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Teerak Snake - '1st' on TN


Teerak Snake - '1st' on TN
Photo Information
Copyright: Bayram Gocmen (boreocypriensis) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5083 W: 178 N: 12358] (33729)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-05-01
Categories: Reptiles
Camera: Nikon D-80, SIGMA 70-300MM F-4-5.6 APO DG MACRO AFM, @ ISO 200, BW 58 MM UV FILTER
Exposure: f/14.0, 1/200 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Turkish Herpetofauna-II [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-05-22 0:26
Viewed: 866
Favorites: 4 [view]
Points: 84
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Eirenis punctatolineatus (Teerak Snake, Van Snake) [in Turk. Van Yılanı]

Hi friends, after a long break on my main subject herpetology, I decided to upload a beautiful, docile and rarely seen snake species –as a first on TN- which we encountered with it during our last trip to E Anatolia.
By the way, tonight we are going to C Anatolian and E Mediterranean Regions to conduct some herpetological trips Because of this, I will not be on TN for about 7 days. During this time I wish all of my friends the best wishes. Hope to see you soon......

TFL and 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).

Teerak Snake (Eirenis punctatolineatus) is only known from Siirt, Hakkari and Van provinces in Turkey. Its range also includes Iraq, NW Iran and Armenia.

Adult snakes reaches up to 58cm including tail (approx. 16 cm). It has a head poorly differentiated from the body and round pupils. Back scales smooth and arrange in 17 rows at mid-body. There are no transverse dark bands on neck. Rostral plate as wide as or slightly wider long; nasal single; internasal sture equal to or slightly shorter than prefrontal suture; frontal plate is narrow, not wider than supraocular, length of frontal equal to its distance to tip of snout, shorter than parietal. 1 (rarely 2) preocular; 2 postoculars; 1+2 or 1+3 temporals; 7 upper labials, 3rd and 4th bordering eye; 8-9 lower labials, 4 (rarely 5) bordering anterior chin shields; posterior chin shields equal to or slightly shorter than anterior ones and in contact with them. 150-181 ventral plates; 62-86 subcaudal plates. In its distribution area, it is represented by two subspecies with uniformly pale venters:

E. p. kumerloevei: It is known from only Akdamar Island (Van Lake) and it has almost completely black dorsum with sparsely single scale sized whitish or yellowish tinny spots.
E. p. punctatolineatus: It is known from the other distributional areas of the species. The dorsum is light brown with longitudinaly arranged black spots (especially on fore part of the body) or discontinuous stripes.

It is found rocky regions, semideserts, mountains, usually under rocky stones. It is oviparous and non-venomous .Quite slow and not very shy. Hunts actively for invertebrates and eats especially spiders, but also insects and sometimes small lizards.

References:

1. Göçmen, B. (Unpub. results). The results of herpetological trips.
2. Budak, A. & Göçmen, B. (2005). Herpetology. Ege Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226 pp. [2nd Edition, 2008].
3. Schmidtler,J.F. & Schmidtler,J. J. (1978). Eine neue Zwergnatter aus der Türkei; mit einer Übersicht über die Gattung Eirenis (Colubridae,Rept.). Ann. Naturh. Mus. Wien 81: 383-400
4. Schmidtler, J. F. & Eiselt, J. (1991). Zur Verbreitung und Systematik ostanatolischer Zwergnattern; mit Beschreibung von Eirenis hakkariensis n.sp. (Serpentes: Colubridae). Salamandra 27 (3): 215-227.
5. Latifi, M. (1991). The Snakes of Iran. Comtributions to Herpetology, Nr.7, SSAR, USA, 159 pp.

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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1370 W: 56 N: 4704] (16174)
  • [2009-05-22 0:33]

Hello Bayram MF,
Congratulations on being the first to present this Teerak Snake on TN.Very good composition. Excellent focus. Great reproduction of the colours and texture.
Best Regards
Siggi

Merhaba hocam, onca olay arasında taaa Siirt'e gidip bu güzelim yılanı bizlerle paylaştığınız için teşekkürler. Cesaretinize ve bilginize her zaman hayran olmuşumdur. Elinize sağlık. Selamlar ve saygılar.
Nazım

muhtesem cekmissin dayi. eline saglik. Hepimizden selamlar.
Merih

Hi Bayram,

Many congratulations on a first for TN, Teerak Snake is something I've never heard of before, and here in Australia we have some of the deadliest, this is a great image excellent detail, well framed and composed, t.f.s

