Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

South African snakes with venoms that are not considered to be medically important.

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Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby Amphibian » Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:41 pm

Found this interesting "little" guy over the weekend.
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Re: Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby fuscusV2 » Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:48 pm

Nice find, I haven't found one of those in a while, definitely a rare find. Was he under a rock of sorts or termite mound?
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Re: Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby Fooble » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:29 pm

Fantastic find! Can you share a bit more of the circumstances of where and how you found it?
What was the TL?
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Re: Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby Amphibian » Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:19 pm

The snake was found on Sunday at around 11:15am on a private farm close to Viljoenskroon. It was on a sand stone koppie under a fairly large rock that was deeply set in the soil.
It was overcast with the air temp around 27 and just prior to those big rains that the whole country experience Sunday evening (either that or the weather followed me for 7.5 hours all the way back to Durban).
This specimen was very very small making good photos difficult especially when you add the low level of natural light and the complete lack of a macro lens and my very basic knowledge of cameras and photography in general.
The SVL was 98 and the TL must have been less than 115.

Not a great picture but a good indication of the animals true size next to my pinkie finger.
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Re: Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby Fooble » Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:44 pm

Thanks! That's great info you got ( shows a real fielder herper right there IMO).

Amphibian that's a well decent photo when you try find other images of the species.
Dang it's tiny!

On a side note, any other finds from the area?
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Re: Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby Westley Price » Thu Mar 31, 2011 6:54 am

Wow, that's something you don't see very often.

I must add, your pictures are better than most pictures in field guides of this species.

Great pictures and thanx for sharing.
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Re: Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby vinnige_fanie » Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:11 am

You have a huge pienkie finger haha.
Nice find!
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Re: Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby fuscusV2 » Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:03 pm

Just to echo above, that's NOT a bad pic! Thanks for the pic with your pinkie, puts it in perspective... like fanie said - that's a moerse pinkie :D
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Re: Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby Amphibian » Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:37 am

Fooble mate we worked hard over the weekend which in the end to be honest produced very little.
Nearly 21 hours of driving, 5 tanks of diesel, 3 hours hunting on the Friday afternoon (in unseasonably cold rain), a straight 13 hours on the Saturday and then 5 hours on the Sunday.
The primary aim was to try find and photograph the still so unbelievably elusive Elapsoidea sundevalii media I have never personally seen one of these.
Mostly just the usual suspects popped up: Lamprophis aurora, Dasypeltis scarbra, Hemachatus haemachatus (jet black), Lycophidion capense, Pseudaspis cana, Bitis arietans and a few other bits and pieces.
Nothing too sexy but I did see my first Aarvark and although frustratingly I didn't get any pictures any one who has spent decent time in the bush will know these animals are practically ghosts.
So a couple of nice firsts but mostly just good to be out and about.
"When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic.
We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bustling with prejudice and motivated by pride and vanity" – Dale Carnegie
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Re: Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby Durban Keeper » Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:36 am

Well done. That.s an awesome snake and a brilliant species list. Any photos of the other snakes as well?
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Re: Interesting find - Homoroselaps dorsalis

Postby BOOGY » Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:13 pm

Definite two rare ones there, Aardvark and the Homorselaps! Your are very lucky my friend.
Had a specimen on a call out,once. Pictures was promised as it it died because the two laaities who found it(in the middle of a rugbyfiled!!!!!!) chucked it into a coke can.Sadly it drowned. Someone promised to hand it in somewhere.... and it all disapeared. No pictures,No braging rites.SUCK.
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