# Snake ID question, Western Australia



## SwissHerper (May 22, 2009)

Hi,
A birder sent me this picture of a snake that has been taken by a Pied Butcherbird (_Cracticus nigrogularis_). Location: Broome, Western Australia. Can anyone ID the snake?
Thanks in advance!
Regards, Hans


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## craig.a.c (May 22, 2009)

It will be very hard to get an id from belly scales.


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## oreo1 (May 22, 2009)

lol the tail looks like it belongs on a worm haha sorry cant help you ID it tho..


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## smacdonald (May 23, 2009)

Can you get a larger image so we can have a better look at the animal?


Stewart


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## SwissHerper (May 25, 2009)

This is the best version of the cropped part of the original picture showing more of the bird and much more of a tree...


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## redbellybite (May 25, 2009)

Taking a punt on this one ...it looks to me to have partly single then divided subcaudals(very hard to make out can see it better in first picture)and to where the picture was taken in Broome,I am guessing a young Mulga snake ..but just as I said guessing ..the picture is really hard to make out .


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## smacdonald (May 25, 2009)

That second picture is actually smaller than the first. Maybe this site is resizing the image when you upload it? Anyway, my original thought was a young mulga, as redbellybite said. This is based on the single subcaudals anteriorly, which then divide posteriorly. I was hoping to get a better look at the anal scale.

Give the species of snake found around Broome, I think mulga is the most likely suspect. In saying that, it doesn't really 'feel' like a mulga to me, but then again I haven't flipped too many onto their bellies.


Stewart


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## redbellybite (May 25, 2009)

Its to hard to make the anal scale out ...so what are the other possibilities then?


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## Niall (May 25, 2009)

Im just guessing so if i get it wrong dont have a sad!!!

It might be:
1.Baby western brown
2. baby king brown
3. whip snake


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## PilbaraPythons (May 25, 2009)

I believe it is Demansis psammophis cuprieceps


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## Southern_Forest_Drag (May 25, 2009)

King Brown?


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## hodges (May 25, 2009)

Keelback


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## SwissHerper (May 26, 2009)

First of all thanks to you all for trying to help. I'm not an Australian snake expert, but from what I know, the tail of the snake in the picture is too short for whip snake.

Most probably a baby Mulga snake?


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## redbellybite (May 26, 2009)

PilbaraPythons said:


> I believe it is Demansis psammophis cuprieceps


 I thought Demansis psammophis, were fully divided subcaudals? this picture looks to have partial single then divided ...


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## PilbaraPythons (May 26, 2009)

Yes you are right in that psammophis normally has divided sub-caudals.
Your eyes are clearly better than mine though, as I can’t see that area clear enough to know either way. It needs to be remembered though that these sort of scalation keys are often not rigid e.g. Pilbara coastal Mulga have having entirely single sub-caudals.
Going on the reddish hue to the tail I was thinking Demansia but perhaps the tail area is simply bruised or dirty, without blowing the pic up it just a guess.


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## redbellybite (May 26, 2009)

if you make the first picture posted bigger you can make out the single and divided ,the anal is just a rough guess as its not clear and I thought the reddish look was bruising as you can see it up further as well ...was only taking a stab at it to,its not a very good picture to ID ...


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