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Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: December 31st, 2022.


Taxonomy of the family Pythonidae
Bibliography of the genus Liasis
Biodiversity of the family Pythonidae








Genus
Liasis

Water Pythons and Australian Olive Python

Wasserpythons

Vandpytoner og Olivenpyton

1842 Liasis Gray (type species: Liasis mackloti Dumeril & Bibron 1844; see International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1988: Opinion 1514)
1849 Lisalia Gray (type species: Liasis olivaceus Gray 1842; syn. Williams & Wallach 1989)
1993 Apodora Kluge (type species: Liasis papuanus Peters & Doria 1878; syn. Reynolds, Niemiller & Revell 2014)
2000 Katrinus Hoser (type species: Liasis fuscus Peters 1873; syn. Kaiser, Crother, Kelly, Luiselli, O'Shea, Ota, Passos, Schleip & Wüster 2013)
Contents: 6 species, of which 3 (50.0%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0% 100%
Remarks: Underwood & Stimson (1990) regarded Liasis as a synonym of Morelia. Kluge (1993) retained Liasis as a valid genus with two species (mackloti, olivaceus), and placed four species (childreni, maculosus, perthensis, stimsoni) in the separate genus Antaresia, one (papuanus) in the new genus Apodora, and another (albertisii) in Leiopython. Most recently, Apodora has been synonymized with Liasis again, and Leiopython has been synonymized with Bothrochilus (Reynolds, Niemiller & Revell 2014).
Distribution: Australia, New Guinea and satellites.
Reported from: Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland [incl. Torres Strait Islands], Western Australia), East Timor, Indonesia (Alor, Biak, Misool, Rote, Savu, Semau, West Timor, Western New Guinea, Wetar), Papua New Guinea (d'Entrecasteaux Islands [incl. Fergusson], Eastern New Guinea).

Liasis dunni

Wetar Water Python, Wetar Python

Wetar-Wasserpython

Wetar-vandpyton

1932 Liasis mackloti dunni Stull
Katrinus mackloti dunni Hoser 2000
Liasis dunni Barker, Barker, Davis & Schuett 2015

Distribution: Indonesia (Wetar).


Liasis fuscus

Brown Water Python

Brauner Wasserpython

Brun Vandpyton

1873 Liasis fuscus Peters
Bothrochilus fuscus Cogger, Cameron & Cogger 1983
Lisalia fuscus Wells & Wellington 1984
Morelia fusca Underwood & Stimson 1990
Liasis fuscus Cogger 1996
Katrinus fuscus Hoser 2000
Liasis mackloti fuscus Aplin 2001
1879 Liasis corawallisius Günther (Stimson 1969)
Katrinus fuscus cornwallisius Hoser 2004
1885 Nardoa crassa Macleay (Stimson 1969)

Remarks: McDowell (1975) suggested that the differences between fuscus and mackloti are too subtle to warrant recognition as separate species, but he examined too few specimens to present a detailed analysis. Most authors have retained fuscus as a separate species (e.g., Cogger, Cameron & Cogger 1983; Cogger 1996; O'Shea 1996; Schleip & O'Shea 2010; Lang 2011), whereas others have followed McDowell in treating fuscus as a synonym or subspecies of mackloti (e.g., Kluge 1993; Aplin & Smith 2001; Wilson & Swan 2003). A single record from East Timor (Ferreira 1898) is regarded as doubtful (Lang 2011).
Distribution: Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland [incl. Torres Strait Islands], Western Australia), Indonesia (Western New Guinea), Papua New Guinea (Eastern New Guinea).


Liasis fuscus
© Rune Midtgaard

Liasis mackloti

Timor Water Python, Freckled Python, Indonesian Water Python, Island Water Python, (Macklot's Python)

Timor-Wasserpython

Timor-vandpyton, (Macklots Pyton)

1844 Python timorensis Müller (suppressed; ICZN 1970: Opinion 939)
Python timoriensis Müller 1857 (incorrect subsequent spelling; ICZN 1970: Opinion 939)
1844 Liasis mackloti Duméril & Bibron
Lisalia mackloti Wells & Wellington 1984
Morelia mackloti Underwood & Stimson 1990
Katrinus mackloti Hoser 2000

Remarks: Previously included dunni and savuensis. Some authors include fuscus as a subspecies or synonym of mackloti (see remarks under fuscus).
Distribution: East Timor, Indonesia (Alor, Rote, Semau, West Timor).


Liasis olivaceus

Australian Olive Python

Olivpython

Australsk Olivenpyton

1842 Liasis olivaceus Gray
Bothrochilus olivaceus Cogger, Cameron & Cogger 1983
Lisalia olivaceus Wells & Wellington 1984
Morelia olivacea Underwood & Stimson 1990
1981 Liasis olivaceus barroni Smith
Morelia olivacea barroni Cogger 1983
Lisalia barroni Wells & Wellington 1984
1985 Morelia antiqua Smith & Plane (Kluge 1993)

Other common names:
barroni: Pilbara Olive Python
Remarks: Records from New Guinea refer to papuanus, previously regarded as a subspecies of olivaceus (e.g., Stimson 1969).
Distribution: Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia).


Liasis olivaceus
© Rune Midtgaard

Liasis papuanus

Papuan Olive Python

Papuapython

Papuansk Olivenpyton

1878 Liasis papuanus Peters & Doria
Liasis olivaceus papuanus Stull 1935
Morelia papuana Underwood & Stimson 1990
Bothrochilus papuanus O'Shea & Bigilale 1991
Apodora papuana Kluge 1993
1897 Liasis tornieri Werner (Stimson 1969)
1936 Liasis maximus Werner (status uncertain, fide Underwood & Stimson 1990)

Distribution: Indonesia (Biak, Misool, Western New Guinea), Papua New Guinea (d'Entrecasteaux Islands [Fergusson], Eastern New Guinea).


Liasis papuanus
© Rune Midtgaard

Liasis savuensis

Savu Water Python, Savu Python, White-eyed Water Python

Savu-Wasserpython

Savu-vandpyton

1956 Liasis mackloti savuensis Brongersma
Liasis savuensis Walls 1998
Katrinus savuensis Hoser 2000

Remarks: Revalidated as a separate secies by Barker, Barker, Davis & Schuett (2015).
Distribution: Indonesia (Savu).


Liasis savuensis
© Rune Midtgaard