NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Lesser African Python
Python natalensis Smith, 1840
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Southern African rock python (Python natalensis) is a large python species native to Southern Africa inhabiting savanna and woodland. It was first described by Andrew Smith in 1833. Growing a length of more than 5 m (16 ft), this is one of the largest snakes in the world.
Wikipedia contributors, Southern African rock python; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T09:33:05.761615+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Python natalensis Smith, 1840
- Name authority
- Smith, 1840
- Common name
- Lesser African Python
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Pythonidae
- Genus
- Python
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
- orderSquamata Oppel, 1811
- suborderSerpentes Linnaeus, 1758
- infraorderAlethinophidia Nopcsa, 1923
- familyPythonidae
- genusPython
- speciesPython natalensis Smith, 1840
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Python. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Borneo PythonPython breitensteini Steindachner, 1881 | PythonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Sumatra PythonPython curtus Schlegel, 1872 | PythonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Mon pythonPython kyaiktiyo Zug, Gotte & Jacobs, 2011 | PythonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Blood PythonPython brongersmai Stull, 1938 | PythonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Anchieta's Dwarf PythonPython anchietae Bocage, 1887 | PythonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Burmese PythonPython bivittatus Kuhl, 1820 | PythonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Indian Rock PythonPython molurus (Linnaeus, 1758) | PythonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| African (Rock) PythonPython sebae (Gmelin, 1789) | PythonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Heleionomus variegatus Gray, 1842 Gray, 1842 | synonym |
| Python saxuloides Miller & Smith, 1979 Miller & Smith, 1979 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Python&species=natalensis Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:4QY4Q. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.