Mad as a Marine Biologist

Showing 22 posts tagged snake

High-res New large horned viper discovered, but biologists keep location quiet. In a remote forest fragment in Tanzania, scientists have made a remarkable discovery: a uniquely-colored horned viper extending over two feet long (643 millimeters) that evolved from its closest relative over two million years ago. Unfortunately, however, the new species—named Matilda’s horned viper (Atheris matildae)—survives in a small degraded habitat and is believed to be Critically Endangered. Given its scarcity, its discoverers are working to preempt an insidious threat to the new species. Scientists love nothing more than finding unknown animals, but the public announcement has sometimes been the beginning of the species’ undoing, especially in the case of reptiles and amphibians. Hotly pursued by the black market pet trade, in the past new species have been helplessly decimated by collectors shortly after their scientific description is published. As such, Matilda’s horned viper’s discoverers are not only keeping the snake’s location a closely-guarded secret, but have already set up an emergency conservation program. They won’t let this species vanish without a fight. Read more about their captive breeding ‘insurance’ and preemptive steps to rein in the greed of the exotic pet trade.  Photo: Tim Davenport Text: Jeremy Hance

New large horned viper discovered, but biologists keep location quiet.

In a remote forest fragment in Tanzania, scientists have made a remarkable discovery: a uniquely-colored horned viper extending over two feet long (643 millimeters) that evolved from its closest relative over two million years ago. Unfortunately, however, the new species—named Matilda’s horned viper (Atheris matildae)—survives in a small degraded habitat and is believed to be Critically Endangered. Given its scarcity, its discoverers are working to preempt an insidious threat to the new species.

Scientists love nothing more than finding unknown animals, but the public announcement has sometimes been the beginning of the species’ undoing, especially in the case of reptiles and amphibians. Hotly pursued by the black market pet trade, in the past new species have been helplessly decimated by collectors shortly after their scientific description is published. As such, Matilda’s horned viper’s discoverers are not only keeping the snake’s location a closely-guarded secret, but have already set up an emergency conservation program. They won’t let this species vanish without a fight.

Read more about their captive breeding ‘insurance’ and preemptive steps to rein in the greed of the exotic pet trade. 

Photo: Tim Davenport

Text: Jeremy Hance

take-nothing-but-photos: Stuff I’ve seen The yellow lipped sea krait, Laticauda colubrina, is the most common of sea krait species, however they are still a relatively uncommon sight in the waters off Tioman. In my time here I have seen only 3 and last week saw the biggest one of these hunting over the staghorn coral off Pulau Tulai.  So these amphibious reptiles spend the majority of their time in the water, popping up every now and again to take a breath of air. They have laterally flattened paddle like tails, an adaptation which allows them to move through the water with ease. They also have valves on their nostrils so they can close them when they dive. Although they are well adapted to their ocean lives they do also come up onto land. Unlike most sea snakes, that are viviparous, the female yellow lipped krait lays around 4-20 eggs per nest buried in the vegetation on small islands. They also come onto land to shed their skins, digest food, or to just have a little rest. The venom of a yellow lipped sea krait is neurotoxic and is ten times more lethal than that of it’s terrestrial cousins the rattle snake or black mamba. But luckily enough sea kraits are pretty chilled out and non-aggressive so it’s no problem floating at a safe distance watching them go about their business. I could spend hours watching these guys hunt!

take-nothing-but-photos:

Stuff I’ve seen

The yellow lipped sea krait, Laticauda colubrina, is the most common of sea krait species, however they are still a relatively uncommon sight in the waters off Tioman. In my time here I have seen only 3 and last week saw the biggest one of these hunting over the staghorn coral off Pulau Tulai. 

So these amphibious reptiles spend the majority of their time in the water, popping up every now and again to take a breath of air. They have laterally flattened paddle like tails, an adaptation which allows them to move through the water with ease. They also have valves on their nostrils so they can close them when they dive. Although they are well adapted to their ocean lives they do also come up onto land. Unlike most sea snakes, that are viviparous, the female yellow lipped krait lays around 4-20 eggs per nest buried in the vegetation on small islands. They also come onto land to shed their skins, digest food, or to just have a little rest.

The venom of a yellow lipped sea krait is neurotoxic and is ten times more lethal than that of it’s terrestrial cousins the rattle snake or black mamba. But luckily enough sea kraits are pretty chilled out and non-aggressive so it’s no problem floating at a safe distance watching them go about their business.

I could spend hours watching these guys hunt!

Malayan Bridle Snake: Dryocalamus subannulatus I literally just took one of these out of a guest’s room and took it to the forest. With a broom. I feel slightly puffy chested, except Rich took it out a bathroom a couple of days ago, and I just copied his broom trick. AND for the fact that I just googled it and found a picture of someone handling one, and I used a broom. Still…it was feisty!

Malayan Bridle Snake: Dryocalamus subannulatus

I literally just took one of these out of a guest’s room and took it to the forest. With a broom. I feel slightly puffy chested, except Rich took it out a bathroom a couple of days ago, and I just copied his broom trick. AND for the fact that I just googled it and found a picture of someone handling one, and I used a broom. Still…it was feisty!

High-res Oriental Whip Snake [Ahaetulla prasina] by Karen Chen They are mildly venomous and what is commonly termed as ‘rear-fanged’ or more appropriately, opisthoglyphous, meaning their enlarged teeth or fangs intended to aid in venom delivery are located in the back of the upper jaw, instead of in the front like they are in vipers or cobras.

Oriental Whip Snake [Ahaetulla prasina] by Karen Chen

They are mildly venomous and what is commonly termed as ‘rear-fanged’ or more appropriately, opisthoglyphous, meaning their enlarged teeth or fangs intended to aid in venom delivery are located in the back of the upper jaw, instead of in the front like they are in vipers or cobras.