#the snake is a golden lancehead viper

[tiredsurvivoronmain]

Some details about the Medusa/Blind lover Chrisker AU

Medusa Wesker (and his snake hair) are based off a Golden Lancehead (a highly venomous pit viper)

His lower half is more hydra/dragon than snake; he has two small but strong front limbs and crocodilian like scales on his back.

His eyes are blue with slitted pupils that change to orange when turning someone to stone.

He has two forms; a natural form which is large and has a serpentine lower body, and a lesser form where he's human sized and has normal human legs.

Chris was not born blind, he lost his sight when he was 20 (he's 25 in the AU); a trader that was importing goods from Africa unknowingly had a spitting cobra hiding in a crate of his goods and got loose in the coastal town where Chris and Claire lived. They stumbled upon the snake unaware that the snake was capable of spitting venom as nobody had seen one before. He put himself between Claire and the snake when it became defensive. It spit venom directly into his eyes which caused him to become permanently blind.

Chris was formerly a hero with a reputation and defender of the town, but when he lost sight he became a target for his rivals/competitors that would bully him.

Wesker dwells in a temple just outside the town and is seen as a false deity. He's known as 'The Golden Terror' or 'The Ouroboros'.

People will offer gold, trinkets and prayers (from a safe distance and not when he is visible to them) to appease him; he doesn't care about gold but he accepts it anyway because as long as people feared and worshipped him, that's all that matters.

Occasionally heroes from all over would try and slay him as he has essentially created a cult that views him as a god when he isn't and was a monster. They unfortunately would all die; anybody who tries to kill him doesn't survive.

The temple he resides in was carved into a mesa that leads to an open area at the top that he can access, it has grass, a small lake, a few trees and wildlife. It's where he goes to sunbathe. Inside the temple there is an indoor pool, a library, a treasury and a large bedchamber.

Both Wesker and Chris are touched starved, Wesker more-so than Chris.

Chris is good at singing and managed to relearn how to play the lyre when he lost his sight.

[ask-the-tf2-mercs]

So Scout, Sniper and Spy if you get bitten by one of the following snakes witch on do you prefer ?

The Gabbon viper

golden lancehead

Or the inlandtaipan

An no answers like none if them xD choose wisely

Sniper: I'll just answer for all three of us because neither one'a those two are gonna know. Gaboon Viper. Simple as that.

Scout: Why?

Sniper: Golden Lancehead bite'll melt your flesh, and Inlandtaipan is the most venemous snake out there.

Spy: And let me guess.. in that kit of yours in the back of your camper you have-

Sniper: An antivenom for them all, yes. Don't mean you're gonna prefer to get bitten by those two though.

[abybweisse]

Webster

Because this post was getting so long.

Webster bites Sebastian and says he's from Queimada Grande, aka Snake Island, which is in Brazil. He's a pit viper of some kind.

Though Webster doesn't too much look like examples I've seen, his homeland suggests he's a Golden Lancehead viper, which are only found on that island. Wikipedia. Smithsonian. It's a cousin to the Fer-de-Lance viper found on the mainland. According to the Smithsonian article, they evolved from the Jararaca, which some people consider synonymous with the Fer-de-Lance, but Wikipedia has a separate page and species name for it. To me, Webster's strongly zig-zagged sides make me think of the Fer-de-Lance, but 🤷🏻‍♀️. Well, it's got to be a Bothrops, either way. The Golden Lancehead's venomous bite is so potent that it practically melts human flesh, and a victim can be dead within an hour. No wonder Webster is shocked by Sebastian's ability to stay alive, let alone remain standing. We are talking major necrosis, kidney failure, and bleeding to death.

If Webster bit Doll.... 🤔

[truedarkhunter]

A look at Snake's snakes

I noticed there were more up-close looks at some of Snake's ophidian friends. So I took a few moments to stare at them and try to determine the species. Some are very likely, others are best guesses, but it's still a fun exercise. I started with the notes online with the kuro fan-site then expanded them.

Johnathan is a rattlesnake (called the “Old Man” by the others.) Likely a Western diamondback given the ridge over the eye.

Emily:  Kingsnake (false coral snake)  She has the red touching black, so false-attack.  The bands are wider than on Milk Snakes. Bronte:  Looks to be about 2 feet long and has a pale body and dark spots.  Belly is pale.  Guesses:  Could be a hognose snake, a night snake, or a variety of brown snake.

Donne:  Very small snake.  Can subtly reside at the top of Snake’s ear when travelling (Guess:  Common Krait aka “Karait”– the small, but deadly brown snake from Rikki Tikki Tavi.)

Goethe:  Orange snake, white spots, round eyes.  Childish and friendly (My guess:  Leukistic boa or python)

Keats:  Depicted both with a pattern on his back and as an non-patterned snake.  Often used as a guide.  (Sheds often?)              (Guess:  Ball Python or other python based on uneven loops of the pattern drawn and the thickness of the tail tip.)

Oscar:  Shiny two-toned green snake with a dark back, lighter stomach.  Tip of his tail is dull grey.  Tongue is blue.  Oscar has a rough temperament and speaks like a young man.  (Guess:  Red-tailed green rat snake. It has both the blue tongue and sometimes has gray tails.)

Webster:  Zig-zagged, cross-banded pattern, 4-5 markings atop head, slit pupiled eye.  From Queimada Island (Snake Island, home of the Golden Lancet/Golden Lancehead Pit Viper.)  His poison can kill a human within 30 seconds.  (Guess:  Golden Lancet. It’s the only place they live.  Webster is just a strongly patterned one.)

Wilde:  Black-and-brown spotted python, largest of Snake’s snakes.  Widest part of his body measures between 4.72” (12cm) and 5.12”(13cm) and his head is relatively small in relation to his body.  (Guess:  Boa Constrictor based on loose loopy pattern.) Head small in relation to body only the size of a small fist. 

