Snake ID: Gold Coast

[kronski]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and wondered if anyone could help ID this snake I saw today.

It was in the Gold Coast hinterland, in a habitat with lots of water and bushland around. It was lying across the path (an area of medium length cut grass, which was very wet) and was still. It was about 4pm today so just before dusk. It didn't move at all so I wondered if it was alive, but when I returned to the same spot later I saw it slithering into long grass.

Sorry my picture isn't great. I'd guess it was about 70-90cm long.

Thanks very much

 

[Dendrobates]

Snake is a keelback mate.

 

[jase75]

Agreed, its a Keelback.

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[Bluetongue1]

It has tan base colour with blackish banding and strongly keeled scales immediately narrow it down to one of two possibilities (especially the keeled scales) – Keelback (Tropidonophis mairii) or Rough-scaled Snake (Tropidechis carinatus). Both occur in your region. The two snakes are extremely similar in appearance but that is where the similarity ends. The Keelback belong to the Colubrid family and is non-venomous. In stark contrast, the Rough-scaled snake is an Elapid and therefore venomous and dangerously so. I recommend you Google images of both and you will how similar they are. There are some subtle but definite differences between the two species and the experienced eye can readily distinguish between them even in the field.

While the photo is not as clear as would be desirable, the diagonal “chequer board” pattern of bands is characteristic of Keelbacks. In Rough-scales the bands are straight around the body. The head is more distinct from the neck in Rough-scaleds and less so in Keelbacks, as in the photo.

Blue

 

[kronski]

Thanks for the detailed information, Bluetongue, that was really helpful.