A working weekend.

 

This weekend is going to be a write off at least far as reptile and amphibian photography goes. My neglected garden and yard is screaming for some attention so I hope to get it all organised this weekend and do some serious herping for the next couple of weekends after that.

 

I did manage some research during the past week though and found through a resource called wildlife online an initiative of the EPA that I may well have a few animals that I need to add to my lists and one or two that probably should be deleted. All of the animals shown below should in theory and according to the wildlife online information be found within the Toowoomba regional area and there also a few that I haven't managed to photograph as yet which will extend my list even further. I intend to check these out with some of my more learned and better informed colleges before I officially alter my lists but I'm fairly confident that some at least will most certainly need to be included.

 

The two reptiles that I believe may be deleted from the project are the Brown-backed Yellow-lined Ctenotus ( Ctenotus eurydice) and the White's Skink (Liopholis whitii). Both of these are recorded either in the above resource or in the Atlas of Living Australia however the records for the White's Skink are all old and are possibly prior to the identification of the similar Eastern Ranges Rock Skink with which it could easily be confused. The Ctenotus has only one record for the area which may indicate that its presence in the region is doubtful.

 

The reptiles which appear on the wildlife online lists that I have not yet seen are:

 

Ragged Snake-eyed Skink (Cryptoblepharus pannosus)

Menentia greyii

Menentia timlowi

Ctenotus spaldingi - which appears to be a taxonomic reshuffle that I haven't heard of as yet.
(Just advised that this name is currently in use to replace C. robustus but may not be a permanent change. Thanks to Scott Eipper.

Brigalow Scaly-foot (Paradelma orientalis)

 

All of the photographs below were taken outside of the South East Queensland region. Some were close to and no more than a hundred and fifty kilometres from the western and south western borders of the region.

 

The Eastern Snapping Frog

These guys are giants and are often recorded consuming other frogs not much smaller than themselves. Usually only seen after soaking spring and summer rains.

 

 

Golden-tailed gecko, in my opinion one of the most attractive Australian geckos. I hope that I do get to include them in the book.

 

 

The Shingleback another Aussie icon and also on my long list of favourites.

 

 

Lerista punctatovittata one of a large genus of burrowing skinks.
Oops my bad this one is actually an Eastern Mulch Slider (Lerista fragilis) which happens to be a photo that I require anyway. Thanks for the correction Scott.

 

 

Eastern Spiny-tailed Gecko.

In the same genus as the Golden-tailed Gecko, not as colourful but still striking in its own right.

 

 

I have to check this fella out. On the wildlife online lists they mention Gehyra versicolor which is a name that I am not familiar with. This is Gehyra variegata which I believe is the gecko they are referring to. Once again it is probably a taxonomic change that I haven't kept up with.
I have just been informed that Gehyra versicolor is the correct name for these geckos in the eastern half of their range. Thanks once again Scott.

 

 

The Holy Cross Frog or Crucifix Toad.

One of the trippiest frogs you will ever see. Once again a burrowing species that is usually only seen after heavy rain. I am not really sure if they will be included as the Toowoomba region records all date back to the early 1960's.

 

 

 

If anyone can offer some advice through recent personal experience with the animals listed above within the South East Queensland region I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

 

That's it for now hopefully have some fresh pics next week.

 

Cheers,

 

Mike.