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I have a little question, maybe some of you know it.

The RBBS is live bearing and the BBBS lays eggs. Why is that? These animals looks almost the same, but reproduce different!

What will happen if they would copulate? In some area's they both occur in the wild. In captive conditions you wouldn't try it offcourse :)
 
The reason RBB's don't lay eggs is because they occur in a cooler climate compared to Spotted Blacks (or Blue Bellies) which live in a warmer one, therefore giving birth to live young would be more suitable so the eggs don't have to be incubated in any way, but since it's much warmer up here, laying eggs is easier as they then don't have to carry them around inside until they are fully developed. I think 80-100% of snakes around Vic/Tas give birth to live young, due to the cool climate, and the further north you go, that percentage decreases. I read it in one of R. Shine's books I think.
The reason RBB's still give birth do live young right up into the tropics may be due to the fact they originated in the temperate areas and slowly made their way north.
 
Ok! Thank you for you awnser!

But do I understand correctly that some RBBS in warmer habitats produce eggs like the collets black and spotted black?

I am something like addicted to Aussie Elapids, do you know some real good books on them? Maybe I can order some :)
 
G'day Stefan,

All Red Bellies produce live young regardless of their distribution. In some areas, three species of Pseudechis occur sympatrically, however there haven't been any records of them interbreeding. In captivity that's a different story - Colletts and Spotted Blacks have been crossed a couple of times, and one of those has been crossed with Mulga's from memory too.

Rick Shine's book Australian Snakes - A Natural History contains lots of great elapid information. You can buy it from Mike Swan Herp Books - Mike Swan Herp. Books
 
This brown didnt quite make it across the road.
I took this just south of Eden last Saturday.
abrwn.jpg
 
Isnt the RBBS now being looked at as a single species ..and not going to be placed in the same category as the spotted ,colletts and mulga...? ..If I'am off track here , by all means push me back on ...
 
Nobody with any taxonomical credibility has put that forward recently RBB. I believe Wells and Wellington made the suggestion back in the mid 80's - rather than removing Red Bellies from Pseusdechis, they wanted to place the others into Cannia as per ICZN regulations. Ray Hoser has done something with it but it hasn't been accepted by anybody.
 
Well I thought it was being tossed in the air again ...fairys nuts ...cant argue cause nothing concrete
 
Hey Luke, the pic of Daisy isnt really doing her justice.
She is a lot brighter than than that.
Almost flourecent.
Hope your happy with her.
Here is a pic of a large redbelly in the river on Sunday morning.
Cheers
 

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Hey Luke, the pic of Daisy isnt really doing her justice.
She is a lot brighter than than that.
Almost flourecent.
Hope your happy with her.

I'm very happy with her Bazza :D We stayed up last night and watched TV together hehe

I took this photo the other day of my young Lowlands. It reminded me of the phrase: I spy, with my little eye :lol:

DSC_0069.jpg
 
More like the eye of doom :shock: He's kinda freaking me out....feel like he's staring right into my soul....

Daisy's a pretty girl, but you're a goose Moose :lol:
 
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