Wordsworth:  Dark brown snake with lighter brown and black crossbands.  Has straight belly bands.  Speaks like an old man and is quite knowledgeable.  (Guess:  Eastern Copperhead.  This snake is not that dark on the body, the markings are a strongly open diamond shape and the head is strongly colored.  However, there is a clear band over the nose and past the eye that isn’t present on the copperhead.  Tail is thick.  Could be another constrictor.) Unnamed:  Black Mamba killed by Patrick Phelps in Book of Murder.  It’s highly venomous, from Southern Africa. 

                     Victims die within an hour of being bitten.  Black mambas are the fastest land snakes in the world and                      excellent tree climbers.

[bleacheddalsuta]

OC ASK ✨️❤️💀🌂🍥

I guess I'll do Lan for this one

✨- How did you come up with the OC’s name?

They're name is short for Lance, after the golden lancehead vipers from Ilha da Queimada Grande. I jusht thought an island covered in gold snakes was neat

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

Being cradled and read picture books as a very small child 😌

💀 - Does your OC have any phobias?

Water. Anything deep enough to drown and/or be swept away in. They do not swim and will even avoid getting on boats or structures built over water. They even hate the smell of the ocean.

🌂 - What genre do they belong in?

Fantasy. They'd be a very good character for a children's fantasy about a fictional jungle ecosystem imo, something in between how to train your dragon and an animal encyclopedia. But if I make anything it'll probably be a comic.

🍥 - What age were you when you created the OC?

Luckily my old dA still exists so I know I was exactly 15 when I made them

OC ask game!

[abybweisse]

Let's figure them out

You are right about Emily and Oscar.

You might be right about Goethe. I was getting confused by the markings, but albino corn snake might fit better than albino python (especially with the head shape).

And I'll accept your suggestions for Donne and Keats. I don't have anything better for them.

I have to say I don't agree on Wordsworth, Wilde, or Webster.

Wilde looks more like a Ball Python than a Boa Constrictor.

Webster cannot be a Copperhead, because those are endemic to eastern North America, whereas Webster specifically says he's from Queimada Grande, which is in Brazil. That makes him a different pit viper, like a Golden Lancehead. I only know of one other snake on that island, and it's a non-venomous one that is known for eating snails.

I just don't know where Yana-san got those bold head markings from, as the Golden Lancehead, Jararaca, and Fer-de-Lance don't seem to have such striking features on their heads (sides of the head sometimes, but tops no). 🤷🏻‍♀️ But she has made it very clear where Webster comes from.

Wordsworth I'm still looking for, but there has to be a better match available.

And Brontë? Idk what type of snake... but considering the namesakes, Brontë is probably a "she".

I'll update, if I can find candidates for Wordsworth and Brontë.

Snake’s Snakes: A Guide

As someone who loves snakes, I really love Snake. Of course that also means I really love his snakes, and as someone who’s always been kind of a biology nerd, I thought to try my hand at classifying them. This was honestly really fun to do, and I hope some of you enjoy it!

…. says Keats.

Emily

Starting with my personal favorite, Emily is without a doubt a kingsnake, and if we want to go further she’s most likely a red milk snake. The distinctive pattern, bands of yellow and black on red, are actually a trademark of many kingsnake species. This clever disguise is used to mimic the venomous coral snake, keeping predators away.

Some fun kingsnake lore, these constrictors got their name because they hunt and consume other snakes when given the opportunity. They even hunt rattlesnakes, and have a high immunity to their venom.

Oscar

Next we have Oscar, who is most definitely a red-tailed green ratsnake. Don’t be fooled by the name, their tails are typically not red, but a light brown. Oscar was also very easy to identify, the tail and the cute blue tongue really gave it away.

Interestingly, this species is known for having quite the attitude when kept in captivity, which I find translates well into Oscar’s cheeky personality. These snakes are also exceptional hunters, waiting in treetops to strike birds in mid-flight.

Donne

My second favorite noodle, Donne, is a tiny little thing called a blind snake. At first I thought he might be a worm snake, but the length and lack of eyes made me reconsider (blind snakes have very small rudimentary eyes that are barely visible, especially from a distance). These little cuties are harmless, and indeed small enough to sit on the human ear, at only 8 cm long (they can grow up to 16 cm, but not usually).

Goethe

This dazzling noodle here is a corn snake, but not just a corn snake. Goethe is partially albino! If the striking fluorescent orange coloring and pretty pink eyes weren’t enough, he’s got a lovely pattern that certainly screams “creamsicle” to me.

Unlike Oscar, corn snakes make lovely pets with even temperaments, second only to ball pythons (though I guess I’m a little biased).  

Keats

Unlike Goethe, Keats is completely albino… which made pinpointing him a little difficult. It also doesn’t help that he has no patterning whatsoever. So, going by the shape of his face and his total size, I’d say Keats is most likely an albino gopher snake.

Wordsworth

This one was a little tricky, despite his pattern it was difficult to pinpoint what Wordsworth could possibly be. After mulling it over, I realized he’s a corn snake. Though the pattern might look a little different, it follows the same rule, and the head and pupil shape match.

A good rule of thumb, if the pupil is round and the head is small, it’s most likely a constrictor. Venomous snakes tend to have slit pupils and skinny necks (and big fat heads). This helps identifying to some degree.

Wilde

Wilde is a big ol’ snake most people know, a boa constrictor. As far as they go, he’s certainly tiny, but his face and body shape are near identical (the pear shaped head is pretty indicative of large constrictors).

Despite being fairly small for a boa, Wilde is still a hefty snake, and would probably weigh upwards of 20-27 kg. That’s a lot to hold on your shoulders! 

Webster

Unlike the rest of Snake’s snakes, Webster stands out in that he’s the only venomous one here. His pattern, bright yellow eyes, and slit pupils all indicate that he’s a copperhead. Another difference between venomous and non-venomous snakes, the fangs are only prominent in venomous snakes (non-venomous snakes don’t need to pump venom, so their teeth are smaller and hook-shaped). Despite being a pit viper, copperhead’s venom has a low potency, and the snake themselves are considered none aggressive.

Bronte

Despite searching through almost every arc and skimming through the ovas, the only panels I’ve found of Bronte were of absolutely no help… I can’t even fathom what he might be. He is… a mystery.

