Morelia spilota is a large species of python in the genus, reaching between in length and weighing up to. M. s. mcdowelli is the largest subspecies, regularly attaining lengths of. M. s. variegata is the smallest subspecies, typically in length. The average adult length is roughly. However, one 3-year-old captive male M. s. mcdowelli, measured in Ireland, was found to exceed. Males are typically smaller than females; in some regions, females are up to four times heavier. The head is triangular with a conspicuous row of thermoreceptive labial pits. The colouring of M. spilota is highly variable, ranging from olive to black with white or cream and gold markings. The patterning may be roughly diamond-shaped or have intricate markings made up of light and dark bands on a background of gray or a version of brown.
Reproduction
The species is oviparous, with females laying 10–50 eggs at a time. Afterward, females coil around the eggs to protect them and keep them warm through using muscular contractions to generate heat. This type of maternal care, which is typical for pythons, ceases once the hatchlings have emerged.
Behaviour
Differences in activity are noted throughout various subspecies; as a whole, the species is generally active during both daytime and nighttime, although the subspecies M. s. variegata are noted to be primarily nocturnal. Carpet pythons favor arborealliving conditions, although they commonly use open spaces to bask.
Diet
Carpet pythons kill prey by constriction. Their diet consists mainly of small mammals, birds, and lizards. Incidents of carpet pythons devouring domestic cats and small dogs have been reported.
Distribution and habitat
The species is found throughout mainland Australia, with the exception of the arid centre and the western regions. It is widely distributed throughout the forest regions of Southwest Australia. It is also found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and on Yule Island. The type locality given is "Nouvelle-Hollande" . It occurs in a wide variety of habitats, from the rainforests of northeastern Queensland through the River Red Gum/Riverbox woodlands of the Murray and Darling Rivers, to the arid, treeless islands of the Nuyts Archipelago off the South Australian west coast. It is often found near human habitation, where it performs a useful service by eating rats and other vermin. M. spilota is known to occur in areas that receive snowfall. It is a semiarboreal tree snake; it does not completely rely on trees, however, and is capable of moving around elsewhere. It is also found in temperate grasslands with hot and dry weather.
This species is a popular pet among snake enthusiasts. Some forms can be more irascible than others, such as M. s. mcdowelli and M. s. variegata. Forms that tend to be more even tempered include M. s. spilota and M. s. metcalfei. Although they can grow to a reasonable size and can be nippy as hatchlings, most grow into docile adults. However, care must be taken when feeding, as these snakes have a strong "feeding response" behaviour that can be mistaken for aggression. Captive specimens are normally fed live or frozen rats. They may have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years. The care requirements can be generalized for all subspecies. The subspecies M. s. spilota, the cold-weather diamond python, has some separate requirements and habits.
Subspecies
The geographic distribution and common names can summarized as:
Naming and taxonomy
The first description of M. spilota was by Lacépède, who placed it in the genus Coluber as Coluber spilotus. The species has since been described by various authors as containing a number of subspecies and hybrids, these have also been known by various informal names. The attempted arrangement of taxa in this, and other, Australasian Pythonidae has produced numerous synonyms. The discreet and roaming habits of this species have produced a low number of recorded specimens, giving inadequate sample numbers to support descriptions of a taxon's morphology. This is the case with proposed names which are sometimes cited, such as the Papuan Morelia spilota harrisoni, despite being unaccepted or invalid. Common names are regional variants of carpet and diamond python or snake. The following is an incomplete list of synonyms:
