Woma
Scientific Name: Aspidites ramsayi
Size: Total Length up to 2 m
What does it look like?
The Woma is smooth-scaled and moderately sized body, with head similar in thickness to neck. Yellowish, pale brown or light olive above, with irregular dark brown to reddish-brown transverse bands. Head yellow to brownish-orange, lacking heat-sensory pits, and often with dark mark above each eye. Belly yellow to cream, with numerous pink or dark brown blotches.
Where is it found?
Pilbara coast WA, through southern NT and northern SA, into northern NSW and southern Qld. Also in central south-west WA.
What are its habitats & habits?
The Woma is found in arid and semi-arid hummock grassland, shrubland and woodland on sandy plains. Nocturnal and terrestrial, sheltering during the day in hollow logs, burrows, deep soil cracks and spinifex tussocks, and emerging to forage mainly for reptiles, but also small mammals and birds, which are killed by constriction before eating. Oviparous, laying up to 28 eggs (average 14) per clutch, which are incubated and protected until they hatch. Non-venomous and harmless.
Interesting facts
Alternate Names: Sand Python; Woma Python, Ramsay’s Python
This species features in my book A Naturalist’s Guide to the Reptiles of Australia
