Summer in South Florida

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intermedius
Posts: 481
Joined: March 22nd, 2012, 7:19 pm

Summer in South Florida

Post by intermedius »

Over August i went on vacation to Florida with family. Though I didn't have all the time to dedicate to herping, I managed to score a few treats. Our first stop was the vast amounts of Pine Flatwoods in PBC, where sand roads are plentiful, along with the paved. Last time i came here i had found only a small watersnake, so i was determined to up the bar on my species and life list.

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The habitat of where we started..

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Our first find was okay... (Nerodia fasciata pictiventris)

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Dor Natricinae

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DOR (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) HUGE ONE 850 mm +

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YES! Ophiosaurus ventralis (LIFER)

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Another beautiful (Nerodia fasciata pictiventris)

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Pig Frog (Rana grylio) (LIFER)

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Southern Toad? ID? (Bufo terrestris) (LIFER)

And those were the two times we went over. But at the hotel we found lots of *drumroll please* anoles. Most i believe to be Anolis sagrei, but correct me if i am wrong because anoles are confusing sometimes XD. They were FAST!

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Lucky shot :shock:

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Curly Tailed Lizard (Leiocephalus carinatus) (LIFER)

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Green Iguana (iguana iguana)

A few non herps of the trip and some habitat shots in a Mangrove Swamp in the middle of somewhere. It was our failed attempt to go find the Mangrove Watersnake (Nerodia clarkii) but even on Low Tide, and perfect weather AND prey items everywhere the snake eluded us. :cry:

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I almost thought we would find one. :(

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Oh well maybe next time..

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Still got this guy (Plestiodon inexpectatus) (LIFER)

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And this guy (Nephila clavipes)

ONTO THE EVERGLADES :thumb:

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Habitat shots.. habitat shots everywhere...

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First monarch butterfly of the year

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LUBBER GRASSHOPPER <3

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The only Green Anole of the trip (Anolis carolinensis) (LIFER)

Gators... Gators everywhere...

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WHYYYYY? :cry:

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But later that night... satisfied the trip :)

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Then this happened... would have been a lifer (Coluber constrictor paludicola) DOR. ARE YOU SERIOUS!? What was interesting was that this one was hit around 1 hour ago, and it was approximately 9:12 PM when i found it. Nocturnal behavior.. for a "Strictly diurnal" snake.

Well that/s the trip and thank you so much for all the help in the past!

Intermedius
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periglenes
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Re: Summer in South Florida

Post by periglenes »

Your Monarch is actually a Viceroy. Yes, I can see it is on a milkweed, but it has the diagnostic line that arcs across the middle of the hind wing.
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Noah M
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Re: Summer in South Florida

Post by Noah M »

I like the gator pics...'cept for the road killed one. I don't like seeing dead gators.

I'm pretty sure pictures 1 & 3 of the anoles are Brown Anoles (A. sagrei). I'm not sure about the rest. They look like browns, but anoles can be tricky it seems, esp. down in S. Florida when there are so many different exotics running around.

Your toad looks like a southern toad to me.
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Mike VanValen
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Re: Summer in South Florida

Post by Mike VanValen »

periglenes wrote:Your Monarch is actually a Viceroy. Yes, I can see it is on a milkweed, but it has the diagnostic line that arcs across the middle of the hind wing.
Yup, a viceroy.

All of your anoles are sagrei.
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Josh Young
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Re: Summer in South Florida

Post by Josh Young »

Next time you're in PBC let me know. As I practically live in the WMA from your very first photo.
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JakeScott
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Re: Summer in South Florida

Post by JakeScott »

Looks like a good time in SFL. All are Anolis sagrei, as others have said. Besides A. distichus (which are very widely distributed), there are only a few small populations of other exotic anoles in that region.
Your toad is also terrestris.

-Jake
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: Summer in South Florida

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Your green iguana is very beautiful.
I like your anolis shots. I love those critters.
Nice job with the curly-tail lizard.
Congrats on the lifers. Looks like it was a great vacation.
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muskiemagnet
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Re: Summer in South Florida

Post by muskiemagnet »

it looks to me that gator pic #2 very well may be a croc. the nose seems too narrow for a gator.

i may be wrong though.

-ben
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