[petnews2day]

Inside world's 'most dangerous' island overrun by venomous snakes that melts human flesh

New Post has been published on https://petnews2day.com/news/pet-news/exotic-pet-news/inside-worlds-most-dangerous-island-overrun-by-venomous-snakes-that-melts-human-flesh/?utm_source=TR&utm_medium=Tumblr+%230&utm_campaign=social

Inside world's 'most dangerous' island overrun by venomous snakes that melts human flesh

Snake Island, a viper-infested landmass, is teeming with venomous snakes that can kill with a single bite. The island, so perilous that it’s illegal for anyone to set foot there, is located about 90 miles off the Sao Paulo coast in Brazil, Ilha da Queimada Grande. It’s home to between 2,000 and 4,000 golden lancehead […]

See full article at https://petnews2day.com/news/pet-news/exotic-pet-news/inside-worlds-most-dangerous-island-overrun-by-venomous-snakes-that-melts-human-flesh/?utm_source=TR&utm_medium=Tumblr+%230&utm_campaign=social #ExoticPetNews

[that-ineffable-devil]

Meet the Character: Mercury

TTRPG: Cyberpunk RED

Pronouns: They/Him

Role: Solo Rockerboy (orator/singer)

Age: Indeterminate--appears late 20s/early 30s

A quick summary I provided on a previous post:

Imagine Rick Gonzalez and Robbie Daymond had a love child with the dress sense and body language of Klaus Hargreeves, the goofy yet undeniable sex appeal of David Tennant, and Michael Sheen's attitude and ability to serve cunt in any situation. That's Mercury.

Appearance

Knowing that appearance and swagger are genuinely the most persuasive arguments during a negotiation in Night City, Mercury has invested much in maintaining and improving his image. Their nails are always neatly self-manicured, typically painted all black save for the ring finger on each hand, which is usually a crimson or orange. He is rarely seen without makeup--and has never been seen without his bold, black eyeliner by anyone but his twin sister, Rhapsody.

Physique & Physical Appearance

Standing at a solid 5'3" and rail thin, Mercury is often considered a "little guy" by those who underestimate him. Their thin frame belies the wiry, Nightcrawler-esque musculature underneath, honed from a life growing up on the streets in Belize. You don't survive as many scrapes as Mercury without having the athleticism and wit to get quickly out of reach.

Their café con leche skin is dotted with moles and individual freckles, and starkly contrasts the white of their surprisingly well-cared-for teeth. His top and bottom canines are filed to wickedly sharp points--just enough to look uncanny when he smiles.

Their long hair is a flame-like ombre that starts at a shimmering metallic crimson at the roots, gently graduating to a flaming orange, then yellow-gold as it cascades down their chest. He keeps much of the right side of his scalp closely shaved to display the intricate orange and gold EMP threading that glimmers in script-like patterns. They maintain well-trimmed and cared-for black facial hair that somehow still manages to work with their wildly unnatural hair.

His hooded, almond-shaped eyes give the appearance of calm nonchalance, despite his constant vigilance. Their trademark golden snake-eye contacts have become such a part of their persona that no one knows the natural color hidden beneath them. His thick black brows play an enormous role in every part he plays, though his right brow is marred by a scar towards the outer corner--one encounter he only narrowly escaped.

Piercings and Light Tattoos

Piercings and light tattoos are extremely common in Mercury's line of business, and he is no exception. Their ears are studded and dripping with various, asymmetrical piercings, all black and crimson metal. The black bar piercing their tongue is set with a smooth, red, heart-shaped gem. Glittering black snake-fang piercings adorn each nipple, though they are often covered--Mercury must leave something to the imagination, after all.

Their arms, which are nearly always on display, are decked out in vibrant light tattoos.

Starting at his neck, a crimson red lancehead viper curls down his left arm, the snake's mouth open wide as it reaches his wrist displaying glowing silver fangs and golden eyes. The words "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" are inscribed in flaming orange along the snake's body, the words facing outward for all to see.

On the inner part of their right forearm, the name "Rhapsody" is written in brilliant orange ornate script, surrounded by black musical notes lined in glowing gold.

On both hands, each finger holds a ring of crimson light that covers the flesh between the first and second knuckles (and the knuckle and base of the thumbs).

Clothing and Accessories

Mercury is nothing if not well-dressed for the role they play.

His sleeveless and hooded black leather duster jacket bears faint red EMP threading designs, and terminates at a sharp angle around his knees. The crimson, feather-patterned lining is rarely seen, but made of high-quality and durable silk and holds many pockets of various sizes. A pair of large, crimson EMP-thread wings fold across the back, wrapping around to the front.

The top beneath their jacket is a tightly-fitted crimson sleeveless turtleneck that's just a smidge too short, leaving a small expanse of skin exposed between its hem and Mercury's pants. Two stylized, orange devil horns glow a bright orange around his collarbone, while a matching devil tail begins in the lower back, wraps around the middle twice, before terminating with the tip pointing up at his face.

Their tight nylon-like pants tuck neatly into their boots, a thick stripe of flame ombre color running down the front and back of each leg starting at the waistline. The pants are further held in place by a set of black suspenders with red metal accents.

His boots are stylized black leather knee-high combat boots with crimson soles and accents. They use a complex series of buckles and leather straps across the front to keep them on their feet--or at least, that's the way it seems. Mercury's actually broken them in so thoroughly that they can quickly and easily be removed or put on without fuss.

Despite their constant use of contacts, no one survives in the City long without some form of eyeshades. Mercury keeps a pair of crimson red, round, mirrored lenses in sturdy black metal frames. Perforated black metal "blinders" cover the sides of the frames, helping to hide any radiant glow from his eyes while still maintaining peripheral vision. The perforations are shaped like small stars.

The final accents are a series of inexpensive metal and silicon rings across their fingers and a gorgeous, glittering black cybernetic snake necklace with glowing red-orange eyes. The necklace moves about on its own, but has no combat capabilities or other function. No one is certain whether the necklace is sentient, but it does sometimes appear to react to situations and comments. It typically rests around Mercury's neck by clamping its jaws around part of its body, the rest of its tail trailing down his chest.

