# Confirmation of ID



## Stuart (Jun 26, 2018)

Young and very small snake <20cm. I have an inkling of what it is but would like confirmation for back up please.

Location: Groote Eylandt, NT


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## Pauls_Pythons (Jun 26, 2018)

Amazing colour. I have an idea what it is but I will leave it to the resident experts.


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## Stuart (Jun 26, 2018)

Pauls_Pythons said:


> Amazing colour. I have an idea what it is but I will leave it to the resident experts.



Thanks Paul, its the colours that are throwing me plus the small size isnt helping me with the general giveaways of what it would be.


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## Pauls_Pythons (Jun 26, 2018)

Very small, not much bigger than a hatchie if its what I think it is.


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## GBWhite (Jun 26, 2018)

A bit hard to confirm from the pics. Juvenile Coastal Tai? or on second thought maybe Western Brown Pseudonaja nuchalis?
What's the mid body scale count? Can you get a better shot of the head scales?


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## Stuart (Jun 26, 2018)

Legend, thanks George. Tai didnt cross my mind because of location however there have been species here that have caught me left field more than once so anythings possible.

Ill try get a clear belly scale pic as well as some clearer head scale pics tomorrow morning to provide more info. I'll admit its throwing me despite the books, info and history I have because of the size and age of the animal. If it was older, it would be so much easier. 

Thanks again for the help,
Stu


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## Pauls_Pythons (Jun 26, 2018)

GBWhite said:


> A bit hard to confirm from the pics. Juvenile Coastal Tai? or on second thought maybe Western Brown Pseudonaja nuchalis?



I'm miles away lol


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## Bluetongue1 (Jun 27, 2018)

It is a young Keelback _Tropidonophis mairii_. It has a loreal scale, dark-edged upper labials and the mouth curves markedly upwards at the back of it. The scales are only just starting to show keels. The eye is also relatively large in relation to head size.


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## Pauls_Pythons (Jun 27, 2018)

Bluetongue1 said:


> It is a young Keelback _Tropidonophis mairii_. It has a loreal scale, dark-edged upper labials and the mouth curves markedly upwards at the back of it.



Maybe Im not so far away after all lol


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## GBWhite (Jun 27, 2018)

Bluetongue1 said:


> It is a young Keelback _Tropidonophis mairii_. It has a loreal scale, dark-edged upper labials and the mouth curves markedly upwards at the back of it. The scales are only just starting to show keels. The eye is also relatively large in relation to head size.



On ya Mike! Must admit Keelback never even crossed my mind.


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## Stuart (Jun 27, 2018)

Thanks Mike and George. That was my original thought but I have never seen one this young so had to ask.

I didnt manage to get anymore pics today unfortunately before the release which was an oversight..


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## Bluetongue1 (Jun 28, 2018)

There was actually no need for any more pics as it was 100% positive ID with the diagnostic features referred to.
Incredibly light colour and lacking any evident patterning. Even allowing for the natural variation within this species, it makes one wonder if it was the result of a genetic alteration and therefore a one-off morph.


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## eipper (Sep 9, 2018)

Normal top end keelback


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## Sdaji (Sep 10, 2018)

The loreal scale is a really good diagnostic feature in Australia. No elapids have a loreal scale, so if a snake has one you can immediately rule out most of the snakes in the country. Pythons are pretty obvious, as a Blind Snake and File Snakes, so if it has a loreal scale and not something obvious you know it's a colubrid, and since Australia has very few colubrids it's easy to quickly narrow it right down.

Keelback colours and patterns vary hugely, even withing a single clutch. Patternless ones are very common.


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## PythonLegs (Sep 23, 2018)

Lolz...it’s Always a keelback.


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## Mitch.11 (Nov 13, 2018)

Hi, that's definitely a young Keelback or 'Freshwater Snake' (Tropidonophis mairii). Nice little specimen


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