# Wildlife Photo Collection



## Gruni (Dec 9, 2012)

I had a look through my folders and discovered that I had more wild herp pics than I realised and thought I'd throw them in here together. I know some of the species but not all but I'm happy to just post them and see how many can be identified by the experts in here... something I am far from being. 

Oh and for the copyright Nazi's, these are taken either by me or by my father when he is trapsing about as a grey nomad.

Where possible I will try to give you the locales as best as I can.

#1 Lemon Tree Flat near Ashford Nth NSW.











#2 The Gorge below Moogerah Dam, near Aratula.















#3 Pindari Dam near Ashford Nth NSW















#4 Pindari Dam










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Some more...
#5 Lemon Tree Flat.















#6 Porcupine Gorge NP near Hughenden Nth Qld, between Townsville and Mt Isa.















#7 Near Douglas Hot Springs NT, NW of Catherine (Sth of Hayes Creek)


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## Monitors_R_Us (Dec 9, 2012)

Love the Varanus varius local.


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## Stuart (Dec 9, 2012)

Fantastic photos mate, what an experience for the young ones


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## Gonemad (Dec 9, 2012)

Some great photos Gruni


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## Gruni (Dec 9, 2012)

Monitors_R_Us said:


> Love the Varanus varius local.



Do me a favour and add the common name as I'm a latin pleb... :lol:

Oh and they are two different specimens but from within 40km of each other.


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## Monitors_R_Us (Dec 9, 2012)

Gruni said:


> Do me a favour and add the common name as I'm a latin pleb... :lol:


Lace monitor, but Varanus varius just sounds sexier .


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## Gruni (Dec 9, 2012)

I edited my last post but you had already posted... they are two different specimens but from within 40km of each other.


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## JrFear (Dec 9, 2012)

awesome find mate thanks for sharing!
makes me look forward to herping to see some of these animals in the wild!


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## Pseudo (Dec 9, 2012)

Some nice stuff there, that Black-headed python is hideous though!


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## Gruni (Dec 9, 2012)

Yaeh I thought that too, I would have brought it home and hidden it from the world so no other tourists would be forced to view such horror if I'd been with mum and dad when they found it. 

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Bit disappointed I thought someone would have jumped in and given an ID for specimen one and four...


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## thomasssss (Dec 10, 2012)

nice pics that second lacies a nice one , excuse my ignorance but whats that big mumma of a snake second from the bottom with the black head , i would say bhp but im a bit unsure for some reason the head doesn't look right and his really brown


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## Gruni (Dec 10, 2012)

It is a BHP, it just has a very dark body pattern and dorsal stripe. It was quite a large specimen from what dad tells me.


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## Darlyn (Dec 10, 2012)

Great shots Gruni well done and thanks for sharing


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## Gruni (Dec 10, 2012)

Cheers Darlyn, as I said earlier, I'm a bit disappointed I thought someone would have jumped in and given an ID for specimen one and four...


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## eipper (Dec 10, 2012)

The laying dragon is Diporophora sp and the gecko is Nebulifera robusta


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## Gruni (Dec 11, 2012)

Why am I not surprised that it would be you Scott to just come in and nail it. 

I didn't know the gecko was a Robust Gecko until someone else gave me an ID for it. The gorgeous little dragon is known locally as a Tommy Round Head but is also called a Two Lined Dragon apparently (Diporiphora Australis).


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## Endeavour (Dec 11, 2012)

Some great shots there mate enjoyed looking through those.


Kindest regards


Endeavour


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## Gruni (Dec 11, 2012)

I forgot to mention too... The Olive is a sad story, it was long enough to span most of both lanes of the highway when dad saw him. He'd not long managed to take the pic and was contemplating options when a scrag in a Landy barreled down on him and made no effort to slow down or anything. Dad could have chased her down and throttled her on the spot! :evil:


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## Gruni (Dec 14, 2012)

Some more stuff...

Merten's Water Monitor N.T.Borroloola Gulf of Carpentaria.





Merten's Water MonitorW.A. Bungle Bungle Range.





Shingleback Lizard W.A.Morawa S.E.of Geraldton.





Robust Gecko, Pindari Dam, near Ashford Nth NSW.





Freshwater Crocodile W.A. Mary River 108 km W of halls Creek.





Estuarine Crocodile N.T. Victoria River 20 km N of Timber Creek.





Cunningham's skink QLD.Girraween N.P.





