If this axolotl in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user tadpoleo doesn’t make you smile, I am not sure what will! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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What a cool field shot of this Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus reticulatus) in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user reptoman ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Once thought to be restricted to southernmore locales, Cope’s gray treefrog is now known to occur pretty much over the entire range of the gray treefrogs. This is Hyla chrysoscelis.
Two genetic terms, diploid and tetraploid come into play when discussing these 2 lookalike species, the Gray treefrog, Hyla versicolor and Cope’s gray treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis. At one time it was thought the the two could be identified by range and/or call with versicolor being the more northerly and having the more slowly trilled, more pleasing (=musical) call. These are now known to be invalid criteria. A friend has found versicolor as far south as Tallahassee, FL and others have found chrysoscelis as far north as Michigan and Massachusetts.
So, exactly how do you separate these 2 common treefrogs? Well, unless you have a genetics lab available you do so inexactly. With a lab, chromosome count can be determined. The gray treefrog is tetraploid, having twice the number of chromosomes as the diploid Cope’s gray treefrog. Without the lab you’ll have to extrapolate and hypothesize, determining the findings of previous researchers for the frogs from a given locale, then comparing whether the calls are pleasant and rather slowly trilled or harsh and rapidly pulsed (almost like a rivetgun)—and of course this latter will only work on the males—the females are silent. And I still find that gray treefrogs are the more common in the northerly climes while Cope’s gray treefrogs are more common in the south.
So you should now be able to at least guess at the identification of the treefrog you are listening to or watching. And of course the name, “gray”, is definitive, right. Nope. While they are often gray, they might actually be a pretty green through shades of gray to almost white. But in all phases they do have a white marking beneath each eye and extensive orange in the groin region.
Have fun.
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Do you know a diabetic? LLet them know that animals like this Gila Monster in our herp photo of the day in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user LJs Herps Are helping to save their lives! Medication made from the venom of Gila Monsters helps to keep blood sugar balanced for millions in the world. We celebrate all things venomous on Rattlesnake Friday to help remind people of the importance of the malaligned animals Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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What a stunning Mt. Horned Dragon in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user firereptiles ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Amazon Tree Boas are some of the most photogenic snakes in our world, like this one in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user BPruett , always perfectly posed! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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San Diego ringneck, D. p. similisAmazingly, even today, in the midst of nomenclatural clownery, there remain 12 subspecies of ring-necked snake, Diadophis punctatus, in the USA. When you add the 2 exclusively Mexican forms (Todos Santos ringneck, D. anthonyi and the Michoacan ringneck, D. dugesii) there are 14 subspecies.
But for now let’s stick with the USA forms. Of the 12, 1 is northeastern (plus adjacent Canada), 3 are southeastern, 2 are more or less centralian, and 6 occur along the Pacific Coast from southern CA (and nearby Baja) to central WA. Interestingly, although a couple extend beyond CA, all 6 of these subspecies may be found somewhere in CA. And among those 6 are some of the most resplendent subspecies (not that all ringnecks, no matter where they may be found, aren’t of noteworthy beauty).
Here is a listing of the USA ringnecks as well as pix of three of the most brightly colored Pacific Coast subspecies.
Northeastern ring-necked snakes:
D. p. edwardsii — northern ring-necked snake
Southeastern ring-necked snakes:
D. p. acricus — Key ring-necked snake
D. p. punctatus — southern ring-necked snake
D. p. stictogenys — Mississippi ring-necked snake
Centralian ring-necked snakes:
D. p. arnyi — prairie ring-necked snake
D. p. regalis — regal ring-necked snake
Pacific Coast ring-necked snakes:
D. p. amabilis — Pacific ring-necked snake
D. p. modestus — San Bernardino ring-necked snake
D. p. occidentalis — northwestern ring-necked snake
D. p. pulchellus — coralbelly ring-necked snake
D. p. similis — San Diego ring-necked snake
D. p. vandenburgii — Monterey ring-necked snake
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San Diego ringneck, D. p. similisAmazingly, even today, in the midst of nomenclatural clownery, there remain 12 subspecies of ring-necked snake, Diadophis punctatus, in the USA. When you add the 2 exclusively Mexican forms (Todos Santos ringneck, D. anthonyi and the Michoacan ringneck, D. dugesii) there are 14 subspecies.
But for now let’s stick with the USA forms. Of the 12, 1 is northeastern (plus adjacent Canada), 3 are southeastern, 2 are more or less centralian, and 6 occur along the Pacific Coast from southern CA (and nearby Baja) to central WA. Interestingly, although a couple extend beyond CA, all 6 of these subspecies may be found somewhere in CA. And among those 6 are some of the most resplendent subspecies (not that all ringnecks, no matter where they may be found, aren’t of noteworthy beauty).
Here is a listing of the USA ringnecks as well as pix of three of the most brightly colored Pacific Coast subspecies.
