New to the forum currently in Panama (snake Id please)

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karmatsunami
Posts: 16
Joined: November 9th, 2016, 5:07 am

New to the forum currently in Panama (snake Id please)

Post by karmatsunami »

Hi thanks for the add to the forum I am just a dilletante and would like an id for these snakes I think it may be a banded cat eyed snake? I have been in panama for 6 months and have been periodically going out to find snakes but haven't had much luck. The only snakes I have been able to find are of this type, last week I came across 2 Greater Grisons in the yard which might help explain why there might be less snakes here than I expected
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Paul Freed
Posts: 130
Joined: November 10th, 2013, 12:14 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest (Oregon) U.S.

Re: New to the forum currently in Panama (snake Id please)

Post by Paul Freed »

If you are referring to Leptodeira nigrofasciata, the Banded Cat-eye Snake, that species does not occur in Panama (and looks nothing like your photos). Based on the number of dark blotches, this looks like a Leptodeira rubricata, where in Panama did you observe it?
-Paul
karmatsunami
Posts: 16
Joined: November 9th, 2016, 5:07 am

Re: New to the forum currently in Panama (snake Id please)

Post by karmatsunami »

I am in Gariche near the Costa Rica border near the pacific coast a low land jungle area near rivers
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Jeff
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Joined: June 11th, 2010, 6:01 am
Location: Louisiana

Re: New to the forum currently in Panama (snake Id please)

Post by Jeff »

I second Paul's ID as L. rubricata.
NACairns
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Joined: December 30th, 2013, 7:27 am

Re: New to the forum currently in Panama (snake Id please)

Post by NACairns »

Welcome to the forum, can't add much to the ID commentary so I'll leave it to the experts.
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Paul Freed
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Location: Pacific Northwest (Oregon) U.S.

Re: New to the forum currently in Panama (snake Id please)

Post by Paul Freed »

In that case, that would make it Leptodeira rubricata. Nice find!
-Paul
karmatsunami
Posts: 16
Joined: November 9th, 2016, 5:07 am

Re: New to the forum currently in Panama (snake Id please)

Post by karmatsunami »

Thank you for the Id. I spent most of my life in eastern Canada so not a whole lot of snake varieties there, one thing that I hadn't encountered before handling this type of snake, until I handled the adult (last picture) is when handled it would roll (for lack of a better description barrel roll) not twist or squirm.
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