What snake is this?

[GuyG]

Evening All, Last week while at Fraser I came across another snake, scared the ***** out of me. It was on the grass in front of me. Someone on the island told me more than likely what it was, but was wondering if someone on here could actually id it for me. I'm lucky it went the other way, but all the same it was way too close for comfort, it was less than a metre in front of me.

Mind you I did see 3 snakes while I was up there:eek:, which is a lot considering I don't think I've ever see any previously on the island

The pics probably come up too small, can email larger ones if it helps.

[GuyG]

It was suggested that it may have been a King Brown - just trying to get confirmation.

[Newbs-IIA]

Hard to tell from the pics but certianly does not look like any king brown I have ever seen... they are a more uniform colour I thought

(and i've seen a few... well whats left of them after being spat out by the ride-on)

[EchiDna]

you have never seen another snake before this trip?

seriously? I must see a snake at least monthly...

anyway, I'm sure Crump will be along shortly with an ID for you...

[lardy]

Man air lifted after snake bite | Sunshine Coast News | Local News in Sunshine Coast | The Sunshine Coast Daily (http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2008/11/20/man-air-lifted-after-snake-bite-fraser-island/)
I thought it was a tiger snake myself? there are 18 types of snake on fraser.

[GuyG]

you have never seen another snake before this trip?

seriously? I must see a snake at least monthly...

anyway, I'm sure Crump will be along shortly with an ID for you...

I don't recall seeing one on Fraser Island before this trip. I saw the one last year after it bit me but that was in my house in Brisbane

[Cosmic Tourist]

Wonder how long it was?
quite a beautiful snake,
possibly juvenile.

Taipan?

[long stroke]

Looks like a keelback also known as a Freshwater snake to me, it's not a King brown or taipan:)

TIM.

[JohnF]

How long was it. From the first picture I thought it was possibly a "rough scale," the 4th or 5th most deadly snake in the world, but would like to know more before I made a firm decission. Certainly the "rough scale" could be found in that color and pattern, but would not be longer than a metre. I do not remember if the "rough scale" has that head shape that I saw when i looked at the second picture, but still think it is possible.

I do strongly doubt an identification that was given on a previous snake thread, but without scale counts would not argue over the matter. :(

[FenianEel]

It looks like a keelback to me. Rough scales have more of a 'band' pattern.
Saw a few browns up there over Christmas, but nothing sizeable.

[CraigE]

A little hard to tell because you cant see the eyes clearly.
It may be a :
Rough Scaled Snake (you can tell this by the fact the pupils will be round rather than elongated as in most snakes). The markings are similar, though the colour may be a little off usually brown, dark brown to olive in colour and resident to Fraser Island and Nth Qld. Is regarded as deadly poisonous.
It could also be a Keelback snake which on the colouring is likely. They can be grey to olive to black with bands or spots. Snake is usually a matt colour rather than gloss. Can emit an unpleasant odour from its anal glands. They are a freshwater snake that preys on frogs, toads, tadpoles and lizards. Found right across the tropics from Old to WA. Regarded as harmless.
It is also it is possible it could be a type of python, but the head does not look correct.
It is not a taipan or a brown snake.
Looking at it it is most likely the Keelback and nothing to be concerned about. Most snakes even venemous ones are not really a concern. Just give them room to escape and keep swags and tents etc closed / zipped up when not in use.

[crump]

its a Keelback or Freshwater snake.;) Some of you guys are getting good at this!;)

[JohnR]

A trouser snake :o

(Going hungry:wasntme:)

:p

[crump]

Hard to tell from the pics but certianly does not look like any king brown I have ever seen... they are a more uniform colour I thought

(and i've seen a few... well whats left of them after being spat out by the ride-on)
if you ran them over at the Gap or anywhere near Brisbane I'm afraid you are still YET to see a King Brown (we prefer Mulga snake, as they are a member of the Black snake genus(Pseudechis) not the Browns (Pseudonaja)) as the species does not occur anywhere near Brisbane.

[crump]

How long was it. From the first picture I thought it was possibly a "rough scale," the 4th or 5th most deadly snake in the world, but would like to know more before I made a firm decission. Certainly the "rough scale" could be found in that color and pattern, but would not be longer than a metre. I do not remember if the "rough scale" has that head shape that I saw when i looked at the second picture, but still think it is possible.

I do strongly doubt an identification that was given on a previous snake thread, but without scale counts would not argue over the matter. :(
Keelbacks are commonly mistaken for Rough Scaled Snakes by Joe Public due to their rugose scalation, the best way I suggest of telling the difference for a novice is by the eye.Even in the pic we are discussing you can see this snake has a large prominent eye (which appears to have a retained spectacle) as its is predominantly a diurnal species.The eye has a distinct circular yellow iris with a circular pupil, just like us.The Rough Scaled snake on the other hand is a nocturnal species with an eliptical pupil without a distinct iris like a cat and the actual eye is much less pronounced. I dont however suggest you too close while making this inspection in case it is a Roughy.:( Scale counting is like fingerprints, no 2 snakes are the same, they just fall within a range dependant on species.Typically no. of ventrals, no of subcaudals, divided, undivided etc..It is near impossible on a live animal, hence why it was abandoned by the various Wildlife authories as a means of identifying captive individual specimens.If you doubt my identification of a Tiger Snake in a previous thread I would suggest that your knowledge of the Australian Herpetofauna is most definitely in the aforementioned "Joe Public" category.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

we had a couple of small visitors at work today,,,,,

one dissappeared into a storage bin---

we managed to catch the other,,
all 30 cm of unbridled fury,,,

kept it in a see through "chinese" container,,

talk about strike!!:eek:

nicknamed it ALF,,,

Angry Little ****er:p



had fine black vertical marks with a copperish head and a black band behind the eyes,,
coiled in a distinct S before striking,,

Baby Eastern Brown,, Crump??

[crump]

dont like doing ID's without pictures as everyone describes things differently, but it sounds like your on the money with that one, baby Browns look nothing like adults with regard to colouration.

[brikel]

Looks like a keelback also known as a Freshwater snake to me, it's not a King brown or taipan:)

TIM.
Almost definitely a Keelback (can't tell for sure without being able to count midbody scale rows). No fangs, only small teeth and non-venemous.

[brikel]

if you ran them over at the Gap or anywhere near Brisbane I'm afraid you are still YET to see a King Brown (we prefer Mulga snake, as they are a member of the Black snake genus(Pseudechis) not the Browns (Pseudonaja)) as the species does not occur anywhere near Brisbane.
According to the Brisbane Museum's 'Wildlife of Greater Brisbane', snakes of the Genus Pseudonaja - the Eastern Brown - are present from Kenmore westward, from the North bank of the Brisbane River mouth and from Capalaba, Victoria Point and North Stradbroke Island. Never seen one myself, though, in Bris.

[crump]

yep, that is correct, I was referring to "King Browns or Mulgas" not Eastern Browns which are common as arseholes around Brissy.

[crump]

Almost definitely a Keelback (can't tell for sure without being able to count midbody scale rows). No fangs, only small teeth and non-venemous.
and that is the point,I can tell the difference and give a positive ID without waffleing on about scale counts and diamond shaped heads etc just to confuse the issue... sheesh:(