Tiny spiny

[Dannyboi]

I could see that already, I still wouldn't say with certainty that its a storr's monitor

 

[jordanmulder]

hmm may be a bit out of it's geographical range but it looks like a storr's to me
I t lacks the black spots that the baritji have and it's definately not acanthrus!

 

[Darlyn]

Still pretty cute, how is that crab pic coming along?

 

[waruikazi]

OK for the record- Red Lilly Spring (the lillies are purple!) is about 25km from Kalkarindji, border country between southern VRD and northern Tanami. That should help with distribution. I would like the identification sorted so please let the dialouge continue.

I was actually after some fw crabs for photos for someone doing research but my 2 little cherubin pots filled up with spangled grunters, a rainbow I haven't positively identified and a fat sleepy cod (giant gudgeon). It is amazing how they squeese through the small (turtle excluding) entrance to the pot.

I did find one crab in the creek (see pic) and an intruiging large black cherubin (too quick for me). This crab is completely different to one I found in this spot last November after the TO's told me there were none around the area. Since then I've found them in every water body I've looked into. They are cryptic, nocturnal and not really big enough to eat, so they passed unnoticed.

I just tried to upload shots of the fish and crab but it's not working. I will try again later.

Definately not a baritji then lol.

I've been out that way a few times, beautiful spot especially along the river, found lots of dead crabs but no livies except for this one at Minyerri (Hodgson Downs). Also found alot of them around Lajamanu (Hooker Crk). What do you do out that way?

 

[cruester]

It would actually be varanus storri storri and not occreatus.V.storri storri are found in the N.T and will use any habitat that suits there needs.Occreatus are smaller in size and don't have as heavy ridging on the tail.Primordius are smaller again and have a stockier build.As for google maps lmao, even range maps in books are at best only a guess to were animals may be found.They are just a basic guide and plenty of reptiles have been found out of so called range area's.Hope this helps a little.

 

[nathancl]

I wasnt aware storri storri werent endemic to Nth Queensland. all storri i have found west of Mt Isa have been ocreatus so assumed ocreatus continued right through to WA. interesting! distribution maps are more or less just a joke lol i was only using google maps to see where the locality was to get an idea of the area.

cheers

 

[SteveNT]

Definately not a baritji then lol.

I've been out that way a few times, beautiful spot especially along the river, found lots of dead crabs but no livies except for this one at Minyerri (Hodgson Downs). Also found alot of them around Lajamanu (Hooker Crk). What do you do out that way?

At the moment I'm training the Djurindji Rangers (Kalkarindji, Dagaragu) in a Cert II in Conservation & Land Management before they start as fully salaried Rangers with CLC. I just got back from a week down there after pushing through the Camfield River at 1.2 meters in the middle of the night. I packed the troopie with the heaviest countrymen I could find because it was ripping through. Unlike Arnhem Land the floodwater is thick mud soup and once the lights went under we were in inky blackness with water half way up the windscreen. There was lots of hooting and hollering when we finally popped out the other side!

I train Indig Ranger groups across the Top End.

 

[Darlyn]

It would actually be varanus storri storri and not occreatus.V.storri storri are found in the N.T and will use any habitat that suits there needs.Occreatus are smaller in size and don't have as heavy ridging on the tail.Primordius are smaller again and have a stockier build.As for google maps lmao, even range maps in books are at best only a guess to were animals may be found.They are just a basic guide and plenty of reptiles have been found out of so called range area's.Hope this helps a little.

So it is a a varanus storri storri, final answer? I'll go along with that.