Need an ID - Page 2

Danimal · 05-08-13, 09:40 AM

“Knowledge is knowing the tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in your fruit salad.”
― Miles Kington

I would not and I do not comment on something that I have Just looked up as if I knew what it was, that's not honest. Besides he/she could have done the same thing and drawn their own conclusion. The affirmation comes from practical knowledge of which in this case I have none so I've made no comment. But I pay attention and hopefully learn something new.

smy_749 · 05-08-13, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StudentoReptile

I prefer live ones.

And no, Google is NOT okay, even you "know" what you're looking before. I can even insert the full taxonomic name in the search field, and get varied results. By putting in a particular name (Ex: mud snake), you are skewing the results in your favor because every image that comes up will be tagged as mud snake. So any image you look at (if you are not intelligent), if you find an image that matches the appearance of your snake in question, you will automatically assume that identity is correct. Often it is not.

That is why it better to refer to an accurate field guide than to rely on what you "think" you know what the animal is, and let Google "rationalize" your judgment.

You can insert the full taxonomic name, and get varied results. That is why I said if you know what you are looking for. If you know what you are looking for, you will be able to seperate the results into relevant and not relevant ones. I'm not intentionally skewing results :P

Also, science is also not based on grainy bad quality pictures of headless snakes. In my opinion and I think are my disclaimers for when I'm wrong.

If you have a better idea of what it could be and have an accurate picture not from google, then post it and see if he thinks its a better match.

Also, we don't have mudsnakes where I'm from :-P so no I'm not speaking from experience, I'm just doing guess work

StudentoReptile · 05-08-13, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

You can insert the full taxonomic name, and get varied results. That is why I said if you know what you are looking for. If you know what you are looking for, you will be able to seperate the results into relevant and not relevant ones. I'm not intentionally skewing results :P

And how many members of the general public 'know what they're doing?" LOL...not many. The people who do, generally do not use Google as a tool anyway, as is my point. It is not accurate.

Quote:

If you have a better idea of what it could be and have an accurate picture not from google, then post it and see if he thinks its a better match.

I'm not going to go through my books and scan a bunch of photos. If people want to learn more, they need to invest in a good field guide themselves and not rely on the interwebs in the first place.

Quote:

Also, we don't have mudsnakes where I'm from :-P so no I'm not speaking from experience, I'm just doing guess work

I figured as much...hence the guesswork.
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Usually in these situations, and whenever a relative, coworker or friend sends me a photo of a dead snake they just killed and asked what it is, I simply reply that it is a dead snake. They obviously did not care enough to learn/figure out what it was before they killed it, and it does not matter what it is now that it is dead. Usually the snake is a common harmless species, but they often respond saying "Google said it was a copperhead." I literally want to reach my hand through the phone/computer and hit them. You can see why I stand by my earlier statement "Google is the devil." It is a horrible tool for ID reptiles and the people on this planet who "know" how to use it, probably use a guide or a key anyway.

smy_749 · 05-08-13, 10:31 AM

Its not as bad as the middle east. Every time I tell someone from Jordan that I have a snake near my bed, they start teaching me about how it will kill me if bites me, and the skin is poisonous, and they are all cobras. If its not a cobra its a "hayya" which just means a female deadly snake to them. So cobras are males, if its not a cobra then its a female (something just as deadly).

Same thing in Egypt....and these are educated people living in nice areas.

StudentoReptile · 05-08-13, 11:21 AM

I always tell people that it is highly advisable (IMHO mandatory) to get familiar with all the local wildlife in your own area. It just comes as life; teaching kids how to cross the street, never talk to neighbors, being familiar with state laws, preparing the house for hurricane weather, etc.

milk man · 05-08-13, 02:30 PM

Just to let you guys know, my guess came from my field guide.

**Pareeeee** · 05-09-13, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StudentoReptile

I always tell people that it is highly advisable (IMHO mandatory) to get familiar with all the local wildlife in your own area. It just comes as life; teaching kids how to cross the street, never talk to neighbors, being familiar with state laws, preparing the house for hurricane weather, etc.

Couldn't agree more.

As for the argument on using google, there is a right way and a wrong way to use it. When I use it I try to find reputable websites. For example, when I'm looking up Ontario reptiles, instead of clicking on some random site like person's blog, I will use ontarionature.org which is a reliable organization and website. Their reptile and amphibian page is set up like an online field guide with range, habitat, similar species, identification marks, etc.

Google Images is only partially helpful, people need to check the website that the picture came from, sometimes it's just some mislabeled photo from a stock-image site

Donnie · 05-09-13, 11:59 AM

It think it would be very useful to merge the field guide and Google together and for somebody who really knows what they are doing to create an app. Not very many people will carry a field guide around with them but nearly everybody carries a phone.
Anybody with a vast amount of knowledge got any spare time...........

drewkore · 05-09-13, 12:03 PM

I just confirmed with Google; it's a deadly invasive burmese python.

poison123 · 05-09-13, 12:04 PM

Google has yet to fail me

smy_749 · 05-09-13, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poison123

Google has yet to fail me

Thanks for the support ! hahahah

StudentoReptile · 05-09-13, 04:10 PM

Internet in general is unreliable. Websites can be created/edited/deleted with the click of a mouse. Anyone can do it.

While yes, anyone can also write and publish a book these days, it is definitely a more extensive process than just creating a website. If my internet goes out, I still have my field guides complete with dichotomous key. I also take this in the field every time I go herping. Hard to get good reception with the phone in some of the places I go, but I can still use the same book anytime anywhere.