What ancestral reptilian feature is retained by the Woma Python, connecting it to ancient lineages?
Answer
Vestigial hind limbs, known as pelvic spurs
Pythons, as an evolutionarily older group compared to the dominant Elapid snakes in Australia, often retain more ancestral characteristics. Among these retained features, the Woma Python possesses vestigial hind limbs, which manifest externally as pelvic spurs. The retention of these structures anchors *Aspidites ramsayi* firmly to that deep ancient reptilian past, indicating that its lineage diverged before these limbs were completely lost in more derived snake families. These spurs are a physical marker of its deep evolutionary placement within the Pythonidae family.
#Videos
AKA Ramsay's or Sand Python. Woma Python Documentary
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