Madagascar Part 4: Anjay Community Park

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
mothman
Posts: 62
Joined: June 25th, 2014, 11:34 am
Location: Huntington, West Virginia

Madagascar Part 4: Anjay Community Park

Post by mothman »

Anjay Community Park is characterized by huge granite formations and contains a lake.


ImageAnjay Community Park, Madagascar by mitchberk, on Flickr


ImageAnjay Community Park, Madagascar by mitchberk, on Flickr


Skinks:
Along the road to the park I spotted this magnificently colored Trachylepis vato perched on a rock. Who knew that the colors black, white, and brown could look so good.

ImageTrachylepis vato by mitchberk, on Flickr


The very common skink Trachylepis gravenhorstii made its usual appearance but it is always a great subject to photograph.

ImageTrachylepis gravenhorstii by mitchberk, on Flickr

Gehrrosaurids:
I was photographing an impressive Oplurus quadrimaculata while I was hanging over the edge of a cliff when the local guide drew my attention to a Zonosaurus madagascariensis emerging from underneath a rock crevice. I waited for a better shot but it never did emerge further than shown in the picture below. No tail for this tale.

ImageZonosaurus madagascariensis by mitchberk, on Flickr

Iguanids:

Here is the Oplurus quadrimaculatus that I was shooting on the side of the cliff. This species does not have the spiny tail of Oplurus cyclurus.

ImageOplurus quadrimaculatus by mitchberk, on Flickr


Geckos:

The local guide spotted this Paroedura bastardi hanging from the underside of a rock during the afternoon as we hiked along the trail.

ImageParoedura bastardi by mitchberk, on Flickr


The non-native gecko found at our hotel was Hemidactylus frenatus.

ImageHemidactylus frenatus by mitchberk, on Flickr


The chameleon du jour at Anjay Park was Furcifer oustaleti.

ImageFurcifer oustaleti by mitchberk, on Flickr



Snakes:

The seemingly ubiquitous Mimophis mahfalensis was observed.

ImageMimophis mahfalensis by mitchberk, on Flickr


Frogs:

Ptychadena mascareniensis with vertebral green stripe.

ImageUntitled by mitchberk, on Flickr- Ptychadena mascareniensis

Ptychadena mascareniensis without vertebral green stripe. Yes it is the same species.

ImageUntitled by mitchberk, on Flickr-Ptychadena mascareniensis

Anjay Community Park is noted for its Ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) so I must include a photo of one here.

ImageRing-tail Lemur by mitchberk, on Flickr

Invertebrates:
There are some really curious appearing invertebrates in this park. The local park guide did not know if I was more excited about observing the herps or the invertebrates.


The white feathery looking "stuff" at the caudal end of this insect is really a waxy secretion, which readily falls off when the insect was handled. Oops. I do not know the purpose of the orange-colored rostral appendage.

ImageInsect, Anjay Community Park by mitchberk, on Flickr


Nymph of flatid leaf bug. The white stuff is also a waxy secretion. This insect was found within a large group on a tree branch.

ImageInsect at Anjay Community Park by mitchberk, on Flickr


This preying mantis has an incredibly sinister, devilish looking head (She-devil). The local guide said it was rare. Jose from Tropical Herping found at the start of the trail adjacent to the parking space.

ImagePreying Mantis, Anjay Community Park by mitchberk, on Flickr


Different non-devilish appearing preying mantis which provides tasty snacks for chameleons.

ImagePreying Mantis, Anjay Community Park by mitchberk, on Flickr


Grasshopper (species?)

ImageGrasshopper at Anjay Community Park by mitchberk, on Flickr


Colorful beetle

ImageInsect at Anjay Community Park by mitchberk, on Flickr


Red-legged Golden Orb-Web spider (Nephilia inaurata). These were commonly seen in the eastern rainforests.

ImageRed-legged Spider at Anjay Community Park by mitchberk, on Flickr


Caterpillars are always intriguing creatures.

ImageCaterpillar, Anjay Community Park by mitchberk, on Flickr


Dragonfly (species?)

ImageDragonfly, Ambalavao by mitchberk, on Flickr


And so ends our day at Anjay Community Park with two new lizard species and some incredible looking insects.

ImageSunset near Anjay Community Park, Madagascar by mitchberk, on Flickr


ImageSunset near Anjay Community Park, Madagascar by mitchberk, on Flickr
User avatar
SurfinHerp
Posts: 653
Joined: October 18th, 2010, 8:55 pm
Location: San Diego, CA
Contact:

Re: Madagascar Part 4: Anjay Community Park

Post by SurfinHerp »

Very nice post! I especially like the chameleon and ring-tailed lemur.
User avatar
mothman
Posts: 62
Joined: June 25th, 2014, 11:34 am
Location: Huntington, West Virginia

Re: Madagascar Part 4: Anjay Community Park

Post by mothman »

Surfinherp,

If you like chameleons than you should like mymy post from Ranomafana. We saw more and varied chameleon species there than anywhere else on our trip. Glad you enjoyed my post.
User avatar
Calfirecap
Posts: 638
Joined: June 16th, 2010, 8:09 am
Location: Santa Cruz Co. California
Contact:

Re: Madagascar Part 4: Anjay Community Park

Post by Calfirecap »

My compliments to you on your amazing Madagascar series. That Nymph Flatid Leaf bug was unreal!
User avatar
Ribbit
Posts: 601
Joined: June 12th, 2010, 10:28 am
Location: Monterey Peninsula, CA
Contact:

Re: Madagascar Part 4: Anjay Community Park

Post by Ribbit »

Place names in Madagascar are not especially standardized -- when I visited this park they told us it was "Anjaha Community Park", but I have since been told it is "Anja Community Park". I had not heard the "Anjay" variation until now, but i't definitely the same place -- I would recognize those rocks anywhere.

That Trachylepis vato is a stunner!

I'm not sure if the Zonosaurus at Anja/ha/y are Z. madagascariensis or Z. laticaudatus (or something else?). See my comments at http://www.wildherps.com/species/Z.laticaudatus.html.

John
Post Reply