Cheers Rick :)

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 645 W: 15 N: 1577] (6149)
  • [2009-05-22 1:40]

Hello Bayram
Excellent capture with great details and natural colors.
Regards
Razvan

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3808 W: 190 N: 11328] (34927)
  • [2009-05-22 1:45]

Hello Dostum Bayram,
A superb capture of this small species of Colubrid snake and a great first for TN: congratulations!
The POV that includes the whole snake was taken with fine sharpness ans is well composed aagainst the rocky Bg to make it a fine illustration of Eirinis coronella. Well done MF!
Thanks and have a good week's field excursions!
Ivan

good morning Bayram
congratulating for the infrequent and particular presentation,excellent details,wonderful photo
TFS MF
Nasos

Hello Bayram my friend,
excellent capture of this rare snake, sharp details,naturall colors and background,
regards,
Nikos.

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2989 W: 162 N: 941] (2769)
  • [2009-05-22 3:50]

Hello Bayram,
A very fine capture of this harmless snake nicely curled up. Great sharpness, beautiful light and colours and well composed.
I hope you'll have a successful field trip!
TFS and regards, Ulla

Merhaba,
Oldum olası korkarım yılanlardan ama korkuma rağmen hayranlık da duyarım.Çünkü kendisine dair efsaneler üretilen nadir canlılardan biridir.Hele Mezopotamya kültüründe kendi türü üzerinde krallık (şahmaran=yılanların şahı)kurabilecek kadar önemli bir mitolojik figür olarak yer alır...
Netlik ve kompozisyon harika.Kutlarım.

Hello Bayram !
Congratulations for this wonderful capture ! Everything is just perfect - details, colors, composition, POV, pose of the snake - and the note is very interesting to ead, as I didn't know this species. I wish you all the best for your trip, and maybe you'll come home with some new and fantastic shots ? I hope so, anyways.
Greetings from France,
Valérie.

Hi Bayram, great first on TN, fantastic capture of this rare Snake, splendid shoot with fine details and excellent sharpness, very well done, bravo, ciao Silvio

Hi Bayram,

Excelent photo, very detailed snake, good exposure, congratulations by it greap "first on TN" !

TFS

Jesús

Bayram bey selamlar,
Güzel bir tür ve sizden...
Renk ve detaylar mükemmel güzellikte.
Umarım güzel fotograf ve belgesellerle dönersiniz...
Emeğinize sağlık,
Seyfi

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2384 W: 94 N: 5493] (17500)
  • [2009-05-22 8:39]

Hello Bayram,
Great photo of this Teerak Snake, the first on TN, congratulations. Excellent sharpness and natural colours. Good composition and a nice BG.
Regards,
Peter

Hi Brother...
Well done, its not beautiful its magnificent....Exacting to see first time on TN this snake.....Pose and details perfect and wonderful catch.....Have a safe and nice trip....
Best wishes..
Warm regards.
Leyla.

Salam Bayram,

An excellent capture of this Teerak Snake. Great exposure & details. You be careful out there Bayram, there lots of poisonous snakes out there.

Good luck with your field trip & I am sure that you'll bring back some great pictures.

Best Regards

Umar

Hello Bayram,
This is a perfect shot, with all the snake in focus, and the light well managed. I wish you a good trip, very successful. TFS,
Catherine

hello Bayram
beautiful snake with good light and beautiful colours
great shot
greeting lou

Hello Bayram!
My best congratulations because of another (100th? more? :>) species which is 1st time in TN :>
Clarity and DOF is 1st class, it is a great pleasure to watch pictures like this one :>
Greetings and have a nice trip!
Radek

PS. Once again thanks for help! :>

  • Great 
  • Ishi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 162 W: 0 N: 971] (3714)
  • [2009-05-22 14:36]

Hi Bayram,

Beautiful snake, expertly recorded.

Have a successful and safe trip!

Ishi

Very beautiful shot, my brother.
The note makes for an interesting read, too.
Very well done.
Goldy

Sevimli Van Yılanı'nın tam kitaplık bir pozunu yakalamışsın Bayram, ellerine sağlık dostum.
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-05-23 8:58]

Hi LBB,

Another first on TN - Congratulations! What a wonderful looking snake and a wonderful picture of it. I love the pose against the rock. Magnificent natural colors and excellent details of the face and skin. The beautiful little eye shines. You certainly are a traveling man these days - hope this trip is successful. Be safe.

