# Peruvian Amazon 2 -- Madre Selva Snakes



## moloch05 (Feb 5, 2010)

Here are the snakes that were observed at Madre Selva. Most of these snakes were discovered at night. We usually broke into singles or small groups and then walked the forest trails while scanning the surrounding forest floor and vegetation. In general, snakes were really difficult to find. I only found snakes on every other night but some of the guys were more successful. It always was interesting due to the incredible variety of arthropods. I will have posts of these before long.

Blind Snake (_Typhlops sp_.)








Amazon Tree Boa (_Corallus hortulanus_) -- these varied considerably in colour and pattern. I will have photos of others in the Santa Cruz snake post.

















Rainbow Boa (_Epicrates cenchria_) -- a small juvenile.












Boa Constrictor (_Boa constrictor_)













Rusty Whipsnake (_Chironius scurrulus_)













Tawny Forest Racer (_Dendrophidion dendrophis_)








Big-headed Snail-eating Snake (_Dipsas indica_)


















Common Glossy Racer (_Drymoluber dichrous_)












Banded South American Water Snake (_Helicops angulatus_)


















Spotted Water Snake (_Helicops leopardinus_)













Common Blunt-headed Treesnake (_Imantodes cenchoa_)

















Common Swamp Snake (_Liophus reginae_) - These snakes put on a good show when annoyed.























Banded Calico Snake (_Oxyrhophus melanogenys_)












Amazon Scarlet Snake (_Pseudoboa coronata_)













Common Liana Snake (_Siphlophus cervinus_)













Red Vine Snake (_Siphlophus compressa_)














Short-nosed Leaf-litter Snake (_Taeniophallus brevirostris_)








Aquatic Coral Snake (_Micrurus surinamensis_) -- As the name implies, these corals live in the water. They were fish eaters that were fairly common at Madre Selva in the small streams like this:





These streams were full of fish:

















South American Lancehead or Fer-de-Lance (_Bothrops atrox_)
This species was said to be the most common snake at Madre Selva but our group only encountered a few. They certainly blend well with the leaf litter so we may have overlooked others. I was surprised by the speed of the large snake below. When it decided to crawl away, it headed off at high speed, a little like the elapids in Australia.






















Regards,
David


----------



## GeckoJosh (Feb 5, 2010)

wow the Big-headed Snail-eating Snake and the blunt headed tree snake have some of the coolest/strangest faces iv seen
I find it very hard to pic a favourite but id have to say the Amazon Scarlet Snake is absolutely stunning 
Thanks for sharing these amazing images
Gex


----------



## Kitah (Feb 5, 2010)

One word to describe this- WOW! Stunning photos, and absolutely gorgeous snakes! 

I love the little rainbow boa, such nice markings and colour! 

The second picure of the big headed snail eating snake is great, and quite amusing lol. Strange looking snake  

And the common blunt headed treesnake? it looks awesome! very, very bizare- it nearly looks like a piece of rope, its neck is so thin! I really love its markings though

Is the Amazon scarlet that.. 'neon' in real life? If so, that'd be pretty darned impressive to see! 

Again.. wow, simply fantastic. Possibly one of my favourite threads, if not the favourite. So many unfamiliar snake sp.! Sorry about my comments on the snakes/pictures, I couldn't help it


----------



## moloch05 (Feb 5, 2010)

Thanks very much, Gex and xshadowx.

Gex,
The headshape of the Dipsas is so strange. It is amazing to see pics of these pulling snails out of their shells.

The Scarlet Snakes are really bright and beautiful. Red seems to be a popular colour among the colubrids and I have shots of a DOR Mussarana (Clelia clelia) that looks almost the same as the Pseudoboa.

I have a few corrections to make:

1) The Typhlops is T. reticulatus, the Giant Blind Snake
2) The swamp snake is Liophis typhlus, Velvety Swamp Snake
3) The Oxyrhopus melanogenys is really O. petola

(Thanks Dick Bartlett)

Regards,
David


----------



## Sock Puppet (Feb 5, 2010)

moloch05 said:


> Gex,
> The headshape of the Dipsas is so strange. It is amazing to see pics of these pulling snails out of their shells.


Wow, I'd have thought the big head would have allowed for swallowing the shell whole! I had a mental image of it doing to snails what egg eating snakes do to eggs, swallowing whole, crushing internally, then ejecting the waste. Would be very interesting to watch them eat.

Very excellent photography as usual. Love the colours & patterns in the Rainbow Boa & Banded Calico, the large eyes of the obviously nocturnal Tawny Forest Racer & Blunt Headed Tree Snake, by my fave would have to be the beautiful Liana Snake, just love those colours, with that red dorsal stripe.


----------



## slacker (Feb 5, 2010)

Awesome thread, David. Thanks for posting it!

-Lee


----------



## Naja_nivea (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks for sharing great pics and tryp info. So many incredible snakes there. I have always wanted to do big tryp down the amazon and so jealous, but will get the time and money sometime.


