Chironius sp. from Brazil (1 Viewer)

[jmorlan]

I could use some help identifying this snake. Sipo (Chironius sp.) 1 August 2015. PN Chapada dos Guimarães--Pousada do Parque, Mato Grosso, BR

 

[SteveTS]

Very difficult. Colour alone would suggest Chironius bicarinatus yet may be extra-limital for your area, the others of the Pantanal although highly variable being more noticeably brown. Best wishes,

 

[jmorlan]

Thanks for the help. I have queried several other experts without any consensus so far.

A local guide who knows the area thinks it is C. exoletus.
A Brazilian herpetologist thinks it may be of the multiventris group (by its large eyes), probably C. multiventris. But Reptile database shows no records of that for Mato Grosso. However its eyes do seem large to me.

A much better photo of this snake has been posted here. A couple of additional photos are here.

 

[SteveTS]

Thanks for the additional photo. I'd go along with the obvious, locality alone will give you C. exoletus looking like that, perhaps an immature, young ones can appear to be 'all eyes'. For me not C. multiventris.

Best wishes,

 

[Andy Adcock]

Samandag..

always looking to add to my book collection and wondered what resources you use for the Americas?


Andy

 

[SteveTS]

Hello Andy,

For the Americas ? All those 10s of millions of square kilometres ... more than a few, lol.

Seriously though, I can see that you are a bibliophile and if you have a particular region / country / locality in mind I'd be very happy to try and give you my recommendation.

Best wishes,

 

[Andy Adcock]

Hello Andy,

For the Americas ? All those 10s of millions of square kilometres ... more than a few, lol.

Seriously though, I can see that you are a bibliophile and if you have a particular region / country / locality in mind I'd be very happy to try and give you my recommendation.

Best wishes,

I'm short of the Americas generally, S. C or North, reptiles too.

I have

The poisonous snakes of Costa Rica and their mimics, Ray et al

Filed guide to snakes of Coats Rica, McConnell

Reptiles and amphibians of central America, by Kohler and that's it...!!!


Cheers, Andy

 

[SteveTS]

The poisonous snakes of Costa Rica and their mimics, Ray et al

Julie Ray's book 'The Venomous Snakes and their Mimics of Panama and Costa Rica : Las Culebras Venenosas y sus Mímicas de Panamá y Costa Rica' is just great and a strong recommendation for anyone with an interest in the snakes of Central America.

My advice, FWIW, would be to start with the principle references and work your way down. What better place to start than Jonathan Campbell and Bill Lamar's 'The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere' ? It should keep you out of A&E !

Best wishes,

 

[Andy Adcock]

Hah, you saw that?

I obviously wouldn't be so stupid in e.g Brazil or the USA where a mistake like this can kill you.

Just bought

Venomous Reptiles of the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico vols 1 and 2 for the great price of £54, post free

I will pick up the book you suggested very soon.


Thanks Samandag......Andy

 

[jmorlan]

....locality alone will give you C. exoletus looking like that ....

Thanks. That seems like a reasonable choice. However I remain unclear about distribution. The Reptile Database shows no C. exoletus records for Mato Grosso.

 

[SteveTS]

Thanks. That seems like a reasonable choice. However I remain unclear about distribution. The Reptile Database shows no C. exoletus records for Mato Grosso.

Recorded from both Poconé, Mato Grosso and Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul.

The Reptile Database relies on donated published records for 10,000+ species, by it's very nature it is behind the curve, not leading it, and it is not definitive. It is not possible for anyone to purchase all the literature, let alone the guys who do a great job operating it on a voluntary basis. The Reptile Database map for Chironius exoletus has a few gaps.

The big question for me is why is Chironius bicarinatus unrecorded from Mato Grosso do Sul ? Probably because no-one has found one yet, or identified it systematically, or recorded it ... !

Yours may even be a contender.

Best wishes,