Some South Aussie herps

[jamesn48]

These pics were mostly taken in the riverland of SA

Marbled Gecko

Ctenotus orientalis

Eastern Water Skink

Morethia adelaidensis

Bynoe's Gecko

Mallee Military Dragons

Dark Coloured dragon:

Male's Fighting

Habitat of Mallee Military Dragons and C.orientalis

 

[shlanger]

Nice pics, well done! However, I think your ctenotus is not orientalis, they have a line of spots in the panel between the dorsal and the dorso-lateral line. I think yours is what was previously know as brooksi. Cant quite remember its new name at the moment. Some one will tell us!

 

[jamesn48]

The 4 Ctenotus that occur in the area according to Steve and Wilson's are C.orientalis, C.regius and C.robustus and C.strauchii. It doesn't really fit any of them, the field guide mentions they are all brown and this one is jet black, also all the others i saw were the same colour, could anyone with more experience clear this up. Imangine the difficulty indentifying these in areas with 12 species...

 

[shlanger]

G'day jamesn48, after a second look I belive it to be Ctenotus regius appols. for confusion.

 

[moloch05]

Very nice! Great to see such a diversity of lizards. You did well to capture the fighting dragons. That was an excellent series.

Ctenotus are such a pain. I think that many of these can only be identified with certainty if the lizard is captured and scales, feet, etc. are examined and keyed.

Regards,
David

 

[eipper]

Def Ctenotus regius...what was brooksi iridis in Vic Dale is now Ctenotus taeniatus

Cheers,
Scott

 

[shlanger]

Cheers Scott, I was hopeing you would pick up on this!
Ciao,
Dale G.

 

[W.T.BUY]

LOVE the Mallee Military Dragon shots!

 

[jamesn48]

It would be so much easier if you could identify Ctenotus just by their patterns, rather than trying to catch them and look at their toes, and they were way to fast to catch.

 

[eipper]

James in most parts of NSW, VIC, ACT and south east SA you can.....problems come from either not knowing the species well enough or not knowing what to look for.....for example that regius is not an orientalis due to it having spots below as opposed to above the dorso lateral line.....mine you there are plently that are a little harder than that too

Cheers,
Scott