Panama snake ID? ( Now frog too)

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Rags
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Panama snake ID? ( Now frog too)

Post by Rags »

Looking for help with this Panama snake ID please.

Spotted late afternoon in the dry forests around Coronado on the Pacific coast. (Sorry for picture quality.)
It's the same snake in both photos.

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Thanks for looking.
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Jeff
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Re: Panama snake ID?

Post by Jeff »

Mastigodryas (or Dryadophis) pleei
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Rags
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Re: Panama snake ID?

Post by Rags »

Many thanks Jeff.
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Jon Wedow
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Re: Panama snake ID?

Post by Jon Wedow »

Very cool find!

In Kohler's book he shows Dryadophis pleei east of the canal and Dryadophis melanolomus west of the canal but it is missleading. Oddly enough I have only found D. melanolomus east of the canal (Gamboa) and only D. pleei west of the canal (a DOR not far from Coronado on the road to El Valle). It seems this species inhabits the dry Pacific lowlands, probably throughout Panama.
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Rags
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Re: Panama snake ID?

Post by Rags »

Thanks for the additional information Jon. This specimen is indeed, well west of the canal.

I must admit Dryadophis pleei was unknown to me until Jeff put the name up. It was an unusual looking snake.

Moving on to El Valle on the 10th, hopefully it will be more productive.
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Jon Wedow
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Re: Panama snake ID?

Post by Jon Wedow »

You should do well in El Valle. Go see Mario at the Serpentario (the first intersection in town has a sign) and tell him I sent you! :beer: He could point you to some trails in town, there are many that run up into the mountains along creeks. Being the dry season the creeks should be productive. Good luck!

Do you have more photos of the snake? Finding anything else?
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Rags
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Re: Panama snake ID?

Post by Rags »

Got a few bits and pieces loaded up but, as previously said, it is like a blast furnace here during the day. Most stuff is turning up after dark...

(Tentative ID's at this stage)

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'Kitchen Floor' Scorpion (Centruroides margaritatus)

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Leptodactylus bolivianus (changed ID)

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Meso-American slider (Trachemys venusta) and Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus)

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These were in a fairly large lake on a golf course at Coronado. It looks as if the Caiman is about to take a chunk out of the turtle but there was no predatory behaviour at all. Lots of turtles in the lake that have obviously been thrown food by people living nearby.

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White-lipped mud turtle (Kinosternon leucostomum)

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Common Basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus)

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Central American Whiptail (Ameiva festiva)

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Speckled Racer (Drymobius margaritiferus)

One of our favorite spots, the stunning 'wild' beach at Punta Chame.

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Finally a tree frog that lives in one of the garden plant pots. Hypsiboas something or other?

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gretzkyrh4
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Re: Panama snake ID? ( Now frog too)

Post by gretzkyrh4 »

Nice shots Rags. Looks like a decent start considering the weather on the coast.

Weather should be more herp and herper friendly in El Valle, and I'm sure Mario will get you pointed in the right direction.

Also, keep your eye on that high tide line if you make it out to Punta Chame again. I've had some nice surprise finds there walking the beach early in the morning after a strong tide.

Chris
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Jeff
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Re: Panama snake ID? ( Now frog too)

Post by Jeff »

Your Vaillant's frog is a species of Leptodactylus
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Todd Pierson
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Re: Panama snake ID? ( Now frog too)

Post by Todd Pierson »

Jeff wrote:Your Vaillant's frog is a species of Leptodactylus
Agreed. Maybe L. bolivianus?
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Rags
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Re: Panama snake ID? ( Now frog too)

Post by Rags »

Thanks all for the correction. Jon Wedow has also suggested Leptodactylus bolivianus rather than my ID of Lithobates vaillanti. I'll make the change to the caption.


gretzkyrh4 wrote;
Also, keep your eye on that high tide line if you make it out to Punta Chame again. I've had some nice surprise finds there walking the beach early in the morning after a strong tide.
Hmm... intriguing. I'll have to make another trip back to check it out again.

Cheers.
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CCarille
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Re: Panama snake ID? ( Now frog too)

Post by CCarille »

Always love CA posts! Love the shot of the caiman and slider together... interesting there was no predatory behavior.

I think your tree frog may be Hypsiboas crepitans.
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Rags
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Re: Panama snake ID? ( Now frog too)

Post by Rags »

CCarille;
I think your tree frog may be Hypsiboas crepitans.
Thanks for the suggestion. I tend to agree.

Latest find...
This snake dropped out of a tree right in front of me. It was being harassed by a Clay-coloured Thrush.

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Short-snouted Vinesnake (Oxybelis brevirostris)

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Jon Wedow
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Re: Panama snake ID? ( Now frog too)

Post by Jon Wedow »

I think I agree with the ID Chris suggested. It can be difficult with 3 of these Gladiator frogs being in the area (from what I understand anyway). I've never been good with these things or any frogs for that matter.

Your snake is a Leptophis ahaetulla or L. depressirostris, again another genus in which I cannot differentiate species very well. <- Good chance you will find an Oxybelis brevirostris in El Valle, they tend to like the cooler climate of the higher elevations and are actually a very common snake which probably fills a similar niche of Leptophis in the lowlands.

Jon
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