We’ll start with Peru. I let a great group of herpers through M.T. Amazon Expeditions in January. We spent 2 weeks starting from Iquitos and heading down river to two field stations. Madre Selva was the first stop, then Santa Cruz. 2013 got me my first Bushmaster, I did not see one this year, but each trip has many surprises. We saw 100 species of heprs on this trip. Here is some highlights.
We found this great Bolitoglossa. It could be B. altamazonica, but I’m not positive on the ID. I have never seen one so large, this was 6 inches long and very robust. It was also much more agile then any B. altamazonic I have ever seen in this area. It jumped from leaf to leaf with ease. If anybody has any ideas, let me know.
Bolitoglossa?
Here’s a standard B. altamazonica.
Bolitoglossa altamazonica
Amazon Climbing Salamander
Always love finding these, they are extremely variable.
Rhinella margaritifera
Crested Forest Toad
We have a very stable population of these and they are a highlight of every trip.
Atelopus spumarius
Amazon Harlequin Toad
Dendropsophus miyatai
Jeweled Treefrog
Another highlight species. These are extremely variable and beautiful.
Dendropsophus triangulum
Variable Clown Treefrog
And maybe even more impressive colors:
Dendropsophus triangulum
Variable Clown Treefrog
This was a highlight for me. This was my 9th trip to the Amazon region and I have always wanted to see one of the multiple members of Hemiphractus. Lifer and worth the wait!
Hemiphractus proboscideus
Long Nosed Casque Headed Treefrog
Hypsiboas geographicus
Map Treefrog
Hypsiboas cinerascens
Rough Skinned Green Treefrog
Hypsiboas calcaratus
Convict Treefrog
Hypsiboas punctatus
Polkadot Treefrog
Osteocephalus planiceps
Flat Headed Bromeliad Treefrog
On to the Monkey Frogs. They used to be a fairly uncommon find, I find many every trip. They are spectacular!
Phyllomedusa bicolor
Giant Monkey Frog
Phyllomedusa tomopterna
Barred Monkey Frog
Trachycephalus resinifictrix
Amazon Milk Frog
Scinax garbei
Fringe Lipped Treefrog
Ameerega hahneli
Pale Striped Poison Frog
Ranitomeya uakarii
Peruvian Amazon Poison Frog
Hamptophryne boliviana
Amazon Sheep Frog
A dart frog mimic,
Leptodactylus lineatus
Painted Antnest Frog
Oreobates quixensis
Common Big Headed Rain Frog
On to some reptiles
Caiman crocodilus
Spectacled caiman
Paleosuchus trigonatus
Smooth Fronted Caiman
Anolis transversalis
Banded Tree Anole (male)
Anolis transversalis
Banded Tree Anole (female)
Enyalioides laticeps
Amazon Forest Dragon
Iguana iguana
Green Iguana
Plica plica
Collared Tree Runner
Plica umbra
Olive Tree Runner
Stenocercus fimbriatus
Western Leaf Lizard
Ameiva ameiva
Amazon Whiptail
This was a great spot by John Sullivan while on a kayak. Can you see it?
Crocodilurus amazonicus
Crocodile Tegu
And……in the process, he leaned just a bit too far…….
Kentropyx pelviceps
Forest Whiptail
Copleoglossum nigropunctatum
Black Spotted Skink
Gonatodes humeralis
Bridled Forest Gecko
Thecadactylus solimoensis
Turnip Tailed Gecko
Cercosaura ocellata bassleri.
Black-striped Forest Lizard
Corallus hortulanus
Amazon Tree Boa
Epicrates cenchria
Peruvian Rainbow Boa
Eunectes murinus
Anaconda
Atractus major
Earth Snake
Chironius exoletus
Common Whipsnake
Chironius fuscus
Olive Whipsnake
Dendrophidion dendrophis
Tawny Forest Racer
Dipsas catesbyi
Ornate Snail Eating Snake
Dipsas indica
Snail Eating Snake
Drymoluber dichrous
Common Glossy Racer
Helicops angulatus
South American Banded Water Snake
Imantodes cenchoa
Blunt Headed Tree Snake
Oxyrhopus occipitalis
Yellow Headed Calico Snake
These usually have some red in them, even the juveniles such as this one. This was the only O. petola seen this trip.
