# Snake Identification from Shed Skin



## Baygrad (Jan 20, 2018)

Hi

Can anyone help me with identifying this snake skin found in our front yard in NSW? I tried AROD but receive the "No Results Found" response when I entered the following

Anal Scale; Divided
Number of dorsal scales; 11
Number of ventral scales; 193
Number of sub-caudal scales; 89
Subcaudals; Divided
State; NSW


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## Bluetongue1 (Jan 20, 2018)

It is a Common Green Tree snake (_Dendrolaphis punctulatus_). Your scale count was slightly off on dorsal scales and subcaudals. Minimum recorded subcaudals is 90 rather than 89. Dorsal count is done mid-body and this should be 13 rather than 11. Nevertheless, very well as an attempt to ID. The counts plus the clarity of the photos and 5the details they provided really helped.


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## GBWhite (Jan 20, 2018)

Regardless of the subcaudal and mid body count, the head shields, divided anal scale and divided subcaudals confirm Mike's ID as a Common Tree Snake.


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## Bluetongue1 (Jan 20, 2018)

I was just about to add the following rider. Just like people with six fingers, scales counts (and even arrangements in some scales with some species) can occasionally fall out of the normal range. That is why one needs to take into account as many diagnostic features as possible. That is why your scale may be correct, but as George points out, it does not change the positive identification. You were probably unlucky to get an atypical specimen by the looks of it.


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## Baygrad (Jan 20, 2018)

Thanks heaps for your help, I can walk around at night a bit easier. I can definitely be out with the subcaudals but the dorsal definitely seems to be 11.


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## Bluetongue1 (Jan 21, 2018)

You are dead right with the subcaudals. 

I don't know whether you have heard of Brian Bush, but Busho reckons the best way to accurately count scale underneath is drive into the nearest town (if available), pop the snake into a clear plastic bag and then onto a photocopier. Failing that, a photograph through a sheet of glass can help. So you are not alone there.


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