Scott Hanko
Green Tree Python
Morelia viridis, the green tree python, is a species of python found in New Guinea, islands in Indonesia, and Cape York Peninsula in Australia.
The Green Tree Python is characterized by a relatively slim body, the relatively long tail accounts for about 14% of the total length. The head is large and clearly deducted from the neck. He is on top of the posterior strongly arched, the muzzle is large and angular. The body is triangular in cross-section with a visible spine . The species can reach a total length of 150 to 180 centimeters, large females reach a length up to 200 centimeters. The size varies depending on the region of origin. The weight is highly dependent on nutritional status of the animal. Males can be about 1100 to 1400 grams heavy, females up to 1600 grams, especially large specimens up to 2200 grams are the females, like most snakes, slightly larger and heavier than the males.
Primarily arboreal, these snakes have a particular way of resting in the branches of trees; they loop a coil or two over the branches in a saddle position and place their head in the middle. This trait is shared with the emerald tree boa, Corallus caninus, of South America. This habit, along with their appearance, has caused people to confuse the two species when seen outside their natural habitat.
The diet consists mostly of small mammals, such as rodents, and sometimes reptiles. This snake, like the emerald tree boa, was thought to eat birds; however, Switak conducted field work on this issue. In examining stomach contents of more than 1,000 animals, he did not find any evidence of avian prey. Prey is captured by holding onto a branch using the prehensile tail and striking out from an s-shaped position and constricting the prey.
M. viridis is oviparous, laying 1-25 viable eggs per clutch. Breeding has never been reported from the wild, however in captivity eggs are incubated and protected by the female. Hatchlings are lemon-yellow with broken stripes and spots of purple and brown, or golden or orange-red. For yellow individuals at Iron Range National Park, Australia, the color change occurred over 5-10 days when individuals were 58-60cm long, which corresponds to about a year old. Colour change for red juveniles have not been observed in the wild.
National Zoo Washington DC
Green Tree Python
Morelia viridis, the green tree python, is a species of python found in New Guinea, islands in Indonesia, and Cape York Peninsula in Australia.
The Green Tree Python is characterized by a relatively slim body, the relatively long tail accounts for about 14% of the total length. The head is large and clearly deducted from the neck. He is on top of the posterior strongly arched, the muzzle is large and angular. The body is triangular in cross-section with a visible spine . The species can reach a total length of 150 to 180 centimeters, large females reach a length up to 200 centimeters. The size varies depending on the region of origin. The weight is highly dependent on nutritional status of the animal. Males can be about 1100 to 1400 grams heavy, females up to 1600 grams, especially large specimens up to 2200 grams are the females, like most snakes, slightly larger and heavier than the males.
Primarily arboreal, these snakes have a particular way of resting in the branches of trees; they loop a coil or two over the branches in a saddle position and place their head in the middle. This trait is shared with the emerald tree boa, Corallus caninus, of South America. This habit, along with their appearance, has caused people to confuse the two species when seen outside their natural habitat.
The diet consists mostly of small mammals, such as rodents, and sometimes reptiles. This snake, like the emerald tree boa, was thought to eat birds; however, Switak conducted field work on this issue. In examining stomach contents of more than 1,000 animals, he did not find any evidence of avian prey. Prey is captured by holding onto a branch using the prehensile tail and striking out from an s-shaped position and constricting the prey.
M. viridis is oviparous, laying 1-25 viable eggs per clutch. Breeding has never been reported from the wild, however in captivity eggs are incubated and protected by the female. Hatchlings are lemon-yellow with broken stripes and spots of purple and brown, or golden or orange-red. For yellow individuals at Iron Range National Park, Australia, the color change occurred over 5-10 days when individuals were 58-60cm long, which corresponds to about a year old. Colour change for red juveniles have not been observed in the wild.
National Zoo Washington DC