Identification of snake skin

[Imwattsy]

Hey all, just trying to get some identification if possible on this snake skin, don’t have any of the head of the skin only the scales and length roughly 700-800mm
Edit. Was found on the back step of a house

 

[Raymonde]

where do you live (town/region)?
can you count around the skin at about the middle of the body (midbody scales) along the diagonal line of scales from the big wide belly scale (ventral scale) and back around to the other side?
that will give the best information without the head scales to look at because they all have different numbers and we can at least tell you if it is a python or likely non-venomous. I can count at least 15 from the photo but i can't see if there are more on the other side. its not a green tree snake because they only have 13, if it has 30 or more it is a python, which would be good news for you but it doesn't look like it. unfortunately we probably won't be able to give you much more clarity, the head is the most important ID part, there is something called a loreal scale next to the eye which can tell you if it is venomous or not.

This website can help, https://www.arod.com.au/arod/scale/

the other thing to look as is the anal scale, if it is single or divided? basically it the point where the body ends and the official tail of the snake starts.

 

[Imwattsy]

where do you live (town/region)?
can you count around the skin at about the middle of the body (midbody scales) along the diagonal line of scales from the big wide belly scale (ventral scale) and back around to the other side?
that will give the best information without the head scales to look at because they all have different numbers and we can at least tell you if it is a python or likely non-venomous. I can count at least 15 from the photo but i can't see if there are more on the other side. its not a green tree snake because they only have 13, if it has 30 or more it is a python, which would be good news for you but it doesn't look like it. unfortunately we probably won't be able to give you much more clarity, the head is the most important ID part, there is something called a loreal scale next to the eye which can tell you if it is venomous or not.

This website can help, https://www.arod.com.au/arod/scale/
View attachment 332644
the other thing to look as is the anal scale, if it is single or divided? basically it the point where the body ends and the official tail of the snake starts.
View attachment 332645

Thanks for your help, location is around Harvey Bay. Photo of head and belly of skin shed is below

Can someone help identify this snake, Photos of below of snake skin shed including of head, tail, belly and scales. Location is Harvey Bay. Approx 800mm long

 

[Raymonde]

It's very hard to tell from photos, if i was holding the skin i think i could do it. Mostly as you don't know what it is i'm after so you don't know what to highlight in the photo, the main reason for the head is to see if it has a loreal scale (scale between the scale touching the eye and the scale the nostril is in) as that will tell you straight away whether it is likely to be venomous elapid (no loreal scale) or generally harmless colubrid (1-2 loreal scales)


I really tried but i can't be sure, it feels more likely to be an elapid but that is a gut feeling based on a distorted skin. However it may well be mildly venomous and i can't rule out that it could be a harmless tree snake or keelback.... basically i feel like all of this is no help at all.

if you can look at the skin yourself and count the midbody scales, and look for the loreal scale and report back I might be able to better, sorry.....

 

[Bluetongue1]

There are about 180 species of terrestrial snakes in Australia. The initial photos ruled out blind snakes and probably pythons (confirmed by second photos). That still leaves over 110 species in two families – Elapids and Colubrids. That is a lot to choose from on the skin alone, particularly given that most of them are not that dissimilar to one another in general form. This is why additional information was and is needed. For example, locality might reduce the number to say 1/10th or less. Scale information is also very important in further reducing the possibilities. There are some other characteristics that can also help. I have an idea what it might be but do need additional information to confirm this…

Locate the vent – the external opening on the underside (for getting rid of wastes and reproducing). It should be roughly around one fifth of the way up from the tail tip. The broad scale in front of the vent is the one which covers the opening in life and is call the anal scale. The scales from the vent backwards are the subcaudals and cover the underneath of the tail. Refer to the diagrams provided by @Raymonde.

1. Is the anal scale just one single scale or a pair of broad scales?

2. Are the subcaudal single scales or pairs of broad scales, or some of each?

3. What is the exact number of scales (not including the broad ventral scale) around the mid-body?

4. Was the slough (shed skin) found on the ground or above ground level and if so, how high was it located and in what?

5. Is there wetlands or a waterway nearby?