The Herpers

Weekend in Arizona

2011-10-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

The two of us decided to drop down into Arizona for a weekend to meet up with our friend Keegan and see what kind of herps we could round up. Phoenix was the first stop, so we decided to take a look around South Mountain.

Several chuckwallas were seen moving in and out of crevices, but we didn't glimpse any of the talked about carrot-tail variety.

A desert phase black-tailed rattlesnake was tucked away in a crevice, but we pulled it out for some quick photos.

A huge bulge shows that this guy had just eaten something meaty!

Not having much time to herp, we packed up and headed down to the southeastern part of the state. We pulled off the busy highway when we saw this large western diamondback sitting on the shoulder. Very quick to strike, it was one of the more aggressive rattlesnakes we had witnessed.

Although the southeastern mountains are good places to find new species, we didn't have much time, and it would prove that we didn't have a ton of luck, either, unfortunately.
Yarrow's spiny lizards were seen scurrying around.

A Sonoran whipsnake getting ready to shed was flipped under a stone at the Huachuca Mountains.
A yellow-phase black-tailed rattlesnake was found basking on a rock slide.

We had never seen more gopher snakes than we did on this short trip....maybe almost 10 of them. We stopped taking pictures after a while.

Some desert centipedes, giant desert hairy scorpions, and tarantulas were found moving across the roads.

A lyre snake was stretched out on the road not too far from the Mexican border.

It would not sit still for a photo, despite our best efforts.

Several western diamonbacks were seen on the trip, but only one DOR Mojave rattlesnake and one DOR tiger rattlesnake. The diamondback coiled up for some photos.

As far as amphibians went, we found this little Colorado River toad, as well as a couple canyon treefrogs, some red-spotted toads, and a DOR Couch's spadefoot.

Great Basin Rattlesnakes

2011-08-20T19:26:00.001-07:00

Devin and I found two Great Basin rattlesnakes near Paragonah, Utah, at our family union.
The snake below is the smaller of the two, measuring about 2 1/2 feet in length.

The snake below is the larger one. It's a little over 3 feet long.

The two were found only feet about, while Devin and I were walking around at night. We heard them rattle before we saw them.

Devin holding the snake for the photoshoot.

Jeff keeping the rattler at a safe distance. (This should not be attempted by amateurs...only freaking studs.)

Basking in its habitat.

A Little SoCal Herping

2011-08-01T19:45:00.001-07:00

One night of herping at Anza-Borrego State Park near San Diego brought some nice finds for Devin and I.
We ended up finding six spotted leaf-nosed snakes, but 4 of those were freshly killed (one even still moving).

Spotted leaf-nosed snakes aren't typically this common on roadways, but it was nice to see them out in good numbers. The one above was pretty little.

We were glad to see a large specimen alive on the road, too. It was the last snake found of the night.

We also found a couple shovel-nosed snakes, and thankfully, no dead ones. We got some nice defensive posture shots. I had never seen a shovel-nosed snake posture like this and strike, so it was a lot of fun to see.

This little one gave us some good pics. I like how he's almost totally black and white. There's a very slight pinkish hue.

This little shovel-nosed was our first snake of the night. It was out on the road just after dusk.

This was the larger shovel-nosed snake we found.

This guy had more of the usual coloration with the alternating red, yellow, and black.

Shovel-nosed snakes are an attractive species. Seeing the habitat during the day the next morning was a little bit of a surprise, though, because it was more rocky than I was expecting.

We went to the Laguna Mountains the next morning to look for mountain kings, but we would have no such luck this day. We did, however, find good habitat and uncovered four western skinks. Mountain kingsnakes will have to wait until next time, I guess.

Herping Las Vegas

2011-06-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

Vegas behaved for us this time around and produced some decent herps. Banded geckos were in no short supply perched on the roadways at night.
We probably saw between 20-30 banded geckos.

After seeing a DOR patch-nosed snake and a DOR black-headed snake, our first live specimen was a fair-sized gopher snake.

Being happy with a gopher snake.

Saw him again on the road on the way back, even though we had taken him off the road for his safety.

Our second snake was a small glossy snake. Unfortunately, we also saw a very large, live glossy snake, but after pulling over to the side of the road, a car behind us sped past and killed it before we could get to it.

Giant desert hairy scorpion sitting on the road.

Armed and dangerous.

Our third live snake was a little sidewinder making his way across the road.

Chuckwallas were out in full force around Vegas.

Closeup of the chuck we pulled from a crevice.

Desert horned lizard.

Trying to stay unseen.

Lyre snake.

A second lyre snake was found on the road, and a third DOR lyre was also found.

Sidewinder found about during daylight amongst the soft sand.

Having a look around.

Taking a closer look at the sidewinder.We also managed to find a nice-looking speckled rattlesnake.
Photo shoot with the spec.
Speckled rattlesnake in all its glory!

South Florida

2011-04-28T17:26:00.000-07:00

Devin and I took a few days to herp South Florida, and here is a conglomeration of what we found. A small corn snake began the trip. Cane toads sat on lawns on warm, humid nights.

A fiesty ribbon snake. One of the most common snakes of the trip.

A 5-foot corn snake standing its ground.

A nice-sized gator sunning itself away from water.

Still catching some afternoon rays...

We've bothered him, and he's decided to seek refuge in the brush.

In an area of spring peepers and green treefrogs, we also snapped a photo of this squirrel treefrog.

Southern leopard frog out in the open.

Under the duckweed in this pond were some little gators and a couple pig frogs.

Cricket frogs were also out in force.

We managed to cut off a large gopher tortoise from retreating to its burrow. You can almost see our reflection in his eye.

Cottonmouth showing us his dental work.

A nicely patterned juvenile cottonmouth looking for some warm asphalt.

Ringneck snake.

An extremely large eastern garter snake cruising through the grass.

A Cuban treefrog contemplating his next move.

A wood slave (Hemidactylus mabouia) found on a tree at night in Everglades N.P.

Several green anoles were found sheltered in crevices at night on a boardwalk.

I've never had a frog climb up out from under the hood of my car while driving. A green squirrel treefrog it seems.

A little alligator that wanted to get its photo taken.

I have the feeling we're being watched...

Five-lined skink.

A sickly little gecko.

Eastern narrow-mouthed frog.

Some South Florida habitat.

Brown anole.

A big ol' Eastern diamondback rattlesnake!

Black racer making sure I don't get any closer.

Striped mud turtle hesitant to peek out for a camera shoot.

A couple of Florida cooters feeding on grasses.

Not a herp, but an interesting bird called an anhinga.

Brown water snake.

Yellow ratsnake.

Mud snake in a defensive posture.

An odd toothless American crocodile.

A tropical house gecko.

We loved our mud snake!

A huge centipede creeping across the road.

Scarlet snake

Close up of the scarlet snake.

Crested anole.

Spiny-tailed iguana on his perch.

Brown basilisk.

Juvenile spiny-tailed iguana caught in a tree.

Bark anole.

Bark anoles have pretty camouflage.

A jungle runner chilling at a distance on Key Biscayne.

Some boring red-eared sliders. A black iguana was sitting nearby also but didn't wait around.

A knight anole about to scoot up a tree.

Gecko found flipping boards.

A dark five-lined skink.

Fowler's toad.

Eastern glass lizard

Glossy crayfish snake

Southern toad

Small juvenile American alligator

Scorpion
Island glass lizard
Small Eastern diamondback rattlesnake.
Mama and child.
Eastern diamondback letting us know who's boss.

The sun setting through the trees.

2011-03-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

I took a camping trip to Valley Of Fire, just north of Las Vegas, Nevada with my wife Diana, brother Derek, and sister-in-law Brittany. The weather was much better that Salt Lake City, Utah, but it was not as warm as I had hoped. The cooler temps left no chance at road cruising. The high on Friday was about 68 degrees, and the low was about 48 degrees. So there was not much when it came to reptiles, but I did manage to see about 8 Chuckwallas, and the obligatory Side-Blotched Lizards, as well as some beautiful landscapes and sunsets. Here is a play by play of the capture of the first Chuckwalla.

There is not much to say in way of captions, so here are a couple more photos taken of the above Chuckwalla

And one parting Landscape shot.

