Python molurus pimbura (Deraniyagala, 1945)

Schleip, Wulf D. & O'Shea, Mark, 2010, Annotated checklist of the recent and extinct pythons (Serpentes, Pythonidae), with notes on nomenclature, taxonomy, and distribution, ZooKeys 66, pp. 29-80 : 52

Python molurus pimbura (Deraniyagala, 1945) [subspecies inquirenda, APP7]

Synonyms:

Python molurus molurus (Linnaeus) (part)

Python molurus molurus - Constable 1949

Python molurus pimbura - Deraniyagala 1955

Python molurus molurus - Stimson 1969

Distribution:

First reported from Nunavil (Thenmarachi), Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka by Abyerami and Sivashanthini (2008).

Remarks:

Hoser (2004) resurrected this taxon from the synonymy of Python molurus molurus without providing reasons for this action. Deraniyagala (1945) separated the subspecies from Python molurus molurus based on lower subcaudal scale counts and the irregular shape of the lateral markings. Dorsal midbody scale rows and ventral scale counts overlap those of the nominate subspecies. Constable (1949: 124) did not follow this placement and synonymized this taxon with the nominate subspecies, which was followed by Stimson (1969). A second paper by Deraniyagala (1955: 6) provided a more detailed description of the subspecies. Therein, he stated that this taxon is also separated from the nominate form "in generally possessing three preoculars instead of two" or four as stated by Wall (1921: 47) for some Indian populations of the nominate form. There appears to be a range in preocular scale counts across India, from three in the northeast, to four in the north-center, and two in northwest ( O’Shea pers. obs.) but this data, from only a few specimens, requires further verification. Contrary to his findings in 1945, Deraniyagala (1955) reports this taxon to have "more subcaudals" than the nominate form, obviously a typographic error according to the scale count data provided therein. It seems likely that subsequent workers overlooked this latter work, since neither Stimson (1969) nor McDiarmid et al. (1999) or Henderson and Powell (2007) cited it. Several subsequent workers accepted the placement to the synonymy of the nominate form, but no further studies have been conducted on the molurus-complex. However, besides the lower subcaudal scale counts and the higher number of preoculars, the pink surface of the head may also constitite a morphological difference. ( Boulenger (1890, 1893) and MA Smith (1943) recorded two preoculars for Python molurus , while Wall (1921) records three preoculars for specimens from Ceylon. Since Sri Lanka is a known biodiversity hot spot with a high level of endemism, this allopatric population may represent a cryptic species. Because of the evidence provided by Deraniyagala (1955), these authors tentatively list this taxon as a valid subspecies and call for further research regarding its true status (APP7).