [dorsal](/source/Dorsum_(anatomy)) pattern consisting of browns and tans, with many different natural variations, and an iridescent sheen.[6] Its belly is usually white, sometimes with some yellows.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] The top of the head is covered with large symmetrical shields, and there are heat-sensing pits on the [rostral](/source/Rostral_scale) and some [labials](/source/Labial_scales).[6]

### Size

*S. kinghorni* exhibits [sexual dimorphism](/source/Sexual_dimorphism), with males usually growing a third longer and twice as heavy than females. Females reach sexual maturity with a [snout-to-vent length](/source/Snout-vent_length) (SVL) of about 2.27 m (7.4 ft) while males reach sexual maturity with an SVL of 1.34 m (4.4 ft).[7] On the [Tully River](/source/Tully_River), a river about 140 km south of [Cairns](/source/Cairns), 24 adult females were measured. They had an average SVL of 2.68 m (8.8 ft) and a mass of 3.4 kg (7.5 lb). In the same place, 80 adult males had an average SVL of 2.91 m (9.5 ft) and a weight of 5.1 kg (11 lb). Of these, the largest male had an SVL of 3.76 m (12.3 ft) and a weight of 11 kg (24 lb).[8] In the past, data on the lengths of individuals longer than 6 meters were repeatedly mentioned in the literature, and all of them today can no longer be verified and cause serious doubts, in particular, in Fearn & Sambono (2000). The most extreme information comes from Worell, who reported in 1954 second-hand about an animal allegedly 8.5 m (28 ft) long from Greenhill in Cairns,[4] described it as 7.6 m (25 ft) in 1958 and repeatedly mentioned the same thing in 1963 under the first length. He leaves open the question of whether the reported length refers to a corpse or to skin stretched more than 3 m (9.8 ft). Dean also describes an extremely large specimen from Barron Falls in 1954 with a total length of 7.2 m (24 ft), which, however, consisted of an artificially stretched frame that decomposed in the tropics for more than two days, though it was considered reliable by the staff of the *[Guinness Book of World Records](/source/Guinness_Book_of_World_Records)*.[9] The largest female Australian scrub python seriously measured to date was caught in Palm Cove near [Cairns](/source/Cairns) in 2000, had a total length (including tail) of 5.65 m (18.5 ft), a head length of 12 cm (4.7 in), a tail length of 75 cm (30 in), a circumference at midbody of 36 cm (14 in), and a weight of 24 kg (53 lb).[10][11] The largest male seriously measured to date was discovered in Kuranda in 2002. Its length was 5.33 m (17.5 ft), of which the length of the head was 11 cm (4.3 in), the incomplete tail was 60 cm (24 in), and the weight was 19 kg (42 lb).[11][12] However, heavier individuals have been measured, some weighing more than 27 kg (60 lb) with a length of more than 5 m (16 ft).[13][14][15]

## Distribution and habitat

Distribution of *S. kinghorni*: range shown as dark green region

*S. kinghorni* in mostly is found in [Northern Australia](/source/Northern_Australia), in [Queensland](/source/Queensland) and [Cape York Peninsula](/source/Cape_York_Peninsula). The species also occurs in several Islands of [Torres Strait](/source/Torres_Strait) (e.g. [Hinchinbrook](/source/Hinchinbrook_Island)). On the mainland, its range extends from the tip of the [Cape York Peninsula](/source/Cape_York_Peninsula) south along the coastal rainforest through the [Atherton Tableland](/source/Atherton_Tableland), the forested eastern foothills of the [Great Dividing Range](/source/Great_Dividing_Range), along the coast through Mount Speck to the [Burdekin River](/source/Burdekin_River) south of [Townsville](/source/Townsville).[16] In 2004, an even more southern population was described in the Conway rainforest, south of [Airlie Beach](/source/Airlie_Beach%2C_Queensland).[17] Accurate information about the population size and possible connections with more northern populations is not yet available. However, it is assumed that it was installed in 1990 by adult animals that escaped from the local zoo, and has been successfully distributed since then living within various forests and more densely vegetated parts of the Australian bush.[16]

## Diet

Scrub python swallows small [wallaby](/source/Wallaby) near [Daintree National Park](/source/Daintree_National_Park), Australia

