TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby Rodwraylva » Fri Nov 18, 2011 3:51 pm

TH, I collect plants as a sideline hobby, have a drosera and a few other carnivores, :D They are lovely plants so I notice them while driving haha :D want to get more droseras, but not that easy to get one I do not have, since in the Cape, they only sell Drosera capensis, and I have it, I need other plants :D
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby TH » Fri Mar 09, 2012 7:48 am

It’s been a while since I’ve updated this thread… I haven’t really found too many exciting things in recent months as it is not the prime time of the year in the Cape for herps (as far as I am concerned anyway…) My best find was a Marico Thick-toed Gecko in the Blaauwberg Conservation Area, a new species for within the City of Cape Town’s boundaries and quite possibly the most southerly ever record of this species.

Marico Thick-toed Gecko - Pachydactylus mariquensis
Image


Here are a few photos of some of my other recent finds – unfortunately, nothing terribly spectacular…

Angulate Tortoise - Chersina angulata
Image

Common Tent Tortoise - Psammobates tentorius
Image

Marbled Leaf-toed Gecko - Afrogecko porphyreus
Image

Southern Rock Agama – Agama atra
Image

Cape Girdled Lizard – Cordylus cordylus
Image

Delalande’s Beaked Blind Snake – Rhinotyphlops lalandei
Image

Clicking Stream Frog – Strongylopus grayii
Image
follow my local exploits in the field at:
http://hardakerwildlife.wordpress.com/

see my photos and longer trip reports at:
http://www.hardaker.co.za
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby Fooble » Fri Mar 09, 2012 7:52 am

Stunning images Trevor!
Even common species look amazing thanks to your camera skills ;)

P.mariquensis is a great find too.

Makes me realise i need to get out in the next few days.
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby Westley Price » Fri Mar 09, 2012 8:05 am

Some nice finds. Even the common stuff are certainly worth finding!

Regarding the P. mariquensis, I recently got sent the publication on the new species in the mariquensis complex and there is a great little section on how to distinguish between all the species in hand.

Below I have copied and pasted from Systematics of the Pachydactylus mariquensis group of geckos (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae): Status of P. mariquensis latirostris, P. m. macrolepis and P. amoenus by Bauer et al 2011

Key to the species of the Pachydactylus mariquensis complex:

1a. Nasorostrals in contact or occasionally separated by a single granule……..…………. 2
b. Nasorostrals separated by two or more small granules ……………………………..… 3

2a. Scales on snout enlarged, 10 or fewer across snout at midpoint between snout tip and
anterior margin of orbit; first supralabial contacts rim of nostril …...... … P. macrolepis
b. 14 or more scales across snout at midpoint between snout tip and anterior margin of
orbit; first supralabial excluded from or in narrow contact with rim of
nostril……………………………………………………………….….…P. mariquensis

3a. First supralabial excluded from nostril rim; dorsal edge of rostral flush with internasal
scales……………………………………………………………………..... P. latirostris
b. First supralabial participating in (or very narrowly excluded from) nostril rim; dorsal
edge of rostral scale raised above level of internasals, forming a sharp low ridge
………………………………………………………………………………..P. amoenus


So even all the guys keeping these geckos (Fooble ;) ) can 100% determine which species they have by using this above method.

I hope this is of use to some of you.
"I am dying by inches from not having anybody to talk to about insects." - Charles Darwin
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby TH » Fri Mar 09, 2012 8:15 am

Thanks Fooble and Westley! Thanks also for the info on the geckos - very interesting and useful indeed!

