Genus Aspidites - taxonomy & distribution / RepFocus

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Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: April 12th, 2025.

Taxonomy of the family Pythonidae

Bibliography of the genus Aspidites

Biodiversity of the family Pythonidae

Genus
Aspidites

	Shield-headed Pythons
	Schildkopfpythons
	Skjoldhovedpytoner

1864		*Aspidiotes* Krefft [not *Aspidiotes* Bouché 1844 (Insecta); not *Aspidiotes* Schoenherr 1847 (Insecta)] (type species: *Aspidiotes melanocephalus* Krefft 1864)
1877		*Aspidiotus* Peters [not *Aspidiotus* Bouché 1833 (Insecta); emendation of *Aspidiotes* Krefft 1864]
1877		*Aspidites* Peters [substitute name for *Aspidiotus* Peters 1877]

Contents: 2 species, both of which are endemic.
Endemism: 0%

100%
Remarks: The scientific name can be translated as "shield bearer" and pertains to the symmetrically shaped head scales (Australian Reptile Online Database; Wikipedia). Since the genus has never had a common English name, the name "Shield-headed Pythons" is hereby suggested to accomodate the two species.
Distribution: Australia (New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia).

Meristic and other data
of the world's snakes.
Compiled by V. Wallach
Key to abbreviations

Head drawings of the
genus Aspidites.
Compiled by V. Wallach

Aspidites melanocephalus

	Black-headed Python
	Schwarzkopfpython
	Sorthovedet Pyton

1864		Aspidiotes melanocephalus Krefft
		Aspidites melanocephalus Boulenger 1893

Distribution: Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia).

Aspidites ramsayi

	Sand Python, Woma, (Ramsay’s Python)
	Woma, (Ramsay-Python)
	Sandpyton, Woma

1882		Aspidiotes ramsayi Macleay
		Aspidites ramsayi Boulenger 1893
1913		Aspidites collaris Longman (Stimson 1969)
2009		Aspidites ramsayi neildavieii Hoser [unavailable name] (Schleip & O'Shea 2010; Kaiser, Crother, Kelly, Luiselli, O'Shea, Ota, Passos, Schleip & Wüster 2013)

Distribution: Australia (New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia).