MOBILE UPDATES: August 2014

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Indian Model Girl In Salwar kamij

Striped Trinket Snake ( Orthriophis taeniurus Cope, 1861 )

Jerdon's Pit Viper ( Protobothrops jerdonii Günther, 1875 )

Scientific Name:
Protobothrops jerdonii (Günther, 1875)
Subspecies Red Spotted Pit Viper, Protobothrops jerdonii xanthomelas Günther 1889

Distribution:
Venom Type:
Haemotoxic
Family:
Viperidae
Description:

TBA
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Himalayan Pit Viper

Himalayan Wolf Snake ( Lycodon mackinnoni Wall, 1906 )

Scientific Name:
Lycodon mackinnoni (Wall, 1906)
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Regional Names:
English:
Mackinnon's Wolf Snake
Distribution:
Family:
Colubridae
Description:

TBA
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Head:
Supralabial 8; 3rd to 5th in contact with eyes; preocular 1; loreal 1 or united with prefrontal (as in Type specimen), in contact with internasal; temporal 1+2 or 2+3.
Dorsal:
Smooth scales in 17:17:15 rows.
Ventral:
163-187; angulated laterally; anal divided.
Sub Caudal:
48-56; paired.
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Barred Wolf Snake

Rosebelly Worm-eating Snake ( Trachischium guentheri Boulenger, 1890 )

Rosebelly Worm-eating Snake ( Trachischium guentheri Boulenger, 1890 )

Scientific Name:
Trachischium guentheri (Boulenger, 1890)
Regional Names:
English:
Gunther’s Worm-eating Snake

Distribution:
Family:
Natricidae
Characteristics for identification:

This species can be identified by checking 1) Dark brown or reddish-brown dorsal. 2) Coral red belly. 3) Single prefrontal scale.
Description:

Maximum length- 52.5cm.

Dorsal body-
Body cylindrical with shiny smooth scales of same size. Dorsal colour dark brown or reddish-brown with or without dark or faint longitudinal stripes.

Ventral body -
Belly color coral red which is more prominently on posterior half.

Head -
Head depressed on snout; not broader than neck. Upper lip color brown or lighter than rest of head. Eyes with rounded pupil. Young individuals bear a yellow collar in faint form.

Tail -
Short length tail ends with conical tip.
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Head:
Supralabial 6; 3rd & 4th in contact with eyes; preocular 1; loreal 1, postocular 1; temporal 1+2.
Dorsal:
Smooth scales in 13: 13: 13 rows without apical pits.
Ventral:
132-154; anal undivided.
Sub Caudal:
30-43; paired.
Habitat:
Found in high elevation zones of Himalayan foothills. Lives in moist deciduous forests.
Diet:
Feeds on earthworms and insects.
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Yellow-Belly Worm-Eating Snake
Mountain Worm-Eating Snake
Black-Belly Worm-Eating Snake
Blyth's Reticulate Snake

Wall's Shieldtail ( Brachyophidium rhodogaster Wall, 1921 )

Family:
Uropeltidae
Characteristics for identification:

Can be identified by checking: 1) Blackish-brown dorsal body. 2) Red belly. 3) Unlike most of the Uropeltis family members its tail ends with a single spine and not like a disc.
Description:

Head short, and not broader than neck.

Dorsal dark blackish-brown. Ventral and outer dorsal rows red in life.
Tail compressed. Upper scale smooth of feebly bi or tricarinate. Terminal scale simple and ends with a conical tip.
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Head:
Mental groove absent. Portion of rostral visible from above, less than the distance between it and the prefrontals which are significantly longer than nasals; frontal longer than broad, also longer than praietals; supraocular and postocular united into a single shield; single temporal shield; eye half of the length of the ocular shield; loreal absent.
Dorsal:
Smooth scales in 15 rows.
Ventral:
137-145; anal divided.
Sub Caudal:
6-11; paired.

Blue-lipped Sea Krait ( Laticauda laticaudata Linnaeus, 1758 )

Distribution:
Venom Type:
Neurotoxic
Family:
Elapidae
Description:

Average length- 80cm
Maximum length- 107cm
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Head:
Head scales entire; nostril lateral; nasal separated by internasals; no azygous shield separates internasals or prefrontals; frontal significantly longer than its distance from tip of snout; supralabial 7; 3rd & 4th in contact with eyes; preocular 1; postocular 2; temporal 1+2.
Dorsal:
Smooth and overlapping scales in 19 rows.
Ventral:
225-243; clearly broader than adjacent scales; one-third to more than one half the width of the body. A median ventral keel may also present of posterior of body.
Sub Caudal:
38-47 (Male), 30-35 (Female); anal divided; paired.
Habitat:
Coral islands, coral reefs, mangroves and open ocean etc.
Diet:
Feeds on eels and other fishes.
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Yellow-lipped Sea Krait
Cantor's Water Snake

Reticulated Python ( Malayopython reticulatus Schneider, 1801 )

Family:
Pythonidae
Description:

TBA
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Head:
12 or 13 supralabial; rostral and first four supralabials pitted; suboculars absent.
Dorsal:
Smooth scales in 66-80 rows.
Ventral:
290-332; narrow; anal undivided.
Sub Caudal:
75-102; usually paired in zig-zag manner.
Diet:
Feeds on variety of birds; reptiles including crocodiles, monitors; small to big mammals including tigers.

Long-nosed Thread Snake ( Myriopholis macrorhyncha Jan, 1860 )

Distribution:
Distribution in India not revised. Likely to be occur in Rajasthan, Punjab and probably in other desert/semi-deserts. One of the most widely distributed Thread Snake which is found from Asia (India as eastern most limit) to Africa.
Family:
Leptotyphlopidae
Description:

Average length- 10cm

Maximum length- 16cm
Habitat:
Sandy lands of dry savanna, deserts and semi-deserts.

Dwarf Sea Snake

Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Distribution:
Venom Type:
Neurotoxic
Family:
Elapidae
Description:

Maximum length- 109cm.
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Head:
7-8 supralabial, 2nd in contact with prefrontal, 3rd & 4th in contact with eyes; 1 preocular, 1 or rarely 2 postocular.
Dorsal:
31-43 scales around the neck, 38–54 around the body, posterior subimbricate with truncated tips.
Ventral:
253–334, distinct.

Dangerous snake in trailers of Camp Liberty

NCRI - On Sunday afternoon, April 8, Liberty residents faced a big and dangerous snake more than 2.5 meters long, in one of the section 2 trailers (Photo is attached).

The snake apparently has entered the trailer through the holes on the floor and has caused grave concerns among the residents. Prior to this, some dangerous snakes were seen in the camp on February 26.

Contaminations of the area, worn out trailers, lack of the necessary facilities for environment spraying and upcoming of the hot season, increase the risk of vermin and harmful creatures in this camp.

The Iraqi government prevents any reconstruction or repairment of trailers which have been extremely worn out throuout the years, in violation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the United Nations. It also prevents entry of the materials needed for spraying insecticides that is substantially essential in Iraq.

The Iranian resistance draws attention of the international community to the inhuman blockade imposed on Camp Liberty and the lack of required standards of hygiene as well as obstructing the minimal reconstruction work in the camp. It also calls for immediate intervention of the UN and the US to end these restrictions.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
April 9, 2012

Gopher snake

Gopher Snakes vary greatly in coloration. They are usually very heavily marked, with red or orange shaped blotches at the front of the dorsal surface and black, square blotches at the rear. In the middle of the body, there is a gradual transition from one type of marking to the other. The background color is usually yellow, red, orange or brown, although some animals from the northern part of the region are significantly darker. The Cape Gopher Snake's head is usually free of markings, although they may exhibit shading from dark orange to yellow or white. The head is narrow with tall lateral surfaces that end in a square at the dorsal surface. The neck is thinner than many snakes of the same family. Cape Gopher Snakes usually average between 36 and 66 inches, or 91.5 to 168cm, in length.

Two varieties of Cape Gopher Snake exist in captivity. These are the "normal" variety, in which breeders have encouraged the orange and red colorations, and the "hypomelanistic" variety. The second variety has been so named by the black pigmentation at the front of the body that has been greatly reduced.

Glossy snake

Glossy snake
Picture
The Glossy snake is named for its slender smooth skin. They normally enjoy the sand but can be found elsewhere. They eat small mammals, birds, lizards, and other snakes. They are not poisonous, but kill their prey by constriction.

Banded sand snake

Banded sand snake
Picture

Banded sand snakes (Chilomeniscus cinctus) are primarily
thought of as dwellers of low desert sandy soils, usually associated
with creosote bush. However, the Peterson Field Guide to Western
Reptiles and Ampibians (Stebbins 1985) also includes as habitat
“sandy-gravelly washes and arroyos in rocky uplands (paloverdesaguaro association), and thornscrub habitats in Mexico.” Given
elevation ranges are from sea level to 3000 feet (910 m). In this
note we describe 2 banded sand snakes found in rocky foothills of
the Rincon Mountains, Saguaro National Park, Pima County,
Arizona at elevations of 3871 feet (1180 m) and 2880 feet (878
m).
The first record (1180 m) was from the south side of the
Rincon Mountains on a hiking trail on 12 December 2000. The
animal was active on the surface and a photograph was taken by
EZ (Figure 1). The area was dominated by perennial shrubs
including goldenweed (Ericameria larissafolia), catclaw acacia
(Acacia gregii), and honey mesquite (Prosopis velutina) but was
not associated with a wash or arroyo.

Russell's Kukri

Russell's Kukri
Picture
Common Name: Russell's kukri, Streaked Kukuri SnakeSize: maximum of 50 cmsNon Venomous Snake

Appearance: The Variegated kukri is a thin slender snake. It shows considerable colour

Distribution: India (Maharashtra ), Pakistan, Sri Lanka, S Turkmenistan (SW Kopet-Dag), E Iran, Afghanistan

In general most snakes species show some amount of variation in colour and markings, however Oligodon taeniolatus seems to be a master of variation. It takes a trained eye to identify and distinguish separate species, using scale morphology and scale counts to confirm the identification

Prairie Kingsnake

Prairie Kingsnake
Picture
Description 30-56" (76.2-142.7 cm). A slender, variably patterned kingsnake. Tan, grayish-brown, or yellowish-brown above with black-edged, dark brown to reddish-brown or greenish blotches down back and 2 alternating rows of smaller, less conspicuous spots on sides. V-shaped arrowheadlike marking on crown of head. Pattern of older specimens may be lost or obscured by dark pigment; some develop 4 longitudinal dusky stripes. Scales smooth, in 21-27 rows. Anal plate single.

Subspecies Prairie Kingsnake (L. c. calligaster), scales in 25 or 27 rows; interspaces between blotches about equal in size to blotch; belly white to yellowish, clouded or spotted with brown; w. Illinois southwest to the Gulf in sc. Louisiana, west to se. Nebraska, e. Kansas, Oklahoma, and e. Texas.
Mole Kingsnake (L. c. rhombomaculata), scales in 21 or 23 rows; reddish, usually black-bordered, back blotches well separated; belly yellow with brown rectangular blotches; c. Maryland to n. Florida west to c. Tennessee and se. Louisiana.
South Florida Mole Kingsnake (L. c. occipitolineata), similar to a young Mole Kingsnake, with dark bordered brown to red blotches down back and dark lines on head; isolated populations in ec. Florida.

Breeding Nests June to July. Female lays 5-17 eggs, 1 3/4-2" (44-51 mm) long, in earth cavity below ground surface. Young hatch in 7-11 weeks at 8-11" (20-28 cm), August to September.

Habitat Open fields, cultivated farmland, barnyards, pastures, prairies, rocky hillsides, open woodland.

Range C. Maryland to c. Florida west to se. Nebraska and e. Texas.

Discussion Secretive; spends much of the day in animal burrows or under rocks or several inches of loose soil. Most frequently seen crossing roads after a rainstorm or on warm spring or summer nights. Eats small rodents, birds, frogs, lizards, and other snakes. Usually mild-tempered. One captive animal lived 11 years

Fox Snake

Fox Snake
Picture
Description: Adult Western Fox Snakes can reach lengths of 36 to 54 inches. Their heads are usually a solid brown or tan, possibly with faint markings. They have beige or brownish bodies that are dorsally covered with elongated, oval blotches of solid color (pictured above). Their ventral surface (or belly) is cream or pale-yellow with many irregularly placed, rectangular markings (also pictured above). Western Fox Snakes are members of the family Colubridae and sub-family Colubrinae, which includes several non-venomous snake species found in Wisconsin. Within the state, they are most closely related to snakes like the Black Rat Snake, with which they share the same genus (Elaphe).

Habitat/Ecology: Fox Snakes are said to prefer river bottom forests, or prairies with rocky crevices for shelter. I have rarely found them far from a water source of some kind and have frequently encountered them near river backwaters and wetlands. Much of their time is spent basking or hunting rodents, such as mice, voles and gophers. Erik Wild (Ph.D.; UW-Stevens Point) told me about witnessing a very large individual basking on top of a musk rat mound in Bayfield Co. and I would suspect small musk rats may be consumed as well. Western Fox Snakes are constrictors, meaning they wrap around their prey and squeeze it until stops breathing, before consuming it. Because they eat primarily rodents (which damage crops and spread disease), they are beneficial to humans.