(Simplified) Backstory

Family

Mercury grew up on the streets of Belize with their twin sister, Rhapsody. Their parents were betrayed by a close family friend (or family member, details unknown)--a fact Mercury is unaware of. Their parents were gone before Mercury and Rhapsody could form any concrete memories of them. Mercury doesn't even know whether their parents or alive or dead--and does everything he can not to think about it. Due, in part, to this, an undercurrent of rage, betrayal, and abandonment issues color their interactions with people, but they have to be particularly stressed to show it.

After being abandoned at such a young age, the twins made a childhood pact to never leave the other behind for any reason. A promise that family would always mean everything. But life often has other plans, and as often happens with siblings in a place like Night City, they were eventually pulled in different directions. Rhapsody moved onto a more luxurious life as a lounge singer and personal entertainer, with a whole host of wealthy patrons. Rhapsody eventually cut ties with Mercury, sending a handwritten letter by courier to say goodbye--she knows how much they value this archaic form of communication. Despite that, Mercury refuses to believe she wrote actually wrote it, thinking someone had paid her off to stay away from him--and yet he still keeps the note on him at all times. In truth, Mercury may have pushed her away subconsciously--partly out of self-preservation and partly because they thought she would have a better chance in life without them.

After losing their sister, they threw themself into their work, picking up singing and speaking gigs at nightclubs all across Night City--along with more than a few lovers along the way. Despite their carnal predilections, Mercury has indeed had three true romances in their life.

Love Life

cw: death/suicide/violence

Anthony, his first love--oh he was beautiful. And kind and caring. Anthony believed in a world beyond the executive and corporate horrors they lived in each day. Unfortunately, he burned too brightly. Barely a year into their relationship, Anthony died in a horrific fire--one Mercury is unconvinced was an accident, despite police reports.

Then there was Phoenix--oh how they soothed Mercury's soul and brought them back from the brink of destruction after the loss of Anthony. Phoenix truly lived up to their name, a brilliant life rising from the ashes of the flames that destroyed Mercury's world. Then, a mere two years later, Phoenix's implants drove them to cyber-psychosis, and they tried to rip Mercury--who barely escaped--to shreds. He never went back to find out what happened, leaving all his belongings in the ruins of the home they'd made.

And finally--Eve, Mercury's latest--and last--great love. For all his swagger, Mercury could not believe he'd turned the head of such a majestic creature. She was everything--beautiful, talented, smart, tough, wise. When she sang, Mercury could believe in the existence of angels. But Eve was not without demons...and one day, they took her from Mercury forever. He found her in their shared cargo space, splayed along the now darkly-stained couch. She didn't even leave a note.

Personality

After losing their parents and sister, a series of truly tragic romances, and a harrowing experience with a particular Exec that tried to buy (and then capture, when Mercury refused) them, Mercury keeps all people at a less-than-healthy distance and can't stand most of them, though you wouldn't know it from their interactions. They've mastered the art of being disarmingly charming, and can make almost anyone feel adored and flattered while keeping themself out of harm's way.

On the surface, they're the most friendly and gregarious person you've ever met--especially for a place like Night City. But inside, they know that people bring pain and danger--and worst of all, they always eventually leave.

Values, Beliefs, and Motivations

Above all things, they value these two: their sister and their word. Despite their estrangement, Mercury still considers Rhapsody their whole heart and would do anything for her--except sell out and join her serving the wealthy and powerful. It hurts him to be estranged from her, but he'd never admit it.

They've seen too much bad in society to truly trust people anymore--and yet some small shred of hope still glimmers within their soul. A hope that people are, in fact, innately good and kind--they're just driven to misdeeds by societal pressures, fear, and hurt. Despite his superficial cynicism, his music and speeches show a very different side of him. One that they rarely show off-stage. One that inexorably draws them back to people, despite their need to protect themself.

And just because Mercury doesn't believe in trusting others doesn't mean they are equally untrustworthy. Oh, they'll lie--all day, any day. But if they give their word, they will abide by it, no matter what--which is why they give it so sparingly.

Mercury is subconsciously haunted by the constant rotation of abandonment and the cruel reality of their childhood, but they repress it by being constantly busy. If they have too much downtime, they begin to spiral out of control. So they are constantly writing new material, doing shows at nightclubs all across the city every night, and occasionally sinking into the arms of whichever patron was just eager enough to play and interesting enough to be worth the time and effort.

They believe that if people would stop catering to Execs and corporations and band together against the oppressive technology of this age, life would improve for everyone--something impossible to achieve under the current regime.

That's not to say they don't approve of (or use) tech--they absolutely do. But Mercury knows tech has gone too far, and that corporations have made everyone dependent on their technology (and by extension, the corporations themselves). So, they speak against corporate rule and plutocracy, advocating for turning to history as a means of fighting against their oppressors--particularly the French Revolution.

Stats

Mercury is built for negotiation, persuasion, charm, and rapid escape. They are, quite literally, a lover--not a fighter. Cyberpunk RED does not offer character progression in the same sense as some other TTRPGs, so their stats will largely stay the same unless we have time and money for gear and cyberwear upgrades.

Base Stats

Skills

Intelligence: 7/8

Reflexes: 8/8

Dexterity: 6/8

Technology: 6/8

Cool: 7/8

Willpower: 6/8

Luck: 7

Move: 3/8

Body: 5/8

Empathy: 5/7 (lost some due to implants)

I've invested extra points into the following skills:

Conceal/Reveal Object (INT)

Concentration (WILL)

Perception (INT)

Athletics (DEX)

Contortionist (DEX)

Stealth (DEX)

Brawling (a bit) (DEX)

Evasion (DEX)

Acting (COOL)

Conversation (EMP)

Human Perception (EMP)

Personal Grooming (COOL)

Persuasion (COOL)

Streetwise (COOL)

Trading (COOL)

Wardrobe & Style (COOL)

Education (INT)

Language (Streetslang) (INT)

Language (Creole) (INT)

Local Expert (INT)

First Aid (TECH)

Pick Lock (TECH)

Pick Pocket (TECH)

Player Note: You'll notice some visual cues from Crowley (Good Omens) and maybe Freddie Mercury, because they were my initial inspirations for their appearance. However, nearly everything about the character, from country of origin to number of past loves, was rolled for on a table--I just added some extra color to them. Also, I have no experience with the Cyberpunk games prior to this invitation, so anachronistic criticism means nothing to me.

