Topic
Diamond python
About: Diamond python is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 12 publications have been published within this topic receiving 318 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: The laboratory studies confirmed that larger body sizes and coiled postures significantly retarded cooling rates, and that body temperature affected the snakes’ ability to detect potential prey items, and extended the time period substantially over which an adult Diamond Python, lying in ambush in a suitable microhabitat, would be able to detect and capture nocturnally active prey.
Abstract: 1. The interface between thermal biology and foraging mode has attracted little scientific attention, but may be crucially important to the biology of ectothermic predators. Slip & Shine (1988c) suggested that the ability of large heavy-bodied snakes to ambush nocturnally active mammals relied on the snakes’ control of cooling rates through their thermal inertia (via body size and postural adjustments) and microhabitat selection.
2. We tested assumptions underlying this hypothesis, using Diamond Pythons (Morelia s. spilota) from southeastern New South Wales. Our laboratory studies confirmed that larger body sizes and coiled postures significantly retarded cooling rates, and that body temperature affected the snakes’ ability to detect potential prey items.
3. The magnitude of these effects on cooling rates was great enough to extend the time period substantially over which an adult Diamond Python, lying in ambush in a suitable microhabitat, would be able to detect and capture nocturnally active prey. For example, the times taken for pythons to reach thermal equilibration under our experimental conditions (cooling from 33 to 12°C) were <1h for hatchling pythons regardless of posture, 1 h for outstretched juveniles, 2 h for coiled juveniles and outstretched adults, and almost 8 h for coiled adults.
4. The high rates of cooling of juvenile pythons, even when they are tightly coiled, may force them to rely upon diurnally active prey rather than crepuscular or nocturnal species.
93 citations
TL;DR: Pythons without access to a heat source showed no elevation in body temperature after feeding, indicating that the thermophilic response to feeding in this species is achieved behaviorally, not physiologically.
50 citations
TL;DR: A 4-yr-old male diamond python was evaluated for multiple black papillated exophytic skin proliferations and signs of pneumonia and the histopathologic structure of the skin biopsy specimens led to the diagnosis of a benign papilloma-like neoplasia.
Abstract: A 4-yr-old male diamond python (Morelia spilota spilota) was evaluated for multiple black papillated exophytic skin proliferations and signs of pneumonia. The histopathologic structure of the skin biopsy specimens led to the diagnosis of a benign papilloma-like neoplasia. In this case, papillomavirus DNA could be amplified from a biopsy sample with a broad range polymerase chain reaction. Nested pan-herpes polymerase chain reaction was negative, and herpesvirus inclusion bodies were not found. Because of the histologically benign nature of the papilloma, the skin proliferations were left untreated. Ten mo after the first presentation, the skin lesions had regressed almost completely; 34 mo later, only scars from the biopsies were left.
12 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that the architecture of gastric masses may lead to false-negative gastric biopsy results in snakes with neoplasia, and most cases of adenocarcinoma in snakes go undiagnosed.
Abstract: Case report
A 5-year-old captive male diamond python (Morelia spilota spilota) was presented with a 1-month history of regurgitation and anorexia and discrete coelomic distention. Physical examination revealed a firm, immobile mass at approximately two-thirds of the snout–vent length from the front of the head. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirate biopsy of the mass in the region of the stomach showed necrosis with bacterial infiltration and possibly neoplastic changes. A gastroscopy was conducted, but showed grossly normal gastric mucosa, confirmed by biopsy. On exploratory coeliotomy, it was confirmed the mass involved most of the stomach wall and occluded the gastric lumen. The mass was completely excised and based on histopathology, a diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma was made. The snake was found dead 12 h postoperatively, but no specific cause of death was found on postmortem examination.
Conclusion
Most cases of adenocarcinoma in snakes go undiagnosed. This case report illustrates that the architecture of gastric masses may lead to false-negative gastric biopsy results in snakes with neoplasia.
7 citations
TL;DR: In this system, relatively high mammalian prey diversity and rapid post-fire vegetation succession may limit prey availability and fire effects as being significant determinants of home range variability in M. spilota.
Abstract: Understanding an organism's home range is an important component of effective wildlife management. However, home ranges can vary spatially and temporally within and between populations. Landscape ecology theory can provide a framework for understanding spatio-temporal variability in animal traits. We used radio-telemetry in a population of diamond python Morelia spilota spilota Lacepede (Pythonidae) from a biologically rich and structurally heterogeneous reserve in eastern Australia to explore the relationship between home range size, optimal foraging theory and vegetation mosaic theory. Twelve adult snakes were tracked between September 2004 and February 2008. Male home ranges were significantly larger (P < 0.05) and more variable (41 ± 30 ha) than female home ranges (23 ± 5 ha), and males moved further between observations (123 m c.f. 65 m). Core activity centres varied significantly among habitat (P < 0.05) with larger home ranges observed in heathland, a vegetation community which supported comparatively low mammal diversity. No other variables examined including number of fixes, body length, prey abundance, vegetation heterogeneity or fire history explained home range variability. In this system, relatively high mammalian prey diversity and rapid post-fire vegetation succession may limit prey availability and fire effects as being significant determinants of home range variability in M. spilota.
7 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 1998 | 1 |