Types of pythons

Leiopython is a small genus in the family Pythonidae, the true pythons. Our database holds two members, the Northern White-lipped Python and the Southern White-lipped Python, both native to New Guinea and nearby islands. Like all pythons they are nonvenomous constrictors, an Old World group that overlaps in body plan with the larger and more familiar genera such as Python and Morelia but is distinguished by its New Guinea range and its prominent white labial scales. The common name comes directly from the bright bars along the upper and lower lips that contrast with the darker head.

These are medium-sized, ground-dwelling to semi-arboreal snakes of lowland rainforest, swamp margins, and disturbed habitat such as gardens and plantations across New Guinea. In general terms you can recognize the group by a relatively slender body, a distinct narrow neck behind a clearly defined head, smooth iridescent scales that flash blue, green, and violet in good light, and the signature pale lip markings. Coloration in the body is typically dark, ranging through brown, gray, and near-black tones. The heat-sensing labial pits common to pythons help them detect warm-bodied prey.

White-lipped pythons are nonvenomous and pose no envenomation risk, but they are alert, fast, and known for a readiness to bite, and a large constrictor can deliver a painful wound. They are best observed and not handled in the wild. They are nocturnal ambush and active foragers that subdue prey by constriction, feeding on small mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles. Like other pythons they are egg-layers, with the female coiling around the clutch to incubate it. If any snakebite results in concern, do not attempt field treatment; contact local emergency services, or in the United States call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.