Some Winter Florida Herps and Sun

2011-02-24T15:10:00.000-08:00

There's no better place in the winter than South Florida. Here's a few shots from a recent outing into the wild swamps and pine flats of Florida.
A spring peeper taken from a hole along a marshy area. Breeding season is in full swing, and tadpoles can be seen diving into the sludge during January and February.
A softshell turtle casually maneuvering across a lonely dirt road.
An alert ribbon snake that didn't wind up like his DOR friend I saw previously on the road.
A little out of focus, but he's smiling for the camera.
Another water-loving snake, but this time a glossy crayfish snake.
Green anoles were out enjoying the beautiful weather, too.
Here's an alligator slide at the edge of a water hole that's beginning to dry up. He slipped into the remaining water, but left his tail mark and hand print behind (center of photo).Nice! Basking in a shallow, marshy field, this alligator has few places to hide.
I tried blindfolding him with my shirt, but he kept tossing it aside and growling at me. I'm not sure what I'd do with a 7-foot alligator anyway, but it was worth a try.
Hmmm....I have to get my shirt back now. He didn't like me in the water with him, so I saluted The Colonel and let him have his shallow bog back.

Some Florida Herping

2010-11-02T16:26:00.000-07:00

South Florida has been a place that Devin and I have wanted to visit for some time. We managed to find many species that were new to us, as well as a few familiar guys. Pictured below is a crested anole from Key Biscayne, one of many introduced species to the state.Cuban treefrogs, also introduced, can often be found around suburban areas, in pipes, and in other cool, sheltered retreats.

Cuban treefrogs have several color/pattern variations. Below is a large, healthy green one.

What a good-looking specimen! The frog isn't bad, either.
Brahminy blind snakes are the smallest snake. Here are two sitting in the palm of my hand.Five-lined skinks are commonly found flipping boards and other surface debris.
Non-herps can be just as exciting to find sometimes. We came across two river otters that were not too happy to see us walking around in their territory. They would repeatedly bark and slap at the water.
Eastern garter snakes are abundant around moist areas.

A southern leopard frog seen hopping across the road in the rain.

A yellow rat snake that was found repeatedly in the same place, and even on different nights.

I had to dive to catch this black racer before it zipped into the thick vegetation.

A nice shot of a southern leopard frog in its habitat.

A spiny softshell turtle cruising near the surface. A juvenile Florida softshell was also seen, but not photographed.

A good-sized American alligator resting in the shallows.

We spotted this juvenile alligator sitting under a bridge.

Devin and I caught a nice-looking green iguana on Key Biscayne

A southern toad.

Maybe a bullfrog, maybe a pig frog. Who cares, we heard and caught both in the Everglades.

The introduced cane toad.

A ringneck snake revealing its defensive posture.

A few ringneck snakes were found in a moist area while flipping debris.

Our smallest specie of toad, the oak toad.

This eastern garter snake was found with a rib protruding from its side.

An alligator on the prowl.

This spiny softshell turtle was seen walking around above a pond.

A non-native tropical house gecko.

Green treefrogs are a pretty, native specie.

This turtle is called a cooter, and they are a large and common specie.

An upclose shot shows the turtle's bunk eye on its left side. That's how we were able to approach it and catch it.

A greenhouse frog.

Catching this big boy was a lot of fun, and it involved Devin climbing a tree and me waiting underneath with a towel.

Devin holding the beefy green iguana.

Curly-tailed lizards tried their hardest not to be caught, but we eventually snagged one.

Ah, the classic green anole...only this one wanted to be brown today.

A ribbon snake that had recently been hit by an automobile but was still alive.
A corn snake in situ....ok, that's a lie. We found that there was better lighting in the car.

An awesome little scarlet snake.

Devin spied this glossy crayfish snake with his flashlight while it cruised around in a shallow boggy area. I waded into the slime and quicksand to pull it out for a photo session.

This was a fun catch and pretty specimen.
This large cottonmouth was coiled on the side of the road.

Here's a picture of Devin looking for an excuse to climb on top of me...and me looking for an excuse to climb on top of an American alligator.

This good-sized alligator was a handful and a lot of fun to catch.
Our trip to Florida was tons of fun, and this post represents a good sample of many species that we found and caught during our stay.

Arizona Herping Trip

2010-11-01T16:01:00.000-07:00

Devin, Luke, and I (Jeff) made our way in early summer down to Arizona to see what we could find in a few days of herping. We stopped in Vegas on our way and managed to locate a few Mojave Desert species. Below, Devin is holding a red coachwhip that was catching some morning sun off the side of the dirt road.

Desert iguanas are always a welcomed sight among the creosote bushes.

We even stumbled upon some pretty collared lizards (female below) that were sunning themselves at the base of a rocky hillside outside of Las Vegas.

Chuckwallas were also in the area. This small one wedged itself in a shallow crevice.

We also spotted the usual side-blotched lizards and western whiptails that are always in abundance in the hot deserts. We stopped for a stretching break in northern Arizona (near Kingman) and unearthed this banded gecko under a fallen joshua tree.
Unfamiliar with the roads in Arizona, the three of us just set out at night in Phoenix and found a road that was good enough to provide us a healthy sidewinder. We held onto it to photograph in daylight, and it was released back into its habitat.
The backroads of Phoenix also yielded a mid-sized Mojave Rattlesnake. Again, it was kept overnight and released back the following day. The rattle, admittedly, isn't extremely impressive, but it was a nice-looking specimen.

Here are the two species coiled side by side in a tupperware.

We arrived in the deserts around Tucson and found a moist area inhabited by canyon treefrogs. Several were found resting in a granite crevice.

These amphibians have amazing camoflauge and are fun to find.

The moist area in the desert was habitat to eastern fence lizards, desert spiny lizards, and some tree lizards (pictured below).

The area was also a good spot for black-necked garter snakes moving among the cool, moist grass at the edges of the pools.

Habitat shot of area with granite boulders and pools of cool, clear water.

A little further down, where the water becomes mere trickles, regal horned lizards were out in the dry areas looking for ants.

Horned lizards seem to be good indicators for habitat quality, in my opinion. The area looked perfect, and these guys were not in short supply.

Zebra-tailed lizards were racing around (below), as were a few earless lizards.
A desert kingsnake managed to get away, but we were happy to stumble upon this desert patchnosed snake.

Night snakes can be found under surface debris, like this one that was under a railroad tie.

A Tucson banded gecko that was found on the road.The three of us found an excellent-looking dry streambed that was relatively green and had plenty of boulders and other cover. After finding a dead ring-tailed cat, we walked right into this gopher snake stretched out on the ground.

Then, we found a large, stunning Tiger Rattlesnake that was silently coiled in a ledge at the side of the arroyo and eyeballing us as we passed.

We were pleasantly surprised and elated to learn that the area was a hotspot for Gila monsters. We found not one, but two beautiful specimens. One was crawling around and the other was sitting next to a large hole that it apparently had just emerged from.

Here's another shot of the two. Sorry the picture is sideways.

The habitat was awesome, and watching these guys walk around never got old.

A more upclose photo of the larger of the two, which was the first one found.

A habitat shot of Gila monster country in southern Arizona.

Our main objective of the trip was to find a Gila monster. We ended up finding a couple of them (as well as a DOR Gila monster), and a variety of other desert species. We're going to have to make it back someday for more Gilas and some montane rattlesnakes, but for now we were happy with our successes.

Northern Utah Herping

2009-08-31T17:35:00.001-07:00

With Devin back from summer employment, and me (Jeff) back from my study abroad, we reunited in Utah to get some end-of-summer herping in before fall sends the herps back into hibernation. With only a few days before school starts for the both of us, Devin and I spent some time along the Wasatch Mountain Range in northern Utah searching for anything that might be found. We saw a few species we had wanted to find, while others we were looking for still remained elusive and will have to wait for another season. Here, though, are some of our finds from northern Utah:

The deserts just west of Utah Lake have good habitats to find several species. Going out there this time didn't prove extremely successful. Side-blotched lizards, like this tiny hatchling, were abundant and by far the most common reptile.

We also discovered several sagebrush lizards which share habitats in the west desert with side-blotched lizards, but canyon bottoms and foothills of the Wasatch Mountains make ideal places, also, to see these. Western whiptails, like the tiny one shown below (with still blue tail), can be found in both areas.