----------



## norris (Feb 6, 2010)

Tonksy said:


> the large eyes of the obviously nocturnal Tawny Forest Racer & Blunt Headed Tree Snake,



The Tawny Forest Racer has round pupils, so it's probably diurnal, but the Blunt Headed Tree snake does look nocturnal though.


----------



## bongie555 (Feb 6, 2010)

yep, i agree...WOW...tnk u...


----------



## norris (Feb 6, 2010)

Oh, and nice photos btw


----------



## thals (Feb 6, 2010)

Each pic more stunning than the next! Love the swampie with the attitude along with the tree snakes - the eyes on those things are just phenomenal, never cease to amaze me!


----------



## whcasual79 (Feb 6, 2010)

MADNESS .... awesome pics mate .... must've been a top experience ...

gotta love the juve rainbow boa and Common Blunt-headed Treesnake ...

cheers for sharing


----------



## wizz (Feb 6, 2010)

very nice mate


----------



## cockney red (Feb 6, 2010)

Gobsmacked!!!!


----------



## dtulip10 (Feb 6, 2010)

moloch you are living the dream. lots of jealousy coming from my computer this morning.

did the fer-der-lance give you much curry?

cheers Dayle


----------



## fishunter (Feb 6, 2010)

WOW...i've never seen so many awesome looking snakes on one thread lol lucky bugger


----------



## moloch05 (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks, all.

Norris,
You are correct that the Tawny Forest Racer is diurnal. This is how we found one of these snakes, asleep in a shrub.






Dayle,
I did not catch the Fer-de-Lance but it was a highly defensive snake. After we took a few pics, it decided to race away. One of the guys had a hook but this was not enough to safely control the snake. It dove into a clump of fallen branches and then just disappeared. We could not relocate it.

Regards,
David


----------



## ReptilianGuy (Feb 6, 2010)

Absolutely amazing, ShnakeyGirl and I have been looking forward to the herp pictures from your trip after reading your first Amazon thread!


----------



## jordo (Feb 6, 2010)

Top pics! Must have been great to go herping overseas, very jealous! Get many lizards and frogs?


----------



## Banjo (Feb 6, 2010)

Thank-you for sharing, they are amazing photos. I like the big headed snail eating snake.


----------



## Sock Puppet (Feb 6, 2010)

norris said:


> The Tawny Forest Racer has round pupils, so it's probably diurnal, but the Blunt Headed Tree snake does look nocturnal though.





moloch05 said:


> Norris, You are correct that the Tawny Forest Racer is diurnal


Thanks for the correction Norris & David, I always just associated eye & pupil size to being nocturnal, not necessarily pupil shape. Always something new to learn! Cheers


----------



## moloch05 (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks, all.

ReptilianGuy,
I will have many more snake pics in one of the Santa Cruz posts in a week or so.

Gordo,
I saw a few lizards and many frogs. The next post will include these animals. I won't post again until I am back in Australia next week. Today, I met Jeff Lemm of the San Diego Wildlife Park. I have communicated with him before and Jeff kindly took me around the park and showed me his study sites. It is winter in souther California but the temps are warm. We saw 5 species of snakes including 2 rattlesnakes and 6 species of lizards. I will post photos of these eventually along with shots of his rare iguanas (Blue, Rock, Jamaican) that he is breeding.


Regards,
David


----------



## DDALDD (Feb 6, 2010)

Absolutely fantastic mate, thanks for sharing.


----------



## 53ERX (Jul 19, 2011)

Great pics, very jealous. Will definitely get to Peru one day, this is just another thing on the list to see.
If I'm not mistaken, I saw, and have pics of a Spotted Water Snake (_Helicops leopardinus_) in Austin, TX, from when I was there a few months ago.
Couldn't identify it, but recognised immediately when I saw your photo.

Didn't think people would mind the reviva l 
Stunning thread.


----------



## Smithers (Jul 19, 2011)

Now this thread revival is def worth seeing...I could go on and on about the images, jaw droppers for sure.


----------



## Banjo (Jul 19, 2011)

Agreed Smithers, I certainly enjoyed looking through the amazing pictures again.


----------



## Renenet (Jul 19, 2011)

This is a great thread revival. I missed it the first time. Extraordinary photos - thanks for posting them!


----------



## hugsta (Jul 19, 2011)

WOW!!! Absolutely amazing photos David. What a trip that must have been, to so many gorgeous animals, you lucky buggar. Thanks for sharing, awesome stuff.


----------



## CHEWY (Jul 19, 2011)

AS always David, stunning photos.

If anyone is interested in finding animals like this, give me a PM.
I did a herp survey in Peru (Tambopata, Madre De Dios) in 2004. I am still in touch with everyone there and the project is still going strong. 
I loved the whole experience and will be returning as soon as the wife lets me.

Cheers

JD


----------



## Treknotechelaps (Jul 25, 2011)

WOW!  This thread has just brightened up my day after enduring another cold and miserable day in Melbourne.
Absolutely spectacular snakes and photos.
Love them all but particularly the Rusty Whip, Big-headed Snail-eating, Big-headed Tree and Liana Snakes.
Cant wait to see the Santa Cruz pics.


----------

