Southern African rock python

The Southern African rock python (Python natalensis) is a large python species native to Southern Africa inhabiting savanna and woodland.^[1] It was first described by Andrew Smith in 1833.^[2] Growing a length of more than 5 m (16 ft), this is one of the largest snakes in the world.

Southern African rock python
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Pythonidae
Genus:	Python
Species:	P. natalensis
Binomial name
Python natalensis Smith, 1833
Range of Southern African rock python   Range of Python sebae   Range of hybrids
Synonyms
Python sebae natalensis

Description

Cephalic features of the Southern African rock python (top) and the Central African rock python (Python sebae) on the bottom

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 (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.^[3][4] It is also noticeably inferior in size to size the Central African rock python.^[4]

Size

A 1840 drawing of the Southern African rock python by Sir Andrew Smith

Southern African rock python edge Cuando River, Botswana

The Southern African rock python reaches an average length of between 2.8 and 4 m (9 ft 2 in and 13 ft 1 in).^[5] Individuals longer than 4.6 m (15 ft) are rare.^[6] Regarding body length and mass, this species exhibits sexual dimorphism, as females are significantly larger and heavier than males.^[7] Of 75 individuals measured in South Africa the longest female was 4.34 m (14.2 ft) long and weighed 53.4 kg (118 lb). The largest male was 4.23 m (13.9 ft) long and weighed 31.1 kg (69 lb).^[8] There is one reliable record of a living specimen reaching 5.56 m (18.2 ft).^[6] The longest South African python measured 5.8 m (19 ft), recorded in the former Transvaal.^[9]

In culture

In Where Men Still Dream, the South African journalist and author Lawrence G. Green speculates that the legend of the Grootslang, a mythical being in South African prospector folklore resembling a giant serpent and said to live in the Orange River, most likely originated from sightings of unusually large rock pythons in the river, which were exaggerated into descriptions of a monstrous being.^[10]