Peruvian Amazon part 2 Lizards, Turtles, and Crocodilians
Posted: March 15th, 2013, 3:46 pm
See part 1 for the setup here: http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=15446
There are 3 species of Crocodilians in the region. Black caiman are now quite rare and in the many trips I have taken to the region, I have only seen them once. None were seen this trip, but they are still sightings in the area.
In the larger waterways, these are quite common. They are easily found at night along the banks. There is also a very healthy population of them in the pond at Santa Cruz.
Caiman crocodilus
Spectacled caiman
These are much less commonly found. I usually find one per trip, usually in one of the preserves on a night hike in one of the smaller streams that flow through. This is the only one seen this trip and was actually found at night near Iquitos. We did capture it to secure it for some photos.
[img http://cages.smugmug.com/Other/Peru-Ama ... Road-L.jpg[/img]
Paleosuchus trigonatus
Smooth Fronted Caiman
Onto the lizards. Overall, we did fairly well this year. Anolis species are common throughout the forest. You find about an equal amount during the day as you do on a night hike. They are easier to photo at night!
Anolis bombiceps
Blue Lipped Forest Anole
Anolis fuscoauratus
Slender Anole
Anolis punctatus
Green Amazon Anole
Anolis trachyderma
Common Forest Anole
These are spectacular, you never get tired of seeing them. The blue color of their eyes is just not too often seen!
Anolis transversalis
Banded Tree Anole
The equally spectacular Monkey Lizard. These act much more like chameleons. We only found one this year.
A quite common leaf mimic lizard found in the daytime.
Stenocercus fimbriatus
Western Leaf Lizard
Ameiva are much more commonly seen around Iquitos in disturbed habitat. You do see them occasionally in the forest at the preserves as well.
Ameiva ameiva
Amazon Whiptail
Kentropyx altamazonica
Cocha Whiptail
Kentropyx pelviceps
Forest Whiptail
I have the toughest time getting photographs of these guys. I saw maybe a dozen this trip, but they are usually flashes through the forest. We did have a resident lizard that was huge and seen quite often, but very wary. They get quite big and are spectacular. This was the only photo I was able to get of one, and it was from a boat into the Rio Orosa.
Tupinambis tequixin
Golden Tegu
Crocodile Tegus are spectacular lizards. We don’t see too many of them. John, AKA“Ribbit” was lucky enough to see two as he was kayaking on the Rio Orosa one day. He got incredible shots of one basking on the shore and then he saw this juvenile in the water. He made the incredible catch without turning the kayak so I was able to photograph it!
I seem to have good luck with Caiman Lizards. I have been with people who have made multiple trips without ever seeing any. Last year, I was able to get some great in-situ shots of one (see my previous posts) and we saw 4. This year, on our first full day at Madre Selva, I was walking with John and look up and there is a large caiman lizard crossing the trail in front of us (about 50 feet away from the bank of the Rio Orosa). I made a lunge at it as it ran into the forest could not get it. I then isolated it to a thicket and called for help. I remember Jake Scott helping me catch it. When he sees it in the thicket, he said “You said big lizard, I didn’t know you meant that big”. I started laughing as you would not want to get bit by these. We ended up catching it for photos and letting it go later that day.
Jim and the Caiman Lizard!
Dracaena quixensis
Northern Caiman Lizard
Copleoglossum nigropunctatum
Formerly Mabuya nigropunctata
Black Spotted Skink
Gonatodes humeralis
Bridled Forest Gecko
Gonatodes concinnatus
Collared Forest Gecko
You never get tired of seeing these and they live in the showers at camp!
Thecadactylus solimoensis
Turnip Tailed Gecko
Alopoglossus angulatus
Large Scaled Forest Lizard
Cercosaura argulus
Elegant Eyed Lizard
Cercosaura ocellata
Black Striped Forest Lizard
Cercosaura oshaughnessyi
Formerly Prionodactylus oshaughnessyi
White Striped Eyed Lizard
Leposoma parietale
Common Forest Lizard
Potamites ecpleopus
formerly Neusticurus ecpleopus
Common Streamside Lizard
I say this on most of my Amazon posts. Turtles are just not commonly seen. We occasionally see a Yellow Foot Tortoise. We have seen Matamata Turtles and the local fisherman sometimes bring those in. There are a few species of aquatic turtles, but they are tough to spot. This year, here is what we found:
Podocnemis unifilis
Yellow Spotted River Turtle
Thanks for looking! Part 3 coming up soon.
