Please identify this snake found on the road.

[biteme]

Hi Guys,
I am travelling around the top end of Australia and have found a lot of snakes on the road.

I found this guy on the road at night in North Western Qld. Near Lawn Hill National Park.

Would love to know what it was if you can tell from my pics.

Thanks for the help

Adrian

 

[kupper]

childrenii

 

[snakekid666]

looks likes a childrens python

 

[PilbaraPythons]

It looks a bit like Cryptophis boschmai, it is definately no python guys.

 

[Adsell]

Slaty grey

 

[hodges]

childrenii

Cant be serious ?

 

[swaddo]

hmm, doesnt look like any childreni i've seen, to me it looks more like an elapid.

looks like cryptophis boschmai (but too far west?)

*damn PB beat me to it

 

[biteme]

Thanks for the replys
Some more pics if it helps

 

[waruikazi]

How many times do i have to say this? If you don't know what it is don't go making a guess! It is potentially extremely dangerous to misidentify a snake.

I agree with Dave, it is some kind of Cryptophis but i couldn't say which one.

 

[waruikazi]

Actually i'm gonna change my mind after seeing those new pics and say some kind of furina possibly tristis. And then qualify that with a big fat 'I'm not sure any more.'

 

[waruikazi]

Hehehe i'm back.

After google earthing where you found it i'm gonna lean away from furina tristis but i'm still 95% it is a furina of some kind. Ornata occur where you found that one but they aren't usually that colour or that size. I have found some darker Ornata but never that big. Very interesting find, thanks for posting these are my favourite threads.

 

[andyscott]

To me it looks more like Furina barnardi (Yellow-naped snake),
but they dont occur that far north as a rule, not normaly much higher than Cairns.
So it may well be Furina tristis (Brown-headed snake).
Either way its one of the 2, so dont get bitten, you will be sick for the rest of your trip.

 

[biteme]

Thanks for the replies waruikazi, glad you liked the pics.

I was driving slow expecting to see a snake on the road but I still had to lock up the brakes to avoid splatting the guy. Also punctured a tyre in the process.
Anyway he lives to fight another day.

Great fun out here for a reptile lover, snakes on the road most nights and lots of lizards in the day time.

Adrian

 

[waruikazi]

Geographicallly banardi are closer than tristis so you could definately be on the money there, but i don't think they are meant to get nearly that big either.

 

[dee4]

How many times do i have to say this? If you don't know what it is don't go making a guess! It is potentially extremely dangerous to misidentify a snake.

I agree with Dave, it is some kind of Cryptophis but i couldn't say which one.

Actually i'm gonna change my mind after seeing those new pics and say some kind of furina possibly tristis. And then qualify that with a big fat 'I'm not sure any more.'

Hehehe i'm back.

After google earthing where you found it i'm gonna lean away from furina tristis but i'm still 95% it is a furina of some kind. Ornata occur where you found that one but they aren't usually that colour or that size. I have found some darker Ornata but never that big. Very interesting find, thanks for posting these are my favourite threads.

Are you sure???

 

[waruikazi]

Are you sure???

I thought i made that pretty clear

 

[dee4]

I thought i made that pretty clear

Clear as mud, good work

 

[andyscott]

Geographicallly banardi are closer than tristis so you could definately be on the money there, but i don't think they are meant to get nearly that big either.

Agreed that if it is a banardi, its a monster size and a fantastic find.

These 2 pic were taken from Steve Wilson and Gerry Swan's book,
A complete guide to Reptiles of Australia.
Every herper should have a copy its great.

1st pic barnardi

2nd pic tristis

 

[biteme]

To me it looks more like Furina barnardi (Yellow-naped snake),
but they dont occur that far north as a rule, not normaly much higher than Cairns.
So it may well be Furina tristis (Brown-headed snake).
Either way its one of the 2, so dont get bitten, you will be sick for the rest of your trip.

Thanks Andy,

No I won’t get bitten!

Check this pic of another I found earlier in my trip , up the very top of Cape York. A local said it was a Brown headed snake , very common up there , I saw quite a few on the road after dark , looks a lot different to the pics in my original post.

What do you think?

 

[waruikazi]

Clear as mud, good work

Unfortunately for us reptiles tend not to read the feild guides to find out where they are meant to be and they have a habit of turning up where they aren't expected. I think the best ID that this snake can be given on this forum is at the genus level.

Adrian i would send those pics to the QLD museum and see what they have to say.