I posted (on this forum) a dichotomous key to this Genus a while back. It should turn up in a search or I can repost it in the next day or two when I'm back on my home computer.



In a nutshell, almost any Madagascarophis in this country is M. ocellatus and not M. colubrina. The ones pictured in this thread are M. ocellatus. I have kept both species and they are quite different.



There is talk of different subspecies of M. ocellatus but at least one researcher thinks they are simply polymorphic. This is somewhat supported by variable coloration among hatchlings produced by gravid imports. However, with the deforestation of Madagascar there could also be more intergrade zones among the subspecies, therby explaining the variation among hatchlings produced by gravid imports.



At any rate, let me know if you decide to look into the subspecific status of your specimens and need that key.
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Current snakes:



1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)



2.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)



4.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

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• Madagascar Cat-eyed snakes (update) - chaoscat, Mon Dec 5 22:28:26 2005
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• RE: Here is ...... - chaoscat, Tue Dec 6 14:59:26 2005
• RE: Madagascar Cat-eyed snakes (update) - chaoscat, Tue Dec 6 14:58:18 2005