NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Cape York Spotted Python [peninsularis]
Antaresia maculosa (Peters, 1873)
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 spotted python, eastern small-blotched python, or eastern Children's python (Antaresia maculosa) is a python species found in northern Australia and New Guinea. It is a popular pet among Australian reptile enthusiasts and other reptile enthusiasts abroad due to its small size and even temperament. No subspecies were originally recognized. However, two subspecies were recognized as of 2020; A. m. maculosa and A. m. peninsularis.
The spotted pythons of New Guinea were proposed to be reclassified in 2021 as their own unique species, A. papuensis or the Papuan spotted python, in the same study that discovered the two mainland subspecies. However, both ITIS and The Reptile Database currently consider the two variants as synonyms.
Wikipedia contributors, Spotted python; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T13:23:17.353156+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Antaresia maculosa (Peters, 1873)
- Name authority
- (Peters, 1873)
- Common name
- Cape York Spotted Python [peninsularis]
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Pythonidae
- Genus
- Antaresia
- 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
- genusAntaresia
- speciesAntaresia maculosa (Peters, 1873)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Antaresia. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Pygmy PythonAntaresia perthensis (Stull, 1932) | PythonidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Children's PythonAntaresia childreni (Gray, 1842) | 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 |
|---|---|
| Liasis maculosus Peters, 1873 Peters, 1873 | ambiguous synonym |
| Antaresia maculosa brentonoloughlini Hoser, 2003 Hoser, 2003 | 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=Antaresia&species=maculosa 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:679RT. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.