Herp Trip to Nth Qld

[salebrosus]

I went on a fabulous two week holiday with serpenttongue, inw hich we got to do a little herping. Unfortunately of what we did see only a few shots turned out. More oftne than not, both of use would exit the car at blistering speed to run up and look at the herp before we realised that the camera was in the boot of the car. Sadly i did most of the driving as the dear serpenttongue forgot to pull up the handbrake when we stopped so i didn't trust him with my car after that.

So here are just a few shots of what we saw, the photos of elapid a, elapid b and elapid c i have no idea what it is. The photos do not do it justice as it was RED as red can be. The photos make it look coppery but it was definately bright red, sadly it was going through the rolls of death after having been hit by a car before we found him. So any experienced herpers who can offer their expertise in ID'ing it would be great.

Also a huge thank you to Magpie and Wrasse for catching up with us during the trip.

Cheers,

Simone.

 

[salebrosus]

Some more shots.

Simone.

 

[salebrosus]

And two more of the turtle.

Monie!

 

[ryanharvey1993]

awsome pics is that snake laying on its back dead? what species is it?

 

[Magpie]

Hey, was nice to meet you two.
Shame the weather wasn;t much good for herping

 

[Goannas1]

is that a albino in picture 4 ??? or is it on its back??

 

[salebrosus]

No it was a little elapid that was rolling around and around after it had just been hit. I am hoping some other keepers might be able to offer some input as i am positive it was an elapid but it didnt match anything in the Reptiles of Queensland book. The photos dont show the true colour either as the the body was blood red. I should've bagged and frozen it and brought it back for identification. I guess when you hit the anchors on a highway for it you just want to get the hell back in your car before you get slammed lol.

It was fine Magpie, i will be back in the area again at the end of the year with the old man. Nick still has the picture your kids drew for him, i can't believe they snubbed Monie

Simone.

 

[eipper]

Simone,

Your first Elapid is a Small eyed Snake Cryptophis nigrescens (the black one)

Your Second elapid is a Black Striped Snake Cryptophis nigrostriatus.
Cheers,
Scott Eipper

 

[salebrosus]

Thank you scott.

Simone

 

[lozza_rae]

Yep I agree with Eipper. The dying one is definitely a black-striped. Where exactly in North Queensland were you. I live in Weipa, and I see a lot of C. nigrostriatus (black-striped snake)

 

[lozza_rae]

I would of said the first one was possibly a slatey-grey. Eipper can you please tell me how you can tell in that particular photo. What's the easiest way to tell?

 

[salebrosus]

Close to Mount Carbine, it was on the Peninsula Development Highway. I really wasnt sure about the black stiped snake as this thing was deinately red and the pics in my books didn't show it as red or say they can be red. Sad to see him dying though.

The snake that eipper said was a small eyed was at a different location, near a rainforest. I only saw him at the last minute, ran up with the camera before it slithered off the road in a hurry.

Simone.