LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

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Jeroen Speybroeck
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LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Jeroen Speybroeck »

A more touristy trip & report than my usual, but here it is...

! Full report => http://www.hylawerkgroep.be/jeroen/index.php?id=75

Since long, my dear friend Jan and I had the idea of doing a roadtrip in the States. As Jan had to attend a conference in St George, UT, a two weeks travel plan was forged. An ambitious route was put forward, stretching from Louisiana to California. As Jan is not into herpetology and our time was limited, the (literally) hundreds of species occurring along this trajectory received only limited attention. As such, this report will be notably more "touristy" than mu usual reports. I also did not bother too much in pursuing species I had seen during previous trips to the USA (see menu items CA 2011 and AZ 2012). Nevertheless, I was able to admire the targets on my subjective shortlist.

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the plan

Louisiana

US herpers Armin, Eric and Kyle were very welcoming and helpful during the first few days of the trip. Main attraction for sure was Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) the next morning. With jetlag and herping excitement precluding most sleep, we got up with sleepy heads and disorientated brains. Hiking the beautiful hilly woods of Armin’s property, our local herpers succeeded in finding the target species and quite a few more species. Never having been east of Arizona in the US before, nearly all species were new to me.

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Western Rat Snake (Pantherophis obsoletus)

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Kingsnake (Lampropeltis (getula) nigra)

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Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)

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Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)

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Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)

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Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus)

Texas

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Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea)

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Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)

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Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)

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American Alligator (Alligator mississipiensis)

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American Alligator (Alligator mississipiensis)

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American Alligator (Alligator mississipiensis)

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white ibis

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black-chinned hummingbird

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scissor-tailed flycatcher

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Texas River Cooter (Pseudemys texana)

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Texas River Cooter (Pseudemys texana)

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Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)

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?Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis ?gularis)

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Pecos River

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?Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis ?gularis)

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Trans-Pecos Striped Whiptail (Aspidoscelis inornata heptagramma)

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Greater Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus)

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vermillion flycatcher

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?Plateau Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis ?scalaris)

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Southwestern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi)

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Greater Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus)

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?Marbled Whiptail (Aspidoscelis ?marmorata)

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Apalone spinifera & Trachemys gaigeae

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Big Bend Slider (Trachemys gaigeae)

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Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)

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proghorn

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proghorn

New Mexico

In New Mexico, I finally got to see some collared lizards, after previous failures.

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Eastern Collard Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)

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Urosaurus ornatus? – this one’s weird, as it has no small scales in between the enlarged dorsal/vertebral scales (which would fit for long-tailed, but out of range...)

Arizona

Late afternoon, I made a brief attempt to find the dullest of all rattlesnake species up the Chiricahua mountains, but again (cf. way too many attempst in 2012) no luck. I hate that species... ;-). We spent the night in Rodeo, NM.

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the Chiricahuas

The next morning, we started with a visit to the charming desert museum in Rodeo and its nice reptiles collection. The reptile-themed shop particularly impressed me.

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Chiricahua Desert Museum, Rodeo (NM)

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Chiricahua Desert Museum, Rodeo (NM)

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Chiricahua Desert Museum, Rodeo (NM)

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Canyon Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis burti)

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roadrunner

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Harris hawk

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red-tailed hawk with western diamond-backed prey

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Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)

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Regal Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma solare)

Next up, a must-see destination, the Grand Canyon. We broke up the drive by avoiding Phoenix, going east through the Mogollon Rim and spending the night at high altitude. I browsed for an AZ black (Crotalus cerberus) here and there but there was just too much icy wind all the time.

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rates going up

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Grand Canyon

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Grand Canyon

California

Death Valley NP, California.

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Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides)

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Nevada

We avoided Las Vegas, but spent 3 nights cruising in suboptimal conditions for 2 species of rattlers I had marked as prime targets beforehand. In the daytime, we enjoyed the scenery and hiked the desert as well as alpine habitat on Mount Charleston. To my great joy, the cruising did deliver this time, so I got to see both rattler species I had been looking forward so much, one of which had been a target during my two previous trips to the States.

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Sonoran Lyresnake (Trimorphodon lambda)

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Lake Mohave

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Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus uniformis)

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Western Groundsnake (Sonora semiannulata)

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Western Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis)

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at the end of the 3rd trip with this species on the wishlist, finally success! – Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii)

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Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii)

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Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii)

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Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii)

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Speck and me

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Panamint Rattlesnake (Crotalus stephensi)

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Panamint Rattlesnake (Crotalus stephensi)

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Western Groundsnake (Sonora semiannulata)

In conclusion, another great time in the US. A perfect roadtrip, including not so many but some fantastic herp species.

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Mohave sunset

Preliminary list of observed species

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monklet
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by monklet »

Congrats on a great trip and thanks for all the nice images! :beer:
Zach_Lim
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Zach_Lim »

Excellent report.

