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Levant Dwarf Beauty


Levant Dwarf Beauty
Photo Information
Copyright: Bayram Gocmen (boreocypriensis) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5104 W: 178 N: 12503] (34135)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04
Categories: Reptiles
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5400
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/60 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Syrian Herpetofauna, Turkish Herpetofauna-II, Cyprus Herpetofauna [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-03-12 0:37
Viewed: 1019
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 74
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Eirenis levantinus (Levant Dwarf Snake) [in Turk. Levant Uysal Yılanı] (male)

Dear friends, as you remembered I have upoaded a female beautiful dwarf snake as a1st on TN- which It was recently re-discovered from the Northern Cyprus after approximately 150 years in a narrow, specialized field by us. Today another shot of the species, but now a male portrait which I also used it a central element of my 300th posting on TN.
TFL!
Cheers,

©Bayram GÖÇMEN, Ege University, Faculty of Science. All Rights Reserved.

*****************************

Eirenis (Dwarf Snakes) is a genus of snake in the Colubridae (Whip Snakes) family. It contains approximately 20 species that most of them are found in Anatolia and are endemics to there or Middle East region. They are have a secretive lifestyle and due to this lifestyle the biologies of these non-venomous, docile snakes remains fairly unknown. They are usualy found under stones and most are active in a short period (sometimes 3-4 weeks) of the year. They generaly prefer low temperatures (during the months of April & May) with some exceptions like Eirenis coronella (Crowned Dwarf Snake, that this species is the southernmost representative of the genus, with the highest resistance to high temperatures and aridity).

Its range includes the East Medirettanean region (Mersin, Adana, Osmaniye and Hatay provinces) of Turkey, Northern Cyprus plus the Mediterranean ecozones of Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

Adult snakes reaches up to 40-48 cm, including tail, but usually smaller. A small, graceful pencil-thin snake with the head poorly differentiated from the body and round pupils. It differs from the closest related species by the pileus (head)- and neck pattern (the parietal band restricted to the parietals; the temporal pointed ends of the collar band mostly present; the gular ends only weakly pronounced), by the dorsals that are never dark in the center, which show at least on the frontal sides light middle stripes; and also by the almost never rearly touching inframaxillar plates. The number of dorsal scales around midbody is generally 17, rarely 15.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE RELATED PAPER ON THE RE-DISCOVERY (A PDF File)

References:

1. Göçmen, B. (Unpub. results). The results of herpetological trips.
2. Schmidtler, J. F., Göçmen, B., Yıldız, M. Z., Akman, B, Yalçinkaya, D. & Nagy, T. Z. (2009). Rediscovery of the snake genus Eirenis on Cyprus (Reptilia: Colubridae). Salamandra, 45 (1): 15-23.
3. Budak, A. & Göçmen, B. (2005). Herpetology. Ege Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226 pp. [2nd Edition, 2008].
4. Atatür, M. K & Göçmen, B. (2001). Amphibians and Reptiles of Northern Cyprus (1st Edition), Ege Üniversitesi, Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 170, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 63 pp.
5. Schmidler, J. F. (1993). Systematics and Phylogeny of the eirenis-modestus-complex in south Anatolia (Serpentes, Colubridae). Spixiana, 1611, 79-96
6. Kotschy, T. (1865). XI. Anhang. Uebersicht der von Cypern bisher gekannten Thiere (* Mit Benutzung von Sibthorp’s Journal von Dr. Kotschy nach seinen eigenen Beobachtungen zusammengestellt) mit: REPTILIA (*von Herrn Dr. Steindachner Assistent am Zoolog. Hofcabinet bestimmt). – pp. 572-573 in Unger, F. & T. Kotschy: Die Insel Cypern ihrer physischen und organischen Natur nach mit Rücksicht auf ihre frühere Geschichte geschildert. – Wilhelm Braumiller, Wien, 573 pp.
gannu, jpdenk, anabis, CeltickRanger, Luis52, maurydv, xTauruSx, SMYRNA, eng55, haraprasan, valy67, bahadir, eqshannon, Noisette, zulfu, yasemin, cypturk, nkasot, albert, siggi, Gert-Paassen, cicindela, Hormon_Manyer, Panoptic83, montivipera has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Bayram sir,

Congratulations !

Great discovery and very good shot of the species. The note was perfect and the research paper too.

The head has a pattern just like a spectacled cobra, though non-venomous, does this snake has a hood?

Hats off for the efforts !

TFS,
Cheers,
Prasad

Hi little bro,

nice presentation of this snake.
Good of details and vbeautiful different brown colours.
Congratulations with these specie.

Gert

WOW great Photo, very well taken and daring,,


TFS,
Anil Pinto

Hi Bayram,
This beauty has very similar colouration and markings to the grass snake (Natrix natrix).
Nicely taken close up.
TFS & cheers,
Steve

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1382 W: 56 N: 4768] (16394)
  • [2009-03-12 3:49]

Hello Bayram MF,
Wonderful capture of this snake. I love the details of his skin. Marvelous face with that good eye. He shows off so well agains the bg. I like seeing him on the diagonal like that.
Best regards Siggi

Hello Bayram,
The head of this snake is beautiful and well rendered by your photo
Well done and TFS
Albert

Bayram Hocam muhteşem. 4/4 lük bir makro. Makalenizin yayınlanmış olmasına da sevindim. Ayrıca 20 bin puana ulaşmışsınız. Tebrikler.
Nazım

Ola Dayi,
Another fine capture of this beautiful and docile snake from a beautiful point of view with a great depth, fine sharpness and detail.
TFS and kind regards...
Merih

Canim kardesim... Yillar sonra bu guzeli bulup bizle paylastigin icin tesekkurler...
Seninle guru duyuyoruz...
Yandan basi cok guzel gostermissin... Selamlar...
Leyla.