Western fence lizards and Great Basin collared lizards have also been found by Devin and me in the deserts around Utah Lake, but none were documented this time. As far as snakes, we only found two DOR Great Basin gopher snakes (one of them only dead a matter of minutes).
Utah isn't really known for turtles, and in fact, doesn't have any native species. Tortoises, yes, but only in the extreme southwest of the state. Spiny softshell turtles have been introduced into the Virgin River of southern Utah, and snapping turtles have appeared in a pond or two. The most common introduced turtle, though, is the red-eared slider. Several were found basking in a pond in Provo, Utah.

The weather during our time out herping was absolutely ideal, and we decided to make our way up into the mountains in hopes of finding some mountain-dwelling herps. Devin and I spent about one hour in a mountain clearing in the morning and came away with two snake species. First, we found about 4 or 5 Western terrestrial garter snakes (wandering garters) that were patrolling the field and streamsides for prey. After a while we stopped bothering with them and would just watch them speed away across the ground around us. A quick identification was all that was necessary, just in case it happened to be a different specie.
This proved to be wise since a new specie was soon seen trying to quickly and quietly move through the green mountain grass. Devin and I were excited to have found a smooth greensnake.

This first one was the largest, maybe 20 inches, but we would soon find two more hiding under stones.
The second one (pictured above) was a little darker since it was about to shed, and its length was only about 2 inches shorter than the first. The last one was small, only about 10-12 inches, but a brilliant green color.After photographing and releasing them again, we went out in search of tiger salamanders that I had seen before several times in a field up in that area. As it turned out, the water had disappeared too long prior to our visit and no salamanders were found this time. Other than several meadow voles running for cover under our feet, the only creature found was a boreal chorus frog hopping around some boulders. The recent rain two nights before must have encouraged him to come out. We wanted to see a rubber boa before fall and winter would take all the herps out of activity, so the two of us spent a lot of time turning rocks, rolling logs, and walking along stream edges. None were seen out in the open in their habitat, but as we were finished and driving home I braked my car, pulled off to the side of the road, and yelled, "Devin, rubber boa, back up the road, your side!" I didn't know if it was alive or dead, but he hopped out, ran up the road, and saw him bend down and pick up a healthy, large rubber boa. We photographed it and released it back in the same location.The next day we went to even higher elevation. We walked through a field, found a small, trickling creek and found a racer shed around some rocks. A little while further we saw a juvenile racer sitting in the tall grass, but as I prepare to move in for a catch it disappeared among the vegetation. Disappointed, we moved on, but our emotions were buoyed again as we encountered two Great Basin rattlesnakes (one large female, and one small specimen probably only about two years old).

Some fine specimens were found during our searching, but there are still a few species that are on our list and await our discovery another day.

Herps of the Holy Land

2009-08-20T09:42:00.001-07:00

Whether you want to call it Israel, Palestine, the Occupied Territories, the Zionist Entity, or whatever description fits your political perspective, the Holy Land is an alluring place with much to see and do. This area stretches from Lebanon in the North to Egypt in the South, with Jordan sharing its eastern border and the Mediterranean lapping at its western shores. Herpetelogically speaking, this land has significant overlap with the species I've been herping during my study abroad in Jordan. There are a few herps in Jordan that the Holy Land lacks, and vice versa, but the bulk of the herps are the same. In spite of that fact, I was still excited to be in a new area with new ground to cover, even if only for just a few days.
The above picture is the view of Nazareth from a hill inside the city. As a tourist in a tour group, it sometimes gets difficult to find places away from the "scene" of tourism. The new rule of needing at least two other people with me wherever I go also makes herping a challenge. Every now and then, though, I step off the bus into a place where I am able to turn over a rock or two to see what I can find. Although herping was not extremely plentiful, there are a couple new species of note.
As already mentioned, many of the herps I documented here were repeats. This Turkish gecko was found under a rock in Nazareth. Turkish geckos were also common at night, along with a few fan-toed geckos, at the Ron Beach Hotel in Tiberias. Additionally, I observed a juniper skink in Jerusalem, a Schneider skink up north by the Golan, a marbled skink in Jerusalem, numerous starred agamas throughout the land, and an increase in numbers of lebanon lizards compared to Jordan (but oddly enough, not a single snake-eyed lizard, which were abundant in Jordan).

In Nazareth, I was surprised to also find a single Syrian agama (Trapelus ruderatus) on the same hillside where the first picture was taken. At first, I imagined that it was simply another starred agama. Since it was early in the morning and I wasn't getting much herp action, I decided to investigate the specimen out of boredom. I heard it rustling, and I looked over and spotted it just as it climbed off a large, flat rock at ground level and clamber under an overhang. When I kneeled down to get a better look, I noticed something was different about it. It seemed to move and act differently, its coloring was a bit unusual, its head was smaller in comparison to its body and more rounded, and its tail lacked the spines typical of a starred agama. This was the only picture I could take, and it doesn't clearly show the lizard, but at least it can be clicked on to enlarge it, and you can see that it was really there. Although these exist in Jordan as well, this was my first time seeing one. Its head is sticking up at the back of the crevice.
Unfortunately, letting a new specimen escape would not happen just once. Our tour group also traveled up to the northern end of the Holy Land to a place called Banias, where the forests are cool and shady, and streams of clear water flow into large pools. I desperately wanted to stay here all day to herp, but the other 40 students weren't as eager to flip rocks over for hours on end to search for reptiles and amphibians. I was only given 15 minutes of free time to look around on my own. I really wanted to find a fire salamander, but the time of day and time of year were not on my side to make this a reality. Instead, I discovered another new lizard (which escaped before I could get out my camera and sneak up on it) called an Emerald green lizard (Lacerta trilineata). It gave a rustling in the bushes like a Lebanon lizard, which I had grown accustomed to seeing, but when I looked through the dense shrub, I found that this lizard was larger, pretty much uniform in color, without any striping, and its head was less flat and more robust. The next day I saw it listed in a book about animals of the Holy Land, it being one of only four lizard species depicted in the book.
With time in Jordan gone, and time on this side of the border quickly drawing to a close, I was beginning to wonder if I would ever see a Mediterranean chameleon (Chameleo chameleon). First, I was tiring of having to split my attention between scanning the trees for chameleons and scanning the ground for virtually everything else. But second, it was just mentally exhausting to constanly be thinking about them, wondering if they are in the habitat I'm in, where they could be hiding, etc. I was even beginning to question their very existence. Then, one fateful day at Tel Dan in the northern part of the country, I was lucky enough to chance about a beautiful, fully grown adult clinging to the lower trunk of a eucalyptus tree, partially concealed by a bush growing next to it.
I was absolutely ecstatic. My group was listening attentively to an explanation about a restored ruin, which I quickly grew disinterested in, and I began wandering around to see what I could find. I peered around a large eucalyptus tree and turned back. Then, I quickly looked again, thinking I had seen something that looked scaly and green. It was a tail. I followed the tail to the lizard behind the bush and saw a bright green chameleon clinging to the trunk of the tree. It was staring back at me with its turret-style eyes. I literally ran towards it (as if it could run away) and lifted it off the tree and into my hands. I became the new center of attention for just a moment, as my peers and even instructors were fascinated with my reptile find.

I had to keep staring at it to remind myself that I had indeed just caught the specie that I had dreamt about for so long. They are not particularly rare to find, but my time in the Middle East was so limited, and the days were so hot, that I didn't know if I would actually run across one in my herping during the summer. I was very pleased to finally get the chance!

And this wraps up my summer study abroad and herping adventures in Jordan and the Holy Land. Combining these places (and not including Egypt) I've managed to document a total of 35 herp species, which I think is respectable, considering the circumstances. It boils down to 27 lizard species, 4 snake species, 2 frogs, 1 toad, and 1 tortoise. Of the 27 lizards: 8 species were geckos (3 Ptyodactylus, 1 Hemidactylus, 1 Bunopus, 1 Cyrtopodion, 1 Tropiocolotes, and 1 Pristurus); 6 agamas (3 Trapelus, 1 Laudakia, 1 Pseudotrapelus, and 1 Phrynocephalus); 5 skinks; 2 Lacertids; 1 Chameleon; and 5 other. There is so much still to herp here, and in more favorable conditions these numbers could be improved. I hope to return in some future day and pick up where I left off. Until then, perhaps I can fit in some more herping in the states before winter sets in.

