Alpine Blotched Bluetongue localities

[jordo]

I've got a few different coloured alpine blotchies and I'm often asked about localities, "where do the white ones come from" etc. The extent of my knowledge is that there are lowland and alpine, as for the pink, orange, yellow and white variations in the alpines I don't have much of an idea, can anyone help?

 

[sobrien]

Well the one in the middle that is yellowy black can be found up near Mt Buller. To the left and right of that, the animals look like normal blotchies to me. As for the one on the far left, I don't know
Someone should know though!

 

[Pike01]

these ones came from zululand

 

[Parko]

Jordo the one on the left looks like the ones found in the Blue mountains and central western slopes, here's a pic of a wild one to compare.

 

[zen]

I agree with Parko there, the specimen on the left is definitely an Alpine form, most probably from the central highlands.
The brown one next to it is a typical Lowland form. Probably Victorian, possibly Melbourne area.
Not sure about the two on the right, but Sobrien's got it covered.


Pike, do you know the geographic origin of those handsome specimens :?:
Nice colouration. 8)
By the way, what's the vege mix you're feeding them. Is it a packaged commercial brand? Looks good & they seem to love it.

 

[jordo]

The 2nd from left was just a lowland for comparing.
Pike1- they are nice!

here's a pic of a wild one to compare.

Your not wrong, they look like twins.
The one on the right is definately alpine, just a bad photo.
Thanks for all your help so far.

 

[zulu]

re Alpine

Pikes blotchys are from my line zen,he really looks after them well,onley the best tucker i see.The two females that bred last year are on their year off and this year it looks like thereis just a two year gravid and a older female.Yeh that one on left looks northern type central highlands or blue mountains jordo.Just such variation in color among litters from the same local :?mine produce mainly pink,shades of orange or deep red and most have dark red mixed through the pink or orange mainly anteriorly.

 

[Pike01]

Zen, they are blue mountains, the food is their weekend mix.Roo meat, egg,calcium and frozen vegies,peas ,carrot,corn, beans and potato. they get fresh fruit and vegies through the week.
Nice blotchies, i like them all, even the lowland one, would love to see a pic of them cleaned up.

 

[peterescue]

high plains form

 

[Davem54]

Here is a wild one I recently photographed near home West of Lithgow

 

[nathanbrisvegas]

i like the high plains form

 

[zulu]

re Alpine

The black and yellow bluey in jordos first pic is nice

 

[peterescue]

hehe, python smython. keep the pics coming fellas. I love the high plains ones but the yellow is great, The Blue Mountains are superb and I like blotchies.
BTW, I could be wrong but I think T nigrolutea was the first bluetongue described in Australia.

 

[Dicco]

I probably am wrong but I though T. scincoides was the first lizard discovered in Aust.

 

[zulu]

re Alpines

I just like blue tongues in general peter especially when it comes to feeding its nice to have something thats cosmopolitan in diet and not to demanding to look after.

 

[jordo]

I got the black and yellow one from Pails and a few weeks later she had five babies some of them are yellow like their mum and some are a bit more orange. I'll try and get some more pics of them a bit cleaned up, the pink one is shedding at the moment so should look a bit nicer.
This is the pic of the yellow and black one from Roys website (before I bought her).
I've heard that the blotchies scientific name describes them as black and yellow - nigro(black) lutea(yellow). But don't know if this is correct, Anyone speak latin?!

 

[peterescue]

re Alpines

I just like blue tongues in general peter especially when it comes to feeding its nice to have something thats cosmopolitan in diet and not to demanding to look after.

me too, I like getting in the pit and having all the guys come out to the feed bowls and the couple that always come straight over to me to get hand fed morsels.

 

[zen]

...the blotchies scientific name describes them as black and yellow - nigro(black) lutea(yellow). But don't know if this is correct...

Yes that's correct Jordo. Yours is a great example of this colour variant.
Perhaps the type specimen was from the same locality, though most Alpines have the black & yellow on the flanks, even if they've got pink or orange blotches.
Do you know what that specimens geographic origin is :?:
Also, if it's not a rude question, how much did you pay for her?
You sure scored well. She's paid for herself already. :wink:


Peter, that's an interesting specimen you've posted.
Where are the "High Plains" :?:


Pike said:-

they are blue mountains, the food is their weekend mix.Roo meat, egg,calcium and frozen vegies,peas ,carrot,corn, beans and potato. they get fresh fruit and vegies through the week.

Thanks for that info, the Blue Mountains specimens are particularly rich in colour. Amongst the best for sure. :mrgreen:
You sure spoil them with that great tucker. :wink:



Zulu said,

this year it looks like thereis just a two year gravid and a older female

That's quite young for a female to breed. I've heard that very young & old females only produce a few babies. Would you agree with this?
Is that pic you posted, of the two gravid females mentioned?.
Very nice specimens you have there. Choice! 8)

most have dark red mixed through the pink or orange mainly anteriorly.

Very interesting quality that. I've seen some from Oberon specimens with that feature & also some Tumbarumba Alpine populations have it.



That's a nice pic of a beaut specimen there Dave. Thanks for sharing it.
It's looks like it could be a gravid female. Still early stages though.



It's great to see all these different Alpine Blotchies.
I'll try & put some pics up of one's I've found, though most are road-kill :cry: .
They have a bad habit of basking on the road. :?

 

[zen]

Here's some road-kill.
Sorry about the flies & guts!

This specimen is from Katoomba.


By the way, have any of you Blotchy keepers found that they often prefer to sleep out in the rain or in wet spots. :?
:idea: My theory is that it either helps to keep them cool or it facilitates a shed.
It certainly doesn't help with belly scale rot, which is their main weakness.

 

[peterescue]

The high plains region is the are of Central Southern NSW to Victoria encompassing the Alpine region.