[brightsoulblogger]

Situated off the coast of Brazil, Snake Island is home to some of the world’s deadliest snakes. The island is off-limits to visitors, as it is home to the golden lancehead viper, which is one of the most venomous snakes in the world.

Although there is no confirmed number, it is estimated that there are around 5,000 snakes on the island. That means there’s roughly one snake for every square meter of land. In other words, you’re never more than a few feet away from a lethal snake when you’re on Snake Island.

[ctenvs3000w23]

Unit 9: Sense-Making of Nature Interpretation - Snake Island??!!

Are you interested in snakes? Well, if so, you've come to the right place! As an individual who loves nature and being outdoors, I have always been fascinated by snakes and enjoy learning about them, however, they also creep me out quite a bit! I guess the fact that they scare me increases my level of curiosity and makes me eager to learn more about them. In elementary school, I always loved going to the library and reading "The Ten" series by Dr. Jeffrey Wilhelm, as all of the books in the series presented really cool facts about animals and other amazing things. Some of the books in the series included, "The Ten Deadliest Sea Creatures", "The Ten Most Amazing Birds", and "The Ten Most Fascinating Phenomena". I truly believe this is where I developed my love for cool new facts and my curiosity for reptiles like snakes! Although I have seen several snakes in the wild, they were all non-venomous species. While they were non-venomous, I still found them to be incredible creatures. For example, about seven years ago, my Dad and I were working at one of my family's rental properties in St. Catherines, Ontario, and in the shed, we discovered an Eastern Foxsnake. Using a shovel my Dad attempted to make it leave the shed, as it was too large to pick up with a stick. After looking it up online, I found out that these snakes can reach over 1.7 meters in length (Ontario, 2014)! Considering Garter Snakes are the most common snake species in Ontario and average a length of only 45 to 66 centimetres, the Eastern Foxsnake is huge (Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2018)! According to the Ontario Nature website, this snake is the third largest in the province (Ontario Nature, n.d.).

Aside from my experiences with snakes, I mainly wanted to highlight one of the most interesting things I know about nature, and yes it involves snakes! In fact, it involves so many snakes that it's called Snake Island. Formally named, "Ilha da Queimada Grande", Snake Island is a small Island found off the coast of Brazil (Glatz, 2023). The Island is home to thousands of venomous pit vipers called Golden Lancehead Snakes (Phelan, 2023). What makes it even scarier is how concentrated these poisonous snakes are. According to the Smithsonian, the population of Golden Lanceheads is so large that there is 1 snake for every square meter of land, and the Island is 430,000 square meters in size (Brethauer, 2018)! That's crazy to me! This practically means you couldn't take a step without seeing one of these snakes. It is believed by some cultures that the Island and its snakes were used by Pirates to protect their loot (Phelan, 2023)! Pretty cool!

One of the questions that came to mind when I first learned about this Island was, "How did the snakes get there and become an established population on an isolated island?" After conducting research, I discovered that it was due to global sea levels rising by approximately 60 meters during the Early Holocene period (Phelan, 2023). As a result of ice masses melting and ice streams breaking up, the rise in sea levels caused Ilha da Queimada Grande (Snake Island) to dissociate from Brazil's mainland (Phelan, 2023). This meant the snakes were also separated from the mainland and evolved separately from their continental cousins, commonly known as the Brazilian Pit Viper (Bothrops Jararaca) (Phelan, 2023). Sadly, these snakes were deemed critically endangered by the IUNC Red List, as they can only be found on this Island (Phelan, 2023).

With respect to nature Interpretation, Felipe Grazziotin, a scientist based out of a Brazilian biological research facility, believes that tourism could play an important role in protecting the Golden Lancehead from future extinction (Phelan, 2023). In the last chapter of the course textbook, it states, "Interpretations future role will bring greater vitality to society. Interpretation promotes living with a lighter impact on the earth and with stronger ties to our cultural heritage. It produces a more harmonious relationship between the individual and the environment - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually." Interpretive experiences help people grow into caring stewards of the land and their heritage (Beck et al., 2018)." As a result of nature interpretation's ability to help people grow into caring stewards of the planet, I too believe investing in tourism would be a great way to help save the Golden Lancehead from extinction. If you get a chance, go online and look up Snake Island, there's so much to learn!

PS. Don't forget to check out the image descriptions!

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing.

Brethauer, A. (2018, December 2). 25 things about snake island that we preferred not to know. THE TRAVEL. https://www.thetravel.com/things-about-snake-island/#the-snakes-can-39-t-swim-phew

Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. (2018, March 9). Common Gartersnake. Connecticut’s Official State Website. https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Wildlife/Fact-Sheets/Common-Gartersnake#:~:text=Adults%20range%20in%20size%20between,Juvenile%20garter%20snakes%20resemble%20adult.

Glatz, K. (2023, February 4). Snake island: The true story of the most snake-infested island on earth. az ANIMALS. https://a-z-animals.com/blog/snake-island-the-true-story-of-the-most-snake-infested-island-on-earth/

Ontario. (2014, July 17). Eastern foxsnake. https://www.ontario.ca/page/eastern-foxsnake#:~:text=The%20Eastern%20Foxsnake%20is%20one,is%20light%20yellow%20and%20black.

Ontario Nature. (n.d.). Eastern foxsnake. https://ontarionature.org/programs/community-science/reptile-amphibian-atlas/eastern-foxsnake/

Phelan, J. (2023, January 3). Almost 4000 snakes rule this Brazilian island. DISCOVER. https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/almost-4-000-snakes-rule-this-brazilian-island

[the-fools-prince]

I've just re-read @serafaina's "A Model Guardian" (which I absolutely adore! All the love for this story!) and had to draw these based on Crowley's photoshoot in chapters 1 and 2.

[ID 1: A drawing of Crowley, staring straight ahead. Their face and neck are covered in golden freckles. They are wearing a white blazer, and their hair is pulled back into a French twist. They have circular pupils.