Herps of Jordan, Part 10 (The Northern Highlands)

2009-07-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

No area in Jordan has been more frustrating to me for herping than the northern highlands. Beginning around the Amman area and covering the northwestern region of the country (nestled against Israel to the west and Syria to the north) is a place where the elevation is higher, the rains are heavier in the winter months, and the trees are greener. For the amount of time I've spent hiking these northern hills, the amount of interesting herps I've found has been depressingly pitiful. I blame it on my lack of adequate transportation to take me to the best areas, my timetable I'm constantly held to, and the unavoidable heat this time of year. (It certainly can't be my herping!)
I have several species on my wish list for this area of Jordan, but I've come up empty-handed every time. To look at things optimistically, however, I suppose if this had been my first area to blog about, there would have been plenty of decent herps to document from my searches here. But since I only try to post about new stuff each time, the pickings get slimmer and slimmer. Even so, I have a few "old" species to mention, as well as a couple new guys.
Scorpions are certainly not in short supply up here, either. I've come across several species during my incessant rock turning, from ant-sized brown ones, to impressive yellow ones, and even these two black ones under the same rock. The one with the tail up had just shed it, so its body was all soft, and its behavior was more shy than typical.

Lizards still make frequent showings, and the sight of any reptile is at least something to enjoy. I found these yearling starred agamas entertaining, in spite of this specie's dominance over most of western Jordan.
In addition to the abundance of starred agamas, I've been able to witness several other species in the northern highlands. I've seen snake-eyed lizards shuffling in the leaf litter; I unearthed another Eurasian blind snake in a field; I saw a Meditteranean gecko hiding behind an AC unit and one on a bench; a couple more Schneider's skinks have been seen racing across the ground to find a hole or dense bush; and Levantine fan-toed geckos will slide to the opposite side of rocks to avoid being seen. And, as pictured below, (first time actually making the effort to catch one) Lebanon lizards also race around the rocks and trees of these forested hillsides.
It seems, though, that you don't always have to be on some distant hillside to spot a new specie. The other day while walking to school in the morning I glimpsed a lizard sitting next to the sidewalk under a small bush. I've walked this route to school a hundred times, and I figured this was just another snake-eyed lizard like I see every morning. But picking up on a bit of "skink-iness" I took a second look and realized it was a skink specie that I had yet to run across in all my herping in Jordan so far. That day after school, I went herping practically in my front yard to find this new specie.
I patrolled an empty lot near the road by my apartment, which didn't exactly look like pristine habitat. However, after turning over rocks and debris, I finally uncovered a specimen of the same specie beneath a large slab of concrete in the field.
Aparently, this little section of land had been home to a small population of bridled skinks (Trachylepis vittata) that had managed to avoid my watchful eye until now. New species are always so satisfying whether they're at the top of the "wish list" or not.

The northern highlands again gave me a new specie when I visited the old ruins of Um Qais in northern Jordan, near the city of Irbid and close to the Syrian border. After I got my fill of archaeology, I stepped away from my colleagues and decided to do some quick herping while I had some time. The rocks were abundant and strewn about, so I got going flipping as many stones as I could that looked promising. Eventually, I got lucky and my persistence paid off.
Using both arms, I rolled over a large rock and excitedly saw the frantic movements of a smooth, shiny, cylinder trying to quickly bury itself beneath the soft dirt. A Jordan limbless skink, or also called Latast's legless lizard (Ophiomorus latastii), was a specie that didn't enter my consciousness often while flipping stones (and frankly, one that I didn't expect to find), but one that I was, nonetheless, very happy to capture and photograph.
I've caught a respectable number of lizard species in Jordan, but there are still a handful that I would really enjoy coming across in my field searches. I haven't been doing as well on the snake front, unfortunately. I only have about two more weeks left in Jordan, so hopefully I'll come across at least one more new specie before I head out. If not, there will still be a little time in Israel for nearly two weeks to continue my herping before flying back to the states. I think Jordan has been good to me overall, in spite of a few unproductive outings here and there.

Herps of Jordan, Part 9 (The Sandy South)

2009-07-16T05:14:00.000-07:00

There is a place in southern Jordan called Wadi Rum that was made famous by the film "Lawrence of Arabia". Tall, time-worn cliffs hover over the windblown sand dunes and desert flats that stretch beneath them. It's the roaming ground of bedouins and camels, and only the toughest can survive here. I came to Wadi Rum with my study abroad group, and although I had less than 24 hours and had to deal with the unforgiving July sun, I still felt an insatiable desire to spend my time investigating the herps of this extreme habitat.
We arrived in mid-day and the temperature must have been 100 degrees F or higher. It wasn't easy trekking across the loose, hot sand with my backpack and water bottle, but it was a lot of fun to see what was out there. I figured not much would be in the open at this time, so I decided to check the shade and rock walls. Here, I found my first herp.
A dwark rock gecko (Pristurus rupestri) was enjoying a shady boulder pile as I walked by.
They don't seem like typical geckos. It's not a terrestrial specie and is usually seen scampering up a rock face, and yet it only has claws (no toepads). In addition, it has round pupils due to its diurnal habits. An odd little gecko, but I enjoyed observing them as I rested in the shade with my water bottle.
Here's a larger specimen of the same specie seeking shelter in crevice. I kept walking, hoping to see some more species but disappointed at the lack of life and movement--just little ticks crawling along the sand after me. If I changed direction, so would they. It was like some creepy scene from "The Mummy". Finally, in late afternoon (around 4pm) I began walking back to our camp since I had to be back for a scheduled program and dinner. My two colleagues I was with basically retraced their steps, staying in the shade, whereas I decided to walk out into the open across the sand. Just as I was thinking that everything was sheltering deep in holes, I saw a new specie.
An Arabian toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus arabicus) was eyeing me from the other side of a bush. Finally, something out and in view! I was extremely cautious not to let it escape, since this unusual-looking lizard was a specie I very much wanted to see up close. I approached, and it sped off like zebra-tailed lizards in the US do. I ran after it, and it stopped behind another bush. The lizard contemplated its next move, and it finally did exactly what I wanted it to do...dive into the sand. I just walked around the bush, thrust my hand under the surface, and pulled out this amazing desert dweller.
Its comical appearance reminds me of a little bulldog. I'm just lucky it didn't opt for a hole, instead.
I carried it to a barren, hard-pan area for a photoshoot. He was nice enough to show me his defense posture, resting on his elbows with mouth open and tail black and curled.

I desperately wanted to herp at night since I figured many things would be out then, but with neither transportation nor a decent light, my hope was dashed. I did patrol the dunes, though, for a little while at dusk, holding onto the possibility of seeing an early riser. Again, I got lucky.
While slowly walking along the dunes at the edge of an outcrop of rocks, I saw a sand gecko (Tropiocolotes nattereri) gazing at me from beneath a rock that was overhanging the sand. The capture would be simple I thought, and not wanting to injur the delicate lizard I was dainty and gentle. To my dismay, the little guy ran across my arm and under a large, immovable boulder. I was happy to see it, but mad to let it get away so easily. The picture above is the same specie, but not the same individual. (I don't think this Internet photo is copyrighted...ha.)

With the sun down, herping for me this time would have to wait until morning. I awoke at 5:30 and went back out. I could only access nearby areas (no transportation), so I was a little frustrated that I couldn't get out and find some great habitat. I really wanted to find a sandfish or the tracks of a horned viper from the night before that I could track, but there was no luck in that regard. Before having to head out on the bus that morning, I only encountered one more new lizard specie.
I saw a total of three Schmidt's fringe-toed lizards (Acanthodactylus schmidti) catching some early rays. These were actually fairly beefy lizards. This shot was taken from a distance, and you might have to click on the photo to really do it justice...and to see its tracks in the sand. In spite of my attempts to catch them, they were extremely fast, and to my chagrin they resorted to holes rather than sand. Trying to dig them out didn't prove successful, either.

Wadi Rum was beautiful, and I can really appreciate the animals that are able to survive there. One day I'll have to return in order to resume my herping and make a few more catches. Once again, back to the bus and back to Amman.

