Asia travels - Central & South China and Japan

For your reports/images, made outside Europe and the "Mediterranean" countries. Not to be too narrow minded and limited to our European/Mediterranean herps.

Re: Asia travels - Central & South China and Japan

Postby Ruggero M. » Thu Dec 11, 2014 2:59 pm

My determination as Lycodon futsingesis was wrong also for another reason.

Young specimens have this head and neck wide white markings: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexfig/6776626246/
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Re: Asia travels - Central & South China and Japan

Postby Kristian Munkholm » Thu Dec 11, 2014 7:30 pm

Ruggero Morimando wrote:Never trust too much with a "possible" lethal snake, until you find a 100% sure determination character. If I remember well, a well known herpetologist died in Asia just by a Bungarus bite, he thought to be a harmless wolf snake!


That would be Joseph Slowinski - http://www.doctorbugs.com/joseph_slowinski.html

A more recent example (thankfully with a better outcome) was Frank Deschandol's bite by a coral snake in the Amazon (viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1669 - about one third down the page).
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Re: Asia travels - Central & South China and Japan

Postby Tim Leerschool » Thu Dec 11, 2014 8:05 pm

I've asked Kevin Messenger (very knowledegable herpetologist active in Asia) and he confirmed your believe Ruggero. I will edit it into Bungaris multicinctus. I must admit I am happy to hear that it is Bungaris though I do see the danger of the situation. As said, because I was not quite sure my gloves were on.

Indeed, as a European the danger is indeed that we judge the danger of a snake on how it looks.

Thank you for the help!

With all the best,

Tim
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Re: Asia travels - Central & South China and Japan

Postby Ruggero M. » Thu Dec 11, 2014 8:46 pm

Thanks to all you friends, for the interesting discussion and confrontation! :)

Bungarus is indeed a big danger for all herpetogists.
The first time I met a small Bungarus in the Andamans (viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1921) I put a real threat to the life of my german herp friends.
They saw the little snake on the road at night, and asked me at once (I had already been many times in SE Asia) about the snake and if they could grab it with bare hands.
At first I thought it was a Cantoria violacea and I reassured my friends... but, just before they grabbed it with their bare hands, I wanted to take a better look to the snake and I recognized the danger! We were lucky, and I had a great responsibility: never trust too much neither yourself nor other people! Always be sure 100% with possibly venomous animals or possibly venomous mushrooms! :cry:
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Re: Asia travels - Central & South China and Japan

Postby miguel santos » Sun Dec 14, 2014 10:00 am

I have not been arround for a while but this is a great thread to follow, and to remember about the potential danger in areas not so familiar to most (like me) Europear herpers.
Thanks for sharing the trip with us.

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