Tiny spiny

[SteveNT]

Thought you might like a look at this. I dropped a couple of cherubin pots in at Red Lilly Spring this afternoon. (20km rough dirt, 4km off road.) Didnt get what I was after (fw crabs) but on the way back I was poking around and found this cutie (living with a mob of red bush cockies).





Oh- G'day Darlyn!

Wow, no-one is interested in a wee varanid? I'm surprised. I put this and some other photos on another forum and they were all over it. Maybe if it was albino???

 

[trader]

awesome! aren't you lucky to see one in 'the wild'! Thank you for sharing the photos....

As breeders of 'ackies', one day I hope to see them in their natural habitat.

 

[turtle]

Awesome find!

 

[werdy]

hes gorgeous - i want a ackie one of these days

 

[ScalyMung]

Good find steveNT finding reps in there natural state is so rewarding well done mate all the best for future great discoveries.
Cheers Deano

 

[cadwallader]

you didnt get what you were after but what a great find instead

 

[waruikazi]

G'day steve.

Which Red Lily were you 'cherabining' at?

Depending on which one i have a suspicion that your little fella there could be a baritji and not an acanthurrus

For wild reps you will get more responses from the people who genuinely appreciate them if you post the up in the field herping forum.

 

[nathancl]

nice little monitor!

 

[Darlyn]

Nice one mate.
What a shame you didn't get a feed.
Any chance of a pic of the wild BHP?

 

[waruikazi]

 

[cruester]

It's a storrs monitor.

 

[lizardjasper]

what a sweetheart! Bet you wished you had a license to collect reps from the wild huh?

 

[waruikazi]

It's a storrs monitor.

Could be but i doubt it. The habitat doesn't match and if it was found at any of the Red Lilies that i know of it is out of their range.

 

[cruester]

No offence waz, but it is a storrs.They can be found in various habitats.It's definatly not an accy or baritji.

 

[GeckoJosh]

Nice find, thanks for sharing it with us

 

[nathancl]

i agree that its a storri ocreatus. the background in the picture although out of focus looks fairly open almost paddock like with im assuming rocks through it which is preferred habitat for storri.

if google maps serves me right it could also be a primordius but judging by how strongly spined the tail is and the pattern of the animal i would still go with storri

 

[waruikazi]

No offence waz, but it is a storrs.They can be found in various habitats.It's definatly not an accy or baritji.

Righto, must be at a different red lily than the two i know (one kakadu and one in Arnhem land). How do you tell them apart? I was going on range and the it didn't quite have that ackie look to it.

 

[SteveNT]

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.

 

[Dannyboi]

I don't know for sure that it is a storrs the back pattern is a bit *different* I can grab mine out and take some shots if you guys like.

 

[SteveNT]

what a sweetheart! Bet you wished you had a license to collect reps from the wild huh?

Not particularly. I have a permit to "interfere with wildlife" in the NT. I am happy to let them go where I find them after a photo or two.

The little bloke is starting to shed at the base of the tail if you look close and the new skin has a higher contrast pattern. Does that help?