Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK. Here's a tough North American snake. I had a tough time IDing this one when I first found one a few years back. This is the first live one I have found.

I have provided a a body shot (Sorry it is facing away, but it was biting like a SOB and I had trouble getting decent pics), a head shot, and a partial ventral shot. The rest of the ventral is similarly spotted. The white balance is a bit off on the head shot due to a flashlight throwing a yellow wash.

This specimen is typical for the species (not aberrantly colored).

-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Nice example...but I'm not going to tell and ruin the game...LOL

Frank
-----
"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

The side of the head shot looks alot like Farancia erytrogramma but the color isn't red enough, unless typical specimens aren't as pretty as the field guides make them. My second guess is Regina rigida based on color and pattern.

glossy crayfish?

>>OK. Here's a tough North American snake. I had a tough time IDing this one when I first found one a few years back. This is the first live one I have found.
>>
>>I have provided a a body shot (Sorry it is facing away, but it was biting like a SOB and I had trouble getting decent pics), a head shot, and a partial ventral shot. The rest of the ventral is similarly spotted. The white balance is a bit off on the head shot due to a flashlight throwing a yellow wash.
>>
>>This specimen is typical for the species (not aberrantly colored).
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>-----
>>Chris Harrison
>>San Antonio, Texas
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Third times the charm.....Coniophanes Imperialis

>>Third times the charm.....Coniophanes Imperialis

I found several DOR Coniophanes imperialis on the same road on the same night.
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

yeah maybe a black striped snake. Is it endangered/ threatened? What's the current status?
:Mark
-----
Surrender Dorothy!

www.crimsonking.funtigo.com

It isn't Coniophanes imperialis.

C. imperialis is protected in the state of Texas, because it is at the northern extent of its range here. However, it is a very common snake in Mexico. I found three DOR the same night I photographed this snake.
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

It sure looks like Regina but I will take a wild guess and say Gulf Salt Marsh Snake,Nerodia fasciata clarkii.

I obfuscated a little with the N. American reference. This snake occurs way south in North America in southeastern Mexico and into the Yucatan Peninsula.

It is Coniophanes quinquevittatus. It is very unlike the other Coniophanes and probably needs to be in its own genus, IMHO. It looks and has habit requirements more similar to a mud/rainbow snake, although it has the personality of a watersnake (it drew blood on me).

We actually found three species of Coniophanes on this night - C. imperialis, C. quinquevittatus, and C. bipunctatus as well as two species of Thamnophis (T. proximus and T. marcianus), two Boa constrictors and a DOR Bothrops asper.
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Very interesting snake, and certainly nothing like the other species of Coniophanes - that genus didn't even cross my mind. I found myself checking out the range of Pseudoeryx plicatilis (which is, as I thought, restricted to S. America) before deciding I had no idea what that one is...

Thanks for posting!

Cheers,

WW
-----
WW Home

Thanks for taking me out of my misery. I was not thinking of Mexico, & everything I found north of there ruled itself out. Either the striping was wrong or the belly was wrong or it was something you said it wasn't.

~~Greg~~

It looks like a rainbow snake that's been drained of its color. Especially with that row of spots above the mouth.