Cryptophis nigrescens at FS Private Property

1 Small-eyed Snake at FS Private Property

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Identification history

Cryptophis nigrescens	30 Jun 2018	JackieMiles
Cryptophis nigrescens	29 Jun 2018	PatrickCampbell
Cryptophis nigriscens	5 Jun 2018	Stewart
Unidentified	5 Jun 2018	Stewart

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Author's notes

Found under a rock - head not visible

10 comments

Gaia wrote:

20 Jun 2018

ID correct

JackieMiles wrote:

29 Jun 2018

OK, well I'm happy to add the species and confirm it if "Gaia" can't, but a quick run-down on why it is correct would be appreciated, given all we've got here is a rapidly disappearing back end!

Gaia wrote:

30 Jun 2018

Colour - I have collected 100's and it can not be anything else down here.

JackieMiles wrote:

30 Jun 2018

OK, now who knows which is the current name? I googled Rhinoplocephalus and everything that came up was Cryptophis. The most recent citations quoted were Rhinoplocephalus nigrescens — WALLACH et al. 2014: 641 and Cryptophis nigrescens — COGGER 2014: 875 . So which of them is correct?

JackieMiles wrote:

30 Jun 2018

PS In ALA, which is where the record is bound for, once confirmed, they have Cryptophis.

PatrickCampbell wrote:

30 Jun 2018

Cryptophis nigrescens is more correct according to all my sources. Rhinoplocephalus is the old generic name and outdated. I don't know why Wallach et al. seems to have resurrected it, but I would definitely recommend changing the name in the drop-down menu to Cryptophis.
In addition to the steely-black colouration, one of the most distinctive characteristics of this species in my opinion is that each lower lateral scale is paler posteriorly, especially the posterior edge of each scale. Conversely each lower lateral scale is darker anteriorly.

JackieMiles wrote:

30 Jun 2018

OK, I'll change the name. So is this business with the scales visible in these photos? I think I'm getting a hint of dark scale edges on the snake's sides.

PatrickCampbell wrote:

30 Jun 2018

Yes, it's visible in the photos. You may need to download the image and then enlarge it in order to see it but it's definitely visible. The best section is the very bottom of the lowest bend in the photo. Have a look at images on the net that are better quality and you'll see what I mean. I've found it to be quite a distinctive and reliable characteristic of the species when present. It's especially valuable in cases like this when you can't see the otherwise most distinctive characteristic small eyes and uniform pink belly.

JackieMiles wrote:

1 Jul 2018

OK, thanks. Bit blurry in these photos, and when I checked the photo in my old Cogger, it is of a near-black animal, so not really apparent on it. But I've annotated Cogger accordingly and will bear it in mind if I ever get that close to one!

Gaia wrote:

1 Jul 2018

I agree the genus should be changed to Cryptophis for this website. This was the name for many years before it went to Rhinoplocephalus (probably due to Wells and Wellington). Cryptophis has now been resurrected. Older animals and ones from up north may not be grey with the darker edge to the scales. This is the most common snake in the Shoalhaven.

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