Pythons encompass around 40 snake species, predominantly in the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are generally large snakes; the reticulated python ( Malayopython reticulatus ) is the longest, with adults reaching 7–8 meters (23–26.2 feet). Pythons possess a keen sense of smell, sight, and the ability to detect heat, which assists them in hunting. These snakes strike and bite their prey, followed by constriction. They secrete mucus containing trace amounts of venom proteins to aid in swallowing their prey. Most pythons are terrestrial or semiarboreal, while some, like the green tree python ( Morelia viridis ), are arboreal. They lay eggs, and females typically coil around them, with some species brooding to maintain a stable incubation temperature.

How do pythons catch and eat their prey?

Pythons use their senses of smell, sight, and heat detection to locate prey. They have heat-sensitive pits between their lip scales that can detect warm-blooded animals, even in the dark. When prey is within striking range, the python strikes and bites, usually followed by constriction. The python grabs the prey, coils around it, and suffocates it, which can occur in minutes. Pythons secrete mucus containing trace amounts of venom proteins when swallowing prey. After a large meal, they remain inactive for weeks while digesting.

What are some of the largest species of python?

The reticulated python ( Malayopython reticulatus ) is the longest snake species. Most adults grow to 7–8 meters (23–26.2 feet), but there are reports of individuals measuring 10 meters (32.8 feet). They inhabit tropical forest regions in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and the Philippines. Other large python species include the Burmese python ( P. bivittatus ), which grows to between 3 and 5 meters (10 and 16 feet) in length, and the African rock python ( P. sebae ), Indian python ( P. molurus ), Papuan python ( L. papuanus ), and amethystine python ( L. amethistinus ), which regularly exceed 3 meters (10 feet).

How do pythons differ from venomous snakes?

Pythons and venomous snakes differ in key aspects. Pythons, found in the Old World tropics, are generally larger, with the reticulated python reaching up to 10 meters. Most pythons possess heat-sensing pits between their lip scales to detect warm-blooded prey, which most boa constrictors lack. Vipers, a type of venomous snake, use long, hollow, venom-injecting fangs to immobilize their prey. While pythons strike and bite to capture prey, they are not venomous. Instead, they kill through constriction. When swallowing prey, pythons secrete a mucus that contains harmless trace amounts of venom proteins.

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A reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) coiled around a branch, showing its patterned yellow, black, and brown scales with a blurred green background.

reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus)

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Related Topics:: What are the differences between pythons and anacondas?; What are the differences between pythons and boa constrictors?

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What is a python?
Pythons encompass around 40 snake species, predominantly in the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are generally large snakes; the reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) is the longest, with adults reaching 7–8 meters (23–26.2 feet). Pythons possess a keen sense of smell, sight, and the ability to detect heat, which assists them in hunting.

These snakes strike and bite their prey, followed by constriction. They secrete mucus containing trace amounts of venom proteins to aid in swallowing their prey. Most pythons are terrestrial or semiarboreal, while some, like the green tree python (Morelia viridis), are arboreal. They lay eggs, and females typically coil around them, with some species brooding to maintain a stable incubation temperature.
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Where do pythons live in the world?
Pythons are primarily found in the Old World tropics and subtropics. Eight species live in sub-Saharan Africa and from India to southern China into Southeast Asia, including the Philippines and the Moluccas islands of Indonesia. Other related genera inhabit New Guinea and Australia.

Some pythons have also established populations in southern Florida, where they are considered an invasive species. Pythons are adaptable and can be found in mangrove forests, rainforests, swamps, grasslands, rivers, and rocky areas.
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How do pythons catch and eat their prey?
Pythons use their senses of smell, sight, and heat detection to locate prey. They have heat-sensitive pits between their lip scales that can detect warm-blooded animals, even in the dark. When prey is within striking range, the python strikes and bites, usually followed by constriction. The python grabs the prey, coils around it, and suffocates it, which can occur in minutes. Pythons secrete mucus containing trace amounts of venom proteins when swallowing prey. After a large meal, they remain inactive for weeks while digesting.
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What are some of the largest species of python?
The reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) is the longest snake species. Most adults grow to 7–8 meters (23–26.2 feet), but there are reports of individuals measuring 10 meters (32.8 feet). They inhabit tropical forest regions in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and the Philippines.