Northeastern ring-necked snakes:
D. p. edwardsii — northern ring-necked snake
Southeastern ring-necked snakes:
D. p. acricus — Key ring-necked snake
D. p. punctatus — southern ring-necked snake
D. p. stictogenys — Mississippi ring-necked snake
Centralian ring-necked snakes:
D. p. arnyi — prairie ring-necked snake
D. p. regalis — regal ring-necked snake
Pacific Coast ring-necked snakes:
D. p. amabilis — Pacific ring-necked snake
D. p. modestus — San Bernardino ring-necked snake
D. p. occidentalis — northwestern ring-necked snake
D. p. pulchellus — coralbelly ring-necked snake
D. p. similis — San Diego ring-necked snake
D. p. vandenburgii — Monterey ring-necked snake
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This is dedicated to everyone who thinks Pythons are just fat lazy snakes. I present the glorious Savu Python (Liasis mackloti savuensis) in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user chefdev ! Agile, active, light bodied and their color, you can only appreciate their beauty in person. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! This big momma Timber rattlesnake shot in the field in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user throatoyster is a thing of beauty! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.
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There is no mistaking why these guys are called the yellow-belly puffing snake (Spilotes sulphureus), as you can see in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user zmarchetti ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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This frillie looks a little angry our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user nydon ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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What a chunker! I’m just gonna go out on a limb and say that the Barking Tree Frog in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user saltycity has never missed a meal! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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The hobbyist favorite, the colorful South African coral cobra.
Of the 3 subspecies of this interesting, 23 to 30 inch long, burrowing, elapine snake, it is the most brightly colored, southernmost, race, the Cape coral cobra, Aspidelaps l. lubricus, that is the hobbyist favorite.
A snake of arid habitats of the Cape region of South Africa and southern Namibia, when young this narrow-hooded cobra relative is clad dorsally and laterally in broad red and, except for the broad black nuchal marking, narrow black rings. When its anterior is elevated in the defensive posture, 2 or 3 broad black bands are displayed across its white throat and anterior venter. The red body rings are brightest dorsally and may fade noticeably on the sides. As the snake grows and ages the rings tend to break and become incomplete ventrally. The triangular nose-tip rostral scale is noticeably enlarged and helps this little snake with its burrowing proclivities. In nature it crepuscular and nocturnal and is often found beneath rocks.
The 2 more northerly forms, A. l. cowelsi of central Namibia and A. l. infuscatus (this latter being of questionable validity) of northern Namibia and southern Angola, are duller in color and may attain a slightly larger size. They are only marginally differentiated from each other, the former having a dark head and the latter having a light head, and are best identified by range.
Captives are easily maintained and, if cooled slightly in winter breed readily Frozen/thawed mice of suitable size are usually hungrily accepted as are various lizards. A clutch may contain from 4 to 8 (rarely a few more) eggs.
No matter how long they are captive, the coral cobras usually retain a feisty disposition, huffing, puffing, and occasionally striking at any and all disturbances.
Human deaths have been caused by bites from this small snake. The venom is neurotoxic. Extreme care should be used at all times.
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We totally LOVE this Cribo in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user steve fuller ! We are so jealous! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! This is a stunning shot of a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user juzior ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world, not just rattlesnakes. They all need our help to change misconceptions.
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That’s a whole lotta bull. Bullsnake that is! Loving the colors on the one here in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user orchidspider has never missed a meal! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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There might be a poem that matches this Sinaloan Milk Snake’s colors in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user kingzilla but we promise that poem is not 100% correct! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Ever wonder what a group of frogs would talk about? This batch of White’s Tree Frogs seem like they are having a meeting of the minds in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user DanitaParapai ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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This little Dumeril’s Boa is ready to rock in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user liljenni . Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Most of the western slender glass lizards that we found were between 16 and 22 inches in total length.
Last summer Jake and I spent a few days in Kansas looking for western massasaugas and Plains hog-nosed snakes. We succeeded admirably on the rattler (learning in the process that the Kansas examples are as fast as the proverbial greased lightning and very quick to take fright) but failed on the hoggy.
But while we were busily failing on Heterodon we began taking note of the number of western slender glass lizards, Ophisaurus a. attenuatus that we saw. Not only were the anguids present but they were present in numbers, and in huge numbers at that. As the sun was dipping low in the west or, if you prefer, as the earth was spinning rapidly eastward, we would see first one, then another, then 3 or 4 more, all subadults, of this pretty, prominently striped, lizard. By the time we acknowledged failure with the hognose each night we would have seen 10 to 20 glass lizards. While the western slender glass lizard was no stranger to me, at no other place had I seen them in such numbers.
And of at least as much interest as the mere presence of the lizards was the fact that almost all had a full, original tail. Kansas! For me the state itself and remembrances of western slender glass lizards will be forever intertwined.
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By Kevin
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!
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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Today we bring you this serene headshot of a lovely Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus), uploaded by kingsnake.com user MartinWhalin1 ! This guy was found in the wild in Arizona and as you can see, he was respected by the herpers and he gave them respect in return. Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.
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I’m pretty sure photoshop was used on this Ackie in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user BryanD , but I would prefer to think they are realy taking over outter space! What a cool shot in black and white! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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So very underestimated but how many of you caught a Garter like the one in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user snakekate for your first field find? Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Sonoma County has some beautiful Black Speckled Salamanders, just like this one in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user skyserpent ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Love the darker phase of this greyband in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user trevid ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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I actually successfully bred this male South Florida mole king with a smaller female–both commercially obtained.
