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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Snake identification (image 150k)
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 07/23/2004 08:05:49 PM · #1
Hi,

While I was in Sweden at the Orsa bearpark this snake crossed the road:



I have been going trough several snake sites, but cannot find what snake this is. Surely there are some reptile lovers here that know it?

Location= middle Sweden, city of Orsa in the Dalarna region several hundred meters above sea level. The area was mainly covered with trees.
Date: Early July 2004, just after 12.00 midday.
Snake was about 60 to 100cm long, color towards black (certainly not dark blue). The weather was sunny, about 20 degrees with a bit of wind.

At a campsite near Stockholm I also found a snake. But this time when I was breaking up my tent and found it underneath it. A small grass snake without its tail.


07/23/2004 08:27:42 PM · #2
A (European) water/grass snake? They are darker, I believe, than their North American cousins... and bite!

(I may well be wrong too).


07/23/2004 09:32:05 PM · #3
My brother once told me he saw a snake on the road while he was going home from work. I asked him, "what kind?" He said "Flat."

My guess this is a juvenile "flat" snake.
 07/23/2004 09:57:56 PM · #4
Black Adder
 07/23/2004 10:05:00 PM · #5
Originally posted by David Ey:
Black Adder


I thought Black Adders were restricted to North America...

07/23/2004 10:12:04 PM · #6
Adders are prevelent in UK....however I don't think this is one.
I believe they have white on them as well and have a somewhat diamond pattern. Of course I could be wrong.
 07/23/2004 10:18:36 PM · #7
Originally posted by David Ey:
Black Adder


I don't think it looks anything like Rowan Atkinson.... :)
 07/23/2004 10:25:29 PM · #8
Yes, it is probably an Adder or "common viper" (Hugg orm) which is the only poisonous snake that we have in Sweden, while it is not uncommon in Sweden, you don't see this black one a whole lot. Most people can't tell a viper from a zool. They usually think that if the snake has a zigzag pattern, it's a viper. And if not, it's a zool. But the fact is that if a snake is black, without a zigzag pattern, it can turn out to be a viper.
 07/23/2004 10:47:31 PM · #9
i'm just glad you didn't have a closer encounter with it, Sander!

welcome back! :)
 07/23/2004 11:31:14 PM · #10
Originally posted by alionic:
Originally posted by David Ey:
Black Adder


I don't think it looks anything like Rowan Atkinson.... :)


HA HA
 07/26/2004 05:16:11 PM · #11
Originally posted by Sonda:
Yes, it is probably an Adder or "common viper" (Hugg orm) which is the only poisonous snake that we have in Sweden, while it is not uncommon in Sweden, you don't see this black one a whole lot.


Thanks a lot!
Thanks to your info I found a description about the adder at the BBC that refers to the very uncommon black variation. I came close to it, but fortunately not close enough. :)
(it won't kill me but it hurts)


07/26/2004 05:17:51 PM · #12
Originally posted by sher9204:
i'm just glad you didn't have a closer encounter with it, Sander!

welcome back! :)


We just missed eachother saturday. :(
Thanks for leaving a message. ;)

Message edited by author 2004-07-26 17:19:53.
 07/26/2004 05:33:01 PM · #13
Originally posted by zeuszen:
A (European) water/grass snake? They are darker, I believe, than their North American cousins... and bite!

(I may well be wrong too).




British Grass snake - harmless

07/26/2004 06:04:59 PM · #14
I have a feeling this may be a Smooth Snake. The line behind the eye is the key marking and they do vary in colour.



More info.
 07/26/2004 06:22:49 PM · #15
Originally posted by Imagineer:
I have a feeling this may be a Smooth Snake. The line behind the eye is the key marking and they do vary in colour.


I have looked at my big original version and the eye is different. The whole eye is dark with a thin even darker line it, unlike the Smooth snake who has a round pupil in a lighter corona (?). The head flatter and the eye casings almost seem to pop out above the head itself like samples of the vipers I have seen.

Thanks for your help.
 07/26/2004 06:54:14 PM · #16
Sander, can you upload your large file or send it to me?
 07/27/2004 01:50:34 AM · #17
I'll put up a large full-size crop tonight at pbase, will link from here.
 07/27/2004 04:44:38 PM · #18
//www.pbase.com/image/31876668

Crop from the original 6mp file (the camera has a resolution of 3mp, that is why it is a bit fuzzy). Chroma Noise reduction (only affects color noise, not the grain) and saved at 90% so that it is just under 600kb. No sharpening applied, not in the camera, not in photoshop.
Check if the link refers to 'original'.

At this size you can almost see the catlike pupil.
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