Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey,

Just wanted to know what locality of scrubs gets the biggest and the smallest that I can find or are imported here in the U.S.? Also, which gender gets bigger? Male or Female? Many people say male and others say female...Just wanted to know your opinions.

Thanks for the help,

Darryl

There are several localities of scrubs available within the US.

Sorong Barnecks - Rare
Mainland Barnecks - Common (Imports & CB)
Manokwari Barnecks - Common (Imports & Possibly CB)
Central Highland Barnecks - Really Rare
Southern (Merauke)- Common (Imports & CB)
Aru (Typical and Atypical) - Semi Rare (Imports Only)
Moluccan - Semi Common (Imports Only)
Halmahera - Extremely Rare
Tanimbar - Rare

Largest would be the Mainland Barnecks at around 15'
Smallest would be the Tanimbar and possibly Aru.

Female are bigger from what I have heard.
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Jim Kuroski

I personally have no hands on experience so I am going solely off of what I have read. I have read several articles stating a sub-species of the amythistine python that reaches over 20'. I was always under the assumption that the scrubs were one of the true giant snakes (over 20'). Please inform me if I am mistaken, Thanks Todd

Todd,
Up until 2001, many of the scrubs were considered one species with two subspecies. Since then, many have been newly described as full species (nauta, clastolepis, and kinghorni).
Kinghorni (thr Australian scrub) is the only species that has ever approached lengths of 20 feet. None of the other PNG specimens have come even close to that. The largest ever noted besides a kinghorni was about 16 feet and it was a Barneck. Typical older adult sizes for Kinghorni are about 14-16 feet where Barnecks are usually around 12-14 feet, same for Southern Scrubs. These lengths are the norm, not the exception. There will always be a few real big ones but I have yet to be lucky enough to come across any.
Hope I cleared things up.
-Yasser

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N/P

Thanks a lot for the clarification. Like I stated I have yet to get the opportunity to deal with these snakes but I will in the future. They are magnificent creatures with a perfect body structure. Extremely long with the perfect build. They epitimize the word muscular, and with the size they obtain they are awesome. Thanks again for the clarification, Todd