I am marlborough in nth qld working and have seen two black snakes both with bright yellow bellies and with a white/grey head. One i found dead and the other very much alive while out jogging. both were decent size snakes. The first i thought was a red belly black but after seeing the dead one i gather they are both the same and have a yellow belly..will try and get a photo of the dead one this arvo but can someone tell me what they are.. and they are not tree snakes lol ( google found under yellow belly black)
elapid snake ID
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waruikazi
Legendary
How big? ANd was the belly a clean yellow or did it have spots? Also, how confident are you that it was an elapid?
both 5-6ft thick and clean bright yellow( the dead one anyway as it was belly up.) and very confident it was elapid ( can try and get one to bite a work mate to test lol) looked like the red bellies i have seen many times just yellow underneath. will try for photo if i get back before dark tonight.
redbellybite
Almost Legendary
you sure your not getting a tad mixed up with slaty-grey's?
better chance to ID if you can get a decent pic up ..some of the head and some overall ..focus on the profile of the head to ,to rule out a possible loreal scale ..
better chance to ID if you can get a decent pic up ..some of the head and some overall ..focus on the profile of the head to ,to rule out a possible loreal scale ..
Good Q's Gordo, especially the last one.
Examine the dead specimen for the presence of a loreal scale (a scale between the preocular and nasal scales.
A highly speculative guess based primarily on the colours you describe is Dendrelaphis calligaster.
http://www.reptilesdownunder.com/arod/reptilia/Squamata/Colubridae/Dendrelaphis/punctulatus
Examine the dead specimen for the presence of a loreal scale (a scale between the preocular and nasal scales.
A highly speculative guess based primarily on the colours you describe is Dendrelaphis calligaster.
http://www.reptilesdownunder.com/arod/reptilia/Squamata/Colubridae/Dendrelaphis/punctulatus
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waruikazi
Legendary
Without a pic it is difficult. I'll reserve my ideas until you post up a pic.
redbellybite
Almost Legendary
he reckons he ruled out northern tree snake....and he claims that they're a thick build ...well pics may put a name to it ...at the moment its stab in the dark guessing
ok here is the pics
sorry taken on a mobile on dusk. the colours are a bit washed out. his body was jet black and his head lighter but no where near as light as the live one we saw his head was grey all over. the underneath was a lot more yellow the day before and in the photos looks a lot lighter. very pretty snake though
sorry taken on a mobile on dusk. the colours are a bit washed out. his body was jet black and his head lighter but no where near as light as the live one we saw his head was grey all over. the underneath was a lot more yellow the day before and in the photos looks a lot lighter. very pretty snake though
byron_moses
Very Well-Known Member
possibly a coastal taipan?
waruikazi
Legendary
Eastern Brown.
See those spots on it's belly? That's what i meant by having a clean belly or spotted lol.
See those spots on it's belly? That's what i meant by having a clean belly or spotted lol.
Ahh thats what you meant.. now i know lol
i had no idea what you were on about. i was 5 km in to a 10 km run so at that stage yesterday i was not really able to look that close because i was gasping for air lol
thanks for the ID
waruikazi
Legendary
No worries, i enjoy these threads!
I'm gonna take this opportunity to wave my finger at RBB and bushman while making a 'Tsk, tsk, tsk!' You both have the experience to know how dangerous making guesses at snake ID is. If you don't know, don't say. There's a massive difference between a calligaster or slatey and what i would consider Aus' most dangerous snake. I know you didn't say it def was or wasn't. My feelings on this topic are pretty well known.
Edit:
I forgot to get high and mighty with Byron. *Smacks Byron right in the kisser with a powdered pimp slap.*
I'm gonna take this opportunity to wave my finger at RBB and bushman while making a 'Tsk, tsk, tsk!' You both have the experience to know how dangerous making guesses at snake ID is. If you don't know, don't say. There's a massive difference between a calligaster or slatey and what i would consider Aus' most dangerous snake. I know you didn't say it def was or wasn't. My feelings on this topic are pretty well known.
Edit:
I forgot to get high and mighty with Byron. *Smacks Byron right in the kisser with a powdered pimp slap.*
I knew it was not a taipan as i have had many dealings with them and also tree snakes but all the browns i have seen have never looked the colours of this one. long way apart though from around south west qld to nth of rocky. apprently that colour is pretty common in town. as i said that is 2 i saw in 2 days.. also saw a mob of pigs near where i am working..... twice now no bow and game just wandering past.
redbellybite
Almost Legendary
Gordo ...we did say we cant be 100% and it was a stab in the dark ..nothing confirmed as was said untill pics were shown ...tsk tsk all you like smack my hand now OH JUST SMACK ME GORDO 
and now I CAN SAY ITS DEFINANTLY A KEELBACK
(easternbrown snake I know all to well ,its one of my most callout vens I catch now )
oh and just to add ,BECAREFUL when handling even dead vens cause you can still envenomate yourself if you pierce your skin on their fangs now ..and their fangs are very fine and sharp ...
and now I CAN SAY ITS DEFINANTLY A KEELBACK
(easternbrown snake I know all to well ,its one of my most callout vens I catch now
)oh and just to add ,BECAREFUL when handling even dead vens cause you can still envenomate yourself if you pierce your skin on their fangs now ..and their fangs are very fine and sharp ...
waruikazi
Legendary
Right you get a powdered pimp slap too.
Gordo ...we did say we cant be 100% and it was a stab in the dark ..nothing confirmed as was said untill pics were shown ...tsk tsk all you like smack my hand now OH JUST SMACK ME GORDO
and now I CAN SAY ITS DEFINANTLY A KEELBACK
(easternbrown snake I know all to well ,its one of my most callout vens I catch now
oh and just to add ,BECAREFUL when handling even dead vens cause you can still envenomate yourself if you pierce your skin on their fangs now ..and their fangs are very fine and sharp ...
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