Eastern Water Skink Brisbane.





Common brown snake QLD.Lake Wivenhoe, this guy made his way straight through dads annexe while they were camping at the dam.





Ring-tailed Dragon W.A. Halls Creek (possibly).


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## Rob (Dec 14, 2012)

Awesome pics Gruni, thanks for sharing !


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## Miss-Mac (Dec 14, 2012)

Hey Gruni, adore all the photos mate, hope you've got some more to post. Just thought I should let you know that 'Leaftail' is actually a Robust Velvet Gecko though.


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## Gruni (Dec 14, 2012)

Ah, I'll let dad know. He has gone to quite a bit of trouble to ID them for his album.

I think that will be all. I can get pics of other wildlife though like eagles etc, just that this pretty much does it for the herps.


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## Stuart (Dec 14, 2012)

You have some great pics there buddy, well done


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## Gruni (Dec 14, 2012)

LMAO... that 'leaftail' is actually one of *my* pics that I sent dad for his collection and is another shot of the one in the first lot of pics. :lol:


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## Chanzey (Dec 14, 2012)

Might have to check the last one aswell


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## Gruni (Dec 14, 2012)

Chanzey said:


> Might have to check the last one aswell



Feel free to give me a correction on the ID. I was just taking dad's word for his research.

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Yep just Goggled it and it definitely isn't a Bynoe's Gecko... anyone got a correct answer for me?


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## Chanzey (Dec 14, 2012)

No sorry I do not.


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## Miss-Mac (Dec 14, 2012)

Chanzey said:


> Might have to check the last one aswell



I totally missed the name on that one, I don't know what that is, but I know it isn't a gecko xD



Gruni said:


> LMAO... that 'leaftail' is actually one of *my* pics that I sent dad for his collection and is another shot of the one in the first lot of pics. :lol:



Don't you love it when that happens! I hate it when I take a photo of something but then when I look at it again (the photo) I can't tell what it is


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## Adsell (Dec 15, 2012)

The Copper-tailed Skink from Brisbane is actually an Eastern Water Skink
Ads


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## Gruni (Dec 15, 2012)

Cheers Ads, Bluetongue1 pm'd me with some info about one of the others too so I'll edit the headings on the pics shortly. Apparenty the Tommy Roundhead is a female who has just dug out the burrow so she can lay eggs. Dad seems to have a knack for finding stuff like that as the EWD is also in full colour ready for breeding.

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I pass on the corrections to dad as he keeps a record of all his pics.


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## thomasssss (Dec 15, 2012)

the skink thats labeled an eastern water skink is the exact type i have living in my front yard , i was told they where golden bar skinks? probably wrong though , the funny thing is though that there isnt any large bodies of water anywhere near by and they have clearly made a colony as theyve been there for years in large numbers


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## Gruni (Dec 15, 2012)

Dad said that up in Logan/Brisbane everyone calls them Coppertail Skinks, but I just Googled some images and the Coppertails have a defined stripe down their flank where as the Eastern Wter Skink has a speckled side which dad's example clearly has. I cant even get a hit searching for Golden Bar Skink, at best I get a Golden Skink and it is very different.


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## thomasssss (Dec 15, 2012)

Gruni said:


> Dad said that up in Logan/Brisbane everyone calls them Coppertail Skinks, but I just Googled some images and the Coppertails have a defined stripe down their flank where as the Eastern Wter Skink has a speckled side which dad's example clearly has. I cant even get a hit searching for Golden Bar Skink, at best I get a Golden Skink and it is very different.


yea ive never been able to find anything on golden bar skinks myself , which is why i think the name i was always told was wrong , there the exact same as the skink you've shown but with the goldy yellow stripe either side then spots or freckles below it with the same bronze top , ive been watching them a bit lately they've got some funny little quirks , im constantly seeing them doing this head buzz thing not sure what they do it for though


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## Gruni (Dec 15, 2012)

Maybe you should get a good pic of one and chuck it up for an ID it may not be an Eastern Water Skink.


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## thomasssss (Dec 15, 2012)

Gruni said:


> Maybe you should get a good pic of one and chuck it up for an ID it may not be an Eastern Water Skink.


problem with that is my sisters got the cannon with her in bali until my mum goes over in january so all ive got is a crappy phone camera , your pic is pretty clear and identical to the ones i see so unless theres to different types that are near identical (which is also very possible) id say there the same


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## Gruni (Dec 15, 2012)

Most of my pics are just taken with my 8MPX Olympus point and shoot and dad's werent taken with anything overly flash either. My Galaxy Phone has and 8MPX camera so it actually takes good photos.