Herps of Jordan, Part 8 (The Petra Periphery)

2009-07-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

Petra reveals a fascinating, fallen civilization that used to once thrive in Jordan, tucked away and hidden by the steep cliff faces and narrow gulleys. It was inhabited anciently by the Nabateans, who erected monumental architecture chiseled into the stone canyons, and they laid out an ingenious hydrological network to provide water year round to the thousands of inhabitants. Now, though, all that remains are the weathered ruins, some curious tourists, and a few hardy reptiles. I came as a tourist with my study abroad group, but I also looked for a few herps along the way.
Starred agamas (sometimes called roughtail rock agamas) seem to exist throughout the country, but the species in the southern deserts of Jordan are recognized as a separate subspecie. This one is basking on the cliff wall beside the trail.
A good variety of small- to medium-sized lizards (including a few Lebanon lizards) scurry around the trails and desert gorges. These speedy ground dwellers remind me of the whiptails (Cnemidophorus sp.) found in the US; and like the whiptails, there are several species that often have overlapping ranges and are difficult to distinguish in the wild without the use of research and fieldguides.
This specie appears distinct from the one shown below, and I've only tentatively identified it as a snake-tailed fringe-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus opheodurus).
The scaling, coloring, and patterning make me think that this one is a Bosk's fringe-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus boskianus). Some were a bit larger than these, but these sizes were rather usual.
I enlisted the help of a couple local children (and a donkey), who loved showing me the best places for finding lizards and were always excited after we caught one. (Except the donkey didn't really seem to care too much).
This juvenile (with still blue tail) was the smallest capture of the day. Either a little fringe-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus specie) or a sand racer (Mesalina specie), which also inhabits the area. Unfortunately I'm not as educated as I'd like to be on differentiating all these species, who in my mind look very similar, and for now this is the best I can do.
While clambering over ledges and looking in crevices I glimpsed a female southern fan-footed gecko with her clutch of eggs glued to the ceiling of the rock. The gecko can be seen to the right of her eggs, sitting motionless. The broken shell fragments in the back must be leftovers from previous clutches.

Traveler blogs and tourist pamphlets for Petra love to show blue lizards sitting on red rock. This specie being displayed is the Sinai agama, which I had caught previously, but not with the blue coloration. At Petra, it's easy to see both the blue color form, as well as with normal earth tones. Sorry, the photo isn't the greatest quality but it gets the point across.
Petra is an amazing place to hike around and admire ancient craftsmanship; and if alert, there are also several herps that can be seen in the process. My trip to Petra only lasted a few hours, and I didn't find any new mind-blowing species, but it was still nice to keep my herping skills sharp and keep an eye out for any herps along the way.

Herps of Jordan, Part 7 (The Arid East)

2009-07-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

As one drives east from Amman, the rolling Mediterranean hills merge into a monotonous brown wasteland. Dust devils form and patrol the landscape, admiring the hardiness of any trees and shrubs that still stand.
A little further down the road (as if driving toward Iraq) you reach the city of Azraq, which means "blue" in Arabic, since it used to possess a huge, vast wetland with migrating birds, monstrous catfish, and croaking amphibians--a veritable oasis to quench the otherwise parched earth. After over a decade of pumping out the water to feed the growing demand out west, the wetlands slowly disappeared in the early 90s, leaving only remnant evidences of what once was. It was here at this ecological disaster in the city "Blue" where I decided to voyage for a day's herping.
Volcanic rocks crop out of the earth here. The mid-day heat radiates off the dark boulders, and I didn't imagine finding much in the soaring temperatures.
I was both surprised and excited to see a specie that I had seen pictured in many tourist pamphlets, a lone Sinai agama (Pseudotrapelus sinaitus) on guard duty. Often, these spindly, spidery agamas turn a brilliant blue color during breeding. They hold themselves high off the hot rock, keeping a watch for any insect that might fly or crawl by.
My friends were not always the most considerate or cooperative as I attempted to capture the agama in the uncomfortable heat.
Rather than an impressive blue (which would have been a fitting find in the city whose name indicates the same), this healthy Sinai agama specimen was a dark brown to match the igneous wasteland it inhabits.
We trekked down the hillside onto the flat, sandy ground to see what other species existed here. Keeping a close watch on us from a nearby embankment of earth sat a Persian agama (Trapelus persicus). This specie in Jordan is only found in the Azraq region, so I was pleased to find the one specimen to examine and photograph. Its appearance and demeanor struck with a ring of familiarity, making me think that this is the same specie I used to catch as a young boy in Saudi Arabia, and which I called a "scorpion lizard".
The lizard was fast to get away after being released, but surprisingly unwary of my presence when I approached it and pinned it with a stick.
While handling it, the tail began turning orange, and the sides and neck turned blue. The color change was rather fast and unexpected.
The exploration of more barren desert was on my mind, so we went to a different area. While my friends looked inside an old castle, I took the opportunity to see if I could locate a new specie or two.
I turned over many stones, but only found a large scorpion. Finally I spotted an old piece of carpet in the distance, so I jogged on over. Although the habitat isn't much to look at, the advantage that it does have for herping is that there aren't a ton of places for things to hide. Sitting under the carpet was an attractive little Baluch ground gecko (Bunopus tuberculatus), another new specie for me to stick on my list.
No toepads for this guy...just claws. Turning my eyes to the horizon, I saw a small pile of rocks and concrete that I suspected a reptile might enjoy. Sure enough, another agama specie.
A Pale agama, or Desert agama (Trapelus pallidus), found it to be a fine basking spot. Again, the capture wasn't extremely difficult.
Lizards were not super abundant out here; I imagine because little vegetation means little insect life, and hence few predators. Regardless, the few I did find I was also able to catch and photograph. I would love to see some snakes and more lizard species, but the day would have to end with this last individual. With three new agamas and one new gecko, we got back on the road and watched the scenery change back into hills and trees and green.

Herps of Jordan, Part 6 (Intermission of Non-Herps)

2009-06-23T01:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, so the title is a bit of a misnomer. This post isn't really about the herps, but rather about the other animals I encounter while herping. Looking for snakes and lizards and the like includes a lot of walking through macrohabitats (deserts, forests, mountains, etc.) and pausing to examine microhabitats (a shady crevice, a fallen tree, or the shallow water at river's edge). So, naturally, herps are not the only species I stumble upon in my quest for reptiles and amphibians. Here is a sample of the other things I get to see as I explore Jordan...
Flipping objects over inevitably reveals arachnids and insects of every shape and size. Itching to photograph anything, I got a quick shot with this spider.
Definitely the scariest arachnid I've see is the camel spider. This one was huge! (It would have filled the palm of my hand.) I had to agitate it with a stick to make it stand still, but it certainly wasn't pleased, and it even made hissing sounds.
Large, black millipedes are common in the hills around Amman.
There is no animal here. It's a fox den I found after I walked over a hill and saw a red fox running away from me. I figured it must have emerged from here, and I wouldn't be surprised if it had offspring deep within.
I glimpsed something large move into the water when I overturned a rock at a stream's edge. After some investigating, I came out with a big freshwater crab.
A nearly stepped on a large bird that was lying motionless on the ground, hoping to be undetected. I didn't see it until it took off (literally, right at my feet, scaring me to death) flying low to the ground, then running awkwardly with one wing outstretched as if it were injured. It was a fine demonstration indeed, but I knew the game. Turning my attention away from the mother, I assumed its young were nearby. Sure enough, about 6-8 tiny hatchlings scattered with their panicked chirping. I singled out one and easily bent down and picked it up. It looks like it would be something like a quail or partridge. Then, I put it back in the orignial location and walked off, knowing the mother would surely return to count how many had been lost to the "predator."
Scorpions are also often encountered in the dry habitats. There are 13 species of scorpions in Jordan (of which I've found several), but only one is deadly to humans. It's called the "death stalker" and is light brown in color. The black one above was the biggest scorpion I've seen in Jordan, reaching 2-3 inches in lenghth.
Sometimes we'll see bats in caves or old buildings in the desert.

I usually find rodents, too, but here I've only found one large rat that quickly dove into a hole. Also, not pictured, I sometimes see hedgehogs dead on the roads, but I still haven't found a live one. I always keep those in the back of my mind while herping, and I hope to one day uncover a live one to hold and photograph. My mission lies with the reptiles and amphibians of the area, of course, but sometimes its enjoyable and refreshing to see the other forms of life which inhabit this country.

