Pythonidae · Global account with Philippine editorial coverage
Amethystine or scrub python
Simalia amethistina(SCHNEIDER, 1801)
Length
Length not yet addedAtlas entry awaiting completion
Venom status
Venom classification not yet addedHuman effects: atlas summary awaiting completion
Known venom effects
Effects not yet summarised in this atlas
The species account records climbing or partly arboreal habits. It does not quantify the time spent in trees or establish a single habitat preference across its range. Philippine occurrence is listed, with island-level detail still unresolved.
OccurrenceQuestionable
Islands named0
Natural history4 sourced topics
References2
Literature updated 2026-10-07 · Editorial review pending
Island-level evidence does not define continuous occupancy.
Reproduction
The species account records egg-laying reproduction. A verified Philippine clutch-size range, incubation interval and breeding calendar are not established here.
Reproductive mode reported for this named species.
Mode alone does not establish litter or clutch size, seasonal timing, or captive husbandry requirements.
Ecology & habitat
The species account records climbing or partly arboreal habits. It does not quantify the time spent in trees or establish a single habitat preference across its range.
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
Taxonomic context
Simalia amethistina is retained in the atlas’s dated checklist under Pythonidae. The authority is (SCHNEIDER 1801). Earlier names and the original source notes are preserved below for comparison.
Literature documented · Checklist identity and nomenclatural trail
Checklist verified 2026-09-05; not a newly revised taxonomic backbone.
Historical names can cover different biological concepts; synonyms should not be used to transfer records automatically.
Across the archipelago
Where this species is recorded
PhilippinesN ↑
No island-level areas available
Island-level records · not continuous habitat coverage. Dashed circles locate groups, not individual observations.
Philippine distribution
Documented places
Philippine occurrence disputed. The imported checklist explicitly questions occurrence in the southern Philippines. No island has been inferred.
Geographic detail still needed
Conflicting or questioned records are retained in the sources, without colouring a confirmed range.
Distribution record & sources
Indonesia (Halmahera, Batjan = Bacan, Ceram = Seram, Ambon, Saparua, Haraku, Timorlaut, Banda, Kai Island, Aru Island, Misool, Salawati, Irian Jaya),
Molucca Islands, S Philippines ?,
Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Archipelago, Trobriand I), Louisiade Archipelago, New Ireland, New Britain, Ferguson Island, Australia (NE Queensland), several Islands of Torres Strait
Type locality: unknown (fide STIMSON 1969 and KLUGE 1993)
The imported checklist explicitly questions occurrence in the southern Philippines. No island has been inferred.
Venom classification not yet added · Effects not yet summarised in this atlas
Observe from a distance. Do not handle, corner or capture a snake to identify it. An incomplete venom account is not evidence that a species is safe to handle.
After a suspected snakebite, keep the person still and arrange urgent medical care. Avoid tight tourniquets, cutting, suction and unproven remedies. Do not wait to identify the snake before seeking help.
Distribution reviewed against cited source (Distribution field). The imported checklist explicitly questions occurrence in the southern Philippines. No island has been inferred.
Islands named
None explicitly extracted
Range noteCountry/island text is not a range polygon or locality record.
Source distribution statement
Indonesia (Halmahera, Batjan = Bacan, Ceram = Seram, Ambon, Saparua, Haraku, Timorlaut, Banda, Kai Island, Aru Island, Misool, Salawati, Irian Jaya),
Molucca Islands, S Philippines ?,
Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Archipelago, Trobriand I), Louisiade Archipelago, New Ireland, New Britain, Ferguson Island, Australia (NE Queensland), several Islands of Torres Strait
Type locality: unknown (fide STIMSON 1969 and KLUGE 1993)
Knowledge coverage
EndemismResearch pending
EcologyLiterature documented
VenomVenom classification not yet added Effects not yet summarised in this atlasDetailed research: Research pending
Synonymy after KLUGE 1993. Liasis amethistinus kinghorni STULL 1933 hs been elevated to full species status by HARVEY et al. 2000.
Hybridization: BANKS & SCHWANER (1984) describe a hybrid between Morelia spilota and Liasis mackloti as well as hybrids between Morelia spilota and Morelia amethistina.
Type species: Boa Amethistina SCHNEIDER 1801: 254 is the type species of the genus Simalia GRAY 1849.
Habitat: partly arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018).
References attached to this record
2026
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026
Simalia amethistina — The Reptile Database species account
Uetz, P.; Hallermann, J. et al. (editors)
Public species fields consulted for bounded biological summaries. Primary sources quoted within the database were not independently examined unless explicitly stated. The catalogue name may differ from the current source title.