ID 2: A drawing of Crowley, sticking their tongue out at a snake that is looped around their shoulders. They are wearing a black top with a plunging neckline, their hair is pulled into a French twist, and their eyes have slitted pupils. The snake has pulled up to their eye level and is sticking its tongue out as well.

ID 3: A close up of the snake that was on Crowley's shoulder. Its tongue is flicking out and it almost has a slight smile. It has little spiky scales poking up around its eyes.

Video description: The first drawing being tilted to the side, showing the gold on Crowley's freckles shining.]

[angrysnowflake]

Snake In The Grass

[animal-lover94]

Golden Lancehead

Bothrops insularis

🔔 It is a highly venomous pit viper species endemic to Ilha da Queimada Grande, also known as Snake Island, off the coast of Brazil. The species is named for the light yellowish-brown color of its underside and for its head shape that is characteristic of the genus Bothrops.

[dovemed]

Classification of Venomous Snakes

Classification of venomous snakes and comprehensive information on snake bites, first aid, treatment, and prevention: (in alphabetical order)

Acanthophis antarcticus (Common Death Adder)

Agkistrodon bilineatus (Mexican Cantil)

Agkistrodon contortrix (Copperhead)

Agkistrodon laticinctus (Broad Banded Copperhead)

Agkistrodon piscivorus (Cottonmouth)

Agkistrodon taylori (Castellana)

Ahaetulla nasuta (Long Nosed Whip Snake)

Aipysurus apraefrontalis (Short-Nosed Sea Snake) - true sea snake; Timor Sea; inhabits shallow coral reef waters;

Aipysurus duboisii (Dubois' Sea Snake) - slightly aggressive; true sea snake; north of Australia and parts of southwestern Pacific Ocean; inhabits shallow reef waters and sandy bottoms;

Aipysurus eydouxii (Spine-Tailed Sea Snake) - not easily provoked; true sea snake; north of Australia and around tropical islands of Southeastern Asia; inhabits shallow bay waters and muddy estuarine bottoms;

Aipysurus foliosquama (Leaf-Scaled Sea Snake) - true sea snake; Timor Sea; inhabits shallow coral reef waters and seagrass bottoms;

Aipysurus fuscus (Dusky Sea Snake) - true sea snake; Timor Sea and Java Sea; inhabits shallow reef waters and sandy sea bottoms;

Aipysurus laevis (Olive Brown Sea Snake) - highly venomous and inquisitive; true sea snake; north of Australia and southwestern Pacific Ocean; inhabits coral reef waters;

Aipysurus pooleorum (Shark Bay Sea Snake) - highly venomous; true sea snake; Shark Bay, west of Australia; inhabits limestone reefs, seabed, and seagrass floor;

Amphiesma stolatum (Buff Striped Keelback)

Aspidelaps lubricus (Cape Coral Snake)

Aspidelaps scutatus (Shield Nose Snake)

Atheris squamigera (African Bush Viper)

Atractaspis bibronii (Bibron's Burrowing Asp)

Atractaspis dahomeyensis (Dahomey Burrowing Asp)

Atractaspis engaddensis (Palestinian Mole Viper)

Atractaspis microlepidota (Small Scaled Burrowing Asp)

Atropoides picadoi (Picado's Jumping Pitviper)

Austrelaps superbus (Lowland Copperhead)

Azemiops feae (Fea's Viper)

Bitis arietans (Puff Adder)

Bitis atropos (Cape Mountain Adder)

Bitis caudalis (Horned Puff Adder)

Bitis cornuta (Western Many Horned Adder)

Bitis gabonica (Central African Gaboon Viper)

Bitis nasicornis (Rhinoceros Viper)

Bitis parviocula (Ethiopian Mountain Adder)

Bitis rhinoceros (West African Gaboon Viper)

Boiga cyanea (Green Cat Snake)

Boiga dendrophila (Mangrove Snake)

Boiga irregularis (Brown Tree Snake)

Bothriechis lateralis (Side Striped Palm Viper)

Bothriechis nigroviridis (Black Speckled Palm Pitviper)

Bothriechis schlegelii (Eyelash Palm Pitviper)

Bothrops alternatus (Urutú)

Bothrops asper (Terciopelo)

Bothrops atrox (Common Lancehead)

Bothrops ayerbei (Ayerbe's Lancehead)

Bothrops caribbaeus (Saint Lucia Lancehead)

Bothrops cotiara (Cotiara)

Bothrops diporus (Chaco Lancehead)

Bothrops erythromelas (Caatinga Lancehead)

Bothrops fonsecai (Fonseca's Lancehead)

Bothrops insularis (Golden Lancehead Viper)

Bothrops itapetiningae (São Paulo Lancehead)

Bothrops jararaca (Jararaca)

Bothrops jararacussu (Jararacussu)

Bothrops lanceolatus (Martinique Lancehead)

Bothrops leucurus (Whitetail Lancehead)

Bothrops mattogrossensis (Mato Grosso Lanzenotter)

Bothrops moojeni (Brazilian Lancehead)

Bothrops neuwiedi (Neuwied's Lancehead)

Bothrops pauloensis (Black Faced Lancehead)

Bothrops taeniatus (Speckled Forest Pitviper)

Bungarus caeruleus (Indian Krait)

Bungarus candidus (Blue Krait)

Bungarus fasciatus (Banded Krait)

Bungarus flaviceps (Red Headed Krait)

Bungarus multicinctus (Many Banded Krait)

Calloselasma rhodostoma (Malayan Pitviper) - highly venomous and irritable; Southeastern Asia; terrestrial and usually nocturnal; often found near agricultural lands;

Causus rhombeatus (Common Night Adder)

Cerastes cerastes (Horned Viper)

Cerastes gasperettii (Arabian Horned Viper)

Cerastes vipera (Sahara Sand Viper)

Cerrophidion godmani (Godman's Montane Pitviper)

Cerrophidion sasai (Costa Rica Montane Pitviper)

Here is the full list of Venomous Snakes. https://www.dovemed.com/classification-disorders-and-tumors/classification-venomous-snakes/

[vistashr22]

A Bunch of Lanceheads

Located about 90 miles off the coast of São Paulo, Ilha de Queimada Grande (also known as Snake Island) is one of the most dangerous islands in the entire world. The site earned its moniker due to its insanely high density of golden lancehead vipers; some studies report an average of one to five snakes per square meter. The slithering, reptilian, and sometimes venomous creatures kill thousands of people around the world every year. The last human inhabitants left the island when the lighthouse was automated. 

