Hi,
My name is Suzanne Osier. I am a sailor and birder living aboard my boat and finishing a circumnavigation. I am moored on the Caribbean side of the Panama Canal in Fort Sherman. The San Lorenzo Protected Area is my temporary 'backyard'. A few days ago, I found a snake and I can't seem to make it fit to the snakes on the speices list in my area. On your blog, Serpent Research, you invite people with photos or comments to share to please post them. I know how to make a comment, but I wasn't sure that I could post a photo, so I'm emailing you. I have posted the photos on a few sites, but I have been able to get a positive ID.
I have no books aboard about snakes, but I often use a site put out by the US Forest Service to help me with the flora and fauna of the area (San Lorenzo Protected area):
http://www.sanlorenzo.org.pa/docs/II..._04_ingles.pdf
I know that not all species found here are listed, because I have seen some myself (birds), but it is an excellent site and a good place to start. Basically, the San Lorenzo Protected area is divided into two parts. The Fort Sherman side of the Chagres River and the Pina side. Some species found in the Fort Sherman side are not found on the other side and vice-versa. I am posting a species list here. I have googled almost all of these snakes trying to find a match. The snakes on the list that are two-toned are yellow and black and this snake was the color in the photo. Maybe it's just an individual with color variation?
I hope I'm not being a pest, but I'd really like to know what this snake is, and you seem to know a bit about snakes. I apologize for the bad photos; the snake was crossing the road and I jumped out of an air-conditioned car to photograph it. My lens was a bit foggy.
Thank-you in advance for any help.
Sincerely,
Sue
Species List from US Forest Service:
Boa constrictor Boa constrictor
Annulated tree boa Corallus annulatus
Culubridae Black racer Chironius carinatus
Large scaled black tree snake C. grandisquamis
Mexican milk snake Leptodeira annulata
These snakes are found on the Pina side:
Parrot snake Leptophis ahaetulla
Liophis epinephalus
Mexican vine snake Oxybelis aeneus
Green vine snake O. brevirostris
Siphlophis cervinus
Elapidae Central American coral snake Micrurus nigrocinctus
Viperidae Fer de lance Bothrops asper
