Rare and cryptid snakes

[youcantryreachingme]

Hello all.

Can anyone tell me - are there any stories of rare or undescribed Australian snake species? These might be extremely rare (and known species), or species now presumed extinct, or there might be stories describing snakes that do not fit any known descriptions (for example "it was rainbow coloured, 18 feet long and only ate termites!!!")

All answers accepted, but please don't make up stories as you go!

So basically - what's the story you've heard, when was the snake last seen, and roughly where was it supposed to be?

Stories of other reptiles would be of interest too. (Side note: I couldn't find any reference to recently extinct reptiles in Australia ... have any gone out of fashion at all?)

Thanks.

Chris.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day mate,

There are new species been described all the time. Australia has vast expanses of land where only a few people have ventured. Rare species of snake include Oenpelli Pythons, Rough Scale Pythons and Central Ranges Taipans.

There have only ever been a dozen or so Rough Scale Pythons sighted in the wild. Some of these were wild collected by John Weigel, and now there are more in captivity than specimens found in the wild. Oenpelli Pythons seem to be hard to find, and have a fairly limited range within Arnhem Land. Peter Krauss ended up with a couple, and managed to breed them, but unfortunately ignorant NPWS confiscated the animals and they haven't been bred since.

Central Ranges Taipans were only recently discovered and only one specimen has been found so far. They are found just inside WA, near the WA/SA/NT border.

Western Brown Snakes are a group of undescribed species. I believe Scott Keogh is currently working on them. Mulga snakes were though to be a species complex, but subsequent DNA work has shown there is very little variance in them despite their massive distribution.

In April 2007 we located an undescribed species of Whip Snake (Demansia) just outside of Innamincka, SA. They aren't uncommon, and I believe they may have recently been described, however I have yet to read the paper.

 

[CGSwans]

There have apparently been claims of sightings of Megalania in the Outback. I find it hard to believe that a 5m lizard could still be lurking without anyone knowing about it, though.

 

[Southside Morelia]

There have apparently been claims of sightings of Megalania in the Outback. I find it hard to believe that a 5m lizard could still be lurking without anyone knowing about it, though.

Funny you should say that!
My mate rang me literally last night to catch up as he's working in WA for a stint.
he told me a story of him stopping on a dirt road recently approx 300km's SE of port Headland, to move a log that was blocking his way.
He got out of his 4WD walked up the the log and it moved :shock:.
He told me he thought it was a F@#%&ng komodo dragon, it scared the crap out of him and he is a 6ft stocky ex boxer, not much scares him...except cats, but that's another story!
He then said he didn't think goannas got that big....I don't know what it was, neither does he conclusively!
Cheers

 

[Jonno from ERD]

scm,

Can just about guarantee that it would be a big Yellow Spotted Monitor, Varanus panoptes. They don't get overly long (1.8 metres would be huge), but they get incredibly stocky, with massive limbs, a very thick tail and a belly that only barely clears the ground when they are walking. Sometimes when you get close to them, rather than taking the flight option that most monitors would, they assume a bipedal stance - standing on their two hind legs - and stare you down. It's like they almost know they are the biggest, baddest monitor and they aren't afraid of a bit of confrontation.

 

[Mangles]

The Pilbara Cobra.

English Herpotolgist Mark O'Shea and Brian Bush did a documentary to locate an animal described as a Cobra. Refer link: http://www.markoshea.tv/series2/series02-02.html

In the end they did not find it, and think it may have been a King Brown.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

I remember watching that show a few years ago Mangles.

Wild Kingies can look and behave very similar to Cobra's.

 

[dintony]

Ohhhhh I have a story..... but I have to get permisson to tell first.......

 

[jessb]

They don't get overly long (1.8 metres would be huge), but they get incredibly stocky, with massive limbs, a very thick tail and a belly that only barely clears the ground when they are walking. Sometimes when you get close to them, rather than taking the flight option that most monitors would, they assume a bipedal stance - standing on their two hind legs - and stare you down. It's like they almost know they are the biggest, baddest monitor and they aren't afraid of a bit of confrontation.

faaaaaaaaark!
:shock::shock::shock::shock:

 

[Ryan93]

hey has any one ever herd of a pygmy mulga

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

central ranges taipans sound interesting,any pics?do they look any different to other inland taipans?

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

hey has any one ever herd of a pygmy mulga

yep as in [SIZE=-1]Pseudechis weigelii

they had a tv show about the search for a live specimen

they have some at the reptile park
[/SIZE]

 

[Ryan93]

that must be the show i am talking about cause that is how i found out. i think it was a show with brian fry in it i think. he has been bitten 32 times from venomous snakes

 

[Jonno from ERD]

Bryan has been bitten 24 times.

There are three species of Pygmy Mulga - one from the Kimberlies, one from Katherine area, and one from Mt Isa area. They are a bit of a taxonomical nightmare and I don't believe anyone has published a definitive description of them yet. I would love to see it if they have.

Central Ranges Taipans (Oxyuranus temporalis) look like a cross between a Western Brown Snake and a Coastal Taipan. The only captured specimen was originally labelled as a Western Brown until it was examined at the museum later on.

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

oxyuranus temporalis!

ill have to read up on them so there a seperate species?

the papuan taipan is labelled oxyuranus scutellatus canni
so its a sub species of coastel taipan but this temporalis is seperate species to the inland taipan?

thats interesting news will have to find some info on them

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

found this one of Oxyuranus temporalis

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

and theres more info if you google up Oxyuranus temporalis

 

[hawktime]

What about the Pailsi Pailsii, Johno could probably shed some light on this one.
I came across one at Duchess in 99 and it wasnt a happy camper!!!!

 

[hawktime]

Jonno, sorry.

 

[Australis]

Here is the pdf paper on Oxyuranus temporalis

http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01422p058.pdf