The Adventurists 

Founded by a plonker called Tom, the Adventurists has grown into the planet's greatest purveyor of chaos and adventure. Creators of #MongolRally #RickshawRun, #MongolDerby & more, this team fights to make the world less boring. They have an unimaginable network of people who are ready to create adventures where you don’t know what will happen tomorrow or if you’ll even make it. Each Adventure is led by a new psychic exploring enthusiast that brings in a new spirit of craziness and absolute insanity.

Task in Hand – 

Tom Morgan had received a Letter that challenged the Adventurists to take an expedition to the Ilha de Queimada Grande, Brazil. You are the Chief of Everything Officer and are required to plan the following:

Name the Expedition and Nominate a Personality that would lead this expedition

Strategies to Recruit a new team of adventure enthusiasts.

Training Programs for the Expedition crew

Device a set of safety measures for the expedition

Illustrate the various adventures for the expedition

Prepare a Timeline for the Expedition

Deliverables - 

A report of not more than 7 Pages

A PPT of not more than 7 Slides

A Brochure

P.S - Extra efforts = Extra points

Submission Details:

Deadline- 8:00 AM , 22nd September, 2022.

Email- vistashr22@gmail.com

Email Subject- ECOXX_A Bunch Of Lanceheads

In case of any queries or doubts, you may contact any of the event heads.

[macgyvermedical]

For the Last Time- Nerve Agents are NOT the Only Chemical Weapons: a “Golden Lancehead, Etc...” Science Review

So this one is probably going to be shorter than other ones I’ve done for this show, but having conveniently just refreshed my hospital decon team certification, taken a cumulative exam in EHS, and watched this episode (I’m a tad behind), I needed to do some talking on it.

Awl - X-Ray + Penny - Duct Tape + Jack - CD + Hoagie Foil - Guts + Fuel + Hope - Wilderness + Training + Survival - Father + Bride + Betrayal - Lidar + Rogues + Duty - Nightmares - Seeds + Permafrost + Feather - Friends + Enemies + Border - Mason + Cable + Choices - Bitter Harvest - Kid + Plane + Cable + Truck - Tesla + Bell + Edison + Mac -

To recap, after Oversight’s death from cancer (season 5 has an absolutely wild timeline so far), Mac seeks out the help of former classmate Frankie to help him develop a new treatment modality based on the venom of a very rare, critically endangered lancehead viper. The venom is extremely dangerous, and can also, it turns out, be chemically altered to become a very potent nerve agent. Frankie unknowingly provides the information to create the nerve agent to the episode’s bad guy, and the race is on to stop the agent from being released into an airport and poisoning a bunch of people.

Intro to the Golden Lancehead

Since the episode centers around the Golden Lancehead Viper, we should probably start by talking about what they are:

Bozer described the Golden Lancehead as “One of the rarest and deadliest snakes in the world. Found only on one island off the coast of Sao Paulo, the Brazilian Government has made it illegal to transport or own.” Then, quoting a nature documentary: “The golden lancehead’s venom targets the nervous system of it’s prey with pinpoint accuracy- causing blood blisters, intestinal bleeding, tissue necrosis, hemmorrhage...” 

Golden Lanceheads are a real type of snake that really do only live on a tiny island off the coast of Sao Paulo, Brazil. They are 28-inch-long, cream and yellow snakes with a lance-shaped head and a diamond-like pattern of scales.

The island, called Queimada Grande, is uninhabited and travel there is forbidden, an order enforced by the Brazilian Navy. This is both to protect the viper, which is listed as critically endangered, and to protect the humans- given the remoteness of the island and the danger posed by the wildlife, it would be very dangerous for rescuers to come find you if you became injured or were bitten by any of the multiple venomous creatures that live there.

In the episode, Mac and Frankie travel to a pet shop in Sao Paulo to collect a sample of the venom from an illegally acquired snake. In real life, there is a lucrative black market for the species, which can fetch up to $30,000 per snake, meaning Mac paying $20,000 for a sample of venom would not have been necessarily unheard-of.

The pet shop owner tells them that the person who ventured to the island died from a bite, describing it as (paraphrased) “his face swelled, blood poured from everywhere, and even though they cut off his arm to try to save him at the hospital, he died anyway.”

Due in all likelihood to the fact that the island is uninhabited and forbidden, there has never actually been an official documented bite in a human from this species (though unofficial reports suggest it can indeed be deadly). Chemical analysis of the venom indicates it is likely the most potent and fastest-acting venom of it’s genus, though it is likely a lot more effective at killing birds and large insects than mammals given its primary choice of prey.

Bites from other vipers in its genus run a mortality rate of between 3% (with medical care) and 7% (without medical care). Most of their venoms are made of many different sugar-like molecules called glycans which disrupt proteins in animal cells, often killing the cells. Lancehead venom is similarly cytotoxic, causing the death of cells in tissue and blood and disruption of normal blood clotting, causing severe bleeding. Symptoms include pain and extreme swelling of the area around the bite, followed by tissue death and symptoms of nausea, dizziness, headache, and sweating. Shortly after that, there is a disruption in blood clotting, causing severe bleeding throughout the body. This severe bleeding, along with kidney failure and bleeding into the brain, is typically what causes death in those 3-7% of cases. Occasionally amputation is attempted as part of treatment, but it is usually due to the extreme amount of tissue death that occurs surrounding the bite, not necessarily to stop the spread of the venom as alleged in the episode.

So basically, Bozer and his nature documentary are largely correct in where the Golden Lancehead lives, its legal restrictions, and the symptoms resulting from envenomation by lancehead vipers. The only thing that is not accurate is the neurotoxicity part- lancehead venom is hemotoxic (blood toxic) and cytotoxic (toxic to cells and tissues), but there is no indication that it causes any kind of neurotoxicity (brain toxic).

