Python sebae (African rock python) is a large, nonvenomous snake of Sub-Saharan Africa. The African rock python is one of the seven species of python. It has two subspecies, one found in Central and Western Africa and the other in Southern Africa. The African rock python kills its prey by constriction and often eats animals up to the size of antelope, occasionally even crocodiles. The snake reproduces by egg-laying. Unlike most snakes, the female will protect her nest and sometimes even her hatchlings.Africa's largest snake, specimens may approach or exceed 6 m (20 ft). The southern subspecies is generally smaller than its northern relative. rock python (Python sebae) is one of seven species of python, a genus of large constricting snakes found in the moist tropics of Asia and Africa. The African rock python is divided into two subspecies, Python sebae sebae (also often called the African rock python) and Python sebae natalis (the Southern African rock python). The southern subspecies was first identified by Sir Andrew Smith, the father of South African zoology, in 1833.
Python is a Greek word referring to the enormous serpent at Delphi slain by Apollo in Greek Mythology. Sebae is a Latinization of Dutch zoologist, Albertus Seba. Natalensis refers to the Natal region of South Africa. Common name usage varies with both the species and northern subspecies referred to as African rock python or simply rock python. The snake varies considerably in body size between different areas. In general, it is smaller in highly populated regions, such as in southern Nigeria, only reaching its maximum length in areas such as Sierra Leone, where the human population density is lower.
The African rock python's body is thick and covered with colored blotches, often joining up in a broad, irregular stripe.
The southern subspecies is distinguished by its smaller size (adults averaging about 2.4 to 4.4 meters in length), larger scales on top of the head, darker coloration, markings on the back that are well separated blotches rather than an irregular stripe, and a smaller or absent subocular mark.
Python sebae sebae ranges across central and western Africa, while Python sebae natalensis has a more eastern and southerly range, from southern Kenya to South Africa.
the African rock python is non-venomous and kills its prey by constriction. After gripping the prey, the snake coils around it, tightening its coils every time the victim breathes out. Death is thought to be caused by cardiac arrest rather than by asphyxiation or crushing. The African rock python feeds on a variety of large rodents, monkeys, antelopes, fruit bats, monitor lizards and even crocodiles in forest areas and on rats, poultry, dogs and goats in suburban areas. African rock pythons are oviparious, laying between 20 and 100 hard-shelled, elongated eggs in an old animal burrow, termite mound or cave. The female shows a surprising level of maternal care, coiling around the eggs, protecting them from predators and possibly helping to incubate them, until they hatch around 90 days later. It was recently discovered in a manner unusual for snakes in general and pythons in particular that the female guards the hatchlings for up to two weeks after they hatch from their eggs in order to protect them from predators.