Anywhere that one can download a full copy of that publication Westley...?
follow my local exploits in the field at:
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see my photos and longer trip reports at:
http://www.hardaker.co.za
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby TH » Mon May 07, 2012 10:58 am

It’s been a while since I last updated this thread and, even now, there is not terribly much to post here at all unfortunately…

For what it’s worth, here are a few recent photos. Hopefully, as we progress into winter, there will be a few more things to post here, especially once the frogs really get going…

Cape Grass Lizard – Chamaesaura anguina
Image
Image

Bibron’s Gecko – Chondrodactylus bibronii
Image

Cape Thick-toed Gecko – Pachydactylus capensis
Image
follow my local exploits in the field at:
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see my photos and longer trip reports at:
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby TH » Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:02 am

Once again, it’s been pretty quiet recently both in terms of my actual time in the field herping as well as what was actually found when I did go specifically looking for things. The frog season is now upon us here in the Cape, so hopefully, things will start to improve. Anyway, here are a few things that we have been able to find in the last month or so…

Common Sand Lizard – Pedioplanis pulchella
Image

Delalande’s Beaked Blind Snake - Rhinotyphlops lalandei
Image

Ocellated Thick-toed Gecko - Pachydactylus geitje
Image

Cape Legless Skink - Acontias meleagris
Image

Cross-marked Grass Snake - Psammophis crucifer
Image

Karoo Sand Snake - Psammophis notostictus
Image

Spotted Skaapsteker - Psammophylax rhombeatus
Image

Karoo Toad - Vandijkophrynus gariepensis
Image
follow my local exploits in the field at:
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see my photos and longer trip reports at:
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby Kev » Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:47 pm

Some nice finds, always love checking out what people are finding, thanks for posting!
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby Fooble » Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:55 pm

Hooray an update!
Thanks for sharing Trevor some great finds and that Sand Lizard shot is stunning!
I'm having field envy again time-to-get-out!
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby TH » Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:59 am

Thanks Kev and Fooble! Yes, it's been a bit quiet of late, but it's not the best time for herping down here in the Cape unfortunately... :smt022

Really hoping that, with all the rain we've had recently, the frogs will get going now and provide an excuse to get back out into the field regularly again... :D
follow my local exploits in the field at:
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see my photos and longer trip reports at:
http://www.hardaker.co.za
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby Wayne Fowlie » Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:52 pm

Wonderful picture of the Dasypeltis display. Hope you keep posting shots of the unique herps from your region.
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby TH » Mon Oct 01, 2012 1:55 pm

It’s been a while since I last updated this thread, so here are a few photos of some recent finds in the last few months. I have quite a few more to add as well and will try and add those in due course, but at least this will make you believe that I haven’t been stuck inside hibernating… :lol:

Ocellated Thick-toed Gecko - Pachydactylus geitje
Image

Black Girdled Lizard - Cordylus niger
Image

McLachlan’s Girdled Lizard - Cordylus mclachlani
Image

Cape Legless Skink - Acontias meleagris
Image

Brown Water Snake - Lycodonomorphus rufulus
Image

Olive Ground Snake - Lycodonomorphus inornatus
Image

Herald Snake - Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia
Image

Yellow-bellied House Snake - Lamprophis fuscus
Image

Cape Peninsula Moss Frog - Arthroleptells lightfooti
Image

Cape Sand Toad - Vandijkophrynus angusticeps
Image

Karoo Toad - Vandijkophrynus gariepensis
Image

Cape Sand Frog - Tomopterna delalandii
Image

Flat Caco - Cacosternum platys
Image

Karoo Caco - Cacosternum karooicum
Image

Micro Frog - Microbatrachella capense
Image
follow my local exploits in the field at:
http://hardakerwildlife.wordpress.com/

see my photos and longer trip reports at:
http://www.hardaker.co.za
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby Fooble » Mon Oct 01, 2012 2:05 pm

Amazing shots of some special animals!

That Acontias shot is awesome so nice to see how even a common species can come alive with some good photography.

Thanks for sharing Trevor!
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby Kennyakagera » Sat Oct 19, 2013 4:43 pm

Some excellent shot there TH, and brilliant finds ! That shot of the Herald snake is brilliant !
Thanks for sharing motivates me to go out tonight, if only the weather was on my side ....
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Re: TH's Western Cape herping exploits

Postby Kev » Sun Oct 20, 2013 6:29 pm

That picture of the Karoo Toad is my favorite. All really great shots as always.
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