Oxyrhopus petola
Banded Calico Snake
Oxyrhopus vanidicus
Black Headed Calico Snake
Pseudoboa coronata
Amazon Scarlet Snake
Pseustes poecilonotus
Common Bird Snake
Siphlophis compressus
Red Vine Snake
Taeniophallus brevirostris
Short-nosed Leaf Litter Snake
Xenoxybelis argenteus
Striped Green Vine Snake
And the highlight of the trip! I could not stop taking photos of it.
Micrurus langsdorffi
Langsdorff's Coral Snake
And just because there is no red touching yellow or no red at all does not mean it’s safe to touch!
Micrurus lemniscatus
Western Ribbon Coral Snake
Micrurus putumayensis
Sooty Coral Snake
Micrurus surinamensis
Aquatic Coral Snake
Watch where you step!
Bothrops atrox
South American Lancehead
Not many turtles seen on this trip. This one was in along the Amazon outside of Iquitos
Podocnemis unifilis
Yellow Spotted River Turtle
Madre Selva accommodations.
I’ll throw in a bird. I watched this guy for a couple of hours as it did not move.
White Tailed Trogon
Here is the group including our crew. There are some familiar faces here!
Back to the states, spent a day in south Florida and was able to see a few things despite the rain.
Crocodylus acutus
American Crocodile
Spring in S. Texas was a Blast. Got to spend some quality time with good friends. I really enjoyed my time with Shaun, Tim, Erik, Gus, Kyle, Blake, John, and Aaron. We had a blast and found most of our targets despite the experience with Africanized bees.
Incilius nebulifer
Gulf Coast Toad
Syrrhophus marnockii
Cliff Chirping Frog
Phrynosoma cornutum
Texas Horned Lizard
Sceloporus olivaceus
Texas Spiny Lizard
Plestiodon tetragrammus tetragrammus
Four Lined Skink
Ophisaurus attenuatus attenuatus
Western Slender Glass Lizard
Rena dulces
Texas Blind Snake
Arizona elegans arenicola
Texas Glossy Snake
Coluber constrictor oaxaca
Mexican Racer
Coluber flagellum testaceus
Western Coachwhip
Gus managed to find this while we were walking around.
Coluber schotti ruthveni
Ruthven's Whipsnake
This was the nicest whipsnake I’ve ever come across.
Coluber schotti schotti
Schott's Whipsnake
Drymobius margaritiferus
Speckled Racer
Coniophanes imperialis
Regal Black Striped Snake
I was very happy to find this!
Drymarchon melanurus erebennus
Texas Indigo Snake
Hypsiglena jani texana
Chihuahuan Night Snake
Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster
Prairie Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula splendida
Desert Kingsnake
Pantherophis emoryi meahlllmorum
Southwestern Rat Snake
Pantherophis obsoleta lindheimeri
Texas Ratsnake
Pituophis catenifer sayi
Bullsnake
Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus
Texas Long Nosed Snake
Salvadora grahamiae
Texas Patch Nosed Snake
Tantilla gracilis
Flat Headed Snake
Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus
Eastern Black Necked Garter Snake
Thamnophis marcianus
Checkered Gartersnake
Thamnophis proximus oranius
Gulf Coast Ribbonsnake
Big game!
Virginia striatula
Rough Earth Snake
Micrurus tener
Texas Coral Snake
A couple of the many atrox seen. The second one was from some thick forest in the Hill Country.
Crotalus atrox
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
This was an unexpected find in S. Texas!
Sistrurus catenatus edwardsi
Desert Massasauga
From my home state of Colorado.
Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis
Central Plains Milk Snake
Heterdon nasicus nasicus
Plains Hognose Snake
Crotalus viridis
Prairie Rattlesnake
From Western CO
Inspired by Joe!
Crotaphytus collaris
Eastern Collard Lizard
Coluber taeniatus taeniatus
Desert Striped Whipsnake
Crotalus Concolor
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Wyoming:
Aspidoscelis sexlineata viridis
Prairie Racerunner
Coluber constrictor flaviventris
Eastern Yellow Bellied Racer
Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata
Pale Milk Snake
I took a quick trip to Baja in May and was able to find a few things.
Petrosaurus thalassinus
San Lucan Rock Lizard
I never tire of finding these:
Lichanura trivirgata trivirgata
Mexican Rosy Boa
This is as far south as I’ve ever found a Slevin’s!
Hypsiglena slevini (Eridiphas)
Slevin’s Night Snake
I night hiked this gem.
