Thanks Don. The quads are neat snakes, and thankfully, quite easy to find in some areas. I'm not sure about the various vernacular terms. The only common name that I have seen mentioned in text is "shima hebi," which literally means "island snake."

I was speaking with some of the rice farmers (from those habitat shots), and one man was trying to tell me about the melanistic form, but when I mentioned shima hebi, he gave a negative response. I don't remember what he was calling them, but it seemed to me that he didn't realize the striped and melanistic snakes were the same species. I was also trying to ask an old woman about mamushi, and when I mentioned finding a lot of shima hebi, she told me "shima hebi inai," which means that shima hebi aren't there.

They are obviously familiar with the snakes, probably seeing both forms on a daily basis, but they didn't know them as "shima hebi." I'll have to find out what they call them on this upcoming trip. It was nice to know that they weren't killing them in any case.........I imagine that mamushi meet a different fate when they are discovered.

I make regular trips to Kyushyu because my wife is Japanese, and her family lives there. We met while I was stationed on Okinawa, so we also try to visit her sister and friends who live there when we get the chance (great herping!). Here's a self-portrait from last summer:


After I finish school this December, I'm hoping to have a job lined up in Japan (airfield operations on Okinawa). If that pans out, then perhaps we can meet up for some herping.......and my wife can take your daughter shopping!

Shane
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