hello Bayram
super composition
great sharpness and nice colours
greeting lou

hello Bayram
very good composition, with good flou back round,in order to it stresses the detail in main subject,
very nice photo
best regards
Nasos

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1066 W: 0 N: 162] (870)
  • [2009-03-12 7:32]

Merhaba Hocam, süper birportre çalışması. Detaylar her zmanki gibi 1 numara. Elinize sağlık. 20 bine de ulaşmışsınız. Tebrikler.
Mehmet

Hello Bayram
tis capture of this dwarf snake is very beautiful
the colors of the snake are the same as the decor around him
great lighting and details on his head
Have a good day
Jacqueline

Bayram hocam merhabalar...
Bu yılanlarda nasıl bu kadar samim olabiiyorsunuz anlayamıyorum... Üstelik coolpix bir makinayla...
Beni gören yılanlar anında bir delik veya çalı bulup ortadan kayboluyorlar.

Skillfully done with a craftsman hands Bayram. I admire your superior intellect in the way with you mix it together with your art form!
Bob

Merhaba Bayram Hocam muhteşem bir yakın plan çekimi.Elinize ve emeğinize sağlık. 20bin için de tebrikler!
Bahadır

Hello Bayam !
Yes, I remember you 300th post, it was so beautiful - and this one is wonderful, too ! I really like how the snake has the same color as the rock, excellent camouflage. Composition, POV, and all the other things are excellent, as usual from you ! Very well done my friend !
Valérie.

Hi My Dear Friend,
CONGRATULATIONS for this new finding by you and your team. A beautiful snake. Excellent sharp details and a lovely composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1158 W: 32 N: 1194] (3660)
  • [2009-03-12 11:24]

Merhaba Bayram Bey,
Çok güzel bir portre çalışması olmuş.Alan derinliği kullanımı,detaylar,keskinlik mükemmel.Renkler ve kamuflaj çok dikkat çekici.
Selamlar Dostum,ellerine sağlık!

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 94 N: 5564] (17694)
  • [2009-03-12 11:57]

Hello Bayram,
Beautiful presentation of this Levant Dwarf Snake. Great sharp focus on the head. Excellent matching colours and DOF.
Kind Regards,
Peter

Kanki gerçekten mükemmel çekmişsin. Biraz da sanatsal bir kompozisyon olmuş. Selamlar.
Gökhan

Merhaba Bayram Hocam. Muhteşem bir macro. Super detaylar. Karelerinize kusur arayanlar nedense bu çekime uğramıyorlar:).
Elinize sağlık. Saygılar.
Deniz

Ciao MF Bayram,
another beautiful picture from a Master Herptile lovers, very good frontal POV and superb sharpness, well composed.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

Ciao Bayram, superb portrait of fantastic snake, great colors and wonderful details, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2009-03-12 16:19]

Hola Bayram.
Exelente y fina foto de esta bella serpiente, y debo felicitarte por este logro tan merecido cunado estudias los reptiles.
Felicidades Bayram.
Luis52.

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2009-03-12 16:46]

Hi Bayram,you're back in your prefered world..ehehe...this perspective is wonderful,i like a lot this way to show this reptil,perfect focus on the head,have a nice day my friend,Luciano

hello Bayram

there is one creature that i don't love and that is the snake,
here you did an excellent photo with very fine POV and DOF,
and an excellent eye-contact of the subject, TFS

Asbed

Hello Bayram,
Great shot of a great nature's jewel!
Congratulations!
Mircea

  • Great 
  • jpdenk Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 480 W: 5 N: 783] (2061)
  • [2009-03-13 10:01]

Hi Bayram,

A beautiful, little snake, attractive subtle colors, and a fine photo of it, excellent detail and sharpness and a very pleasing composition. Congratulations on re-discovering this rare beauty!

And congratulations on number 300! Your prolific postings here are very appreciated, as are your continuing enthusiastic support for others, happy to have come here and met you my friend.

Thanks,
John

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2009-03-13 17:47]

Hello Professor, Good shot and what a discovery. The note is superb and good composition. Ganesh

Hello Bayram!
Another beautiful capture of reptile, this time portrait of Levant Dwarf Snake. I like this close-up. Photo has rather shallow DOF but has interesting pose of snake and very nice composition :)
Greetings from almost spring Lodz (the 1st frogs start to be active! :>),
Radek

Good afternoon again Mr. Prof :)
A late congrats for Your 300th shot, and my hat off of You for re-discovering the specie in Cyprus. Yes, I remember it... I like Your amphibian and reptile photos very much (while I don't say I don't like the insect shots), the species are very interesting and there's always something to learn from Your notes. Fantastic portrait, almost seems like a duotone sepia. Bravo.
Cheerz, László

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1339 W: 0 N: 2585] (9117)
  • [2009-03-21 23:22]

Merhaba MF Bayram,
fuh...a sharp shot on the head with eye glowing and speckles of pattern on the head.
Nice capture of the serpent at a very near angle.

regards,
Foozi

Merhaba Hocam,
Excellent shot! Also it's kind to share a photo that you used in your scientific publication. It goes to my favourites.
Regards,
Nasit

Hola Bayram,
veo que tus viajes por Anatolia no impiden que sigas activo. Que lo pàses bien !
Tu fotografía muy interesante, donde sin duda destacaría el buen trabajo con los colores del conjunto y también el encuadre.

Un abrazo: Josep Ignasi.

Merhaba Hocam,
Harika bir yılan portresi.Netlik ve detaylar muhteşem.Eline sağlık.
Selamlarımla..

hAyAti

Muhteşem bir makro hocam. Yılan da baya güzelmiş.
Elinize sağlık.
Özgür

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