A peer-reviewed open-access journal ZooKeysAnnotated 66: 29–79 (2010)checklist of the recent and extinct pythons (Serpentes, Pythonidae), with notes on... 29 doi: 10.3897/zookeys.66.683 CATALOGUE www.zookeys.org Launched to accelerate biodiversity research Annotated checklist of the recent and extinct pythons (Serpentes, Pythonidae), with notes on nomenclature, taxonomy, and distribution Wulf D. Schleip1, Mark O’Shea2,3 1 Fichtenweg 11, 53340 Meckenheim, Germany 2 Australian Venom Research Unit, Dept. Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Vic., 3010, Australia 3 Reptile Department, West Midland Safari Park, Bewdley, Worcs., DY12 1LF, United Kingdom Corresponding authors : Wulf D. Schleip (
[email protected] ), Mark O’Shea (
[email protected] ) Academic editor: Hans-Dieter Sues | Received 11 December 2009 | Accepted 22 September 2010 | Published 4 November 2010 Citation: Schleip WD, O’Shea M (2010) Annotated checklist of the recent and extinct pythons (Serpentes, Pythonidae), with notes on nomenclature, taxonomy, and distribution. ZooKeys 66 : 29 – 79 . doi: 10.3897/zookeys.66.683 Abstract McDiarmid et al. (1999) published the fi rst part of their planned taxonomic catalog of the snakes of the world. Since then, several new python taxa have been described in both the scientifi c literature and non- peer-reviewed publications. Th is checklist evaluates the nomenclatural status of the names and discusses the taxonomic status of the new taxa, and aims to continue the work of McDiarmid et al. (1999) for the family Pythonidae, covering the period 1999 to 2010. Numerous new taxa are listed, and where appropri- ate recent synonymies are included and annotations are made. A checklist and a taxonomic identifi cation key of valid taxa are provided.