Dratted snake! How many times—how many years—how many pure thoughts—does it take to find a live one? I’ve tried over and over and over again— and then tried again–alone and with Jake. Sum total? Zero alive!
Other friends have found this elusive snake, and acquaintances have found even more. But my total–1, found years ago as road jerky over near Okeechobee City. And that doesn’t count in my book. So, other than a tale of failure, what is the story here?
Well, here it is in shortened format: After Price described this snake (Price, R.M. 1987. Disjunct occurrence of mole snakes in Peninsular Florida, and the description of a new subspecies of Lampropeltis calligaster. Bull. Chicago Herpetol. Soc. 22 (9): 148) the “lamprophiles of which I am not one, began flocking to South Florida (shades of L. alterna!) looking hard for the mole king.
Some succeeded, many (me included) failed. But I did continue to look occasionally, and did so throughout the described range of the subspecies. It was early on that I found the DOR and began to note that even though infrequently seen the snake was collected by others for the pet trade. So, wanting to actually see one in the wild, I began looking a little more frequently. I found garter snakes, water snakes and rat snakes galore, and even an occasional Florida king, but not a single mole king. I got so used to failure that when friends found one, I sulked. Yes, I sulked, and I’m not even fond of kingsnakes of any flavor. But I’m even less fond of perpetual failure.
So I stopped looking, and did so just in time, because the genetic wizards have just elevated it from subspecies status to a full species, and there’s no sense in wasting more time looking for a subspecies when I could be wasting it looking for a full species!
OK, Jake. No more procrastination. It’s time to find one of these durn things. South Florida, here we come!
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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Isn’t this a gorgeous Southern Pacific Rattlesnake in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Canes05 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.
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Hopefully the gorgeous blues of this Dendrobates auratus uploaded by kingsnake.com user amazonreptile will brighten your day. Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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You know it is going to be fun when you start out the day with an Eastern coachwhip in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user jodscovry! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Such a lovely contrast against the blue, this Angolan Python takes the spotlight in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user EdCB ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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We might be biased, but we have always have a soft spot for kingsnakes, like this California mountain kingsnake in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user EdzExotics ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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The longitudinally divided dorsal stripe of the juvenile Scott Bar salamander is easily seen here.
The Scott Bar salamander (Plethodon asupak) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. The genus occurs primarily in the USA but a few species extend northward into southern Canada. The Scott Bar salamander is restricted to a very small range in the Scott River drainage in Siskiyou County, California, at altitudes between 2,300 and 4,300 ft. Described in 2005, it is one of the most recently recognized species in the genus.
About half of the Scott Bar salamanders 5 inch length is tail. Males seem marginally the smaller gender. Juveniles are often more brightly colored than the adults, having a well defined red dorsum that is divided lengthwise by an ill-defined brownish stripe. Old adults often lack even vestiges of red, being an overall white-flecked gray. The flecking is most profuse laterally and the ground color is darkest ventrally.
Within its preferred habitat of rocky montane, evergreen clad, slopes, this can, within its limited range, be an abundant species, and on foggy or dew-spangled nights a fair number may be seen foraging. In this behavior they are identical to many (if not most) of the more widespread woodland salamanders.
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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! This Timber Rattlesnake in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user herpermike1 was found in a very populated area in Tennesee, and moved to a more safe location! Great Message! ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.
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Diamond’s aren’t just a girl’s best friend, they are everyones! This stunning Diamond Python our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user CincyGrady shows us why! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Here is something you don’t see every day! A field shot of a Guyana Kentropyx (Kentropyx borckiana) in Barbados for our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user davemangham is feeling SASSY! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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A whole lot of AWWWWS for this newborn Collared Lizard in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user the4thmonkey! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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After a weekend of relaxing, like the Water Dragon in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user arkherps , it’s time to get back to the grind! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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The 3 subspecies of swamp snakes are very similar in appearance, They are best determined by
ventral scale count and range.This is the North Florida swamp snake, Liodytes pygaea pygaea.
The North Florida swamp snake, a small but very pretty, predominantly aquatic taxon, has recently been reclassified by the nomenclatural clowns. Seminatrix, the very long-standing genus name applied to the 3 subspecies of swamp snake, is no longer valid. These snakes are now grouped with the crayfish snakes in the genus Liodytes. with the North Florida subspecies being the nominate form, Liodytes p. pygaea.
Despite their seldom being seen, the swamp snakes are among the most common of our southeastern serpents. Most of the few seen are found during their rather infrequent terrestrial ramblings while they are crossing expanses of open ground such as trails, roads, or paths.
But if you happen to be in an area where masses of aquatic vegetation (especially the invasive water hyacinths) are being dredged, and if you have a chance to sort through the root systems of those plants, you may find these shiny red-orange bellied black snakes present in the dozens.
These little natricines feed on a wide variety of aquatic organisms that range from leeches and worms to amphibian larvae.
Live bearing, the diminutive 4-5 inch long neonates are exactly like the adults in all except size.
Continue reading “North Florida Swamp Snake” …read more
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