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Which Chinese Snake?: |
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daveg Member Joined: 02 Jul 2006 No. of posts: 24  View other posts by daveg |
Posted: 09 Jul 2006 I'm a new member and wondered if anyone could help identify this snake that I came accross in China November 2002 when working on a drilling rig on the outskirts of Dongying in Shangdong province, (eastern China). Weather was sunny but chilly probably about 12 deg c (midday) so I was surprised to see it slither,albeit leisurely! accross a sandy track leading up to the drilling site about 100 m away. The area was mainly deadish grass and small ponds and tracks running between several small oil installations so not really classic reptile country. I later thought there was a chance it had escaped from a restaurant as there were probably a few within a km radius that may have had snake on the menu but couldn't verify at the time. I've tried to check up on Chinese herps on the internet but seen nothing to help me ID this one. Suppose its a rat snake of some kind? Travel round quite a lot for my job and just now in Villahermosa, Mexico and seen some nice iguanas! Other than that, I live in Gillingham, Dorset and just heard by text that someone has seen an adder near the river Lodden but still trying to get the full details. Dave
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arvensis Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006 No. of posts: 445 View other posts by arvensis |
Posted: 09 Jul 2006 I found a webpage for the Science Museums fo China, the link for contact is this: http://www.kepu.net.cn/english/red/mus02.html Perhaps contact them and see if they can help? I did have a browse around and the closest I could find is the Copperhead Racer - Elaphe Radiata. Not a ID, but the closest I could find in the way of colouring and patterning. Mark Hampshire Amphibian and Reptile Group. |
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Dan Kane Senior Member Joined: 30 Dec 2005 No. of posts: 201  View other posts by Dan Kane |
Posted: 09 Jul 2006 Yea, looks like a rat snake to me too, not sure what species though. Dan www.randacumbria.moonfruit.com |
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Wolfgang Wuster Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 326 View other posts by Wolfgang Wuster |
Posted: 09 Jul 2006 Looks like what was formerly Elaphe rufodorsata and is now Oocatochus rufodorsatus. Cheers, WW Wolfgang Wüster School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/ |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090  View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 09 Jul 2006 I'm no expert on rat snakes, but your picture led to a quick search of the internet, Take a look at this link: http://www.cunninghamselaphe.com/oldworld.html Your image at least superficially has a great deal of resemblance to the picture of Dione's Ratsnake (striped phase) shown below:
Though hopefully someone can give a postive identification. Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090 View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 09 Jul 2006 How do you manage to post at the same time WW??? I'm sure WW is right. Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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daveg Member Joined: 02 Jul 2006 No. of posts: 24 View other posts by daveg |
Posted: 09 Jul 2006 Thanks for all the suggestions. Nice to see reptiles surviving in somewhat bleak conditions. The photo I dug out here shows the area in the Shengli Oilfield , Dongying where I saw the snake. Dave
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- Which Chinese Snake? |
