Oman Part 3 Snakes

[Jürgen Gebhart]

The main reason for me to fly to the Oman was the chance to picture 4 Echis Species, Naja and Bitis.
Of Course we don`t found all.

The proof of wet weather

Myriopholis macrorynchus



Psammnophis schokari



Platyceps rhodorachis



Platyceps rhodorachis color morph





The highlights

Echis khosatzkii







Echis omanensis





Echis carinatus







On a well know place for Echis coloratus (we not found) we found a Cerastes gasperettii





A very rare Snake in Oman, Atractaspis andersonii - we found three in an hour!!





On the way back to the Car

Bitis arietans





And the biggest surprise of the Trip, a Sensation, a snake we can not identify.
The behavoir was like an Atractaspis, the coloration too, but it is not.
Maybe Platyceps variablis, Maybe Rhynchocalamus arabicus, Maybe ???

[Andre Schmid]

Finally ! Nice founds and very cool Cerastes gasperettii, but the Echis and the Bitis are also very cool ! Nice !

[Guillaume Gomard]

I was waiting for this great part before commenting Again, wonderful snakes, especially the Echis... Was it easier to spot Echis than in Isreal? it seems that you found all the venomous snakes during the night, is that right? It's the first time I see pictures of such a blue-greyish Platyceps rhodorachis, did you find a single specimen like this one? I couldn't find in your posts the typical temperatures you had during the day?

I would be curious to see some pictures of the habitat/landscapes as well, if you have the time....


Thanks!

[Niklas Ban]

Echis and Bitis

[Mario Schweiger]

all parts together - very nice findings and good pictures - congrats

I think your glossy black snake is Rhynchocalamus arabicus:
Arangement and size of head shields.
Reduction of dorsal scales from high within the lenghts of a few ventrals to low numbers.
See description of species:
http://vipersgarden.at/PDF_files/PDF-4357.pdf

Mario

[Daniel Kane]

Very very cool snakes Jurgen! The Platyceps look almost like a najadum/tessellata hybrid (head shape maybe..). Love the selection of vipers too. What were the night temperatures like? Are some snakes road-cruised or did you happen across them mainly in the field?

[Jürgen Gebhart]

Thank`s Guys!

We found just one of the gray-blue Rhodorachis, in the same pool were we found the other.

As I said before in the beginning the weather in the north was terrible, Day Temperatures around 30 Degrees, but after the sun was gone, it drop down very fast to 22 Degrees and less. The temperatures was not that bad, but all the ground was wet, no aktivity of snakes at night.

In the south the Day temperatures were between 32 and 36 Degrees, and after sunset around 26 - 28.

We found all the venemous snakes walking at night in the field. Not one snake was found on the road, we don`t found any DOR.

We came back from the south to the north on Wednesday, still rain, but the last time.
After that temperatures raise up,Day 32 - 34, Night 24- 26.

Some we found were single species
Cerastes gasperettii, Echis omanensis, Bitis arietans.
others more
Atractaspis 3, Echis khosatzkii 2,

our last night was in the sand-dunes close to the sea in the north we found in two hours 10 Echis carinatus!

What will happen if we had the good weather from the beginning?

Oman pics are not finnish.
More will come
Part 4 Geckos
Part 5 Landscape, Spider, dragoonflys ...

[Jürgen Gebhart]

Was it easier to spot Echis than in Isreal?
Thanks!

In Israel it`s more fun, more comfortable!
Sitting in the car, smoking a cigarette, no flashlight in the Hand, no moskitos, I`m old I think I like that way more!

[Peter Oefinger]

The Echis is funny - I didn't know that Viperas can look cute
Great findings, Jürgen!

[Stéphane Aubry]

Woww beautiful collection of Vipers !

Congratulations Jürgen !