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Antaresia childreni (GRAY, 1842)

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Higher TaxaPythonidae, Henophidia, Pythonoidea, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Children's Python
G: Gefleckter Python
E: Large-blotched Python, Stimsons Python [stimsoni]
G: Stimsons Python [stimsoni] 
SynonymLiasis Childreni GRAY 1842: 44
Nardoa Gilbertii GRAY 1842: 45
Liasis Childreni — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1844: 438
Liasis maculosus PETERS 1873: 608 (fide STIMSON 1969)
Liasis childreni — BOULENGER 1893: 77
Liasis childreni — ROSS 1980
Liasis stimsoni SMITH 1985
Liasis stimsoni orientalis SMITH 1985: 270
Antaresia saxacola WELLS & WELLINGTON 1985 (nom. nud).
Antaresia childreni — KLUGE 1993
Liasis childreni — SHINE 1994
Antaresia childreni — MCDIARMID, CAMPBELL & TOURÉ 1999: 162
Antaresia stimsoni — MCDIARMID, CAMPBELL & TOURÉ 1999: 163
Antaresia childreni — COGGER 2000: 606
Antaresia stimsoni — COGGER 2000: 610
Antaresia saxacola campbelli HOSER 2001(rejected name, KAISER et al. 2013)
Antaresia stimsoni orientalis — FRANZ 2003
Antaresia stimsoni orientalis — WILSON & SWAN 2008
Antaresia stimsoni — WILSON & SWAN 2010
Antaresia childreni — WILSON & SWAN 2010
Antaresia childreni — WALLACH et al. 2014: 45
Antaresia stimsoni — WALLACH et al. 2014: 45
Antaresia stimsoni orientalis — WACHTEL 2018
Antaresia childreni — ESQUERRÉ et al. 2021 
DistributionAustralia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia)

Type locality: unknown

stimsoni: Australia (New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia); Type locality: 15 km south-east of Nullagine (21°8’S, 120°12’E), WA, Australia  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: BMNH 1946.1.16.78, (formerly 41.10.13.39), collected J. Gilbert.
Holotype: WAM R63108 [stimsoni]
Holotype: AM R69087. Type locality: Wilcannia, New South Wales, Australia [campbelli]
Holotype: WAM R48646 (erroneously given as R46846 by SMith 1985) [orientalis] 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (1256 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentType species: Liasis Childreni GRAY 1842: 44 is the type species of the genus Antaresia WELLS & WELLINGTON 1984.

NCBI taxonID: 461325 [stimsoni]

Habitat: partly arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018).

Distribution: see Esquerré et al. 2021 for maps of both morphologically and genetically defined populations.

Subspecies: HOSER’s (2001) description of Antaresia saxacola campbelli is rather vague and questionably referers to a new subspecies. For example he diagnoses the new subspecies by the following description: “A. s. campbelli is also distinguished from other A. stimsoni by its softer reddish and less contrasting colour with finer patterning. The head is also a different shape. The snout has a less box-like anterior when compared with other A. stimsoni...”.

Synonymy: A. stimsoni and childreni appear to form a genetic gradient across their range and are thus difficult to separate as species, hence Esquerré et al. synonymized stimsoni with childreni. Wells and Wellington did not provide a description for A. saxacola, thus the name was considered a nomen nudum by Underwood and Stimson (1990) and Shea and Sadlier (1999). 
EtymologyNamed after John George Children (1777-1852), a British entomologist who became a Fellow (1807) and then Secretary of the Royal Society. He worked in t11e British Museum (1816-1840). 
References
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  • Peters, Wilhem Carl Hartwig 1873. Über eine neue Schildkrötenart, Cinosternon effeldtii und einige andere neue oder weniger bekannte Amphibien. Monatsber. königl. Akad. Wiss. Berlin. 1873 (October): 603-618 - get paper here
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