*S. kinghorni* is one of the largest land predators in [Australia](/source/Australia), and depending on the habitat, age and size, the prey range can vary from small [mammals](/source/Mammal), [birds](/source/Bird) and [reptiles](/source/Reptile) to [wallabies](/source/Wallaby). The basis of the diet consists of [birds](/source/Bird) and [mammals](/source/Mammal).[8] Among them, for example, [rainbow bee-eaters](/source/Rainbow_bee-eater) (*Merops ornatus*),[4] [bush rats](/source/Bush_rat) (*Rattus fuscipes*),[8] [northern quolls](/source/Northern_quoll) (*Dasyurus hallucatus*),[18] [spectacled flying fox](/source/Spectacled_flying_fox) (*Pteropus conspicillatus*), [northern brown bandicoots](/source/Northern_brown_bandicoot) (*Isoodon macrourus*),[8] [long-nosed bandicoots](/source/Long-nosed_bandicoot) (*Perameles nasuta*) and [striped possums](/source/Striped_possum) (*Dactylopsila trivirgata*). In addition, on the outskirts of settlements, the species repeatedly feeds on domestic poultry.[19] Relatively often there is also predation of pythons on small wallaby species[20][21][22][23][24] in particular [agile wallabies](/source/Agile_wallaby) (*Notamacropus agilis*), [red-legged pademelons](/source/Red-legged_pademelon) (*Thylogale stigmatica*) and [Bennett's tree-kangaroos](/source/Bennett's_tree-kangaroo) (*Dendrolagus bennettianus*). One of the largest animal victims documented to date was a 10 kg (22 lb) adult mobile wallaby, which was swallowed by a female python 4.33 m (14.2 ft) long and weighing 13.5 kg (30 lb).[25]

## Gallery

		- A 3.2-m-long, intact Australian scrub python skin in Australia: The snake that shed this skin would be significantly shorter than 3.2 m, as the snake's skin is folded on top of and below each scale. This causes a shed skin to be almost twice as long as the snake that shed it.

		- Wild *S. kinghorni*, North Queensland

		- Australian scrub python near [Cooktown, Queensland](/source/Cooktown%2C_Queensland), Australia, 2014

		- Australian scrub python visiting a kitchen at a home near [Cooktown, Queensland](/source/Cooktown%2C_Queensland), Australia, 2014

