Hi Guys
My wife and I decided we need a break from work so we just took a week to go to a tiny little island adjacent to the tourist hotspot of Nosy Be, Madagascar. Nosy Sakatia is only roughly 3km x 6km in size, so very small and cosy. We stayed at Sakatia Lodge which was probably the best accommodation I have stayed at in my life. They have achieved the perfect balance between keeping it simple enough to force you to relax while still giving you some luxury. The views are out of this world. We chose this spot because my wife and I both enjoy snorkeling immensely and Sakatia Lodge has some of the best scuba and snorkeling spots in the world (IMO). Jacques, who is the in-house dive master was very helpful in showing us spots and IDing fish species.
Enough about the spot we stayed, I am sure you only want to read about the herps Okay, I didnt actually find too many herps. My main starget species was Brookesia minima, but I horribly failed, but the species I did find were still fun.
The most common reptile species on the island is of course Phelsuma madagascariensis ssp. They are everywhere, from the inside of your bungalow to the top of your breakfast table. Very cool.
Eating honey off the dinner table.
This nice uniform patternless was quite cool.
Juvi
Next most common was the Hemidactylus sp. They are super abundant at night around lights. According to literature these are supposed to be H. mabouia, but having seen the former tons in my life I would beg to differ. These have super fragile skin and tear their skin purposely to try to slip from your grasp. I tried to be gentle with this one, and you can still see the damage.
I also found what I think to be a different species of Hemidactylus. They are a lot more robust (no fragile skin), and the tubercles are a lot more enlarged. Any opinions? At first I thought this was just a juvenile of the above species, but changed my mind.
The only wild chameleon species I found was Furcifer pardalis. They were often seen on trees very close to the coast and even overhanging the coastal rocks. Not as aggressive as I was led to believe.
Larger specimen from Nosy Be.
Females are much easier to spot.
The lodge had some semi-captive Geochelona radiata. They are in very low open enclosures and are fed all the kombuis refuse.
One of my favourite finds on the island was this little fellow. I immedaitely saw it was not the typical Phelsuma madagascariensis. Upon getting home I discovered it is most likely P. a. abottii, which was very cool. Hiding under a massive and delicious jackfruit.
Another highlight for me was finding two Geckolepis maculata, which were too fast to catch, but luckily easy to approach. Note the funky fish scales.
Second one making a dash for it
Mudskippers are also everywhere, but difficult to photograph due to their skittish nature.
Only skink species on the entire island (which I saw) Trachylepis gravennhorstii
Then I found the first snake of the trip, Madagascar's version of out Mole Snake, Leioheterodon madagascariensis
Took these first two pictures as I was catching it as I was alone and afraid it could escape.
Second and last wild species from the trip, Madagascarophis colubrina, reminds me a lot of Boiga.
Found the tail tip unique, white and patternless, sort of pied like.
Crabs on the beach
Cool spider.
Nice prehistoric looking cockroach
Large Scolopendra sp.
When I first saw this locust I thought it was misshapen, but clearly just a different build to what I am used to; large spherical head.
Some gecko eggs simply glued onto a piece of drift wood. Guess that there are so many geckos around that there's no need to hide the eggs, haha.
We also visited a local animal park with specializes in lemurs, but they also have a nice variety of reptiles.
Geochelone gigantea. These are larger than life! I would not mind having some in my garden, haha.
Pyxis sp.
One of my all-time favourites, Sanzinia madagascariensis (both phases, which is or will soon be two separate species).
Mandarin phase
Normal phase
Dyscophus antongili
Crocodylus nilotica (not sure if this is one of the new species recently described).
Oplurus cuvieri
Zonosaurus sp.
Next post to include the snorkeling pics...and a lot of them!