# can anyone identify



## Mom_Dunn (Nov 16, 2008)

Hi, I live in Costa Rica and have a picture of a small, (approx. 14 inch) snake that I would like to know if anyone can identify. We live on the northwest pacific coast, it is dry tropical enviroment, 6 months dry and 6 months of rain.


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## Ned_fisch (Nov 16, 2008)

Mate, it is mostly all Aussies, a few Yankies. You best bet is to try on a US/American forum.


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## bundy_zigg (Nov 16, 2008)

looks like a rubber snake to me


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## ecosnake (Nov 16, 2008)

I believe its an unusual cotoration of a Coral snake or even a species of the false Coral Snake.


Marc


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## Philip77 (Nov 16, 2008)

Wow what a beautiful snake, obviously not one hundred percent sure but would possibly say a Western Long Nose snake (Rhinochilus Leconti) of some type. The colouration and patternation seems about right along with the size, this is a much brighter snake than any pictures of these snakes i have seen before and may of just shed. Totally harmless somewhat mimiking a coral snake with colours though pattern is completely wrong. As I may be completely wrong.
Cheers,
Phil


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## Philip77 (Nov 16, 2008)

All coral snakes follow a banded pattern of red - yellow - black - yellow, anything similar is a mimic


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## dtulip10 (Nov 16, 2008)

Philip77 said:


> Wow what a beautiful snake, obviously not one hundred percent sure but would possibly say a Western Long Nose snake (Rhinochilus Leconti) of some type. The colouration and patternation seems about right along with the size, this is a much brighter snake than any pictures of these snakes i have seen before and may of just shed. Totally harmless somewhat mimiking a coral snake with colours though pattern is completely wrong. As I may be completely wrong.
> Cheers,
> Phil



it similar to a western long nose but its colors just arnt right for that either. not sure on what it is myself though


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## ecosnake (Nov 16, 2008)

Philip77 said:


> All coral snakes follow a banded pattern of red - yellow - black - yellow, anything similar is a mimic


 


Not always...check them out.


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## Jonno from ERD (Nov 16, 2008)

Philip77 said:


> All coral snakes follow a banded pattern of red - yellow - black - yellow, anything similar is a mimic


 
That's a great way to get yourself bitten by one of the several species of Coral Snakes that don't follow that rule


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## JasonL (Nov 16, 2008)

I would hazard to guess it in the Rhinobothryum family. a juvenile snake will be much boldly coloured. Saying that, there are probably over 30 sp of Micrurus (Coral Snakes) in SA that vary greatly... generally though, they have blunter tails. Your best bet would be to send the photo's to a Museum for proper ID.


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## bundy_zigg (Nov 16, 2008)

I still say rubber snake


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## dtulip10 (Nov 16, 2008)

i have been doing some searches for snakes in costa rica, and man you guys have some cool stuff eyelash vipers and corals and vine snakes i mean check this dude out.


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## crocdoc (Nov 16, 2008)

Harlequin snake_
Scolecophis atrocinctus_

It's a colubrid and a coral snake mimic.

By the way, anyone that follows the 'red to black venom lack/friend of jack, red to yellow kill a fellow' rule has been reading too many American books. In the USA there are only two species of coral snake, both of which have red and yellow bands side by side, and several species of harmless colubrids in which the red and black bands are side by side. In Latin America there are are 50+ species of coral snake and they come in every combination of colours, including combinations in which the red and black bands are side by side. Some species only have red and black bands so the red and black bands have to be side by side, yet they are venomous.There are also harmless mimics that look almost identical until you examine head scalation.


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## Retic (Nov 16, 2008)

What a bizarre comment. 



trouser_snake6 said:


> Mate, it is mostly all Aussies, a few Yankies. You best bet is to try on a US/American forum.


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## cockney red (Nov 16, 2008)

boa said:


> What a bizarre comment.


No, he's right Ash, after all, its not an Oz snake, so how could anyone on this Forum possibly ID it.:lol:


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## bundy_zigg (Nov 16, 2008)

cockney red said:


> No, he's right Ash, after all, its not an Oz snake, so how could anyone on this Forum possibly ID it.:lol:


 

Wow so us Aussies only know our own snakes - You may but I bet there are heaps that know not only our snakes but also others, and loads of Aussies herpers travel over seas to see other herps.


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## NCHERPS (Nov 16, 2008)

crocdoc said:


> Harlequin snake_
> Scolecophis atrocinctus_
> 
> It's a colubrid and a coral snake mimic.
> ...



Yes, you are right.
It is sometimes called the centipede snake. Colourful critter!

Neil


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## Mom_Dunn (Nov 16, 2008)

Thank you everyone, from what i have read it is better to not take a chance.


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## JasonL (Nov 16, 2008)

crocdoc said:


> Harlequin snake_
> Scolecophis atrocinctus_
> QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## crocdoc (Nov 16, 2008)

cockney red said:


> No, he's right Ash, after all, its not an Oz snake, so how could anyone on this Forum possibly ID it.:lol:



I just did


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## crocdoc (Nov 16, 2008)

NCHERPS said:


> Yes, you are right.
> It is sometimes called the centipede snake.



The centipede snake is a different snake, genus _Tantilla_


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## NCHERPS (Nov 16, 2008)

JasonL said:


> crocdoc said:
> 
> 
> > Harlequin snake_
> ...


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## NCHERPS (Nov 16, 2008)

crocdoc said:


> The centipede snake is a different snake, genus _Tantilla_



You will realise in time that is one of the reasons that scientific names are used, the common names can be numerous, with at times the same common name being used for different species, however that is the one that was referred to in a book I read by Chris Mattison and a couple of others from memory to.

Cheers Neil


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## crocdoc (Nov 16, 2008)

NCHERPS said:


> You will realise in time that is one of the reasons that scientific names are used


My oh my, I never could understand why people would use those scientificky, latiny, hard-to-pronounce name thingies. THANKS!


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## cockney red (Nov 16, 2008)

Irony detectors are certainly at a premium today. But why should i be surprised.


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## Retic (Nov 16, 2008)

Too subtle ?


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## seanjbkorbett (Jan 9, 2009)

kewl


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## Bugsy (Jan 9, 2009)

Uuumm, dont mean to point out the obvious, but since only once person has, and nobody listened to her...Its made of rubber.


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## Stiletto (Jan 10, 2009)

*Harlequin snake.*



boa said:


> What a bizarre comment.
> 
> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *trouser_snake6*
> ...


Yeah! I'm Canadian!!

Rubber or not, here's a real one:

http://academic.sun.ac.za/capeherp/cederberg/images/Snakes/homoroselaps_lacteus.jpg


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