if you accept "even amateur herp society journals", then it has been published . . . on the internet. It is now up to you to refute the published photograph as a hoax. You are welcome to come to my house and examine the animal yourself. You have my email address, drop me an email and I'll give you my phone number. At this point I'm sure that I can make arrangements to pay your airfaire to DFW, I'll pick you up at the airport and bring you by the house and you can see for yourself. Of course, you'd have to give up the security of internet anonymity to do so.

Troy