Jane

hello Bayram

you know (i have already writtent) there is one creature
that i don't love and it is this one, i just want to say
you did an fine photo with excellent sharpness and details,

TFS

Asbed

Merhaba Bayram
your snake shots are always really masterpiece and this one is not an exception
wonderful composition and i like the pose of this Teerak Snake
great sharpness with nice focusing on his eye
The colors are superb too
Have a nice sunday and good luck for your herpetological trip
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • jpdenk Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 480 W: 5 N: 783] (2061)
  • [2009-05-23 16:02]

Hi Bayram,

Excellent portrait of this attractive snake, with perfect depth of field and sharpness.

It actually looks a little like a species we have here.

Thanks,
John

  • Great 
  • efsus Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 435 W: 10 N: 729] (3178)
  • [2009-05-23 22:04]

Merhaba Bayram Bey!
TN ye yine bir ilk yüklemişsiniz. Tüm detayları enfes. Gerçekten çok canlı görünüyor. Dolayısıyla insanı ürkütmüyor da değil. Emeğine sağlık.
Selamlar.

Hüseyin

Excellent capture Bayram.
Perfect exposure,DOF & sharpness.
Very nice work.
Cheers
Steve

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1339 W: 0 N: 2569] (9065)
  • [2009-05-24 5:14]

Merhaba MF Bayram,
you have managed another exciting species to be shared. Well captured in clarity and the shiny and slimy look is indeed very interesting.
Well presented in sharpness and its agile.

regards,
Foozi

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1722 W: 0 N: 3901] (15676)
  • [2009-05-25 3:09]

Hello Bayram,
This fine snake has sense for artistic laces and you have taken the picture well under all points of view (composition, sharpness, light-management..)
Good idea to show some new species. These are always very precious contributions for the archives of the site. I also hope that you had a rich and interesting herpetological trip.
Kind regards
Anne

Hello MF Bayram,
congratulations for this splendid capture of this Eirenis punctatolineatus, excellent POV and DOF, very good sharpness in a very nice composition.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

Merhaba Bayram Bey,her ne kadar ürkütücü olsalarda sayenizde güzelliklerini,renklerini,dokularını farkettim.Yine nefis bir çekim,ellerinize sağlık :)

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1130 W: 32 N: 1137] (3508)
  • [2009-05-26 3:19]

Merhaba Hocam,
TN de ilk olmasının ayrı bir değer kattığı mükemmel bir fotograf.Yılanın tüm vücudunun kadraj içinde kalması da çok güzel olmuş.
Selamlar,ellerine sağlık..

Selam my dear friend,
It was very hot here in Cuttack, Orissa, India last 20 days or so. So no outing hence no posting and also heavy work load. A nice capture of this beautiful snake. Sharp details and a lovely composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Such a beautiful and detailed photo of this elegant snake, it sure looks a bit scaring, but the photo is excellent. And also thanks for all the interesting information!

Muhteşem bir sunum olmuş Bayram hocam.
Saygılar.
Deniz

Merhaba Hocam,
Nihayet asıl konuya geri döndünüz :) Çok güzel bir kare olmuş, elinize sağlık.
Saygılarımla, Naşit

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1053 W: 0 N: 162] (866)
  • [2009-06-13 6:56]

Gerçekten tam kitaplık bir kare daha hocam. Elinize sağlık.
mehmet

Bir başka tam kitaplık denilecek kare. Elinize sağlık.
bahadır

Merhaba Bayram hocam,

Detay ve netlik bakımından Van Yılanı'nın bu güne kadar gördüğüm en net çekilmiş fotoğrafı. Işık ve kompozisyonda çok başarılı. Yılanımızın derisi sanki yeni gömlek değiştirmiş gibi parlak ve canlı bir yüzeye sahip. Her şeyi ile çok güzel bir çalışma olmuş. Elinize sağlık.

Saygı ve selamlarımla.
Mehmet

Hocam Treknature'i bir sürü ilkle tanıştırmışsınız. Nefis bir çekim ve harika bir yılan.
Elinize sağlık.
Özgür

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