Herpetology B/C

[matematika]

Quick question. Looking at the pictures of musk and mud turtles, is the difference the number of claws (5 vs. 4)?

Looking at pictures on the internet, it looks like they both have 5 claws (I could be wrong). Also looking at pictures on the internet, it looks like mud turtles have more of a pointed face.

Yeah, you're right...but then how do we identify between them? Plus, what's the difference between cooters and redbellies? Do we have to identify between coachwhips and whipsnakes? There is only one coachwhip species in the Masticophis genus.

[Canderone]

Does anyone have any good tips to differentiating between sirenidae and proteidae? I know that proteidae have both front and hind limbs, and sirenidae only have the small front legs, but are there any differences in coloration, gills, etc. that would be useful to distinguish? Thanks!

[Froggie]

Quick question. Looking at the pictures of musk and mud turtles, is the difference the number of claws (5 vs. 4)?

Looking at pictures on the internet, it looks like they both have 5 claws (I could be wrong). Also looking at pictures on the internet, it looks like mud turtles have more of a pointed face.

Another question: Looking at some tests from the test exchange, some questions say "What is the common name?" and the answers say, for example, "King and Milk snakes", like how it is on the list. Is this how I am supposed to answer these question or should I write just "King snake" or just "Milk snake"?

That is what I would do.

You would put "King snake" or you would put "King and Milk snakes"?

[matematika]

Quick question. Looking at the pictures of musk and mud turtles, is the difference the number of claws (5 vs. 4)?

Looking at pictures on the internet, it looks like they both have 5 claws (I could be wrong). Also looking at pictures on the internet, it looks like mud turtles have more of a pointed face.

Yeah, you're right...but then how do we identify between them? Plus, what's the difference between cooters and redbellies? Do we have to identify between coachwhips and whipsnakes? There is only one coachwhip species in the Masticophis genus.

Apparently bullsnakes are now considered a subspecies of gopher snakes. Is this true?

[Asdfqwerty1234]

So how does this change reflect on being able to bring a hole-punched field guide inside a binder? The information in the binder may be in any form, and may be removed during competition, so naturally bringing a field guide inside a binder would be effectively the same as just bringing both, with the side effect of having a larger binder. I guess this is one for the rules clarification.

The answer will likely be that having a field guide in a binder is not allowed. They will likely quote that it is not in the spirit of the rules but go ahead and ask.

I don't believe this is accurate. The wording "in any form from any source" is unambiguous; the entire point behind the binder is that the limit is your time/money/binder width. Having said that, the field guide bit is an artifact from the last time the event was ran. There's not a lot to be gained from hole punching a field guide because they're information-light, and, if you can't ID the specimens, you won't make it far, anyway. Certain other materials, on the other hand? I'm already investigating book destruction.

I'm assuming there is no limit to binder size, given the fact they say that you can have any materials.

[Asdfqwerty1234]

Looking at pictures on the internet, it looks like they both have 5 claws (I could be wrong). Also looking at pictures on the internet, it looks like mud turtles have more of a pointed face.

Yeah, you're right...but then how do we identify between them? Plus, what's the difference between cooters and redbellies? Do we have to identify between coachwhips and whipsnakes? There is only one coachwhip species in the Masticophis genus.

Apparently bullsnakes are now considered a subspecies of gopher snakes. Is this true?

they are under the same genus, but I don't think they are a subspecies of them. I could be wrong though.

[Froggie]

Yeah, you're right...but then how do we identify between them? Plus, what's the difference between cooters and redbellies? Do we have to identify between coachwhips and whipsnakes? There is only one coachwhip species in the Masticophis genus.

Apparently bullsnakes are now considered a subspecies of gopher snakes. Is this true?

they are under the same genus, but I don't think they are a subspecies of them. I could be wrong though.

According to what I looked up, they’re the same thing except different names.

[Kyanite]

Looking at pictures on the internet, it looks like they both have 5 claws (I could be wrong). Also looking at pictures on the internet, it looks like mud turtles have more of a pointed face.

Another question: Looking at some tests from the test exchange, some questions say "What is the common name?" and the answers say, for example, "King and Milk snakes", like how it is on the list. Is this how I am supposed to answer these question or should I write just "King snake" or just "Milk snake"?

That is what I would do.

You would put "King snake" or you would put "King and Milk snakes"?

If I could tell the difference I would put it specific otherwise "King/Milk snake" is what I would put

[matematika]

Plus, what's the difference between cooters and redbellies? There are red-bellied cooters, so.... Do we have to identify between coachwhips and whipsnakes? There is only one coachwhip species in the Masticophis genus. In Tantilla, there are crowned, centipede, and blackhead snakes, and they only mention crowned and blackhead snakes. Should I still work on centipede snakes?

[Asdfqwerty1234]

Plus, what's the difference between cooters and redbellies? There are red-bellied cooters, so.... Do we have to identify between coachwhips and whipsnakes? There is only one coachwhip species in the Masticophis genus. In Tantilla, there are crowned, centipede, and blackhead snakes, and they only mention crowned and blackhead snakes. Should I still work on centipede snakes?

Cooters are usually larger than sliders, and the carapace pattern is more complex. I would recommend knowing the difference between the centipede snake and the other snakes, and if you have time, do something on them if you are not sure, but if you dont have enough time, dont work on them as much because they dont mention them. I am not sure about the coachwhips and the whipsnakes.