Fox snakes emerge from hibernation in late April and May. It is reported that mating occurs before individuals disperse from over-wintering dens. Eggs are usually laid in late June and hatch in approximately 60 days. While gravid, females are often found on black top roads, taking advantage of the warmth to help incubate their eggs. Unfortunately, I have found several gravid females who were killed trying to warm themselves in such a way. Each were holding 13 or more eggs.

These snakes hibernate in rock crevices and fissures that go below the frost line. They are also occasionally reported to hibernate in the foundations of old buildings and abandoned wells. In fact, Vogt (1981) reported finding 68 fox snakes in the spring hibernating in an abandoned well (many of which were actually underwater), and discovered that some of these individuals returned to this "den" in October. I was once told by a landowner in north central Wisconsin that he visited his cabin in late September one year to find a snake sitting in the corner of the cabin's kitchen. Unfortunately, this story was accompanied by a picture of a decapitated fox snake sprawled lifelessly across the floor. This, in conjunction with other stories I've been told about large snakes being witnessed near homes in the wooded areas of Wisconsin, leads me to believe that they can be found in forested suburban areas located on the peripheries of more urbanized landscapes (such as the Wausau area).

Remarks: Western Fox Snakes are sometimes called "pine snakes" or mistaken for Bullsnakes, and Milk Snakes (to compare fox snakes and bullsnakes,click here). They are very shy, sluggish snakes that will first attempt to escape if threatened. However, if cornered, Fox Snakes will coil up, hiss, and vibrate their tails against the ground. This behavior, though meant to deter predators, can lead to them being mistaken for rattlesnakes and needlessly killed. If captured or molested, these snakes can also deliver a painful bite. Yet, if left alone they pose no threat to humans.

I have encountered Western Fox Snakes on the south side of La Crosse. Unfortunately, one of the individuals that I found there in early 2001 was later killed by fisherman. I have also witnessed them in nearby Winona County (Minnesota). Although they are often described as aggressive, I have never encountered a Fox Snake that has acted aggressively towards me. Although they are not plentiful, I have found Fox Snakes more often than any other large snake in western Wisconsin.

African Tiger Snake

African Tiger Snake
Picture
A small, slow moving snake that hunts at night. Its prey is mainly birds but it will also take bats, chameleons and geckos. There are two local species, one orange with black bands across the back (on the North coast of Kenya these fade as the snake gets older), the head is very distinct from the neck.

It is sometimes found within the hotel grounds in Watamu, as it likes to raid the nests of the weaver-birds hanging near garden ponds. They will bite slowly and deliberately when handled but are absolutely no danger to humans.

Californian Mountain Kingsnakes

Californian Mountain Kingsnakes
Picture
Description 20-40" (50.8-101.6 cm). One of our most attractive snakes - ringed with black, white, and red. Resembles Sonora Mountain Kingsnake and western races of the Milk Snake. Red bands bordered by black. Snout black. White bands do not widen near belly scales. Scales smooth, in 23 rows. Anal plate single.

Subspecies Seven; 5 in our range:
St. Helena (L. z. zonata), back edge of first white ring is behind last upper lip scale, snout dark, more than 60% of red bands continuous across midline of back; Napa, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties, California. Intergrades with Sierra in n. California and sw. Oregon.
Sierra (L. z. multicincta), first white ring and snout resemble St. Helena, less than 60% of red bands continuous across back; western slopes of Sierra Nevada, Shasta County to Kern County, California.
Coast (L. z. multifasciata), like St. Helena, snout marked with red; Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties to Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, California.
San Bernardino (L. z. parvirubra), back edge of first white ring on or in front of last upper lip scale, snout dark, 37 or more groups of tricolored rings (triads) around body; San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto mountains, s. California.
San Diego (L. z. pulchra), like San Bernardino except 36 or fewer triads; mountains of San Diego County, s. California.

Breeding Clutches of 3-8 eggs deposited July; hatch in 9-10 weeks. Young about 8" (20 cm) long.

Habitat Sierra Nevada yellow pine belt, Coast Ranges chaparral, redwood forests south of San Francisco Bay; sea level to 8,000' (2,450 m).

Range Kern County, California, north along western slope of Sierra Nevada Mountains into sw. Oregon, southward in eastern portion of Coast Ranges to San Francisco Bay area; and south in mountains in scattered populations to nc. Baja California. Isolated population in sc. Washington.

Discussion Sometimes called Coral Kingsnake. Diurnal but becomes active at night during warm weather and sometimes can be seen crossing a road. Hides under rotting logs and stones near sunlit stretches of rocky streams. Eats lizards, snakes, and birds and their eggs. Record longevity exceeds 24 years.