Hello everyone:
We have found several remains of snakes in long-legged buzzard' pellets collected in southeastern Kazakhstan (between the lakes Balkhash and Almaty). Could anyone help us to identify them?
In all the cases We only found parts of the tails, hindering their identification. In the first case (snake sp 1), We think in the genus Elaphe (may be E. dione?).
In the second case, We have no idea. The snake shows several particular features, e.g. the tail ends very abruptly (reminding a viper) and the scales are small and not keeled.
Thank you in advance!
Hello Juan,
Check this website and search results:
http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/advanced_search?taxon=snakes&location=Kazakhstan&submit=Search
I hope you will find it useful.
I believe identification of #1 as Elaphe dione is correct.
I think #2 is Eryx tataricus. Note the small dorsal scales and blotched pattern, which are diagnostic for the species. Vipera renardi would have a zigzag-like pattern with larger keeled scales and a duller body coloration.
I hope this helps,
- Justin
Thank you very much everyone !!
With your help I think I'm already pretty sure of the identifications. Especially I grateful for the species #2 id. I agree with Eryx tataricus. The list that we are using for that area was not updated and this species didn't appear so we had not initially considered as potential prey. I just checked and certainly this species appears in the east of the Kazakhstan, coinciding with our study area.
Thank you very much again!
Juanma
Image 1 is Elaphe dione and second image is Eryx from Boidae.
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