Saturday, February 7, 2009

Reptile Roundup

Here are some of the reptiles we've found over the past year in the Sabino Canyon area:
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox
Black-tailed Rattlesnake Crotalus molossusWestern Long-nosed Snake Rhinocheilus lecontei (in our backyard)
Black-necked Garter Snake Thamnophis cyrtopsis
Sonoran Coral Snake Micruroides euryxanthus
Zebra-tailed Lizard Callisaurus draconoides
Greater Earless Lizard Cophosaurus texanus
Desert Spiny Lizard Sceloporus magister
Gila Monster Heloderma suspectrum
Desert Tortoise Gopherus agassizii

Desert Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula splendida)

Click pictures to enlarge.
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13 comments:

  1. TeriFebruary 7, 2009 at 6:44 PM

    Holey moley! I didn't know all these snakes were there!! I will definitely be more careful. I shudder to think of walking off the path and into one of these? EEK.

    Really great photos and information.

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  2. •°°• IcyBC •°°•February 7, 2009 at 6:45 PM

    I like the lizards, not snakes! The photos are great though.

    I don't know what I would do if I see snakes in the backyard, like you, my brave lady!

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  3. Cheryl AnnFebruary 7, 2009 at 6:45 PM

    Wonderful photos! I've seen two non-poisonous snakes up at the ranch, by the water faucet, where I wash out the horses' buckets! Eek! Both times they were gopher snakes!

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  4. Glynis Peters February 8, 2009 at 7:48 AM

    Really interesting! we have a blunt nose viper in Cyprus which is the poisonous one we have to watch out for.

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  5. AnonymousFebruary 8, 2009 at 2:26 PM

    I get a lot of snakes in my yard, too. King snakes and racers, so far no poisonous ones. I like having them here, the help control the rodents, but you can keep the rattlesnakes.

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  6. RuthieJFebruary 8, 2009 at 5:11 PM

    Whoa, that's a lot of reptiles! You really have to watch your step in the backyard.

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  7. AnonymousFebruary 8, 2009 at 6:57 PM

    I live in New Mexico and I relate to all these critters and LOVE them. I lived in the jungles of Australia where they have some fascinating reptiles. Some of the worlds deadliest snakes(to humans). Your photography is WONDERFUL. Very exciting site. Will bookmark it and stumble it. Thank you.

    Robin Easton
    www.nakedineden.com

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  8. kesslerdeeFebruary 9, 2009 at 7:07 AM

    Wow! What an abundance! The pictures are great- I love the cat ears on your mystery snake! I've no idea what kind it might be though. I am still working on standing still if I see a snake, and not letting my impulse to go the other way take over!

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  9. Cheryl AnnFebruary 10, 2009 at 7:21 AM

    Diane,
    Stop by my deserthorses blog to pick up an award from me to you! LOVE your blog! Thanks for stopping by my blogs!
    ~~Cheryl Ann~~

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  10. Kathie BrownFebruary 10, 2009 at 11:02 AM

    Love the snakes. There is a great reptile ID site run by one of the proffs at the U of AZ. I have a link on my site.

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  11. ArvindFebruary 10, 2009 at 1:43 PM

    Wow...scary and beautiful at the same time. That's nature for ya! :-)

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  12. AnonymousMarch 16, 2009 at 12:50 AM

    Desert King Snake "Lampropeltis getula splendida"

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  13. Diane AZApril 21, 2009 at 4:29 AM

    Desert King Snake does seem the most likely. Since the pattern is a little different, maybe a subspecies of Lampropeltis getula splendida.

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