Australian Biodiversity Record and Herpetofauna

[Rocket]

I have been reading the Australian Biodiversity Record - The Bibliography of Australian Herpetology and was just wondering how well known this publication is...? It is a valuable resource for those wishing to take a look at the history of amateur private herpetology in Australia and the contributions made by those rarely heard of today... to me, after reading this, the hobby isn't what it once was.

However, that is not the only point of the thread. The bibliography is a detailed and graphic recount of scientific and personal observations made by countless enthusiasts decades ago and these have, as such, been published in journals such as Herpetofauna.

I have struggled to locate specific Herpetofauna articles so I was wondering if anybody present on this site had access to them, or to those that published them? I personally am interested in the field studies conducted on the South Australian locality of Nephrurus stellatus, in various articles, authored primarily by some of the 'old-school' herpers such as C.Kranz, H.Ehmann, M.Galliford and S.Delean.

If anybody can help me locate these articles or generally point me in the right direction, it would be appreciated.

 

[Rocket]

...really?, noone reads or knows anything about Herpetofauna?

 

[Bushfire]

Herpetofauna is my favourite publication. I'll been getting them since the early 90s. Its probably a little advanced for many of todays keepers but I still go back to articles written in them.

 

[Rocket]

Hey Bushfire,
Do you know if you happened to have those with the published articles based on field observations of N.stellatus?

 

[Allan]

Hi Rocket,
I have all issues of Herpetofauna since 1973 and photocopies of the 14-15 issues that were published between 1963 and 1972. Just let me know which articles you are interested in and I'll be happy to send them.

 

[syeph8]

Hi Rocket,
I have all issues of Herpetofauna since 1973 and photocopies of the 14-15 issues that were published between 1963 and 1972. Just let me know which articles you are interested in and I'll be happy to send them.

that is a pretty awesome thing to do mate. good job

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day Allan,

If you ever want to part with them, I would be willing to purchase the lot! Obviously you wouldn't want to move them at the moment, but if your circumstances change, let me know.

 

[Elapidae1]

How and where do you obtain current and future issues of Herpetofauna?

Steve

 

[Rocket]

Allan,
Thank you so much, that is very generous.

According to the Biodiversity Record, they are the issues as follows: Delean, S. and Harvey, C. 1981 Some observations on the Knob-tailed Gecko, Nephrurus
laevissimus in the wild. Herpetofauna, 13 (1): 1-3, Galliford, M. 1981 Notes on the Starred Knob-tailed Gecko, Nephrurus stellatus, caught spotlighting.
Herpetofauna, 12 (2): 33-34.

Regards

 

[Allan]

Rocket, I'll copy them tomorrow and attach them as PDFs

Jonno, I have been collecting herp books and magazines since I was a kid and can't see myself ever selling anything. Let me know if you're interested in any issues and I can get copies for you.

Steve, become a member in a herp society

 

[Rocket]

Thanks again Allan, I appreciate it. Looking forward to seeing them.

 

[Elapidae1]

Thanks

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day Rocket,

I've read the second article, about 6 years ago. From memory they found 15-20 in a night, and also a sleeping Ctenophurus cristatus on a low lying branch or something. They found them along a fence line, but after some inquiries with locals, that fence isn't there any more. They aren't hard to find though, as long as the weather is good and you're in the right habitat.

 

[Rocket]

Thanks Jonno.
I have read the article titled, 'Nephrurus stellatus - Observations on Spring Activity' by Peter Page in Herpetofauna 25 (2) 1995, page 62.

That was an interesting read. The field study, undertaken with Colin Kranz said similar to you, 20 animals located in a 1.5 hour timespan amongst Lucasium dameaum and sleeping Ctenophorus pictus along a dog fence.
The approximate sex ratio of 3:1 (M:F) is what intrigued me...

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day mate,

No worries - not a bad recount of the article after 6 years haha! Skewed sex ratios in favour of males is common amongst nearly all reptile species, with the largest contributing factor being that males would be more active in the search for a female. It would be quite difficult to ascertain true sex ratios as it would be all but impossible to find every individual within a designated survey area.

 

[Allan]

Herpetofauna

Hi Rocket,
Let me know if the PDFs are printable, if not, PM your email address and I'll attach them with an email.
Hans

 

[Allan]

Herpetofauna

Hmmmmm. No, didn't turn out that well, or my eye sight might be going. If you PM your email address, I'll get them to you tomorrow.
Hans