Cancer Treatment from Snake Venoms

In the episode, Mac describes the research he and Frankie are undertaking as “The therapy uses toxins extracted from snake venom, which billions of years of evolution have taught it to attack the weakest cells in a creature’s body to target cancerous tumors.”

One of the great things about snake venoms (and honestly animal venoms) is that they are not single toxins. A single snake’s venom has nearly a hundred different bioactive proteins, enzymes, glycans, and other chemicals. One of the great things is because so many of these toxins are bioactive in some way, venoms give pharmacologists a pallette of various bioactive substances already in existence that they can test and use to create drugs.

Several chemicals we use as drugs were originally discovered in snake venom. For example, enalapril (a blood pressure lowering medicine), eptifibatide (a blood thinner), hemocoagulase (a clotting agent), and ximelagatran (a blood thinner), were all discovered originally as components in snake venom. Some studies into king cobra and saw scaled viper venom has shown possible anti-cancer properties (in the form of drugs that prevent tumors from growing, prevent blood vessels from growing in cancer cells, and prevent cancer cells from spreading throughout the body), though none of these have been developed into therapeutic drugs.

Since there are literally hundreds of bioactive chemicals, enzymes, and proteins in snake venom, it’s definitely not impossible that someone could choose to do this research, and definitely not impossible that someone would be able to find something useful in treating cancer or any other disease. In fact, since the venom is so cytotoxic, there is a possibility that there is a compound in it that has a preference for certain cancer cells. The problems with what Mac says are mainly:

1. that as far as we know, nothing in venom would selectively choose cancer cells based on their “weakness”- generally drugs that do target cancer cells target the fact that they have mutated in a certain way that lets certain chemicals find them or that they are fast-dividing cells (similar to hair or skin cells) and fast-disrupted cells get killed first if a chemical disrupts cell division.

2. Snakes have only been around for 143million years, and venomous creatures have only been around for 170million years. Even one billion years is a LOT longer than that. Mac could have said hundreds of millions and it would still have been technically correct at least grammatically.

Chemical Weapons from Snake Venom:

So what about chemical weapons?

I mean, sure, if you consider that there are hundreds of chemicals in any snake venom, at least one of them is probably going to meet at least some of the criteria for a good chemical weapon. Whether or not that chemical weapon would count as a “Nerve Agent” is kind of up to the substance itself.

Chemical weapons are weapons that fall into one of the following categories:

Nerve Agents- these are things like VX, Sarin, Tabun, and other agents that attack the system that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Without that system, too much acetylcholine builds up, causing constricted pupils, twitching, excessive saliva and mucous, eye pain, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, seizures, and death if not treated promptly.

Blood Agents- these are things like phosgene, arsine, and cyanide that disrupt the blood’s ability to transport oxygen through the body. These cause symptoms like difficulty breathing, dizziness, headache, increased heart rate and respiratory rate, nausea and vomiting, and eventually seizures and death.

Blister Agents- These are things like lewisite and mustard gas that cause severe irritation to skin, eyes, mucous membranes, and lungs. These cause symptoms of pain, redness and large blisters on skin, difficulty breathing and swelling/blisters in the lungs and airway, loss of vision, fever, and nausea/vomiting. Death either occurs due to swelling and blisters in the airway or infection.

Choking Agents- These are things like phosgene and chlorine that irritate eyes and airways. They cause symptoms of watering eyes, coughing, chest tightness, and nausea/vomiting. They eventually cause severe pulmonary edema which can cause death.

Incapacitating Agents- These are agents like LSD, BZ, and fentanyl which are not necessarily designed to kill their targets, but leave them unable to respond to an attack either by making them less conscious (BZ, fentanyl) or by causing severe hallucinations and delusions that prevent them from being able to carry out their normal duties (BZ, LSD).

While there are many neurotoxic snake venoms that are known to have chemicals that interact with acetylcholine (causing paralysis, respiratory failure, and seizures), as far as I was able to find, the lancehead viper genus is not one of them. In fact, despite what Bozer said, there’s not a lot of neurotoxicity at all in the Golden Lancehead Viper’s venom- it’s primarily hemotoxic and cytotoxic.

So, basically, while it might be possible to make a nerve agent out of certain types of venom (though why would you, exactly? We’ve got tons of nerve agents, we know a lot about them, and they’re not exactly hard to create in a lab.) it would be more likely that you’d be in the market to find a new blood agent, blister agent, or even a choking or incapacitating agent if you were using Golden Lancehead Viper venom to discover it.

Just seems like a lot of work when you could get potentially a lot more useful venom legally and less dangerously.

But the more I think about it, I think the writers chose the snake due to it’s difficulty to acquire and it’s mystery, the chemical agent due to it’s well-known-ness, and fudged things so they worked together in the story.

But Now, the Real Question:

Could snake venoms eat through metal using acid, and would ionizing radiation change that? 

“Here’s another fun fact- when a Golden Lancehead attacks, it’s venom reacts with the iron in the red blood cells of it’s prey, creating an acidic byproduct strong enough to eat flesh and corrode metal.” -Mac

Certain snake venoms actually do become more acidic or more alkaline in their victim’s bodies, and in the presence of certain metal ions. However, as far as I was able to tell, the most acidic a venom would normally become was about a pH of 4 (somewhere between soda and coffee) and the most alkaline was about 9 (somewhere around baking soda). So not really capable of “eating flesh” (though enzymatic activity could digest proteins in the victims’ tissues) and it would take a lot longer than the episode showed to cause the corrosion necessary to dissolve a lock.

That’s not to say that a specially designed and purified chemical weapon created from a compound in snake venom would be different than the og snake venom, but the likelihood that ionizing radiation would change it so drastically would be a real bummer for a terrorist, since uncontrolled releases of your weapons are definitely not ideal.

Conclusion:

Overall, there was definitely some real passable science in here, but some of the dialogue choices were so poor that it made it difficult to respect. But generally decent science, even if the “cooler” stuff wouldn’t necessarily have worked.