Can Anyone ID this snake?

[BOD]

Found in West Java at about 150m elevation near wet rice fields.

About 6 foot long. Known locally as "ular tanah" (land snake). Reputedly venomous by locals (but they err on the side of caution in most cases)

[IMG][/IMG]

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[tinderbox]

Apparently non venomous.

http://sites.google.com/site/snakesi...ted-bronzeback

[Adze]

Can you narrow the location down a bit for us Bod? Actually, scratch that, I've just seen the top of the post.

[Adze]

If it's Australasian, it's a pretty good match for some sort of whip snake, particularly given it's apparent length. However, the Australian Copperhead has that dark banding around the scales you can see towards the tail. I reckon we'll find out as soon as JD sees this thread

[BOD]

Yes but the terrain is similar for 60 klicks all around that. lat 6.5 S; long 106.6E

The scale pattern is different and it is longer than the bronzeback in the link tinderbox. I too thought bronzeback but it is probably not arboreal. I only know the venomous ones

[Imagedude]

That'd make a nice belt.

[Adze]

I'm still erring towards a whip snake of one species or another - there's lots of them and the colour variations are huge even within species. That head shape and the large round pupil is very colubrid, mind you, definitely worth taking care until you do have it ID'd as some of the elapidae look not too dissimilar.

[tinderbox]

I just searched for "ular tanah", and got a few links to the painted bronzeback. It wouldn't be surprising if the name was really applied to more than one species.

[leon-1]

Apparently Tanah and Pohon normally refer to Vipers, but not being a herpetologist I am not even going to try to identify it. To be honest when I fist saw it I thought possibly juvenile Taipan. That of course would make it an elapid which I think would be Malasa and not Tanah.

As I said though I am no herpetologist and in many ways what the locals are doing is right, erring on the better side of caution is possibly a better bet than potentially being bitten.

I think you need JonathanD to pop his head around the door on this.

[JonathanD]

I'm on my phone, so can't see the images brilliantly, but I'm pretty sure it's an Indo-Chinese Rat Snake (Ptyas korros). Non venomous. I'm 99% sure that is the species in those pics, albeit of an undernourished specimen.

[nuggets]

That'd make a nice belt.

I was thinking of a pool cue case myself !!

[JonathanD]

On my PC now and sticking to my original assessment. It certainly isn't in the best of health though, it is very thin. Although the water could be distorting its true girth.

Indo-Chinese Rat Snake (Ptyas korros) it is. 6ft is a good size for this snake...

[ex-member Raikey]

On my PC now and sticking to my original assessment. It certainly isn't in the best of health though, it is very thin. Although the water could be distorting its true girth.

Indo-Chinese Rat Snake (Ptyas korros) it is. 6ft is a good size for this snake...

ooooh get you,..what makes you such an expert like?? eh?

[JonathanD]

Check it out.. underneath my name... Herpetological Genius me!

[Bigfoot]

I can't even spell herpeto..logi.whatchamacallit

[ex-member Raikey]

Check it out.. underneath my name... Herpetological Genius me!

oh aye,..never noticed ...lol....

[JonathanD]

Well strictly speaking I'm an Ophiologist.

[bushwacker bob]

Is that what I know as a yellow rat snake JD?

[mikeybear]

Well strictly speaking I'm an Ophiologist.

One quick trip to wikipedia later ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiology

[snozz]

ooooh get you,..what makes you such an expert like?? eh?

Nicely set up for a slap down! ;-)

[JonathanD]

Is that what I know as a yellow rat snake JD?

No, us normal folks call that a banana.

[bushwacker bob]

No, us normal folks call that a banana.

Where is Emma with your cold shower?

[JonathanD]

Out with friends. I'm off to bed before they come back and annoy me with noise and talk of shoes.

[BOD]

I just searched for "ular tanah", and got a few links to the painted bronzeback. It wouldn't be surprising if the name was really applied to more than one species.

bang on mate they are very liberal with names in my experience