Trimorphodon biscutatus
Lyre Snake
Then, late in the Summer, a group of us went to Sonora. It was a fun and very productive trip. Here is some highlights.
Pachymedusa dacnicolor
Mexican Leaf Frog
Do you see it?
Smilisca baudinii
Mexican Treefrog
Smilisca fodiens
Lowland Burrowing Treefrog
Leptodactylus melanonotus
Sabinal Frog
Scaphiopus couchii
Couch's Spadefoot
Ctenosaura macrolopha
Mexican Spiny Tailed Iquana
Callisaurus draconoidese inusitanus
Sonoran Zebra Tailed Lizard
Phrynosoma solare
Regal Horned Lizard
Sceloporus nelsoni
Nelson's Spiny Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus
Ornate Tree Lizard
Aspidoscelis costata
Western Mexico Whiptail
Coleonyx variegatus sonoriensis
Sonoran Banded Gecko
Phyllodactylus tuberculosus
Yellowbelly Gecko
Heloderma horridum
Mexican Beaded Lizard
Boa constictor
Coluber bilineatus
Sonoran Whipsnake
Maybe my favorite Coluber??
Coluber mentovarius
Tropical Whipsnake
Coluber flageellum cingulum
Sonoran Coachwhip
Hypsiglena chlorophaea
Desert Nightsnake
Lampropeltis getula nigrita
Mexican Black Kingsnake
I found this Sinaloan Milk Snake off to the side of a highway, off the road. As I approached, it was moving but appeared to have been hit. It went limp, but I could not find any injury. There was some debate in the car if the snake was dead. Later that night at a photo shoot, it appeared to have come back to life, only to “die” again, this time with blood out the mouth. This is a new behavior for me with milk snakes. It eventually was fine and was released.
Lampropeltis triangulum sinaloae
Sinaloan Milk Snake
I’ve found various Leptophis species in Central and South America. In previous years, I’ve seen 5 L diplotropis in Sonora, but I have zero photos to show for them. I was quite excited to see a 5 foot specimen in the foliage along side a creek while hiking with Kevin and Joseph. Well, I quickly grabbed it and it quickly grabbed me, hanging onto my thumb. There was a time when Kevin and Joseph was unsure who had who. Anyway about 2 minutes later and me being minus a pint of blood, I had full control of this beauty. Here is a photo where the snake has my DNA all over it.
And after we cleaned up.
They are all mouth!
The bite bled like an open faucet. I had shooting pains that went up to my elbow and lasted for a couple of hours. Later, Shaun found a second specimen and had a similar experience. Beautiful snakes and totally worth it! Here’s the second specimen.
Leptophis diplotropis
Pacific Coast Parrot Snake
Oxybelis aeneus
Brown Vine Snake
Phyllorhynchus browni
Saddled Leaf Nosed Snake
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus
Spotted Leaf Nosed Snake
Rhinocheilus lecontei
Long Nosed Snake
Senticolis triaspis intermedia
Green Rat Snake
Thamnophis cyrtopsis
Black Necked Garter Snake
Trimorphodon tau
Mexican Lyresnake
Micrurus distans distans
Mexican West Coast Coral Snake
Crotalus atrox
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Crotalus basiliscus
Mexican West Coast Rattlesnake
I found the first one in situ:
Crotalus cerastes cercobombus
Sonoran Sidewinder
Then in November, I found my self in the Caribbean. I spent a few days in Puerto Rico then meandered to Florida for a week and a half. I was not herping the whole time, but I was able to see some stuff.
I always enjoy time on Puerto Rico. In my experience, this is the most common and an extremely variable anole.
Anolis cristatellus
Puerto Rican Crested Anole
Anolis evermanni
Puerto Rican Emerald Anole
One of my favorite PR Anoles, Love the blue eyes.
Anolis gundlachi
Yellow-chinned Anole
Anolis krugi
Olive Bush Anole
And the ever present….
Iguana iguana
Green Iguana
This is from St. Croix, USVI
Anolis acutus
St. Croix Anole
Anolis roquet
Martinique Anole
I really enjoyed these
Anolis richardi
Grenada Tree Anole
Overall, it was a great year. I enjoyed spending time with everybody! Shaun V., Tim W., John S., Mike P., Kris H., Sky S., Lorrie S., Erik M., CJ, V. Joseph E., Kevin C., Jason and everyone else, lets do it again! 2015 brings more Peru. Please let me know if you want to join. Trips are scheduled for April and June.
