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unusually marked adder: |
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axel Member Joined: 16 May 2006 No. of posts: 31  View other posts by axel |
Posted: 16 May 2006 I came across this male adder, suveying a new location on Anglesey. The colour was very blue, and the zig-zag was interrupted. Just wondered if anyone else had found anything similar? |
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John Newton Senior Member Joined: 19 May 2005 No. of posts: 151  View other posts by John Newton |
Posted: 17 May 2006 Hi Axel Crackin photos of the male adder. The bluish colouration is not too unusual, especially post-shed, and will probably not be quite so evident in days to come. The 'bar pattern' aberration in the dorsal zig-zag is very similar to a couple of animals recorded in the Derbyshire population some time back, and I guess is within the range of patterning that might occur - sort of akin to when the bars link up longitudinally to form the 'stripey' adders. Its not too difficult to recognise a superficial resemblance to v.aspis at first glance. John Newton South Yorkshire ARG |
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-LAF Senior Member Joined: 03 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 317 View other posts by -LAF |
Posted: 17 May 2006 Funnily, the bluest Adder I've ever come across was on Anglesey at Parys Mountain. Beautiful animal. Lee. Lee Fairclough |
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John Newton Senior Member Joined: 19 May 2005 No. of posts: 151 View other posts by John Newton |
Posted: 17 May 2006 Hi Lee You dont think the 'blue' colour might have had something to do with the abundance of copper oxides/chlorides present on Parys !! Might be worth a bit of a nose around to see if more animals are similarly 'affected' - cannot really believe theres a connection, but you never know. Cheers John Newton South Yorkshire ARG |
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Wolfgang Wuster Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 326 View other posts by Wolfgang Wuster |
Posted: 18 May 2006 The only adder approaching this degree of blueness that I have seen was also on Anglesey, but not at Parys Mtn, and away from any mineral extraction sites (CG). I doubt it has anything to do with copper oxides in the soil, though. Cheers, WW Wolfgang Wüster School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/ |
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Chris Monk Senior Member Joined: 21 Apr 2004 No. of posts: 157 View other posts by Chris Monk |
Posted: 21 May 2006 One of my recorders had a similarly blue coloured adder on the moors at the end of April, sitting next to its freshly sloughed skin. However it had the normal zig-zag marking down its back and assuming it was one of animals seen before at that hibernation emergence site it was normally coloured (ie greenish) before sloughing. Derbyshire Amphibian & Reptile Group www.derbyshirearg.co.uk |
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Jimpklop Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2006 No. of posts: 200  View other posts by Jimpklop |
Posted: 19 Jun 2006 Beautiful animal. enough said. Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com) |
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Jimpklop Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2006 No. of posts: 200 View other posts by Jimpklop |
Posted: 15 Jul 2006 Any one seen an Adder of this colouration again? Just out of pure interest. Thanks James Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com) |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 15 Jul 2006 Hi Jim, Like each spring eh?  'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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Jimpklop Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2006 No. of posts: 200 View other posts by Jimpklop |
Posted: 15 Jul 2006 Got any picture's ? Do you know if its a regional? any reported sightings close by to you? my senses tell me the one pictured is male do you know of any female with a simular colouration? Thanks TP Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com) |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 15 Jul 2006 Not a regional thing - adders retain this intensity during the early part of the mating period - the second moult is not so vivid. Make a date for the first moult 2007 - 1st-3rd wek in April; maybe earlier in Darzet. 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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Jimpklop Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2006 No. of posts: 200 View other posts by Jimpklop |
Posted: 15 Jul 2006
Any pictures? thanks James Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com) |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 15 Jul 2006 Have just posted a new thread showing an old male; in 1980 he was much lighter and has darkened with age; in the picture he is freshly moulted. Within a male population it is the silver/gray males that retain that intensity and irridescence; you get an even amount of straw or yellowish males as well + of course the occasional black one and they look splendid when freshly moulted. 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 15 Jul 2006 sorry typo should read 1986 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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Jimpklop Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2006 No. of posts: 200 View other posts by Jimpklop |
Posted: 15 Jul 2006 Yea I've heard of them darkening with age. Maybe having a blone moment but I cant see how that explains a blue one? Sorry Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com) |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 15 Jul 2006 Tis a trick of the light me friend 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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Jimpklop Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2006 No. of posts: 200 View other posts by Jimpklop |
Posted: 15 Jul 2006 Really?  Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com) |
- unusually marked adder |