Stunning photography, as well as excellent habitat shots.
hellihooks
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by hellihooks »

Very productive trip, for winter. you've now seen panamints as many times as me...and twice as many ground snakes...lol really like the greater earless's... still a lifer I NEED to go find... :lol: :lol: jim
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Jeff
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Jeff »

Jeroen

All of your (?) Aspidoscelis whiptails are correct species as you presumed. One change is your first snake, which is Pantherophis spiloides, being east of the Mississippi River.

Jeff
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Jeroen Speybroeck
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Jeroen Speybroeck »

Thanks for the ID info, Jeff, and thanks to all for the replies!

Nobody has any comments on the ornatus from NM? Supposedly, these guys should have smaller scales in between 2 rows of enlarged scales on the central part of the back, but these ones only had multiple rows of enlarged scales.
hellihooks
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by hellihooks »

Jer... I don't know NM (at all) but it sounds like a brush lizard (long tail)... we (Hi desert wildlife group) have just documented U.o. symmetricus in Barstow...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 843&type=1
;) jim
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Jeroen Speybroeck
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Jeroen Speybroeck »

hellihooks wrote:Jer... I don't know NM (at all) but it sounds like a brush lizard (long tail)... we (Hi desert wildlife group) have just documented U.o. symmetricus in Barstow...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 843&type=1
;) jim
Well, yeah, I remembered that, so that's what I thought, but it shouldn't be there (see map = http://maps.iucnredlist.org/map.html?id=64171) and other features don't seem to pan out, I'd say. None of them was as long-tailed as you'd think it should be as well.
hellihooks
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by hellihooks »

As a hobbiest, I'm only up on local stuff... but know there are other brush/tree lizards in the southwest. The ornates seem to travel well, to form introduced pops. perhaps other members of the family do the same... or hell... maybe you found a new sub...(how cool would that be) :lol: :lol: :lol: good luck... 8-) jim
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tspuckler
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by tspuckler »

I was just at that spot with the "decorated pine trees" last week.
You found a lot of cool stuff!

Tim
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Jeff
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Jeff »

Jeyroen

The New Mexico Urosaurus is a typical U. ornatus. The intercalation of granular or small imbricate scales among the larger series exhibits some geographic variation, and was the primary basis for the ten or so subspecies that were formerly recognized in U. onatus.

Sorry, not a U. graciosus.

Jeff
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Jeroen Speybroeck
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Jeroen Speybroeck »

Jeff wrote:The New Mexico Urosaurus is a typical U. ornatus. The intercalation of granular or small imbricate scales among the larger series exhibits some geographic variation, and was the primary basis for the ten or so subspecies that were formerly recognized in U. onatus.
Thanks, always good to learn!
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Soopaman
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Soopaman »

Good stuff, Jeroen, I'm glad we could help you have a good time here in the Southern US!

I do think it's important to share, since you failed to mention, the fantastic greeting your first snake of the trip gave you. How could we ever forget the titty-twister delivered by that rat snake at Armin's camp! I lament there isn't video to share!
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Jeroen Speybroeck
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Jeroen Speybroeck »

I couldn't have done it without your help & I'm ashamed that we neglected valuable advice and moved on to colder areas way too soon... Well, as I said, I had to make sure not to push it too much with a non-herper companion & long road ahead. I'll never forget the time I was allowed to spend with "the North American Bushmaster" :D !
Soopaman wrote:I lament there isn't video to share!
I don't :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Will Wells
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Will Wells »

Looks like a fun trip, glad you got to see a speckled.
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moloch
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by moloch »

Very nice, Jeroen. Looks like you had a fun and productive trip. Loved the shots of the Sonoran Desert in particular.

Regards,
David
Rman
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Rman »

It looks like y'all's trip was really great. I was glad to be in a part of it. And no better way to start that trip than getting a rat snake titty twister. It's just how we welcome foreigners to Louisiana. Haha
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Christopher
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Christopher »

Great job Jeroen! Looks like a great time, beautiful photos! And no one got bit by a coral snake! :D
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Jeroen Speybroeck
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Jeroen Speybroeck »

Thanks, everyone!
Will Wells wrote:glad you got to see a speckled.
Yes, finally! Still need to see some of those more colorful Crotaphytus some day...
moloch wrote:Loved the shots of the Sonoran Desert in particular.
I'm also a huge fan. Although other places in this trip were new to me and the Sonoran wasn't, it still stands out. Together with its rich reptile fauna, there's nothing quite like it.
Rman wrote:It's just how we welcome foreigners to Louisiana. Haha
As long as the canebrakes stay as well-mannered as their majestic status suits them & keep their teeth to themselves, it's a small price.
Christopher wrote:And no one got bit by a coral snake! :D
Never again (I pray)! You've probably seen on FB how active Frank has been in French Guyana more recently. Seems like getting tagged got him hooked :mrgreen: .
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Roki
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Re: LA TX NM AZ CA NV - roadtrip 2014

Post by Roki »

Cool post! Looks like you had a great trip. So many great shots in there. Thanks for sharing.
Roki
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