Python bivittatus
Kuhl, 1820
PIE-thon — bye-vit-TAH-tus
SSAR 9th Edition Comments:
Native to southeastern China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, northern India, Indonesia, and Java and several other islands. It was introduced to seven states (Kraus, 2009, Alien Reptiles and Amphibians: A Scientific Compendium and Analysis. SpringerVerlag, Heidelberg, Germany). It was first intentionally introduced via the pet trade in 1979 in Florida along the northern boundary of Everglades National Park, established by the mid-1980s, and is now found throughout much of southern Florida, including the Florida Keys (Meshaka et al., 2000, Florida Scientist 63: 84–103; Snow et al., 2007, Introduced Populations of Boa constrictor (Boidae) and Python molurus bivittatus (Pythonidae) in Southern Florida. Pages 417–438 In: Henderson, R.W. and R. Powell (Editors). The Biology of Boas and Pythons. Eagle Mountain Publications, Eagle Mountain, Utah; Willson et al., 2011, Biological Invasions 13: 1493–1504; Krysko et al., 2019, Python bivittatus. Pages 454–458 in Krysko et al. (Editors) Amphibians and Reptiles of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida). The 8th Edition of this list treated the Burmese Python as a subspecies of the Indian Python (P. molurus), Jacobs et al. (2009, Sauria 31: 5–16) recognized P. bivittatus.
(Krysko, Kenneth and Travis W. Taggart. 2025. Established Exotic Species. Pages 64-87 in Kirsten E. Nicholson (Editor), Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, 9th Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Lawrence, Kansas. 87 pp.)
Errata/Changes: Page 86: The (Kraus, 2009) reference should be "Kraus, 2009, Alien Reptiles and Amphibians: A Scientific Compendium and Analysis. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands". — (06/11/2025)
Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH.
(Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2025.03.30.20.26.47)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 0.37 MB
Province/State Distribution:
United States: Florida
Taxonomic Etymology:
A large Asian python with two dark stripes on its head.
Python — From Greek mythology: the monstrous serpent Python slain by Apollo at Delphi. Adopted for large constricting snakes by Linnaeus.
bivittatus — From Latin bi- (“two”) and vitta, “band” or “stripe.” Refers to the pair of dark longitudinal head stripes.
First instance(s) of published English names:
No historic English names have been assigned to this taxon yet.
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
The Reptile Database
GenBank
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
Selected References:
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1820
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Kuhl, Heinrich. Beiträge zur Zoologie und vergleichenden Anatomie. [Contributions to zoology and comparative anatomy.] Hermannsche Buchhandlung, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 152pp.
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2007
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Smith, H. T. , Sementelli, A. , Meshaka, Walter E. , Engeman, R. M. Reptilian pathogens of the Florida Everglades: the associated costs of Burmese Pythons. Endangered Species Update 24(3):63-71
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2009
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Kraus, Fred. Alien Reptiles and Amphibians: A Scientific Compendium and Analysis. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 563pp.
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2009
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Jacobs, Hans, Mark Auliya, and Wolfgang Bohme. Zur Taxonomie des Dunklen Tigerpythons, Python molurus bivittatus Kuhl, 1820, speziell der Population von Sulawesi. [On the taxonomy of the dark tiger python, Python molurus bivittatus Kuhl, 1820, especially the population of Sulawesi.] Sauria 31(3):5-16
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2016
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Laopichienpong, Nararat, Narongrit Muangmai, Arrjaree Supikamolseni, Panupon Twilprawat, Lawan Chanhome, Sunutcha Suntrarachun, Surin Peyachoknagul, and Kornsorn Srikulnath Assessment of snake DNA barcodes based on mitochondrial COI and Cytb genes revealed multiple putative cryptic species in Thailand. Gene 594(2):238-247
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2017
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Crother, Brian I. (editor) Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Eighth edition. Herpetological Circulars (43):1-102
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