2009-06-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

Well I moved out of Tucson, and I am now living in Alburquerque, New Mexico. So this will be my last post on the Tucson herps. I know it has been awhile since I have posted. I apologize, I havent had internet until today. So this will be a short post about the last few things I caught while still in the A.Z. I went hiking in a state park in the tucson area and didnt find much, other than the common things. I did find this Regal Horned Lizard. Horned lizards are always a welcome find. It was good sized adult. Same lizard.

Road cruising was not my friend in Tucson. I dont know what it was but I did not have hardly any luck road cruising. I guess I just didnt really find any good roads to cruise, and its not as much fun looking by your self. I actually found a really nice Lyre Snake dead on the road which was a bummer. It was a beautiful specimen, it had a greenish tone to it. Where as the one that we caught in So Cal was your typical browns and tans. I also found a couple of DOR mojaves, western diamond backs, and gopher snakes. The only live snake I did find was this Western Diamond back, which was nice to finally find a live one. I have seen 3 or 4 dead ones so finding this one alive helped me to check it off my list, as well as save the little guy. He was around 3 ft long. I went a realeased him in the state park at a later date.

He is a close up. Wish I had a better camera.

Here it is before I released him.

And one more that I think is a pretty cool picture, to bad its in a cage in my house before I let him go. But still a good shot, atleast I think so. Well that is it for Tucson herping for this year, hopefully I can find some cool stuff here in Albuquerque. I will keep ya updated.

Devin

Herps of Jordan, Part 5 (The Fertile Desert)

2009-06-12T03:12:00.000-07:00

In Jordan, most of the desert regions are vast, hot, treeless expanses. There is a place, though, called Dana Nature Preserve where cliffs rise up off the desert floor. In the winter/spring season clouds rise rapidly to pass over the cliffs, and they dump more moisture than is typical of surrounding desert regions. Unlike the wadis, the moisture comes seasonally and provides enough water for agriculture and other vegetation to grow in the area; whereas wadis, as described in the previous post, are simply fertile due to a flowing stream or river most, if not all, of the year. This post is dedicated specifically to this unique, fertile desert area, and later posts will reflect reptile life found in the more extreme desert habitats.
It is said that the oldest village in Jordan (and if I remember correctly, the oldest in the Middle East) lies next to this reserve. Here, I spent the night with my colleagues in tents on the roof of a booked hotel. We arrived at dusk, and with not much time to herp before dark, I set out to see what I could find before retiring for the evening.
A small Juniper skink, or Snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus ruepellii).
Other than a fan-footed gecko on the wall of a nearby building, I only ran into a few of these guys scurrying through the brush and leaf litter. They were surprisingly fast, and they would hold their limbs to the side and slither rapidly through underbrush like a snake.

The next morning, we set out for the reserve. We only had a couple hours there, so I made a mad effort to catch as many herps as possible before needing to leave with the group back to Amman in the North.
Of course, starred agamas were present. I tried finding other agama species, but was unsuccessful.
Another Eurasian blind snake (Typhlops vermicularis), like those found around Amman, was discovered under a stone.
It seems to be a "vermicularis", although I know it isn't the only blind snake specie in Jordan. I hope to one day discover a different specie for comparison.
Although oddly uniform in color and patternless, this gecko found in a crevice is thought to also be a Sinai fan-fingered gecko (Ptyodactylus guttatus). I welcome a second opinion.

So far from what I can gather, the only specie I had found new to me was the Juniper skink. I doubled my efforts, knowing that time here was precious, and in my desperation I ran across a few more interesting species.
A Lebanon lizard (Phoenicolacerta laevis) nervously watched me from beneath a bush.
I kept going, flipping over stones in hopes of unearthing something different. Finally, I discovered a Sinai dwarf racer (Eirenis coronelloides).
This little snake did not like being held and did not like holding still. He bit me several times on the hand, putting forth great effort to harm me, but without producing the slightest discomfort.

Then, I stumbled upon a lizard that I've seen in pet stores in the states, and I knew lived out here in Jordan, yet I had not found.
Happy to have found and caught a Schneider's skink(Eumeces schneideri) that tried to slink across the earth without being seen.
Some close-ups. A decent-sized specimen, but they grow to be even larger.
Such an attractive lizard, possessing strong jaws, a hefty build, and its tell-tale silver with orange and yellow coloration.
It just needed something to bite to release its aggression. I put it back down, and it let go and sped away. There were still so many species I wanted to encounter, but being in a group and bound by a schedule, I boarded the bus and left the reserve. More herping would have to wait until future opportunities could be found.

Herps of Jordan, Part 4 (The Wadis)

2009-06-10T01:22:00.000-07:00

The word "wadi" in Arabic means valley or canyon. Much of Jordan is a vast desert (except in the north where the land is more arable), but there are places in the desert where small rivers and streams flow through valleys, or wadis. The landscape here is much different, like hidden oases.
You can see the expansive desert on top the stretches for miles. A small river flows through the canyon, allowing palms, acacias, and flowering plants of all kinds to survive.
Slot canyons like this one are refreshing places to hike through, and they provide cover and habitat for many species of plants and animals. Although, I didn't find any new reptile species here (in spite of my intensive searching), I did get to sample Jordan's amphibians.
I am unsure as to whether there are three or four amphibian species in Jordan. Some sources tell me three, while others say four. I can't find a list of them, and information appears scarce, so I'm going to assume there are only three until it is positively confirmed otherwise. I have found all three species within the habitat described.
This is one of them, the Levantine frog (Rana bedriagae), and a large tadpole of this specie is pictured above. This specie can be heard calling within the wadis, and though this one is rather small, they can grow to be pretty large. Also, their colors are variable; some are light while others are dark green. They remind me of leopard frogs or bullfrogs in the states.
The second specie is called Savigny's treefrog (Hyla savignyi). I found some newly metamorphosed ones clinging to rocks just above the water's surface in shady pools and others perched on overhanging vegetation.
Large ones remained elusive, probably sheltering deep within crevices or hidden among dense vegetation.
The last of Jordan's amphibian species is the European green toad (Bufo viridis). This is the specie that I thought I saw as tadpoles in Egypt. It has a wide range, and tiny toadlets could be seen bouncing along the rocks near the rivers edge at around dusk. With all of the amphibians found and documented, I'll resume my searching for Jordan's vast array of reptiles.

Herps of Jordan, Part 3 (The Hills Have Eyes...Snake Eyes)

2009-06-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

The hills in the Amman area remind me of the hills in southern California, particularly around Riverside county. The boulder-strewn, rocky hillsides cover the landscape, and coupled with short shrubs and bushes, the hills provide good cover for anything living in them. The weather also seems very comparable to that area of the states. As I walk through the hills, looking under bushes, overturning rocks, and peering under ledges, it's inevitable that I'll run across a snake or two.
I overturned one rock and saw (but only for a split second) a slender snake curled up. Before I could react, the quick serpent sped off through the low, prickly bushes and disappeared among some boulders. I was so disappointed with my herping skills for letting him get away, and I re-dedicated myself to practice quicker reflexes and smarter herping. I couple stones later I discovered his shed left behind, a depressing reminder of what just evaded me. The still-soft piece of skin was kind enough to hold still for a photo, revealing to me that my little friend was probably some specie of racer or whipsnake.
I walked down a small valley next to an agricultural area to look for more reptiles. A large dog on a nearby porch kept up his rhythmic barking like a metronome, while a couple bewildered faces gazed at me from their windows, wondering what this fully grown foreigner was doing walking slowly next to their farm turning over stones. I decided it was best not to make eye contact, but to just keep going as if I knew exactly what I was doing....which I did, I guess. Finally, another snake! Upon first glance, it would seem odd that an earthworm would be under a rock in a sandy desert area without any water. This, however, was no earthworm, but a very small snake.
A Eurasian blind snake (Typhlops vermicularis)
The vestigial eyes, appearance of scales around the head and body, and miniature pink tongue flicking in and out are all indicators of his reptilian origins.
Another slightly larger one was found further down the valley. Their internal organs, including their beating heart, can be seen through this specie's transparent underbelly.

