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Help Me Identify This Snake – Oligodon Genus? Species?

I sent photos of a snake just like this one to a couple of biologists about 5 months back. Nobody could tell me what it was, based on appearance. A couple of guys who have found new species in this area have said it is, without a doubt, from the Oligodon genus. They asked that I do scale counts. I had to figure out what a scale count was. Today I just went through some snake scale diagrams to figure out some other things. Pretty fun stuff, playing amateur biologist.

If you know what this snake is by the information given below – do let me know!

Geographical location: Southern Thailand, Krabi province.

Elevation found: 200 meters

Habitat: On the ground, with head buried in the hole near garbage can on limestone mountain.

Length: ~ 36 cm.

Girth: 5-6 cm at mid-body, thickest section.

Loreal scale? Yes.

Postocular scales: 3

Ventral scale count: 160

Ventral pattern? Yes, irregular spots (yellow/white) and shapes toward the middle of each scale. Outer edges of ventral scales are grey to dark grey. I have also caught one of these snakes that looks the same except the ventrals are grey without spots.

Gular: 4 sets of 2. I’m a bit confused about this. Are ventral scales ONLY solid – if they are solid the whole way down the body? Because there are 4 rows of split scales that could be called Gular I guess… but if ventral scales can be split too – they could be included in the ventral scale count.

Subcaudal scale count: 51. They are split.

Anal: it is solid, just one scale, not split.

Scale counts: Diagonally 17. Alternating back and forth straight over and to the other side: 17.

Color: The true color of the top of the back of this snake is dark olive green. It lightens slightly going toward ventral side. The head is slightly darker overall than the body, but not much. The side view of the head (below) isn’t a true color representation.

Photos below:

Oligodon snake from Thailand - olive color.
This is close to the true color of the snake, the following photos are brighter to show details. All photos – copyright 2011 Vern Lovic.
Color here is almost right – lightened a bit. You can see how the head is just barely distinguished from the body. The head is very small. Copyright 2011 Vern Lovic.
Quite a bit lighter than true color.
Approximately true color.

Photos, information, and video of another snake just like this (click link)

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5 Comments

  1. Brudda Vern!
    I wouldnt have the slightest clue what kind of snake….sorry. If you don’t know what kind it is, then everyone knows dam well I don’t. Its a very nice snake though. I really want you to check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv57O_Y7JQM Its the snake with four legs they caught outside of Vientiane. If the youtube link doesnt work, do a search on google: snake with four legs vientiane. Please let me know what you think and/or if you know what is it.

    Lataz,
    Brudda Jon

  2. Did you ever find the name of this snake. It looks exactly like the one I found last night in Koh Phangan Thailand. [email protected]

    1. I think i found one in koh pangan last night.
      I will be hapy to get an email to send the photos of the snake.

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