Alston s Cotton Rat vs Reticulated Python

Sigmodon alstoni compared with Python reticulatus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alston s Cotton Rat	Reticulated Python
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)
Family	Cricetidae	Pythonidae (Pythons)
Genus	Sigmodon	Python (Pythons)
Species	Sigmodon alstoni	Python reticulatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Alston s Cotton Rat and Reticulated Python share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Alston s Cotton Rat

LC — Least Concern

Reticulated Python

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alston s Cotton Rat	Reticulated Python
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	25 years
Average Length	—	6.0 m
Average Weight	—	75.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alston s Cotton Rat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Venezuela.

Reticulated Python

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, among 4 distinct biome types within the Indomalayan biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Thailand.

Alston s Cotton Rat

The Alston s Cotton Rat (Sigmodon alstoni) is a species in the genus Sigmodon. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Distributed across Colombia and Venezuela.

Reticulated Python

The reticulated python is the world's longest snake and one of the heaviest. They kill prey by constriction.