can anyone identify this snake?

[Lou]

I found a dead snake today and was wondering what it could be. I am in the French Alps at 850m, it was out on a path by a pile of wood, it was deep black with brown marbling on the underside, 50/60 cms long, no markings on its face or neck, and yellow on the underside of its tail just at the tip. I took a photo but it doesn't show anything apart from black. The head was really squished up but it looked to have brownish eyes.

Does anyone have any idea what type of snake it could have been, and would it have been dangerous?

thanks

 

[Harvestman]

I'd have a fair bet that Jonathan D is the man to ask.

 

[JonathanD]

The only really venomous snake you have there is the Asp viper. You do get the Montpellier snake there as well, which is venomous, but not to the extent of the Asp. Your description actually matches quite a few snakes you get there and could be a melanistic version of the Asp at that altitude. I'd need a picture for a positive ID. However rubbish it is, I should be able to get an ID from that.

What shape were the pupils?

 

[Lou]

OK, will upload the photo tonight, thanks for your help! The pupils - you mean the shape of the dark bit inside the eyes obviously, I din't see any, just a kind of opaquish dark brown all over the eyes.......

 

[Lou]

here is the snake in all its glory:

 

[Robbi]

can't see that mate, it comes up....unautherised

 

[shogun]

yep same here no pic

 

[Lou]

Ok will try again......hold on

 

[Lou]

OK, having some problems getting a picture on here, think I will have to try tomorrow.....

 

[JonathanD]

No problem, I'm off to snoozy land now anyway.

 

[Lou]

Ok, found a way to get my pic on here at last. Not sure you are going to be able to tell ANYTHING from this Jonathan but here goes:

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Looks like a melanistic adder to me.

 

[Lou]

Ok, just mildly dangerous then....

 

[EmmaD]

Jon says there are no adders in that region of France as we spend quite a lot of time there. He is in Notts right now. But will be able to tell you what it is this evening when he gets back.

 

[marcusleftthesite]

Western whip ?

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Allright then, a melanistic viper.

 

[nitrambur]

Allright then, a melanistic viper.

..and here was me thinking an adder is a viper...

 

[blacktimberwolf]

..and here was me thinking an adder is a viper...

Me too! but apparently only the common viper (vipera berus) can be called an adder ( a vice versa). there are many different species of viper.

 

[JonathanD]

It is without doubt Vipera aspis, the Asp viper, and female. The Asp was one of my main species study some years back and I have studied it extensively in Southern France. It's venom is more potent than the Adder (Vipera berus), and in South-West France, the species varies from others in terms of venom, as it is more neurotoxic there. Melanism in the Asp is far more frequent than with the adder, especially at altitude. A beautiful snake. A very close cousin to the adder, and sometimes confused as they are very alike in colour, patternation and scaleation.

 

[JonathanD]

Me too! but apparently only the common viper (vipera berus) can be called an adder ( a vice versa). there are many different species of viper.

The Adder is the English name for Vipera berus. A member of the viper family. A viper is a venomous snake (family Viperidae) with large hinged fangs that normally has a stout body and broad head. Rattlesnakes, Puff adders, Bushmasters etc fall into this same group. Australia is the only continent lacking a member of the Viper family. They are the most advanced and furthest evolved of all snakes.