# Combat -- Yellow-faced Whipsnakes



## moloch05 (Aug 23, 2009)

Today, I visited the cliffs along the Shoalhaven River near Nowra. It was beautiful with temps of about 23C. I found several Yellow-faced Whipsnakes (_Demansia psammophis_) that were sunning near the edge of the cliffs. Here is the sort of habitat where I encountered the snakes:


















While I photographed rock orchids along the edge of a cliff, this whipsnake crawled out to sun itself on the same ledge where I sat. It is not a good pic but I was happy to have a photo since whipsnakes are wary and hard to approach.







Later, while walking to another outcrop, I heard what I assumed to be a lizard scurry through dry leaves and into a hollow stump. I waited a few moments and then saw the head of a whipsnake. While I was taking lens cover off my camera, another head appeared. The two snakes then emerged from the stump and began to twist and wrap their bodies together. Often the snakes seemed to move in unison but other times, their heads and upper bodies would move apart but their lower bodies remained intertwined. The snakes were in constant motion. At times, it seemed that they were stretching out their bodies to determine who was bigger. 

I initially thought that the snakes were copulating but when I examined the photos, I cannot really see contact between their vents. I looked on the net and read male _Demansia_ will engage in combat in the spring (see http://www.environment.gov.au/biodi...bs/volume2a/35-fauna-2a-squamata-elapidae.pdf). Shea, Shine and Covacevich state that when mating, the two snakes will remain locked together, with relatively little movement, for a prolonged period—often several hours. This was not the behaviour that I observed since the two snakes were thrashing about and twisting continuously. I did not, however, see either attempt to bite the other as described the Shea et al. I did see what appeared to be an attempt to push down the head of the opponent (see 1st and 5th photos below).































This behaviour lasted for perhaps 5 minutes. The smaller of the two suddenly turned and crawled into a bunch grass. The other still thrashed about for a few more moments, then it also crawled into the same thicket as the smaller snake. I could not see either so I don't know whether this behaviour continued. 


I saw a few additional herps including two colonies of Cunningham's Skinks (_Egernia cunninghami_). One of the colonies lived here:























Elegant Snake-eyed Skinks (_Cryptoblepharus pulcher_) were common on the rocks. 








I also saw a few Grass Skinks (_Lampropholis delicata_) -- This one was demonstrating why it is called "Lampropholis":








These Flat Spiders (_Hemicloea sp_.) were common. They are really incredible spiders with such an incredibly thin body adapted from life in crevices.








Rock Orchids (_Dendrobium sp_.) are in full flower. Their yellow sprays of flowers are a lovely sight on the cliffs.























This area is home to many cycads:







Regards,
David


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## Jakee (Aug 23, 2009)

Awesome pictures moloch. 
I really like the photo of the two whip snakes

Jake


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## anntay (Aug 23, 2009)

awsome pic's what a day.


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## gecko-mad (Aug 23, 2009)

awesome, loving the whips!


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## Acrochordus (Aug 23, 2009)

Great stuff, the YF Whips are awsome, and so are all the other herps. What Camera and equipment are you using?, if you dont mind me asking.
Thanks Tim.


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## da_donkey (Aug 23, 2009)

great pics mate


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## Soylentgreen (Aug 23, 2009)

Great pics moloch , did you shoot the pics in nth nowra?


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## Mousie (Aug 23, 2009)

Sweet pics. Love them all. Thanks a heap. Inspiring!!


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## Pike01 (Aug 23, 2009)

Love those cunninghams and the Den speciosum pics.


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## Wild~Touch (Aug 23, 2009)

Love your work thanks for sharing


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## snakekid666 (Aug 23, 2009)

awesome pics


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## PhilK (Aug 23, 2009)

Wow brilliant series of photos, thanks for sharing the photos and the information!


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## serpenttongue (Aug 23, 2009)

An awesome moment in time, captured with a camera! 

Many would have loved to witness such an event firsthand!


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## krefft (Aug 23, 2009)

Well done Moloch, those whips are a great scalp, well done.


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## wranga (Aug 23, 2009)

wow awsome pitures. thanks for sharing them


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## Poggle (Aug 24, 2009)

great pics of the snakes... whips snakes are one of my favs!


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## JasonL (Aug 24, 2009)

Seeing stuff like that makes all those long lifeless walks worthwhile.. great stuff.


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## zulu (Aug 24, 2009)

*re Combat*

Hi Moloch,your a legend,always enjoy looking at your work its outstanding


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## floyd_074 (Aug 24, 2009)

Outstanding pics of the yellow faced whip snakes, and great pictures overall. Thanks for sharing.


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## moloch05 (Aug 24, 2009)

Thanks, everyone, for their kind comments. It certainly was a memorable encounter.

Tim, as mentioned, I am using a Canon 40D with either a Tamron 90mm macro or Tamron 18x250 zoom.

Soylent, I was a few kms upriver from the town.

Thanks, Pike, for the Dendrobium id. I had a quick look on the net before posting but could not find the likely species.



Regards,
David


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## Sock Puppet (Aug 25, 2009)

Moloch, once again your pics are fantastic. Great find with the whippies together! Love the fact that you take the time to show habitat shots as well. Nice shots of the wild rock orchids, I have some at home that are about to explode too.


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## dottyback (Aug 25, 2009)

sensational photographs!


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