>>Thanks very much for the info. They certainly are interesting, as are the other Japanese ratsnakes, especially climacophora and conspicillata, because they are endemic species and for other reasons. I've worked with climacophora and conspicillata before, but have opted to concentrate on mainland species of China, South Korea, etc, because I believe they are more ancestral and other reasons. But another reason the Japanese endemics are interesting is because the environment resembles that of the U. S. and there is great variation over their ranges. Consider the fact that there are mountains throughout their ranges and that they reach about 45* north on Hokkaido and Kunashiri.>>



Hey Terry, I don't know if you could call quadrivirgata, conspicillata, and climacophora Japan endemics, as they all occur on Kunasir, or Kunashiri if you prefer, and politically, the island belongs to Russia



I wouldn't say that the environment resembles that of anywhere in the U.S. It's very different, but in regard to climate, I could make analogies with Appalachia, and some northwestern areas. Japan is very mountainous, so the herp species are well adapted. Mountain ranges aren't much of a limiting factor there.

I've yet to find climacophora. I have spent quite a bit of time in Iwakuni (where the amel population resides), but unfortunately, I was never able to go herping there. It's very interesting that there is a viable, wild population of amelanistic snakes. When you were working with climacophora, did you find them to be nervous captives, or were they more like obsoleta?



>>The Japanese endemics are exposed to a variety of climatic and geographical conditions. They have to be adapted to very cool conditions, as well as subtropical. There are dry as well as very moist conditions and the humidity. In some areas they have long active seasons and in other areas they barely have enough time in summer to carry out their reproductive functions.>>



Some of the mainland species do have a large geographic range, but the southern islands (pretty much all of them south of Kyushuu) have many unique species of flora and fauna. There aren't any dry areas that I know of, and I've seen pretty much all of the islands (I was a navigator on C-130s), though some of the tiny islands aren't able to hold rain water very well. Those islands don't have a lot of herp diversity.



>>Schulz gives quite a bit of info about quadrivirgata. As far as prey goes, he mentions fish, frogs, snakes, lizards, rodents, birds, and eggs. He also says they have quite a strong musk which resembles carinata's. The upper ele. he marks as 2,000 m. I imagine examples from high ele. would have more tendency towards melanism than ex. from low ele.

>>

>>Hope you get into this species and find some snakes to start with. Keep us posted, Shane.

>>

>>Terry



Yeah, I too think that the quad populations from higher elevations probably lean toward melanism. I've emailed someone who lives on Honshuu. He's working with them, and also gets into the field quite a bit. Hell, I should ask him to post on this forum, as he's found all three of the ratsnakes from that area.

I don't know about the musk. It's foul, like most ratsnakes, but it didn't jump out at me as any worse than obsoleta. Of course, after dealing with some large Ramphotyphlops in Australia, my sense of bad musk is decidedly biased.

I brought back one of the snakes this time (the one pictured at the base of a pine tree). It's only about 24" right now. If I enjoy working with it then I'll pair it up in the future. If not, then I'll send it to someone who is working with the species. Quite honestly, I don't like to breed snakes. Many of the species that I am interested in aren't popular, and I don't like to deal with a bunch of juvies that no one wants.

Shane

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