Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

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Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Sico » Sat Dec 06, 2014 11:35 am

I am currently on a copper mine in Kipoi, Katanga province, Democratic republic of Congo. We are roughly 75 km north and a little east of Lubumbashi.
There is a ton of unspoilt bush here, 98% Miombo woodland, with maybe 2% grassland, and a lot of small hills spread over the countryside.
Unfortunately I do not get much opportunity to get out into the bush, so I have only managed to snap pics of stuff that I find incidentally, or comes around my office.
Philothamnus sp in the flowerbed outside the office door.
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Typhlops sp I found crossing the road one morning
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Plenty of Trachylepis sp
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This large skink was on the forest floor. Unfortunately I could not get a better pic as it disappeared down a hole and just wouldn’t show its head again. Any thoughts on ID, it was a VERY large skink, id say well over a foot long and robust
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Plenty of these geckos around the building at night.
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Some terrain shots
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Plenty of orchids hanging on the trees
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Plenty of interesting bird species, although I don’t get much chance to grab pics
White-faced Scops Owl that was hit by a car, unfortunately it died a few hours after it was brought to me
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Egret
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Grey Hornbills are very common
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As are these squirrels, just about every tree has at least one of them. Very entertaining acrobats!
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This noxious weed is growing outside my office. Apparently they originate in South America (like so many other African invaders). Solanum mammosum or Udder plant.
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Mark
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Warren Klein » Sat Dec 06, 2014 11:46 am

Hi Mark,

Looks like your in an interesting area again. I'd say your "VERY large skink" is more likely a Gerrhosaurus. You should also try to preserve any of the strange fossorial stuff like Typlops especially if you get freshly killed specimens. I'm sure Bill Branch would be interested.

Cheers
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Sico » Sat Dec 06, 2014 1:05 pm

Some more, Invertebrates of various types… Apologies, I am far too lazy to ID all of them using only the internet, which is frustratingly unreliable at times… If you have any ID’s feel free to add them.
Coleoptera
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Lepidoptera
Plenty of Acraea’s
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Several other kinds of butterflies, mostly Blues and Coppers
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Plenty of moths, some really interesting and unusual finds.
Altha rubrifisalis
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Anaphe panda
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Anaphe reticulata
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Athletes semialba
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Camerunia flava
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Ctenolita melanosticta
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Eucraera magna
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Metamicropetra rotundata
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Rhodophthitus roseovittata
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Parasa viridissima
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Taeda prasina
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Mazuca dulcis
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Sacada sp
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Semioptela fulveolans
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And a couple of unidentified as yet…
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Neuroptera – Mantis Flies
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Mark
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Sico » Sat Dec 06, 2014 3:47 pm

Thanks Warren, after looking them up I would say it was likely to be Gerrhosaurus bulsi
Mark
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Westley Price » Sat Dec 06, 2014 4:47 pm

Awesome post Sico.

YEah, I also say G. bulsi.

That Mantis fly is something special. Real pretty.

You have probably already downloaded this PDF, but if you haven't, Google "The reptiles of southeast Katanga, an overlooked
‘hot spot’"

Very good reading and a decent species list to work from.

Enjoy
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Sico » Sat Dec 06, 2014 5:01 pm

Thanks Westley, will do so.
Mark
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby SteveZi » Sat Dec 06, 2014 11:49 pm

Awesome stuff man. Pity about the owl.
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Bushviper » Sun Dec 07, 2014 11:41 am

You must be itching to get out into the bush. At least you still find a little bit.
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Ruan Stander » Sun Dec 07, 2014 3:06 pm

Great finds, thanks for sharing.
It would make me want to cry knowing that is what you find when you aren't even looking !
I look forward to seeing more.

Gotta love Africa.
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Sico » Wed Dec 17, 2014 2:05 pm

I found this hatchling chameleon the other morning, really minute little guy.
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And an unidentified frog
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A Dark Chanting Goshawk and what I think is a Wahlberg’s eagle, there are a number of them that sit on the road every morning…
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Some more moths
Gonimbrasia belina
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Lobobunaea falcatissima
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Mittonia hampsoni
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Stroter capillatus
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A species of Palystes
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A species of Theraphosid
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And I think this is a Uroplectes sp
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Mark
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby levi_20 » Wed Dec 17, 2014 2:32 pm

Really amazing moths and love the Scops Owl, thanks!
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Gabriel Martinez » Wed Dec 17, 2014 6:48 pm

The Mantis with wasp colours is very cool! Green snake and chamaleons too
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gabrimtnezmarmol/collections/
http://www.moroccoherps.com/
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Sico » Wed Dec 17, 2014 7:55 pm

Thanks Gabriel. It isn't a mantis, it is a Mantis Fly, of the order Neuroptera. Flies like a fly, hunts like a mantis, has the mimicry of a wasp for protection. A veritable Chimera of the insect world!
Mark
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Ruan Stander » Wed Dec 17, 2014 10:22 pm

The moth diversity blows my mind.
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Re: Kipoi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Postby Sico » Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:03 am

I came across a nice Schismaderma carens last night, only toad I’ve seen round here so far, although I have heard one calling close to my office, but I am not interested enough to demolish the rock pile it is hiding in…
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Some Butterflies
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Coleoptera
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Hemiptera
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… a nice sized Cicada
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… and these little thorn-mimicking leaf hoppers on an acacia sapling
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And one very large armoured bush cricket… and since I didn’t want something like this crawling up my pants, and not having any gaiters with me, put an end to me squelching through the forest floor last night… I really can’t stand these things.
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Mark
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