I thought I had repeated my dreadful experience of letting a snake escape when I caught a glimpse of a pretty large snake slipping into a hole. Again, my heart sank until I looked into the hole and realized it was quite shallow, and the snake was comfortably curled up at the end.
Knowing that it couldn't go anywhere now, I took some time to assess the situation and my surroundings (should it try to dash back out), and I verifiend that it was not venomous. Actually, my identification went something like this: "Hmm...I really don't know the specie, but I know it isn't a viper, so who cares if I get bit." With an attitude of stubborn persistence, I reached my hand into the hole and pulled out the large, unhappy snake.
Needless to say, the irrate snake didn't hesitate to bite my hand. After researching, I discovered the specie is known as the Montpellier Snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), and it is mildly venomous. Effects of the venom include swelling and fever like symptoms. Lucky for me the fangs are located in the back of the mouth, and it was only able to latch on with his front teeth.
The Montpellier snake was a good 3 feet or more.
Here it is slipping down the nearest hole after being photographed.
Ouch! I don't blame it for being upset, and of course if I see another snake coiled in a hole, I'd do it all over again. More than a few snakes inhabit these hillsides, and my job is to herp them from the holes and crevices that they call home.

Herps of Jordan, Part 2 (The Vicinity)

2009-06-04T04:35:00.000-07:00

I was now in Amman, and life quickly became busy with classes, homework, learning how to get around, making local friends (and trying to explain to them in Arabic why I like catching reptiles), and when time allows...herping! Many times, though, the herps can be found in and around town without going too far.
Once, I was in downtown Amman eating falafals with friends. We walked over to an area of old Roman ruins to sit down and finish our meal. Not long afterward the workers who maintain the area came over and we practiced our Arabic with them, while sitting under a fig tree and sipping some of their local lemon mint "tea". The conversation didn't get far before they were informed of my reptile fascination. One guy smiled and ran off to bring something back that he had found that morning. I was surprised and excited to see him return with a good-sized Greek tortoise that had made the ruins its home.
Adult Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca).

Then, later, I saw a curious skink popping its head in and out of a crack in an old Roman pillar. I'd put my face up to it and look in, and the skink would come right up to my nose. When I pulled my face away and tried to grab it with my hand, it would retreat back into the crevice. This was the best picture I could get of him. Again, you can click on the picture to enlarge it. I've tried to find out its specie name, but with no luck. It seems I can get information all day about the huge, or cool, or special species of the area, but a lot of the less impressive or smaller species get overlooked by websites and such...too bad.
The yellow fan-fingered gecko found in Aqaba turns out to be only one of three species of fan-fingered geckos that live in Jordan. Both of the other two make the Amman area its home, or at least their ranges seem to overlap here, and I've found both species sitting on the same boulder in late afternoon.
The Levantine fan-fingered gecko (Ptyodactylus puiseuxi) is black with white polka dots covering its body. I remember the first time I saw this specie was when I was sixteen in the Golan Heights when I was on vacation with my family.
The Sinai fan-fingered gecko (Ptyodactylus guttatus) is lighter in color and has grey-ish spots intermixed with orange-ish spots. I have also since seen this specie in areas further south of Amman, where I haven't seen the Levantine specie.

Herping close to home also allowed me to find my own little Greek tortoise, which I assume is a fairly common specie in this area (not like the rarity of the Desert tortoise in the states).
I love these little guys! I've since caught two more (one, however was a large adult), but I never tire of seeing a tortoise sheltering next to a rock or under a bush. Such a cool specie!
I love the look on this guy's face. It just looks so defeated and dejected...almost ashamed...ha! I put him back down and he waddled as fast as he could to the nearest bush. Herping is such an enjoyment--hiking around, enjoying nature, and sampling the native fauna. It's nice to know that sometimes you don't even have to be far from home to satisfy your needs.

Herps of Jordan, Part 1 (The Arrival)

2009-05-31T07:32:00.000-07:00

As our large boat from Nuweiba finally docked in Aqaba, I stepped off onto the pier into the warm, salty air and embrace of sunshine. For the next 3 months, Jordan would be my country of residence for studying Arabic; but as a herper, of course, I have the urge to search out local reptiles and amphibians whenever possible. With two hours of free time dangling in front of me like a rare, arboreal serpent, I seized it with the vigor that only a herper in a new land possesses.
It's not like herpers are catered to and conveniently dropped off in the most ideal habitat. Rather, like much of the time, I seek out the best I can find and make do with the most ideal habitats I can get to. A rocky, desert wash with a few acacias and palms sat near the beach and hotel, so I decided to comb the area for anything I could find. Here began my herping adventures of Jordan!

I've already documented my first herp specie in the Egyptian geckos section, but actually, it was my first herp in Jordan. The keeled rock gecko (Cryptopodion scaber, pictured in previous post) sat under a rock in the wash and motivated me to continue in search of other interesting finds. Not long afterward, I flipped over a board and caught my first fan-fingered gecko.
The yellow fan-fingered gecko (Ptyodactylus hasselquistii) may also have been the gecko I photographed from afar in Egypt.
His wide toepads enabled him to travel quickly on horizontal and vertical surfaces, alike.
I found another of the same specie (with a full tail) seeking shelter under tree bark. Happy with two new gecko species, I found an area next to a chain-link fence, in hopes of finding a herp under the boards and rocks next to the fence. I flipped over a board and saw a flash of movement wriggle to hide under a new board. I pressed the middle of the board firmly to the ground, pinning whatever sat beneath it. Then, I lifted up the front to see the back end of a lovely, decent-sized skink that now could not get away. I used my free hand to lift it up into the light for a couple quick photos.
An ocellated skink (Chalcides ocellatus) wondering how it was discovered and why it's still alive.
The skink gets its name from the spots that look like eyes covering its body. Although its legs are short, it's a strong lizard and can move quickly across the ground.

The time sped by quickly, and before I knew it, our study abroad group was back on the bus heading north for Amman. The landscape changed from hot, rocky desert to cool, high-altitude desert to a green Mediterranean-style habitat. I found my first herps in Amman before even leaving the bus, since the agamas enjoyed basking conspicuously on rocks near the road.
A basking starred agama (Laudakia stellio).
The starred agama is the most commonly seen lizard in the Amman area. This one was only a juvenile.

I sat on the bus wondering what other species of herps lived out there in the rocky hills. There was about an hour of daylight left after I arrived and got settled in my new apartment. I wanted to take a quick walk around the neighborhood before it got dark, so a friend and I walked along until I found a large orchard with a pile of rocks in one corner. I couldn't resist seeing what might live under those rocks, so my friend kindly sat there while I utilized the last moments of daylight for herping.
It turned out that a snake-eyed lizard (Ophisops elegans) had made them his home. Another new specie for me. My travels through Jordan to my destination of Amman had revealed five Jordanian herp species that day, and I would come across many more in the coming weeks and months.

Identification Revisions

2009-05-21T05:09:00.000-07:00

The lack of proper identifications for the Egyptian herps has been weighing on my mind, so I did a little bit of research and wanted to update the blog with the new information and make it more thorough and professional.

Starting at the bottom of my first Egyptian herps post and moving up through the more recent post:

The gecko found under a stone in a ditch in Aqaba is indeed a different specie--
Cryptopodion scaber (Keeled rock gecko or rough-skinned gecko)

The geckos found on the dunes in Nuweiba are as previously described--Stenodactylus petrii (Anderson's short-fingered gecko, a.ka. dwarf sand gecko)

The faster lizard that got away in Nuweiba and wasn't photographed-- Acanthodactylus scutellatus (Fringe-toed sand lizard)

The gecko photgraphed from a distance on a wall in Saqqara is still unknown-- Possibly a specie of fan-fingered geckos.

The geckos seen on the ceiling by fluorescent lights in Luxor are still unknown--Perhaps an introduced specie or maybe even a couple fan-fingered's as well.

The guy trapped in the cup that was caught by my hotel in Nuweiba--
Hemidactylus turcicus (Turkish gecko, a.k.a Mediterranean gecko)

The little, terrestrial gecko found in Giza by the pyramids--
Tropiocolotes steudneri (Steudner's Gecko)

The lizard found near Mount Sinai--
Mesalina brevirostris (Small-spotted lizard)

The skinks running around the bushes in Luxor--
Mabuya quinquetaeniata (Bean Skink)

Ahh, it's good to get that off my mind. It would make things much easier if I just had a field guide (for both Egypt and Jordan), but those seem hard to come by here. Good thing for Internet. Anyway, hope this is interesting. Devin, you need to post your new finds. After that, I'll post some Jordanian species. Happy herping!

