# A Few From This Weekend's Hike & Dead Varanid ID?



## Palex134 (Mar 8, 2009)

Went for a quick, 6 hour, day hike on Saturday. Couldn't go for much longer due to Tropical Cyclone Hamish. Wasn't a herping trip, but I did manage a little luck. Saw some amphibs and some Carlia skinks, along with the herps pictured. 

Found this specimen floating face down in a steam. Wasn't too decomposed either. My guess is either Varanus tristis occidentalis or V. scalaris. I'm leaning towards the black headed/freckled. Found just outside of Townsville region. I'd say it measured around 30cm.






Found this live Dendrelaphis punctulata in a creek bed in the rain. 




One of the various frogs found as well




Watching Tropical Cyclone Hamish from the peak. 





Thanks,


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## moloch05 (Mar 8, 2009)

Looks like stormy conditions there. I don't think that I have ever been to Townsville when it looked that green.

I am not certain but think the DOR monitor is a tristis. Here is a photo of one from Mt. Elliot, just a little south of Townsville:






I think that the frog is an Ornate Burrowing Frog (Opisthodon ornatus). Here is one from Bowen:






Regards,
David


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## geckodan (Mar 8, 2009)

Yes, a lovely little tristis orientalis. Palex, this is almost an adult. Compare it to what you used to call orientalis in the states and its pretty obvious there aren't any true orientalis in the states.


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## Palex134 (Mar 8, 2009)

Thanks Dan&David for the ID's. Though I'd rather see a live Varanus, it was still physked to find it. I'm going to have to go explore the area some more and find some live monitors. Also the tree snake was my first aussie snake find, so that was exciting as well. 


Luckily, the storm passed us with little more then just some light rain.


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## Palex134 (Mar 9, 2009)

So last night while researching for my paper on introduced species, I had a small epiphany...

Is it possible the V. tristis could have died from ingesting a cane toad? I had seen plenty of adults and lots of tadpoles in the stream. I'm kicking myself now for not investigating the stomach contents, or at least checking inside the throat. There was no external damage on the monitor either, which is how I came to the idea.


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## Mudimans (Mar 9, 2009)

Wow palex, thats a great picture of the storm rolling in. Looks like a beautiful view.


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## herpkeeper (Mar 9, 2009)

cool pics ! the monitor is V. T. Orientalis


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## krusty (Mar 12, 2009)

love the pics of the black phase tree snake.


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## Mrs I (Mar 12, 2009)

Awesome cloud shot !


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## kupper (Mar 13, 2009)

it could be quiet possible that the tristis ingested a cane toad , oputunistic feeder


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## eipper (Mar 15, 2009)

its actually Platyplectrum ornatus

Cheers,
Scott


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