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Largest ever Slow-worm |
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Matt Harris
Senior Member Joined: 03 Jun 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 233 |
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Posted: 25 Apr 2008 at 12:11pm |
In answer to a request from a colleague, does anyone have any documented evidence of the largest size(TL) attained by a Slow-worm in the UK? And also has any research been conducted on the Slow-worms of Steep Holm and Flat Holm, which are reported to be larger than their mainland counterparts?
Thanks in advance, Matt |
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Local Authority Ecologist
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herpetologic2
Forum Coordinator Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1511 |
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I have found a slowworm during a translocation project which was measured by Nick Smith and it was measured at 256mm SVL length. I measured it at 246mm SVL - Nick was demonstrating how inaccurate measuresment can be with slowworms. He has measured quite a few in his studies and he knows how to get a good measurement - mine was 10mm out. Nick had suggestd at that meeting that the slowworm was the second longest he has ever heard about. There is an old record which I will dig out which is larger and I think it was from the Bristol Area which he mentioned. The slowworm was male and was captured in Dorking in Surrey. It was being used as a specimen at the South East Meeting at Marwell Zoo in 2006. Any other measurements from translocation data this year slowworms n=369 - longest = 192mm, shortest = 42mm (SVL) We don't measure TL though.
(ps Steve - the surrey records will be heading their way to you ASAP)
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Report your sightings to the Record Pool http://arguk.org/recording
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dave fixx
Senior Member Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 411 |
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didnt measure this one but its the biggest I ve seen or held.I will try and let you have some record sizes from up here asap.
Edited by dave fixx |
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Dave Williams
davewilliamsphotography.co.uk |
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AGILIS
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1689 |
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LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID
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AGILIS
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1689 |
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ALL ONE CAN SAY THAT ITS A GREAT SLOWORM DAVE CONGRATULATIONS KEITH
Edited by AGILIS |
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LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID
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Vicar
Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1184 |
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This chap from Hindhead won't count in terms of overall length, due to autotomated tail but had quite impressive girth (which I'm told is what counts most ).
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xopher
New Member Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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A very late response! This is the longest (but perhaps not the largest) slow worm I've encountered. For comparison, the canon lens back measures exactly 70mm across and I measured the slow worms total length at 46-47cm. I do not handle any reptiles, so I will accept that there may be an error in the measurement.
Taken very early in 2009 at Allerthorpe Common, south of York. |
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Vicar
Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1184 |
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According to the very useful http://serpwidgets.com/main/measure2, it reckons 46.26cm.
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Liz Heard
Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429 |
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hi Matt. i visited SH awhile back hoping to discover for myself The Land Of The Giants. disappointingly it rained heavily all day and although i found the species, i saw nothing unusual. however, on the Visitor Centre wall there was a poster and 2 pix of a male which the accompanying blurb claimed was the largest "old stumpy" ever found in the uk. i took pix of the pix. i cant post links for sh*t but my RAUK field report is 'ere if you want a look; http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/steep-holm-field-report_topic3368.html cheerz, ben |
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xopher
New Member Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5 |
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Great widget! Okay, so not going to break any records but I'm happy with more than 18 inches; I doubt I'll ever find a longer one! |
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With Kind Regards...
Chris |
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