Snakes from the Everglades (1 Viewer)

[SPF]

Dear All,
I was wondering if anyone could help me identify these 4 snakes I saw in Florida?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23899411@N07/

I think that one is a cottonmouth and and the other possibly a mud snake but I am at a loss from the other 2.

We saw many others but I did not get my camera out in time. Unlike a couple of keen eyed red shouldered hawks who ended up flying off with various reptiles.

Much appreciated,
Paul

 

[Mike Richardson]

Dear All,
I was wondering if anyone could help me identify these 4 snakes I saw in Florida?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23899411@N07/

I think that one is a cottonmouth and and the other possibly a mud snake but I am at a loss from the other 2.

We saw many others but I did not get my camera out in time. Unlike a couple of keen eyed red shouldered hawks who ended up flying off with various reptiles.

Much appreciated,
Paul

Hi Paul

You’re correct with Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorous) – it looks a beautiful specimen. Not sure on the others, although P8230199 looks very much like an Everglades Racer (Coluber constrictor paludicola). Racers are pretty common in Florida and are often seen crossing roads at high speeds.

Were all these snakes seen in the same place? Four plus is not a bad total, especially in the day time. Sorry I am unable to assist you further. If you have no luck on here try Fieldherpforum.com.

 

[prattw]

The one labeled "Cottonmouth?" is. Agkistrodon piscivorous

"Mud Snake?" is a Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor priapus) as are the other two. You can see the white chin in each if you look closely. The Mud Snake has a red venter with triangular red extensions coming far up the sides.

Where in Florida were you? In the Everglades proper the subspecies should be the Everglades Racer (C.c. paludicola) which would be much paler, a greenish or bluish gray. Though the original distribution and genetics have been buggered for fair by releases and escapes.

Will

 

[Mike Richardson]

Where in Florida were you? In the Everglades proper the subspecies should be the Everglades Racer (C.c. paludicola) which would be much paler, a greenish or bluish gray. Though the original distribution and genetics have been buggered for fair by releases and escapes.

Will

Thats exactly what I thought when I compared the photo to the one in my field guide.

 

[SPF]

Much appreciated,
The first two racers and cottonmouth were on the loop road at Big Cyprus. We also saw a raccoon (my first), deer, rabbits, and a land-lobster (crayfish?). They was loads about- we saw more snakes than birds. It was about 5-6 pm and the sun was blazing.
The last racer was at Shark Valley. Where we saw two snakes being picked up by red-shouldered hawks and a couple more in the sides. There was also plenty of baby gators on the paths, one which you get really close to.
I've added the photos of the gator, crayfish, deer and rabbits (if anyone can help on the last 3).
Thanks,
Paul

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23899411@N07/

 

[Mike Richardson]

Much appreciated,
The first two racers and cottonmouth were on the loop road at Big Cyprus. We also saw a raccoon (my first), deer, rabbits, and a land-lobster (crayfish?). They was loads about- we saw more snakes than birds. It was about 5-6 pm and the sun was blazing.
The last racer was at Shark Valley. Where we saw two snakes being picked up by red-shouldered hawks and a couple more in the sides. There was also plenty of baby gators on the paths, one which you get really close to.
I've added the photos of the gator, crayfish, deer and rabbits (if anyone can help on the last 3).
Thanks,
Paul

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23899411@N07/

The Loop Road is great. I drove it at night a couple of years ago and saw a Barred Owl and 2 Virginia Opposums.

Your rabbit looks like a Marsh Rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris) and the deer are White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Not sure on the crayfish.

 

[SPF]

Mike,
The loop road was a bit of a tour de force. It was August last year and the mosquitoes were out in force (which did put a stop on the going the reserves around the keys) and when we drove down it was flooded in regions and we couldn't turn the car around so we had to go onwards. Bird wise it was mainly red cardinals that we saw on the loop road. The swallow-tailed kites were the highlights of the Keys though. It was just after the hurricane and we saw dozens. We also saw a Virginia Opposum one night in the Keys as well as some massive iguanas sunning it up. Are they escapees?
We saw this spider in the Everglades in the trees. I am not arachnophobia but if it feel from the tree about 10 ft up I would have panned it.
Thanks again,
Paul

 

[Mike Richardson]

Mike,
The loop road was a bit of a tour de force. It was August last year and the mosquitoes were out in force (which did put a stop on the going the reserves around the keys) and when we drove down it was flooded in regions and we couldn't turn the car around so we had to go onwards. Bird wise it was mainly red cardinals that we saw on the loop road. The swallow-tailed kites were the highlights of the Keys though. It was just after the hurricane and we saw dozens. We also saw a Virginia Opposum one night in the Keys as well as some massive iguanas sunning it up. Are they escapees?
We saw this spider in the Everglades in the trees. I am not arachnophobia but if it feel from the tree about 10 ft up I would have panned it.
Thanks again,
Paul

Yes, the Green Iguanas are feral. They are common around the Miami area (as are many exotic lizards) and I guess some made it to the Keys.

 

[prattw]

The spider is Nephila clavipes, whose usual common name in the US is Golden Silk Spider.

The racers look rather dark, but the one time-ticked at 11:26 PM PDT seems to have a pale venter, which would make it paludicola. The others seem to have dark venters, though they are maybe a bit light for priapus. They could be intergrades, since the localities are near the range margin, but it could be the problem that the iguanas you saw represent. There has been an appalling volume of releases and escapes, which in the case of native species leads to dilution of the original genetics of the populations.

Will

 

[SPF]

We drove down to Key West one morning and the iguanas were sat by the road way past Islamorada