From the last couple of weeks. Kwa-Zulu Natal - South Africa

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mariquensis
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Joined: April 8th, 2012, 12:54 pm

From the last couple of weeks. Kwa-Zulu Natal - South Africa

Post by mariquensis »

With the arrival of Autumn and departing Winter chills comes the rain down here in the Southern Hemisphere (thankfully), so the herp activity has really started to increase as Spring is well underway which means a lot of snake activity.

With the Spring rains come all the frog species, which brings out things like Naja mossambica,Causus rhombeatus, Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia and Philothamnus semivariegatus in great numbers.

I haven't been on any significant trips in the last few weeks, just some odd animals here and there. Besides a specific trip to find Leptopelis xenodactylus - Long Toed Tree Frog a critically endangered amphibian that is restricted to flooded grasslands and marshes.

Afrixalus spinifrons - Natal Leaf Folding Frog
Male
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Female with eggs
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Panaspis wahlbergii - Wahlberg's snake-eyed skink
Female
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Male
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Afroedura pondolia - Pondo Flat Gecko
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Boaedon capensis - Brown House Snake
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Cacosternum nanum - Bronze Dainty Frog.
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Causes rhombeatus - Rhombic Night Adder feeding on Sclerophrys gutturalis - Guttural Toad.
Always so cool seeing wild predation.
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Duberria lutrix lutrix - Common Slug Eater.
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Classic defensive spiral.
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Top view
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Ventral view.
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Hemidactylus mabouia - Tropical House Gecko.
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Homoroselaps dorsalis - Spotted Harlequin Snake.
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Philothamnus semivariegatus - Spotted Bush Snake.
These snakes are incredibly common here are four which I've found over the last few weeks.
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Leptotyphlops scutifrons - Peter's Thread Snake.
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For size reference, they are tiny.
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Scelotesmossambicus - Mozambique Dwarf Burrowing Skink.
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Trachylepsis striata - Striped Skink.
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Lycodonomorphus rufulus - Brown Water Snake
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Hyperolius marmoratus marmoratus - Painted Reed Frog
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Sclerophrys gutturalis - Guttural Toad
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Now bare with me as I probbaly will share too many images of these amazing frogs. They're not typical Tree Frogs like other members of the genus. These frogs occour where there are very few tree's or shrubs in flooded grasslands in almost bog liek conditions. I've searched for these frogs for the last 4 years and have only ever heard a single individual call, that site is about 100kms away from where I found these so really excited about it.
The critically endangered Leptopelis xenodactylus - Long Toed Tree Frog.
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Thanks for looking, for more you can visit http://www.tyroneping.co.za
-
Tyrone
Y.Morgan
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Joined: January 28th, 2011, 10:51 pm
Location: SW New Mexico

Re: From the last couple of weeks. Kwa-Zulu Natal - South Af

Post by Y.Morgan »

Cool stuff - especially considering they're just "here and there" finds! The adder eating the toad series is especially nice...what a difference from the first to last photo. I also really liked the female leaf folding frog with eggs, the spiraled slug eater, and the harlequin snake. Thanks for posting your early finds...I'm jealous that your season is just beginning while ours here in the US is waning.

Looks like you have to create some kind of controversy here to arouse more than a few views. Sigh. :?

Thanks again!
York
NACairns
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Joined: December 30th, 2013, 7:27 am

Re: From the last couple of weeks. Kwa-Zulu Natal - South Af

Post by NACairns »

That Homoroselaps dorsalis is a stunning snake. What more can you tell us about your Leptopelis xenodactylus, looks like a stocky frog in an area with few trees is it a burrower? Enjoy your spring, winter is here in Canada.
Thanks for sharing this great series.
Best,
Nick
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numpty
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Re: From the last couple of weeks. Kwa-Zulu Natal - South Af

Post by numpty »

Well done that rhombic night adder!

Another excellent post from South Africa.
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mariquensis
Posts: 93
Joined: April 8th, 2012, 12:54 pm

Re: From the last couple of weeks. Kwa-Zulu Natal - South Af

Post by mariquensis »

Y.Morgan wrote:Cool stuff - especially considering they're just "here and there" finds! The adder eating the toad series is especially nice...what a difference from the first to last photo. I also really liked the female leaf folding frog with eggs, the spiraled slug eater, and the harlequin snake. Thanks for posting your early finds...I'm jealous that your season is just beginning while ours here in the US is waning.

Looks like you have to create some kind of controversy here to arouse more than a few views. Sigh. :?

Thanks again!
York
Thanks York I appreciate it. The Night adder is something I get calls for often but seldom am able catch the sequence on camera like that. Wasn't on the nicest of natural backgrounds but didn't want to disturb the animal so that's about in-situ as it comes I guess.

I went on a dedicated trip this past weekend, so I'll add those images in the next day or two.

Thanks again.

Tyrone.
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mariquensis
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Joined: April 8th, 2012, 12:54 pm

Re: From the last couple of weeks. Kwa-Zulu Natal - South Af

Post by mariquensis »

NACairns wrote:That Homoroselaps dorsalis is a stunning snake. What more can you tell us about your Leptopelis xenodactylus, looks like a stocky frog in an area with few trees is it a burrower? Enjoy your spring, winter is here in Canada.
Thanks for sharing this great series.
Best,
Nick
Cheers Nick, So Leptopelis are actually a genus of African Tree Frogs. What's weird is the Leptopelis xenodactylus solely live in flooded grassland and marshes so they hang out in small clusters of long grass (around 30-50cm) and call from the bases of the grass in most instances which makes them virtually impossible to find unless you're going through each section of grass. It's pretty wild trying to locate them.

Glad you enjoyed the thread.
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mariquensis
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Joined: April 8th, 2012, 12:54 pm

Re: From the last couple of weeks. Kwa-Zulu Natal - South Af

Post by mariquensis »

numpty wrote:Well done that rhombic night adder!

Another excellent post from South Africa.
Cheers!
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