The Southern African rock python (''Python natalensis'') is a large

python Python may refer to: Snakes * Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia ** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia * Python (mythology), a mythical serpent Computing * Python (pro ...

species native to

Southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number of ...

inhabiting

savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...

and woodland. It was first described by Andrew Smith in 1833. Growing a length of more than , this is one of the largest snakes in the world.

Description

The Southern African rock python has a colouration that is similar to its northern relative, however it is described as being "drabber". Below the light stripe on both snakes' head, the southern species has a narrower dark patch that resembles a stripe instead of a patch. The

Central African rock python The Central African rock python (''Python sebae'') is a species of large constrictor snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of 11 living species in the genus ''Python''. Africa's largest snake and ...

(''Python sebae'') has two prominent light lines from the nose, over the eye to the back of the head, which are much duller in the Southern African rock python. The northern species has considerably larger head scales. It is also noticeably inferior in size to size the Central African rock python.

Size

The Southern African rock pythons reach an average length of between . Individuals longer than are rare. Regarding body length and mass, this species exhibits

sexual dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most ani ...

, as females are significantly larger and heavier than males. Of 75 individuals measured in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

the longest female was long and weighed . The largest male was long and weighed . There is one reliable record of a living specimen reaching . The longest South African python measured , recorded in the former

Transvaal Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name Transvaal. * South African Republic (1856–1902; af, ...

References

{{taxonbar, from1=Q21401262, from2=Q2063213 Python (genus) Reptiles described in 1833 Snakes of Africa