Other large python species include the Burmese python (P. bivittatus), which grows to between 3 and 5 meters (10 and 16 feet) in length, and the African rock python (P. sebae), Indian python (P. molurus), Papuan python (L. papuanus), and amethystine python (L. amethistinus), which regularly exceed 3 meters (10 feet).
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How do pythons differ from venomous snakes?
Pythons and venomous snakes differ in key aspects. Pythons, found in the Old World tropics, are generally larger, with the reticulated python reaching up to 10 meters. Most pythons possess heat-sensing pits between their lip scales to detect warm-blooded prey, which most boa constrictors lack.

Vipers, a type of venomous snake, use long, hollow, venom-injecting fangs to immobilize their prey. While pythons strike and bite to capture prey, they are not venomous. Instead, they kill through constriction. When swallowing prey, pythons secrete a mucus that contains harmless trace amounts of venom proteins.
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python, any of about 40 species of snakes, all but one of which are found in the Old World tropics and subtropics. Most are large, with the reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) of Asia being the longest, with the largest adults measuring 7–8 meters (23–26.2 feet) in length, but there are reports from the island of Celebes (Sulawesi) dating to 1912 of an individual that measured 10 meters (32.8 feet) long.

Most pythons are terrestrial to semiarboreal, and a few, such as the green tree python (Morelia viridis) of Australia and New Guinea, are strongly arboreal. Terrestrial pythons are regularly found near water and are proficient swimmers, but they hunt and eat almost exclusively on land. Larger pythons prey mainly on mammals and birds; smaller species also eat amphibians and reptiles. Pythons have good senses of smell and sight, and most can also detect heat. Pits lying between the lip scales have receptors that are sensitive to infrared radiation and enable pythons to “see” the heat shadow of mammals and birds even during the darkest night. Prey is captured by striking and biting, usually followed by constriction. When swallowing prey, pythons secrete a mucus that contains harmless trace amounts of venom proteins.

Pythons are egg layers (oviparous) rather than live-bearers (viviparous). Females of most, if not all, species coil around the eggs, and some actually brood them. Brooders select thermally stable nesting sites, then lay their eggs and coil around them so that the eggs are in contact only with the female’s body. When the air temperature begins to drop, she generates heat by shivering in a series of minuscule muscle contractions and thus maintains an elevated and fairly constant incubation temperature.

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

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Old world pythons

Eight species of genus Python live in sub-Saharan Africa and from India to southern China into Southeast Asia, including the Philippines and the Moluccas islands of Indonesia. Other related genera inhabit New Guinea and Australia. Some Australian pythons (genus Liasis) never grow much longer than one metre, but some pythons of Africa (P. sebae), India (P. molurus), Southeast Asia and Java (P. bivittatus), New Guinea (L. papuanus), and Australia (L. amethistinus) regularly exceed 3 metres (10 feet). Despite their large size, some of these species survive in urban and suburban areas, where their secretive habits and recognized value as rat catchers par excellence serve to protect them. The Burmese python (P. bivittatus) also occurs in large numbers in southern Florida in North America, where it is considered to be a serious invasive species. The so-called earth, or burrowing, python (Calabaria reinhardtii or Charina reinhardtii) of West Africa appears to be a member of the boa family (Boidae).

New world pythons

Taxonomists divide the family Pythonidae into either four or eight genera. The only native New World python (Loxocemus bicolor) is classified as the sole member of the family Loxocemidae. It is an egg layer found in forests from southern Mexico to Costa Rica. Usually less than 1 metre (3.3 feet) long, it is reported to reach nearly 1.5 metres (5 feet). It seems to be predominantly nocturnal, foraging on the ground for a variety of small vertebrates.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.

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Old world pythons

New world pythons