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[moloch05]

Hamelin Pool is located at the southern end of Shark Bay and is not far west of the Coastal Highway. This site is best known for its stromatolites. These formations vaguely resemble coral but are produced by cyanobacteria. They are thought to be one of the earliest forms of life and were known only as fossils until their discovery at Hamelin Pool in the 1950s.

Stromatolites:







The habitat around Hamelin Pool was dry and badly overgrazed by feral goats. I saw very few diurnal lizards at all since there seemed to be little cover.



Nocturnal reptile activity was excellent with many species of geckos and a few snakes.

This was the only Beaked Gecko (Rhynchoedura ornata) that I found in Western Australia.



Beautiful (Diplodactylus pulcher) or Kluge's Geckos (D. klugei) from Hamelin Pool were variable in pattern. Some had a continuous dorsal stripe like those from Monkey Mia:


... The dorsal stipe of others was broken. This one had almost baby bird-like jaws:



... others had a more saddled appearance although the saddles were connected.



... Others were saddled. These were nice looking geckos. I believe that both Beautiful and Kluge's Geckos are termite specialists.





I found the first of what I believe to be Diplodactylus squarrosus near Hamelin Pool. This was another nicely marked gecko.






I saw a few of these of these Prickly Geckos (Heteronotia binoei) when I went for a night walk around the campground at Hamelin Pool.






The owners of the caravan park where we stayed told me of a "red" lizard that visited the telephone box each evening. I checked it soon after dusk and found this fearless Broad-banded Sand-swimmer (Eremiascincus richardsonii). It dined on beetles that were attracted by the light. What a gorgeous lizard!













I found two Western Hooded Scaly-foot (Pygopus nigreceps):






I found a single baby Stimson's Python (Antaresia stimsoni) not far from the campground.



This Ringed Brown Snake (Pseudonaja modesta) was drably marked when compared with those that I have seen at Gundabooka NP, NSW.








... DOR Gwardar (Pseudonaja nuchalis). I saw a live one about the same size as this road-killed snake. I tried to take a photo but it crawled off at high speed while holding its head elevated and ready to strike.



The only diurnal reptile that I found was Lozenge-marked Dragon (Ctenophorus scutulatus).


Regards,
David