I need clarification, and pictures on species and common name differences, please

[Anatopism]

So I've been seeing a lot of "no, it isn't a blood python, it's a short-tailed python" type comments... but I really know nothing about them. Can somebody please explain the difference between bloods/short tails, their common names and scientific names, as well as photos to go along with? California Zoological (supplier for some petcos and petsmarts) is selling what they call a borneo blood python.... but I would like to be able to visually tell the difference (if there is any) between the scientific and common names of these snakes.

Thank you!

[mainbutter]

worth a quick read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_python

In modern herpetoculture lingo, "blood python" refers exclusively to "red blood python" or p. brongersmai.

Python curtus is often called just a "short tailed python"

Python curtus breitensteini/ Python breitensteini, aka "borneo blood python" has been given full species status by a single research paper, though not all herpetologists agree. I'm not sure where the hobby is on this point, but I tend to see them labeled more and more often as "borneo short tailed pythons", "borneos" or simply "breits", short for breitensteini

I don't keep nor do I have any experience with P. curtus or borneos, but red blood pythons tend to be the biggest of the 3 and IMO they are also the prettiest.

There are ugly brongersmai out there, and there are also brong/breit hybrids that kind of just look like ugly versions of either parent species. You can generally know what you're getting by sticking to high-end ideal-coloration animals.

[dave g]

here is two more links for care sheets from vpi's website. one is for the blood python and one for the borneo python. http://www.vpi.com/publications/bloo...ation_and_care
http://www.vpi.com/publications/born...and_care_sheet

i dont have any personal experience with any of the bloods or short tails but i hope to one day sooner than later and have found vpi's site very helpful in my learning. take a look through their galleries also it will help you tell them apart and has some morphs also.

i also agree the reds are pretty but the borneos get my vote for prettiest
later, dave

[mainbutter]

P. c. breitensteini was given species status by Keogh, Barker and Shine (2001).

Anyone know if the above Barker is associated with VPI?

[aahmn]

Yes, Dave Barker from VPI is one of the coauthors.

[aahmn]

http://www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/Scott/PDF...l.P.curtus.pdf

[Anatopism]

Thank you for the replies still a little confusing, but I am slowly learning more about borneos/short tails/bloods. Very helpful!