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These rocky habitats were good for lizards.
Outcrop Rock Skink (Liburnascincus mundivensis). I found several on rocks at the mouth of a cave.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ndivensis1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ndivensis2.jpg
Chillagoe Litter Skink (Lygisaurus rococo). This little skink is only found at Chillagoe. They seem to be crepuscular.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...arococo1-1.jpg
Lined Rainbow-Skink (Carlia jarnoldae). Males are particularly colourful.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ajarnoldi2.jpg
Lively Rainbow Skink (Carlia vivex)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...rliavivex2.jpg
One of the Snake-eyed Skinks (Cryptoblepharus sp.)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...blepharus1.jpg
Barsided Skinks were often seen near the entrance or within caves. I think that these are Northern Barsided Skinks (Eulamprus brachysoma) but am not certain of the identification.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...Eulamprus1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...Eulamprus2.jpg
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We saw a few of the Two-lined Dragons (Diporiphora bilineata). These were often tame and allowed close approach. The one below was watching something between Andrew and I. It then hopped off the rock, ran to our feet and captured a walking stick that we had disturbed. It ate this while standing right at our feet.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...bilineata1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...bilineata2.jpg
At night, Ring-tailed Geckos (Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus) were abundant on the rocks. These could be quite large.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...iledGecko1.jpg
We found a single Northern Velvet Gecko (Oedura castelnui), a really beautiful species.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...castelnui3.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...castelnui4.jpg
New to me was a Zigzag Velvet Gecko (Oedura rhombifer).
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...hombifera1.jpg
Prickly Geckos (Heteronotia binoei) were fairly common. I also saw a single Nactus chevreti but do not have a photo.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...tiabinoei1.jpg
... Andrew's shot of another:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...oei2Andrew.jpg
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The entrances to caves attracted large numbers of butterflies. Most of these were Common Crows (Euploea core) but I also saw a few Two-brand Crows (Euploea sylvester)and Lined Grass-Yellows.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...e/habitat3.jpg
Common Crow (Euploea core)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ommonCrow1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ommonCrow3.jpg
... one perched on snake skin, probably that of a Spotted Python (Antaresia maculosa)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ommonCrow2.jpg
Two-brand Crow (Euploea sylvester)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...brandCrow1.jpg
Lined Grass-Yellow (Euema laeta). These were shy and invariably landed where they were at least partly hidden by dry grass.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...nedYellow1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ss-Yellow2.jpg
Lurcher (Yoma sabina). Only observed once when it stopped briefly on the trail.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...inaLucher1.jpg
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Uncle David, blue 2 is a slightly tattered Ciliate Blue. There is a black spot beside the "blue fur" on the hindwing, no spot on the hindwing cell. There is also a small orange spot surround the black hindwing tornal spot.:cheers: Sorry can't help id blue 1. I'm very confused with Lycaeninae.:mad2:
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1st lycaenid is very likely Nacaduba berenice berenice.:)
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Thanks very much for the help, Brian and Aaron. It is great to have help with these from guys in Singapore!
Brian, I was also thinking that to be one of the Ciliate Blues. I think that Pale Ciliate-Blue (Anthene lycaenoides) was the more likely.
Aaron, I reached the same conclusion. I think blue1 was a Large Purple Line-Blue (Nacaduba berenice).
After Chillagoe, my friends and I shifted out to Georgetown. Georgetown is an gold-mining town at the base of Cape York. One of these abandoned mines has a dam that can be quite good for some of the northern birds. I also wanted to see if the Merten's Water Monitors were still along the creek where I found them 5 years ago.
The drive out passed through dry country. I usually stop at this creek since it is usually good for a variety of lizards.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...n/habitat2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...n/habitat1.jpg
I checked this pool again and found Merten's Water Monitors (Varanus mertensi). They were here on a herping trip back in 2007. This was pleasing since Cane Toads were abundant. The monitors have obviously learned not to eat the toxic pests.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...n/habitat3.jpg
We stopped initially in the afternoon. The temperture was in the low 40s so was too hot to see much. It did not take long, though, to find a couple of these.
Merten's Water Monitors (Varanus mertensi)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...erMonitor1.jpg
Then next day, we stopped by earlier in the morning and found these while they were still heating up. One of them gaped but I don't know whether this was a threat or part of its thermoregulatory behaviour.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...erMonitor4.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...erMonitor2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...erMonitor3.jpg
As long as we moved slowly, the monitor would allow us to approach for photos.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...wn/Andrew1.jpg
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These little Shaded-litter Rainbow Skinks (Carlia munda) were abundant.
male:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...arliamunda.jpg
female:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...iamunda2-1.jpg
These Kapoks or Silk Cotton Trees (Bombax sp.) were fruiting. Red-winged Parrots were ripping into the seed pods. Red-wings were gorgeous birds in flight with the lime-green bodies and scarlet wing patch.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...mbaxAndrew.jpg
male Red-winged Parrot:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...gedParrot1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...edParrot1a.jpg
female:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...gedParrot2.jpg
Lousy shot but this was a lifer and one of the few species of butterflies that I saw in the Georgetown area.
Spotted Grass-Blue (Zizeeria karsandra)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...rass-Blue1.jpg
We went for a night drive but saw very little. The best find was this Curl Snake (Suta suta):
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3.../Sutasuta1.jpg
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We also found a couple of these Burton's Snake-Lizards (Lialis burtonis). They certainly vary in colour.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...sburtonis1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...sburtonis2.jpg
We saw a skinny "gecko" and stopped to find this nicely coloured Two-lined Dragon (Diporiphora bilineata).
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ilineatus2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ilineatus1.jpg
There was very little on the road. We finally decided to walk and had much better success. These small pythons were common. I am not certain about their identity. I assumed that they were Spotted Pythons (Antaresia maculosa) but when I look at the book, it seems that Stimson's (A. stimsoni) would also be possible. Most of these were found in ambush positions along a dry creek or in trees.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...amaculosa1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...amaculosa4.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...amaculosa5.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...amaculosa6.jpg
