Subfamily Pythoninae (Noun)
Meaning
Old World boas: pythons; in some classifications considered a separate family from Boidae.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The subfamily Pythoninae is native to Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, although some species have been introduced elsewhere as pets or escaped from captivity.
- Old World boas belonging to the subfamily Pythoninae are non-venomous snakes, which mainly constrict and suffocate their prey.
- The subfamily Pythoninae contains about 11 recognized species of pythons, and is often classified as a distinct family from the Boidae, but some taxonomy considers it a part of the family Boidae.
- Researchers discovered many unique characteristics of the subfamily Pythoninae that ultimately hinted at its potential separation from Boidae.
- To differentiate between species within the subfamily Pythoninae, taxonomists use a range of morphological features including their skull structure and dentition.