2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

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slygecko
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2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by slygecko »

This spring I spent April and May studying these guys in Costa Rica:

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My work was entirely at La Selva Biological Station, and I accrued a nice little collection of sightings despite very little time devoted solely to herping. Since these were mostly isolated unconnected sightings over two month’s time I’m going to go narrative-light here and just lay on the pictures. Those are what everyone loves anyways.

Frogs

Oophaga pumilio – dirt common, I hardly ever even took their pictures
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Saw most of these at Cantarana swamp one night, I’ve forgotten some of the IDs (and my books are in another state right now):

Agalychnis saltator
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Rana vaillanti
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Cruziohyla calcarifer – someone brought this in to the office from the suspension bridge one night. I was thoroughly enthused:
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young Rana warszewitschii, my vote for the worst species name ever
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Turtles

Rhinoclemmys funerea – common in or near the streams
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Rhinoclemmys annulata – less common, found farther from water
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Kinosternon leucostomum
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I also saw but did not get to photo Chelydra serpentina


Lizards

Anolis capito – probably my favorite Anolis
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Anolis limifrons
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Anolis oxylophus
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Basiliscus plumifrons
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Corytophanes cristatus – I love these things. They get a lot of abuse because their defensive behavior seems to be to act like a leaf. This one got punted because it sat on a trail like a dead leaf. Luckily it was a glancing blow and not a full step. I found another while tromping through some undergrowth using a stick to push branches out of the way, and I accidently batted it 2 meters away.
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Ameiva
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Lepidophyma flavimaculatum – lived under our office step, but rarely came all the way out
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Gonatodes albogularis
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Thecadactylus rapicauda – I’m a big gecko fan, so when I finally caught this I was bouncing off the walls
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Snakes

Ninia sebae
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Dendrophidion percarinatum
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Pseustes poecilonotus, destroyer of birds. We filmed these depredating nests of our study species
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Lampropeltis triangulum, the biggest meanest one I’ve ever seen
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Sibon nebulatus
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Sibon longifrenis
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Coniophanes fissidens
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Chironius grandisquamis
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Scaphiodontophus annulatus
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Venomous snakes are so common at La Selva it made nest-searching downright gnarly. I can’t tell you how many of these I found by almost stepping on them:

Porthidium nasutum
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Bothrops asper
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Right on the trail:
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Bothriechis schlegelii – not only do I have to worry about what I step on, I have to watch where I’m going for stuff like this at head hight
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This individual sat on the same perch for three weeks.
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MHollanders
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by MHollanders »

Cool!

When I was at La Selva years ago the only snake we saw was a Scaphiodonthophis. Cool to see one posted from the same area! First time I ever see that posted.
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monklet
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by monklet »

WOW, that is a mind-blower, certainly among the very most thrilling neo-tropical posts. Lots of creative images. BUT, what kind of bird? Some kiond of Ant-shrike or some such thing?
Zach_Lim
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by Zach_Lim »

The Lampropeltis triangulum is amazing! hounderensis or some other obscure central/south milk?
joeysgreen
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by joeysgreen »

That sure was a nice post to end the night before bed. Happy dreams to me, thanks dude :)

Ian
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Dr. Dark
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by Dr. Dark »

Great post! Love the Porthidium and the adult Oropel...Costa Rica rules!
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slygecko
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by slygecko »

monklet wrote:WOW, that is a mind-blower, certainly among the very most thrilling neo-tropical posts. Lots of creative images. BUT, what kind of bird? Some kiond of Ant-shrike or some such thing?
Chestnut-backed Antbird (Myrmeciza exsul)
Zach_Lim wrote:The Lampropeltis triangulum is amazing! hounderensis or some other obscure central/south milk?
No idea, and I don't have any references with me to check.
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

Wow. Thanks!
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Viridovipera
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by Viridovipera »

Very cool post, I loved the diversity. But herping in the tropics with that head of hair must have been brutal, I would have shaved it off! Any stories of weird creatures living in your hair or it getting in your way?

-Alex
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slygecko
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by slygecko »

Viridovipera wrote:Very cool post, I loved the diversity. But herping in the tropics with that head of hair must have been brutal, I would have shaved it off! Any stories of weird creatures living in your hair or it getting in your way?
About two months after my work in CR ended, after doing a month's work in Venezuela and returning home long enough to decide to cut my hair, I decided it was time to rip this little annoyance out of my head. He had been there since the last week in CR.

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It now lives in a specimen jar at home.
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ALT
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by ALT »

:thumb:
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jason folt
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by jason folt »

So nice. We thought we were special with our Cruziohyla this summer. People were saying none had been turned up, and on the bridge at that. We spent almost 4 straight nights hiking specific trails for eyelashes without luck. Super jealous of that one.
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

Is that a beef worm?
Ecto Hunter
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by Ecto Hunter »

love the camouflage photos and the fly larvae
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PatrickV
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by PatrickV »

I despise botflies. shudder
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Mike Pingleton
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by Mike Pingleton »

very cool.
-Mike
jimoo742
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by jimoo742 »

Great pics. I was lucky enough to spend 3 days there a few years back. Didn't see nearly all what you saw, but it was great. Did see some Aracari's raiding a cavity nest and loads of small herps, but no snakes. I do recall a yellow headed gecko as well and many great orchids. Makes me want to dig out my slides!
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Mike VanValen
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by Mike VanValen »

A Costa Rica post with turtles included is always a win.

The milk is probably L.t. micropholis.
thibbitts
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by thibbitts »

I believe the CR triangulum are nelsoni for what thats worth.

Cool herps, any more shots of antbirds?

Toby
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slygecko
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by slygecko »

Thanks for all the good words
thibbitts wrote:Cool herps, any more shots of antbirds?
I suppose I can upload my bird photos and make a bird post sometime soon. I dont have many shots of the antbirds out of the hand because they are so skulky. I did get this video though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIjaqpjpT4E

~ Nick
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Cole Grover
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by Cole Grover »

Righteous post! I second the botfly shudder... How painful was its removal? Any infection?

The Milksnake is L. t. stuarti , if one accepts Williams' "25 subspecies" taxonomic proposal - micropholis is much further south, near the Colombian side of Panama and south; nelsoni is found along Mexico's central pacific coast; hondurensis is in Caribbean Honduras and Nicaragua; gaigeae is found in the Central Highlands and Caribbean slopes of CR, and is solid black as an adult. Very cool, regardless.

-Cole
Daniel.Iversen
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by Daniel.Iversen »

Nice pictures !! :)

Im actually keeping a L.triangulum hondurensis and since I love naturalistic terrariums Im searchin a pictures of the habitat of that snake to print and put on the back of my cage. Do you have some I can use? Better if take on the level of the ground.....

thanks you ! :)
Daniel
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justinm
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Re: 2 Months at La Selva, Costa Rica

Post by justinm »

Thanks for the cool post. I loved it. I am feeling the pull lately for the Tropics, this was super fun.

Thank,

Justin
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