Skull of Python
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Pythonidae
Genus: Python
Species: P. molurus
Specimen Description
The pythons have a box shaped skull. The orbits are large and placed on the on the side. The most prominent feature of the pythons skulls is the jaws. The jaws of the python is embedded with over hundred teeth. The teeth arranged in four rows, these are conical, sharp and facing backward. The design of the teeth is to grip the prey. The skull can be divided into four separate units each of them joined by flexible cartilage, this allows them to open their mouth several times bigger than its skull and swallow large prey.
About the animal
Indian pythons are divided into two recognized subspecies, which can be distinguished by physical characteristics. Burmese pythons, P. molurus bivitatus, can grow to lengths of about 7.6 m (25 ft), and can weigh as much as 137 kg (300 lbs.). Indian pythons, P. molurus molurus, stays smaller, reaching a maximum of about 6.4 m (21 ft) in length, and weighing as much as 91 kg (200 lbs.). The hides of both subspecies are marked with a rectangular mosaic type pattern that runs the full length of the animal. P. molurus bivitatus is more darkly colored, with shades of brown and dark cream rectangles that lay over a black background. This subspecies is also characterized by an arrow-shaped marking present on the top of the head, which begins the pattern. P. molurus molurus has similar markings with light brown and tan rectangles placed over a typically cream background. P. molurus molurus only has a partial arrow-shaped marking on the top of the head. Each scale of P. molurus molurus is a single color.
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