New Snake

First of all, I would like to take a moment to point out that OU is still the greatest school ever, and we're not gonna let a fluke like the Colorado game kill our momentum. Meaning, of course, that Texas doesn't stand a chance this weekend. I will be down in Dallas personally this weekend to cheer the Sooners on to what I'm expecting to be an amazing victory.

Sorry - it's just that I'm about the only sooner fan on the refuge, while the rest of my esteemed co-workers are confirmed cowboys, raiders, or aggies. The only thing we really have in common is our shared disdain of that other Texas university. Yesterday was my day off even, and it still didn't stop a co-worker of mine from calling me: "How 'bout them Cowboys? Well, then how 'bout them Sooners!" (chuckle, chuckle) Sigh. I take it in the good fun it's presented in, but it still doesn't stop me from being a smidge defensive about my favorite college football team.

Anyway, back to biology.

This morning, I was busily searching through my environmental education boooks and Curtis walks in. His office is right next to mine and I can see his desk from where I sit. He gestures toward a small plastic container on his desk. "What's this?" he asks. Secure in my knowledge of refuge snakes, I saunter over there and pick it up. And quickly realize I have no idea. It's a small-ish snake, thin and whiplike. His scales are not smooth, his belly is plain, and his eyes are large (you know, for a snake). He has two white spots on top of his head, right next to each other. He has a black back with a narrow, orange vertebral stripe (meaning it runs down the center of his back - where his spine is). He also has lateral stripes on either side of the dorsal stripe, and those are pale.

Sounds intriguing, no? I take a stab at it, "Some type of garter snake?" But of course that's not it. I study it a moment further and say "Alright. I fail the test - what is it?" But he doesn't let me off that easy. He sends me off to find a reptile and amphibian field guide. The correct way to use a field guide is to "key" the species. Meaning, you flip to the snake key and it will say something like "Scales keeled - Group 1; Scales smooth - Group 2" In this instance I would flip to group 1 and it would give me another list of options "Plain belly - groups 5, 6, 7; Striped belly - groups 8, 9" You go to the corresponding group or groups, and choose from the options listed there (and so on and so forth). It sounds simple enough, but it takes forever and usually the authors of the field guides throw in terms that only an experienced and degreed herpetologist would know.

So. I use "keying" as a very last option. Instead. I turned to the plates (i.e. the picture section). Once I find one that looks a bit like the guy I have, I flip to the page the written description and distribution is on. What's great about this particular field guide is that with each description it also lists "similar species". So. I flipped through the pictures, and found one of a Texas Patchnose snake. It has the dorsal stripe and the same coloring. I flip to the page. The distribution is all wrong, and it's a lot longer than the guy I'm trying to identify. It also doesn't have the correct number of stripes. It's scales are also smooth, as this guy's scales are keeled. I look to the similar species - "garter and ribbon snakes have keeled scales..."

Aha! A clue! I go back to my pictures and look for the ribbon snakes. There are about five to choose from but only one picture I can really choose. The Western Ribbon snake. I was just reading his description when Curtis became impatient: "Well, what is it?" 95% I found the right one, I respond "Western Ribbon Snake." And, as expected, I am right.

Ego now firmly back in place, I saunter back over to Curtis' desk with my newly identified W. Ribbon snake. I ask him if this guy will bite me, and Curtis says no. I tell him I'm going to sue him if he's wrong. And gently pull the snake out of the container. Well, it does not bite me. Simply poops on me. Sigh. I suppose, after all the snakes I've handled the past 2 1/2 months, it was bound to happen sometime. It wasn't a lot, and I cleaned us up as best I could (you know, with him squirming and all). And then I took some pictures...







In the first, second, and last pictures you can see the keeled scales and the bright white spots on his head very well. It may look like just one spot, but there are two - just very close together. In the first picture you also can see the present this little guy gave me. Curtis is going to keep him until after tomorrow. And that is because starting tomorrow, Cherokee's EE programs will start. Curtis does the 5th grade program (easily the most popular program) and he shows off his reptiles and amphibians. I play Vana White for this program, carrying around the animals to all the students so they can get a closer look and touch - if they want. So, this Western ribbon snake is going to Cherokee tomorrow for a bit of show and tell.