There are 3 species of Crocodilians in the region. Black caiman are now quite rare and in the many trips I have taken to the region, I have only seen them once. None were seen this trip, but they are still sightings in the area.
In the larger waterways, these are quite common. They are easily found at night along the banks. There is also a very healthy population of them in the pond at Santa Cruz.
Caiman crocodilus
Spectacled caiman
These are much less commonly found. I usually find one per trip, usually in one of the preserves on a night hike in one of the smaller streams that flow through. This is the only one seen this trip and was actually found at night near Iquitos. We did capture it to secure it for some photos.
[img http://cages.smugmug.com/Other/Peru-Ama ... Road-L.jpg[/img]
Paleosuchus trigonatus
Smooth Fronted Caiman
Onto the lizards. Overall, we did fairly well this year. Anolis species are common throughout the forest. You find about an equal amount during the day as you do on a night hike. They are easier to photo at night!
Anolis bombiceps
Blue Lipped Forest Anole
Anolis fuscoauratus
Slender Anole
Anolis punctatus
Green Amazon Anole
Anolis trachyderma
Common Forest Anole
These are spectacular, you never get tired of seeing them. The blue color of their eyes is just not too often seen!
Anolis transversalis
Banded Tree Anole
The equally spectacular Monkey Lizard. These act much more like chameleons. We only found one this year.
A quite common leaf mimic lizard found in the daytime.
Stenocercus fimbriatus
Western Leaf Lizard
Ameiva are much more commonly seen around Iquitos in disturbed habitat. You do see them occasionally in the forest at the preserves as well.
Ameiva ameiva
Amazon Whiptail
Kentropyx altamazonica
Cocha Whiptail
Kentropyx pelviceps
Forest Whiptail
I have the toughest time getting photographs of these guys. I saw maybe a dozen this trip, but they are usually flashes through the forest. We did have a resident lizard that was huge and seen quite often, but very wary. They get quite big and are spectacular. This was the only photo I was able to get of one, and it was from a boat into the Rio Orosa.
Tupinambis tequixin
Golden Tegu
Crocodile Tegus are spectacular lizards. We don’t see too many of them. John, AKA“Ribbit” was lucky enough to see two as he was kayaking on the Rio Orosa one day. He got incredible shots of one basking on the shore and then he saw this juvenile in the water. He made the incredible catch without turning the kayak so I was able to photograph it!
I seem to have good luck with Caiman Lizards. I have been with people who have made multiple trips without ever seeing any. Last year, I was able to get some great in-situ shots of one (see my previous posts) and we saw 4. This year, on our first full day at Madre Selva, I was walking with John and look up and there is a large caiman lizard crossing the trail in front of us (about 50 feet away from the bank of the Rio Orosa). I made a lunge at it as it ran into the forest could not get it. I then isolated it to a thicket and called for help. I remember Jake Scott helping me catch it. When he sees it in the thicket, he said “You said big lizard, I didn’t know you meant that big”. I started laughing as you would not want to get bit by these. We ended up catching it for photos and letting it go later that day.
Jim and the Caiman Lizard!
Dracaena quixensis
Northern Caiman Lizard
Copleoglossum nigropunctatum
Formerly Mabuya nigropunctata
Black Spotted Skink
Gonatodes humeralis
Bridled Forest Gecko
Gonatodes concinnatus
Collared Forest Gecko
You never get tired of seeing these and they live in the showers at camp!
Thecadactylus solimoensis
Turnip Tailed Gecko
Alopoglossus angulatus
Large Scaled Forest Lizard
Cercosaura argulus
Elegant Eyed Lizard
Cercosaura ocellata
Black Striped Forest Lizard
Cercosaura oshaughnessyi
Formerly Prionodactylus oshaughnessyi
White Striped Eyed Lizard
Leposoma parietale
Common Forest Lizard
Potamites ecpleopus
formerly Neusticurus ecpleopus
Common Streamside Lizard
I say this on most of my Amazon posts. Turtles are just not commonly seen. We occasionally see a Yellow Foot Tortoise. We have seen Matamata Turtles and the local fisherman sometimes bring those in. There are a few species of aquatic turtles, but they are tough to spot. This year, here is what we found:
Podocnemis unifilis
Yellow Spotted River Turtle
Thanks for looking! Part 3 coming up soon.