More of Egypt's Herps (Non-geckos)

2009-05-15T23:07:00.001-07:00

I would have loved to explore the many great habitats and ecosystems of Egypt, but a lack of time and an abundance of rules restricted me mostly to desert areas close to the city where geckos run wild. I did see a few non-gecko herps in Egypt, however, and this is a record of those.
These skinks loved basking on the sidwalks and perched under bushes around my hotel in Luxor, Egypt. They were even good at climbing trees to escape capture. Not sure on the specie.
Some of them had amazing greens and yellows along their sides, probably as a result of mating season. All the sunburned European tourists sitting by the pool in their speedos and gross bikinis didn't know what to make of the American boy crawling on his hands and knees through the bushes...acting like they've never seen a herper before.
The area around Mount Sinai is a sparsely vegetated, rocky landscape that doesn't seem able to support much life. The weather was somewhat cool the day I was there, and I only happened upon one small lizard, in spite of my watchful eye and busy-ness flipping rocks.
Again, I am unsure of the specie name, but it looked like it filled the kind of niche that side-blotched lizards fill in the US. It kind of looked similar but had a longer snout and different patterning.
While snorkeling the Red Sea, I saw this guy swimming for shelter 15 feet below me. I was ecstatic to see a sea snake! (Sorry for the small picture). Then, while trying to look up what specie it was I learned that sea snakes can't live in the Red Sea due to the high salinity content of the water, and this "sea snake" that I was so excited to see was actually called a spotted snake eel...why?! You know, whether it's an S-shaped piece of rubber laying on the shoulder of a desert road or spotted snake eel, Mother Nature always finds ways to fool even the most seasoned herper.

In addition to these herps, there was also the lizard found on the dunes in Nuweiba that escaped beneath the bush, which I believe was the long-footed lizard, Acanthodactylus longipes. (Google it and look under images for a picture.) Also, I found a pool full of small, black tadpoles in the Al-Azhar Gardens in Cairo probably from the green toad (Bufo viridis). The gardeners there wouldn't let me do a detailed investigation to find an adult. ...And I think that basically sums things up for Egypt. I've already caught some cool Jordanian herps, and a post on those will be forthcoming.

Some Egyptian Herps (Geckos)

2009-05-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

It's about time that I contributed to the herping blog, but let me start with a bit of a disclaimer. I'm in the Middle East studying Arabic for the summer, and although the herps out here are varied and many, I really don't get a lot of chances to get out away from city and suburbs to do intense herping. Whenever I'm not studying Arabic (which is most of my time) I am convincing someone to come with me out into the heat and sun to watch me catch lizards (not an easy task). I have to always leave with a buddy and that limits what I'm able to do. Now...with that being said, I LOVE herping and take the opportunities whenever I can, so let me show you a few things I've found along the way of my travels. On a side note, identifying the herps is tricky. There aren't many resources available, and I don't have the time I want to research all these species, so I apologize for the amateur identifications. This entry is only herps in Egypt, and later I'll do another of the herps I've found in Jordan.

I found a quick chance to turn over some rocks in Giza around the pyramids. The tourist traffic is heavy here, and it's not exactly the best habitat, but I was finished pyramid gazing and thought I'd give it a quick go before having to board the bus again.
After only seeing a few beetles and lots of wrappers and soda cans, I was pleased to find this little desert dweller. With only claws at the end of her fingers, it's evident this species is a ground dwelling gecko, probably patrolling the area at night looking for bugs under stones and trash. Not sure on the specie and only found the one.
This was an alert little guy that was found at my hotel in Nuweiba, Egypt, on the Sinai Peninsula. I caught several of them, but they were always scurrying across the sidewalk under the walkway lights, sticking their heads out of gaps in rock walls, or climbing the lower areas of palm trees. They weren't on flat, vertical surfaces, such as around porch lights. I think this specie is called the Turkish gecko. (Although, I thought Turkish geckos climbed walls and hung out around porch lights...so I'm confused.) Compared to the previous specie, this one had a larger head, more developed toe pads, and larger tuburcles on the back. They must be different species.
As you can tell, geckos dominated my reptile finds in Egypt. Egypt has many reptile species, but lizards are the dominant group here, and within that group, geckos are the most numerous and conspicuous. As for this specie, my guess is perhaps the tropical house gecko. They'd frequent developed areas in Luxor, Egypt, especially around bright lights and signs of hotels and stores.
I could only get a distant photo of this gecko before it took off. This was at the location of an old temple in Saqqara, Egypt. I was surprised to see it out in the open during mid-day. Not sure of the specie.This was my favorite gecko specie of Egypt. I found this guy after taking off one morning during free time to walk around some sand dunes across the street from our hotel in Nuweiba, Egypt. I just really enjoyed its mild-mannered personality, slow gait, plump appearance, and how it holds itself up off the desert sand. It also chirped when I picked it up. I think I've identified it as the Anderson's short-fingered gecko (Stenodactylus petrii).
It only wanted to be left alone but was still nice to me. I think it may have been gravid, too. Unfortunately, I didn't have tons of time to keep herping that morning. Close to this gecko, I found another lizard that was white-ish, with maybe orange-ish spots, and a look that half resembled a fringe-toed lizard and half resembled a whiptail. It would not stand still and I could not get a photo off. It disappeared beneath a thorny bush.
I flipped over a board and found three more little short-fingered geckos beneath it. These guys had a bit more patterning. I put the board back over them left for the bus just as a big sand storm blew in.
I found this gecko in Aqaba, which is technically Jordan, not Egypt, but I grouped it in here because it looked similar to the Turkish geckos I found in Nuweiba. Also, I would imagine this specie ranges into Egypt, which was only a few miles away. I found this one under a rock in a dry ravine, and I haven't decided if it also was a Turkish gecko or not. It seemed different to me. The scales on its back looked less like the tubercles on the Turkish geckos I had caught previously and more like scutes, resembling something like a crocodile. Its coloring was also different.

This more or less concludes the geckos of Egypt section. I have more pictures of geckos from Jordan that I will post soon, but also I will make another post (since this is getting lengthy) of the non-gecko herps I found in Egypt.

2009-05-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

Derek, Brittany, Diana, and I went to the Sonoran Desert Museum last week. I love that place it is a fun place to go, and it is more a zoo than a museum. It is basically a zoo of animals native to the Sonoran desert. Here is a picture of Diana and I at the museum, pretty view.

Derek, Brittany, Me, Diana

Spiny tailed Iguanas were released on the grounds awhile back, and now there is a steady population of these lizards roaming the area. This was a BIG adult.

This was a juvenile Spiny tailed Iguana that I caught.

This was a larger Spiny tail, that Derek and I caught.

Same individual, (Jeff, notice it lost and re-grew the end of its tail. Could this be the one that you tried to catch the year before but only walked away with part of the tail???? LOL Well sorry you werent there but I was successful this time around. HAHAHA)

Another close up of the same one. We saw about four different Iguanas and we caught two.

Now Jeff you are going to be really jealous with these next pictures. Last week I talked Derek and Diana into going herping with me for a few hours. We went and walked down a wash (the same one where I saw the Gila Monster, and the Black tail Rattlesnake the week before) and after walking for awhile and not see much I came to a shaded area with a large tree growing out of the side of the wash against a bank. I looked over a dead tree and just on the other side I spotted this dinner plate sized Desert Tortoise. I was way excited. I had seen a juvenile Desert Tortoise before but this was the first adult. His shell was about 12 inches long, He was massive. Awesome find. I wish I had a better camera so I could get better pictures.

I took plenty of pictures, here are a few.

2009-04-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

Diana and I went on a "walk about" this morning in the Santa Catalina mountains. We decided to walk down a wash where Jeff and I had previously seen a Gila monster. It was productive for us once so thought we would try it again, and sure enough it didnt let me down. Right as we decended the hillside to enter the wash I spotted this Blacktail rattlesnake. I had never caught this species so it was an exciting find.
This is the same animal.

And one more time, me holding the Blacktail.

We continued down the wash for about another half hour we I spotted this medium sized Gila Monster. It was about 11 inches in total length.

This is the same lizard.

And to close, a picture of Diana and I, and a beautiful sunset with the Santa Catalina mountains in the backround.