Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Guys,
Can anyone help me identify this snake I found DOR in the Bahamas? I'm located on one of the larger islands called Andros. I was told there were boas here but then this morning I found this and it looks poisonous to me. Any help is appreciated.

Russ

Not sure what species, but it looks to be a Drymarchon species of snake (I'm also not sure if all Drymarchon are just subspecis of Drymarchon corais or not). If that's what it is, they are related to the big indigo snakes of Florida and Texas, USA.
My Online Snake Lifelist (photos, trips, etc)

Drymarchon was my first hunch too, but I'm not sure if they live on the islands. Please post a boa photo if you see one.
Chuck

I have not heard of cribos being found on any of those islands.

What's new Chuck?

Missing those big, smelly colubrids yet???

Dean

Your talkin to Jr. Dad collects 57 chevys now. The only herps are pac treefrogs in the yard. He did mention he would like to get a pair again though,

chuck

Ok I finally met a snake friendly person on this island. Turns out the snake in the picture is a false cobra aka brown racer. It is non-poisonous. The boas on the island are Cuban boas probably got over here in shipments through the years. I saw one yesterday and it looked like the picture of the Cubna boas I have in my field books.

Thanks guys,
Russ

the boa is not a cuban it is a bimini islands boa. Did a search on the internet and found a picture that looks exactly like the one I saw yesterday. Pictures in books can be confusing.

Later

Just sort of an FYI, I believe Alsophis is rear-fanged genus, though not dangerous to humans. Or that is at least what I read about them after finding a few in the Caymans. Andy
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Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

They may not live there bu that one sure looks like it died there. cribo has my vote.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Here is a link to a list of Bahamian herps.

Of the colubrids listed, it isn't a cornsnake or Antillophis, so it must be Alsophis vudii. It isn't any of the boas or blind snakes listed and it looks too large to be any of the Tropidophis.
Bahamian Herps

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Chris Harrison

...he was beginning to realize he was the creature of a god that appreciated the discomfort of his worshippers - W. Somerset Maugham

I have to agree with Chris. Alsophis vudii would be my guess.

Here is a pic of Alsophis vudii
Alsophis vudii

I didn't know. Do you know anything about this? Accidental introduction?

n/p

That a racer native to the Bahamas. It's called Alsophis vudii, the natives tend to call it a golden snake.
Saw quite a few of them while conducting research for my masters thesis. If you look, I am certain you will find more, unfortunately DOR specimens are VERY common, that's how I located my first one as well.

Not an Alsophis, doesn't look like a Bimini boa either - escapee? Doesn't look like anything I've ever come across in the islands.

Ok...After a long and frustrating chase thru my books and the web (ever try to find out about snakes from the bahamas on the web? Endless tourist traps!!)...It has to be a ssp. of Alsophis vudi. There are no Nerodia in the Bahamas or other colubrid species that even come close to this snake that I can find.
Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

It could be Alsophis vudi androsi (rear-fang), or a ssp. of Nerodia. Certain water snakes and even red rats have been inadvertantly imported to the islands in sod shipments. The sod is used for landscaping in hotels & resorts. Also, the boas native to Andros Island are not Bimini Boas (Epicrates striatus fosteri), but are more closely related to the Berry Island Boas (Epicrates striatus fowleri). They are very similar in appearance, but scalation is obviously different, as is color & pattern. I have collected both the Epicrates and the Tropidophis on Andros on two occasions, and currently have a large pair of Bimini Boas. Russ, where on Andros are you located? Ever been to Owen's Town?

Later,
Jay

All being said, let me point out that this snake has SMOOTH-NOT KEELED scales. All Nerodia have keeled scales. The closest relative that is smooth scaled is European Natrix.

However, the possibility of imported snakes makes this game bigger, as there are other nearby island snakes that might fit the bill. What color/pattern was the veneer on this?

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