# Reptiles ID Townsville



## Oriolus (May 20, 2013)

Hi guys. Do you mind if I hijack this thread for a snake identification of my own? This was taken along the Ross River in Townsville.




unidentified snake by Oriolus84, on Flickr

While I'm here, I wouldn't mind your opinion on this skink as well. I was thinking _Lampropholis mirabilis_? Taken on Mount Stuart in Townsville



unidentified skink by Oriolus84, on Flickr


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## baker (May 20, 2013)

The snake is a keelback. I have no clue on the skink though.
Cheers Cameron


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## GeckPhotographer (May 20, 2013)

The skink's a Eulamprus, most probably E.tenuis but I don't have anything to check the distribution of a few other species I don't know as well atm, so I wouldn't rule out some other similar species.


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## Bluetongue1 (May 21, 2013)

The snake is a Keelback (Tropidonophis mairii). It has a loreal scale i.e. a between the nasal scale (containing the nostril) and the scale in front of the eye. This tells you it is a Colubrid and not an Elapid, which lack this scale. It also has pale labial (lip) scales with dark edging and the line of the jaw is not straight but curves upwards in the posterior section of it. Your specimen a less common colour variant – being reddish brown and not heavily patterned by the darker scales. The Keelback is entirely harmless. However, it does resemble a number of dangerously venomous species. So unless you are 110% competent at field recognition, treat any snake you come across with the respect you would accord a known to be dangerously venomous snake. 

The skink is a Bar-sided forest-skink (_Eulamprus tenuis_). The colour and patterning does not match the other two Eulamprus species found in the area. One has a yellow base colour the other has basically white to grey lower laterals with large dark splotches. In this species the lower laterals are light with a multitude tiny to larger darker flecking.

Blue


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## eipper (May 21, 2013)

The looks more like sokosoma to me, the barring is cleaner on tenuis


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## Oriolus (May 21, 2013)

Thanks for your help guys. Much appreciated!


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## Bluetongue1 (May 21, 2013)

aaYou are 100% correct Scott. My mistakes are obvious to me now. I am not quite sure how I managed to get it wrong, other than I was very tired at the time. The white and black of the lower lateral area of the body is characteristic of _E. sokosoma_. E. tenuis, as I have said before, has a black reticulum on a light grey background. This animal lacks the clear banding on the tail of most _E. tenuis_ and, as you say Scott, it lacks the more defined dorso-lateral barring of _E.tenuis_. It also lacks the black scales scattered over all of the dorsal surface.

Thanks Scott. It is good to know I have someone to keep me honest. 
Mike


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