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## thomasssss (Dec 15, 2012)

Gruni said:


> Most of my pics are just taken with my 8MPX Olympus point and shoot and dad's werent taken with anything overly flash either. My Galaxy Phone has and 8MPX camera so it actually takes good photos.


yea this is just a Nokia thats been through hell and back , trust me the pics it takes are CRAP , we've got a little point and shoot around somewhere it just doesn't get used since we've had the cannon 50d , ill see if i can find it


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## Gruni (Dec 17, 2012)

Endeavour said:


> Some great shots there mate enjoyed looking through those.
> 
> 
> Kindest regards
> ...



With what you were saying about the popularity of BHP's in the UK, the one on the walking track is a great example of the contrast of patterns as he is probably the darkest one I have seen so far. 

I think you'll like the new pics too the Mertens monitor is a bit of a stunner.


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## eipper (Dec 17, 2012)

Eastern or Golden Water Skink Eulamprus quoyii is what is pictured. While they are found more commonly near water bodies it is not essential. 

Copper tailed Skinks Ctenotus taeniolatus are striped, smaller than E. quoyii and live in generally drier locations. Having said that I have found both sp within 100m of each in Logan and Greenbank.

cheers
scott


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## thomasssss (Dec 17, 2012)

eipper said:


> Eastern or Golden Water Skink Eulamprus quoyii is what is pictured. While they are found more commonly near water bodies it is not essential.
> 
> Copper tailed Skinks Ctenotus taeniolatus are striped, smaller than E. quoyii and live in generally drier locations. Having said that I have found both sp within 100m of each in Logan and Greenbank.
> 
> ...


cheers ive probably been told they where golden water skinks than my mind just added the bar part for some reason


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## Gruni (Dec 17, 2012)

eipper said:


> Eastern or Golden Water Skink Eulamprus quoyii is what is pictured. While they are found more commonly near water bodies it is not essential.
> 
> Copper tailed Skinks Ctenotus taeniolatus are striped, smaller than E. quoyii and live in generally drier locations. Having said that I have found both sp within 100m of each in Logan and Greenbank.
> 
> ...




Is there a difference between a Golden Water skink and an Eastern Water skink?


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## eipper (Dec 17, 2012)

No difference other than the common name. This is why I prefer to give the scientific name and then the person can then copy and paste into google to get a common name


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## Gruni (Dec 17, 2012)

Thanks Scott.


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## XKiller (Dec 17, 2012)

I went through my photos afew mounths ago as a lot I've never bothered to look at and found meny animals I couldent remember photographing quoil was the most shocking...


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## Gruni (Dec 22, 2012)

Well I found two pics I missed before but more to the point I have a lizard I need an I.D. for...

Firstly the Land Mullet from Springbrook SE Qld.











And now the I.D. puzzle. You guys said the lizard from earlier was a Ring-Tailed Dragon, dad got some pics of this guy from Moora area north of Perth WA. The tail doesn't seem to be as slender as the other one and I'm not convinced about the head shape but dad was led to believe this guy is the same species. So the question is... is it a Ring-Tailed too?


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## eipper (Dec 23, 2012)

Ctenophorus reticulatus by the looks of it


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## Xeaal (Dec 23, 2012)

These are great photos! That monitor really wanted to hang out with you guys at the camp


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## Gruni (Dec 23, 2012)

Thanks Scott, I looked at some of the online images for Western Netted Dragons (Ctenophorus reticulatus) and there is such a colour range in them... there are some that make this one look drab. 

Dad was saying that there were two of them in the burrow at the time so I'm guessing a mating pair. 

Thanks Xeaal, they are real cheeky characters, we have had them wonder into camp and pinch stuff from right next to you while you are distracted. They have a real soft spot for chicken eggs and they don't mind a bit of bacon to go with it.


