Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello!
I have an odd question. I have been trying to find out a species of snake and have been having no luck whatsoever. So here I come to ask!

I am looking for a species of water-snake from the North Africa area which has markings similar to this old Egyptian illustration of Apep, the snake god:
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/apep2.jpg

He is usually depicted with these same markings, black head (with a white jaw), stripes/diamonds going part way down his back (but not full rings), small black spots on his side.

My question is thus: Do you know of any species of water snake from this region that looks anything like this? Or alternatively, ANY species of water snake from Egypt?

Thank you for your time!
Muchly appreciated,
~ Kenket

This is just pure speculation, but the picture of the Egyptian drawing you submitted depicts a snake that looks very similar to the African boomslang, Dispholidus typus. This is an arboreal rear-fanged colubrid from, I believe, the central to more southerly parts of Africa. The one in that picture looks like a juvenile. Anyway, like I said, this is just a purely speculative outlook based nothing more than a slight resemblance, but it was worth noting.
-Chance
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Chance Duncan
2.2 Retics (1.0 Tiger Het, 1.0 Lavender, 0.1 Dark Lavender, 0.1 Normal Het)
1.1 Olive Pythons
1.1 Ball Pythons (Het Albino)
http://www.rivervalleysnakes.com

Actually, I recently found a picture of Apep from around the same era which depicted him looking remarkibly like an adult boomslang (green with black patterns) which threw me off completely. You might be onto something here!

Thank you for the lead,
~ Kenket

Hah, glad I could have been of some (surprising) assistance. It's interesting that the Egyptians would be using depictions of boomslangs, which I believe do not occur that far north. I may be wrong....or they may have been trading in venomous snakes...lol. Anyway, that's very neat. Keep the board updated with what you uncover, I know I at least find it fascinating.
-Chance
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Chance Duncan
2.2 Retics (1.0 Tiger Het, 1.0 Lavender, 0.1 Dark Lavender, 0.1 Normal Het)
1.1 Olive Pythons
1.1 Ball Pythons (Het Albino)
http://www.rivervalleysnakes.com

It does look a bit like a boomslang. On the other hand, this might be like trying to identify the animal next to it, which looks like something out of a Monty Python movie gone bad... Long tailed attack-rabbit with a lion's mane? RUN AWAY!!!

Hi! Why do you ask about a water snake? Are there reasons that lead you in that direction? The dorsal diamondback markings make me guess it could be Coluber nummifer.

Cheers

Tom Hakansson