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Species *[Simalia kinghorni](https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Simalia&species=kinghorni)* at [The Reptile Database](http://www.reptile-database.org/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Stull, Olive Griffith](/source/Olive_Griffith_Stull) (1933). ["Two new subspecies of the family Boidae"](https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/56706/OP267.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y) (PDF). *Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology University of Michigan* (267): 1–4.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Beolens, Bo](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Bo_Beolens); [Watkins, Michael](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Michael_Watkins); [Grayson, Michael](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Michael_Grayson) (2011). *The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles*. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4214-0135-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4214-0135-5). (*Morelia kinghorni*, p. 141).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Harvey2000_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Harvey2000_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Harvey2000_4-2) [Harvey, Michael B.](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Michael_Brown_Harvey); [Barker, David G.](/source/David_G._Barker); [Ammerman, Loren K.](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Loen_K._Ammerman); [Chippindale, Paul T.](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Paul_T._Chippindale) (2000). ["Systematics of Pythons of the *Morelia amethistina* Complex (Serpentes: Boidae) with the Description of three new Species"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256197534). *Herpetological Monographs*. **14**: 139–185. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/1467047](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F1467047). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [1467047](https://www.jstor.org/stable/1467047).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Reyn01_5-0)** [Reynolds, R. Graham](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Robert_Graham_Reynolds); [Niemiller, Matthew L.](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Matthew_L._Miller); [Revell, Liam J.](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Liam_J._Revell) (2014). ["Toward a tree-of-life for the boas and pythons: multilocus species-level phylogeny with unprecedented taxon sampling"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259246220). *Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution*. **71**: 201–213. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2014MolPE..71..201G](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MolPE..71..201G). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.011](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ympev.2013.11.011). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [24315866](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24315866).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WilSwan2023_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WilSwan2023_6-1) [Wilson S](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Steve_K._Wilson), [Swan G](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Swan) (2023). *A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Sixth Edition*. Sydney: Reed New Holland Publishers. 688 pp. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-92554-671-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-92554-671-2). (*Simalia kinghorni*, pp. 556–557).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Freeman2007_7-0)** Freeman A, Bruce C (2007) "The Things You Find on the Road: Roadkill and Incidental Data as an Indicator of Habitat Use in Two Species of Tropical Pythons". pp. 153–165. ***In*:** [Henderson RW](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Robert_William_Henderson), [Powell R](/source/Robert_Powell_(herpetologist)) (editors) (2007). *Biology of the Boas and Pythons*. Eagle Mountain, Utah: Eagle Mountain Publishing Company. 438 pp. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-9720154-3-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9720154-3-1)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fearn_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fearn_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Fearn_8-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Fearn_8-3) [Fearn, S.](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Simon_Fearn); Schwarzkopf, L.; [Shine R](/source/Richard_Shine). ["Giant snakes in tropical forests: a field study of Australian scrub pythons"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927071210/http://www.jcu.edu.au/reptilelab/public/groups/everyone/documents/journal_article/jcutst_055702.pdf) (PDF). CSIRO Publishing / Wildlife Research. Archived from [the original](http://www.jcu.edu.au/reptilelab/public/groups/everyone/documents/journal_article/jcutst_055702.pdf) (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Wood_9-0)** Wood, Gerald (1983). [*The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats*](https://archive.org/details/guinnessbookofan00wood). Guinness Superlatives. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-85112-235-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85112-235-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Fearn2000_10-0)** S. L. Fearn; J. Sambono (2000). ["A reliable size record for the Scrub Python *Morelia amethistina* (Serpentes: Pythonidae) in north east Queensland"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347112744). *Herpetofauna*. **30**: 2–6. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.5962/p.432488](https://doi.org/10.5962%2Fp.432488). Retrieved 3 September 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Scanlon_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Scanlon_11-1) [Scanlon, John D.](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/John_David_Scanlon) (2014). [*Giant terrestrial reptilian carnivores of Cenozoic Australia*](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265163781). CSIRO Publishing. (Chapter 3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Fearn_1_12-0)** Fearn SL (2002). "Notes on a maximal sized Scrub Python *Morelia amethistina* (Serpentes: Pythonidae) from Kuranda, North East Queensland". *Herpetofauna* **32**: 2–3.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Two monster scrub pythons caught in Speewah near Cairns in two days"](https://cairnssnakecatcher.com.au/two-monster-scrub-pythons-caught-speewah-near-cairns-two-days/). *Cairnssnakecatcher.com.au*. Retrieved 16 June 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["5.5m Scrub Python in Speewah"](https://cairnssnakecatcher.com.au/5-5m-scrub-python-speewah/). *Cairnssnakecatcher.com.au*. Retrieved 16 June 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Big Scrub Python – Machans Beach"](https://cairnssnakecatcher.com.au/big-scrub-python-machans-beach/). *Cairnssnakecatcher.com.au*. Retrieved 16 June 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fearn2006_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fearn2006_16-1) Fearn SL, [Trembath D](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Dane_F._Trembath) (2006). "Southern distribution limits and a traslocated population of scrub python *Morelia kinghorni* (Serpentes: Pythonidae) in tropical Queensland". *Herpetofauna* **36** (2): 85–87.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Augusteyn J (2004). "Southerly range extension for the amethystine python *Morelia kinghorni* (Squamata: Boidae) in Queensland". *Memoirs of the Queensland Museum* **49** (2): 602. [online, pdf](http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/~/media/Documents/QM/About%20Us/Publications/Memoirs%20-%20Nature/N49-2/49-2-augusteyn-note3.pdf)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Fearn SL, Sambono J (2000). "Some ambush predation postures of the Scrub Python *Morelia amethistina* (Serpentes: Pythonidae) in north east Queensland". *Herpetofauna* **30**: 39–44.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Martin1995_19-0)** Martin RW (1995). "Field Observation of Predation on Bennett's Treekangaroo (*Dendrolagus bennettianus*) by an Amethystine Python (*Morelia amethistina*)". *Herpetological Review* **26** (2): 74–76.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Snake eats wallaby on Australian golf course"](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-38284948). *Bbc.com*. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 2022-06-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Snake filmed eating snake in Ipswich"](https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/snake-filmed-eating-snake-in-ipswich-20170103-gtl13l.html). *Brisbanetimes.com.au*. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 2022-06-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** [*Huge Python Caught Devouring Whole Wallaby*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhiBm1qyAcY). Caters Clips. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 2022-06-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["Giant python devours wallaby in Australia, shocking photos show"](https://www.foxnews.com/world/giant-python-devours-wallaby-in-australia-shocking-photos-show). *Foxnews.com*. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 2022-06-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** ["This video of a 17-foot python swallowing a whole kangaroo is weirdly mesmerising"](https://www.businessinsider.com/video-17-foot-python-swallows-a-whole-kangaroo-2016-2). *Businessinsider.com*. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 2022-06-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Fearn_2_25-0)** Fearn S (2002). "*Morelia amethistina* (Scrub Python). Diet". *Herpetological Review* **33** (1): 58–59.

## Further reading

- [Cogger HG](/source/Harold_Cogger) (2018). *Reptiles & Amphibians of Australia, Updated Seventh Edition*. Clayton South, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxxii + 1,060 pp. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1486309696](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1486309696).

Taxon identifiers Morelia kinghorni Wikidata: Q783194 EoL: 462283 GBIF: 9895040 IRMNG: 10361458 Observation.org: 101550 Species+: 3351

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Australian scrub python](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_scrub_python) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_scrub_python?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.