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## Bluetongue1 (Dec 23, 2012)

A female Reticulated Dragon (C. reticulates), like Scott said, and she looks gravid. The colour you see is typical of adults but the male quickly passes through this phase even before it is sexually mature. Males colour up with red and sometimes greens as well, during the breeding season and can be quite specly. Hence you do not see many photos of non-breeding males, females or juveniles. 



thomasssss said:


> the skink thats labeled an eastern water skink is the exact type i have living in my front yard , i was told they where golden bar skinks? probably wrong though , the funny thing is though that there isnt any large bodies of water anywhere near by and they have clearly made a colony as theyve been there for years in large numbers


 
The Eastern Water Skink belongs to the genus Eulampres (Sphenomorphus before that). This group currently has 15 members, of which about half have the term “bar-sided” in their common name. A few more have that pattern but are named after people, rather than their appearance. Consequently, the group is sometimes referred to as the “Bar-sided Skinks”. The more acceptable group name, which still is not entirely correct, is “Water Skinks”.

The main issue with common names is there is no decision making body in control and they vary from place to place. The ‘Shingleback’ along the east coast is called a ‘Bogeye’ along much of the western slopes and ranges, the ‘Sleepy Lizard’ in much of South Australia and a ‘Bobtail’ in WA. There are several other names applied, rather more spasmodically, such as ‘Two-headed Lizard’, ‘Pinecone Lizard’, ‘Stumpy –tailed Lizard’ or Stump-tailed Lizard.


Love the shots of the Merten’s. The second shot reminds me of the lumbering gait of Komodos and big Perenties – really prehistoric looking.

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eipper said:


> Eastern or Golden Water Skink Eulamprus quoyii is what is pictured. While they are found more commonly near water bodies it is not essential.
> 
> Copper tailed Skinks Ctenotus taeniolatus are striped, smaller than E. quoyii and live in generally drier locations. Having said that I have found both sp within 100m of each in Logan and Greenbank.
> 
> ...


I did a lot of herping in southern Sydney when I growing up. Cannot recall find finding water skinks or copper-tails within cooee of each other. The water skinks were always in the valleys near the water and the coppertails were located on rock shelves on or near ridge lines. Same thing with RBB’s and yellow-faced whips. 
Many years on my brother bought an acreage at Wedderburn, about 10 km on from Campbelltown. I gave a hand establishing things. We used rock without cement or railway sleepers as retaining walls. One time when visiting in summer, I was relaxing outside enjoying the ambience of nature. The next thing I know this rather large eastern water skink popped out from between some sleepers, about three metres away from his fish pond. I called my brother and he said he often saw two or three sunning themselves on the rocks overlying the pond. The pond was built to be visible from indoors so he was able to observe them without disturbance. About half an hour later I was in the front of the house and saw a couple of copper-tails and a Jacky lizard. They disappeared back into the rock work when I got too close and the Jacky into a shrub. 
I would estimate the house to be at least one kilometre from the nearest drainage line. 

I have seen both water skinks and young water dragons in the rocks at the edge of the beach. The rocks actually copped the spray from the surf. It seemed decidedly strange at the time. However, when I thought about it, this would provide a humid environment linking one drainage system to the next, allowing for the expansion of occupied range. Just a thought.

Blue


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## thomasssss (Jan 15, 2013)

Bluetongue1 said:


> The Eastern Water Skink belongs to the genus Eulampres (Sphenomorphus before that). This group currently has 15 members, of which about half have the term “bar-sided” in their common name. A few more have that pattern but are named after people, rather than their appearance. Consequently, the group is sometimes referred to as the “Bar-sided Skinks”. The more acceptable group name, which still is not entirely correct, is “Water Skinks”.
> 
> The main issue with common names is there is no decision making body in control and they vary from place to place. The ‘Shingleback’ along the east coast is called a ‘Bogeye’ along much of the western slopes and ranges, the ‘Sleepy Lizard’ in much of South Australia and a ‘Bobtail’ in WA. There are several other names applied, rather more spasmodically, such as ‘Two-headed Lizard’, ‘Pinecone Lizard’, ‘Stumpy –tailed Lizard’ or Stump-tailed Lizard.



ok finally managed to snap a few pics ( as i haven't had a decent camera ) what would you say this guy is , theres heaps of them around my place , i commonly see 5 or more running around and this year theres been heaps of little bubs about so id say theyve had a good breeding season


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## Gruni (Jan 15, 2013)

Given the speckled sides I'd say they are Eastern Water Skinks the same as the one dad photographed.


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## Albino93 (Jan 15, 2013)

Yeh thats an eastern water skink, i found quite a few down here and wondered the same thing, so i asked on here and i was told the easiest way to tell is from the 2 yellow stripes going down the back/side.


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