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''Morelia tracyae'', more commonly known as the Halmahera python, is a species of python found only on the Indonesian island of Halmahera. It belongs to the Pythonidae family and the ''Morelia'' genus. This snake was previously believed to have belonged to the ''Morelia amesthistina'' species; however, studies in recent years have caused scientists to distinguish between the two types of snakes, resulting in the reclassification of the Halmahera python as its own species. ==Taxonomy and Etymology== Until recently, ''Morelia tracyae'' was considered to be part of the species ''Morelia amesthistina''. Previously, the scientific community believed that this species, despite the large varieties in appearance and wide range of habitat, was thought simply to have "exceptional dispersal abilities." 〔Harvey, Michael. "Systematics of Pythons of the ''Morelia Amethistina'' Complex (Serpentes: Boidae) with the Description of Three New Species."〕 However, more recent scientific studies have indicated ''Morelia amesthistina's'' lack of mobility between habitats, leading to the realization that this type of snake is "more prone to speciation than other pythons." 〔Hoser, Raymond. "Creationism and Contrived Science: A Review of Recent Python Systematics Papers and the Resolution of Issues of Taxonomy and Nomenclature."〕 David G. Barker, an avid python collector, suspected that the high level of variety of Indonesian pythons indicated the presence of multiple species. In 1995, David G. Barker and Michael B. Harvey, herpetological expert and professor at the University of Texas, conducted a study of various specimens of Indonesian snakes. By examining both live specimens and museum specimens, these scientists observed morphological differences and phylogenetically analyzed the snakes' molecular DNA sequences. In its molecular sequencing, ''Morelia tracyae'' showed a 6-7% divergence in from all other scrub pythons in the surrounding area. The resultant conclusions of this study led to the identification of three new species: ''M. clastolepis'', ''M. nauta'', and ''M. tracyae''.〔 The Halmhera python has been recognized by the scientific community as a separate species since Barker and Harvey's publication of their data in 2000.〔〔Schleip, Wulf. "Annotated checklist of the recent and extinct pythons (Serpentes, Pythonidae), with notes on nomenclature, taxonomy, and distribution."〕 The ''Morelia tracyae'' species was named for David G. Barker's wife, Tracy M. Barker, who is also a python enthusiast.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Morelia tracyae」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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