Scrub pythons have large head plates and heavily pitted lips. They may be patterned with dorsal crossbars and blotches and lateral stripes on the neck.
Some specimens are patternless.
This is a highly iridescent species. Most scrub pythons adults average 10'- 13'. Barneck scrubs from northern New Guinea average 11'-15'. Scrub pythons from the population in the Tanimabar islands are the smallest, averaging 6'-8'. As a group, these are splendid regal pythons with high spirits and a big hunger.