ressurection N. VietNam 2009

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Mikhail F. Bagaturov
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ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Mikhail F. Bagaturov »

Hello All!

Since forum runnig well and i got some spare time I repost some of my report of last year expedition to North Vietnam.

Part I.
After obtaining some formalities in Hanoi we travel to North closer to the China territoreis.
Here's 3 of 4 of the crew (on right, the bearded man is me) and some official persons on the left since the trip was ruled by both Russian and Vietnam Acacdemies of Science in cooperation.
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Here is how the Cao Bang province karst areas look alike.
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And a typical karst primary forest in the Trung Khan national Cao Vit gibbon Reserve.
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Here's some local inverts, Sparassid spiders.
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another one
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and Macrothele sp. on its nest.
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Finally some local karst herps.
Goniurosaurus luii, adult female - one of the nice of all ground eublepharid geckos.
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New species of rhacophorid frog later described as Theloderma lateriticum, but in fact is a Philautus species.
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another one namely Rhacophorus kio, adult male
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Another rhacophorid one Theloderma asperum , adult female found in the cavity on tree trunk
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And the most abundant Kurixalus cf. odontotarsus bred in the area.
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and another one classical Rhacophorus leucomystax, shot in the breeding pool.
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And finally the programm species, newly described and known only from the locality Protobothrops trungkhanensis, adult male
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All for now. Hope will continue later on.
Harold De Lisle
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Harold De Lisle »

Thanks, Mikhail, for the photos of you expedition
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Jeremiah_Easter
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Jeremiah_Easter »

Very cool! I don't remember this post from before, must have missed it. I love seeing posts from rarely visited places. Awesome.
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krismunk
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by krismunk »

I do remember it - & I'm glad you resurrected it. It's still a very interesting read :thumb:
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Gary2sons
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Gary2sons »

Very interesting post! :thumb:

The karst areas look to be very difficult to herp. Almost have to be a mountain climber to reach the top. Great places for herps to live even being close to a large population of people.

I remember reading about the karst areas where they found the Gigantopithicus fossils, mostly teeth in caves. You must have been close to the same area.

Thanks for reposting this!

Gary
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Mike Pingleton
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Mike Pingleton »

ah, I remember this! The frogs are particularly wonderful. I hope we get to see more from Cao Bang province.

-Mike
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

Excellent! Thanks very much for reposting this! I seem to remember that you found (ex-) Trimeresurus-complex vipers there?
Mikhail F. Bagaturov
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Mikhail F. Bagaturov »

Hello All and thanks for your kind words and interest.
Mike, frogs are my love :)
Yes Hans, that was V. vogeli.

So, here we ga again, Part 2.
After finishing research in gibbon reserve we move to willage for nigh stay, where some coomon but still nice frogs are found.
Haplobatrachus rugulosus - often inhabit in great numbers at rice fields
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Together with Fejervarya limnocharis.
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And a nice microhylid frogs of genus Microhyla found in the area as well as all northern part of the country (other parts too).

M. heymonsi
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M. ornata
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and M. pulchra
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Next day we travel up to experimental rice commune and found some very nice animals during the hard rain at night. This area much more rich in herp diversity and the kars much poor with its characteristic and specific faunas.

Worm-eating Cyclophiops semicinctus
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2 huge species of Odorrana:

O. chloronota
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found simpatrically with other - Odorrana cf. tabaca ?
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and a megophrid frog Xenophrys major
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Some other megophrids - Leptolalax cf. sungi - not often find.

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As well as Leptobrachyum chapaensis
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The other day we went to far mountain exploring the stream to find some very cool caudate, known mostly just from China.
Habitat shot:
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And animal in situ - Paramesotriton guangxiensis
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Pair in laboratory.
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A small ranid cascade frog found in the area as well, Amolops ricketti
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But not such as beautiful as this one, A. chapaensis spoted on other stream:
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Outside the Amolops spp. habitat, extreamly siutable for rest and think :) :
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Will continue to last part 3 later. Hope You'll find this interesting.
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

More excellence! Looking forward to Part III...
extreamly siutable for rest and think :) :
Sure looks like it!
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Viridovipera
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Viridovipera »

I was just thinking about this post the other day -- thanks so much for reposting it! I loved it even more this time. Any more pictures of the vipers?

Also is that Nguyen Quang Truong with you guys in the first picture? I would love to work with him one day.

Thanks again for reposting!

-Alex
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Steve Atkins
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Steve Atkins »

those newts are cool, how big are they?
Mikhail F. Bagaturov
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Mikhail F. Bagaturov »

Hi Alex!
Viridovipera wrote:I was just thinking about this post the other day -- thanks so much for reposting it! I loved it even more this time. Any more pictures of the vipers?
Will be 1 species more in part 3.
Also is that Nguyen Quang Truong with you guys in the first picture? I would love to work with him one day.
Not, but it is his brother, Tao from Hanoi Museum of Natural History ;)
Mikhail F. Bagaturov
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Mikhail F. Bagaturov »

Hi!
fox cove 4 wrote:those newts are cool, how big are they?
It is known to grow over 20 cm of TL. The biggest mine is around 20.
Here you will find more pictures of the species:
http://tarantulas.tropica.ru/forum//ind ... topic=1475

And with the ruler.
Image
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DaveR
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by DaveR »

Very interesting Mikhail...Thanks.
Mikhail F. Bagaturov
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Mikhail F. Bagaturov »

Part 3. Pia Oac mountain, same Cao bang province, N. Viet Nam.
It is rather cool place situated at 1700 m above see level with cold nights, just 14-16 C and interesting faunas.
It is the place we found some other species of caudate - Tylototriton vietnamense. Unlike many others it is found to use small permanent pools for breeding.
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Underside picture
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Many other species of frogs, both ranid and rhacophorid are found in the area.

The one, veru huge, reported by locals to be a good meal - Paa boulengeri . Note the hard spines on the "breast" and front limbs - they can hurt really hard.
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Another one species, often found Limnonectes kuhli, subadult specimen
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Adult one.
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Adult with the stripe (form).
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Some orchid with fern.
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Small nice snake, Lycodon ruhstrati
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Another one, water dweller, thought to be an Enhydris plumbea, but i'm not sure.
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And a Viridovipera stejnegeri-group (possibly V. vogeli).
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Finally some skinks. Scincella reevesii
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And a female Tropidophorus cf. sinicus or hainanensis
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And again some frogs.
Awesome find, small beautiful frog Gracixalus (Philautus) gracilipes
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Philautus parvulus, adult male (still I'm wonder how i managed to make this shot with my camera of this dwarf frog)
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Other frogs from other places during our trip and not only.
Hylarana guentheri, Nguyen Bihn District, Cao Bang Province
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Hylarana maosoensis, an endemic frog.
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Megophrys lateralis, pair in the terrarium
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Giant Polypedates feae
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Laughing at my camera Rhacophorus rhodopus ;)
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That's all.
Hope you like these.
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Jason B
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Jason B »

Wow. I really enjoyed all the different frogs. The toe webbing on Racophorus kio looks fantastic. Thanks for posting the newts too. I love seeing pictures of caudates from different parts of the world.
Bob H
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Bob H »

Thanks for sharing.....great photos of animals that I had not seen before.
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frogshot
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by frogshot »

great to see this again, thank you....
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Dell Despain
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Re: ressurection N. VietNam 2009

Post by Dell Despain »

This is worth a bump. :beer:

Thanks for posting it again.

-Dell
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