# Gulf of Carpentaria, Qld



## smacdonald (May 24, 2009)

I've just returned from a trip to the Gulf of Carpentaria, north of Mount Isa. I think the highlights were the olive pythons (we found two) and _Cryptoblepharus zoticus_ (_Cryptoblepharus_ is my favourite skink genus), plus the bats.
Species marked with an asterisk (*) are ones which I hadn't before seen in the wild.
The only other reptile/amphibian species I saw but didn't photograph were _Ctenotus robustus_ and _Litoria coplandi_ and the ubiquitous cane toad.




Common tree snake (_Dendrelaphis punctulatus_)




Common tree snake (_Dendrelaphis punctulatus_)




Common tree snake (_Dendrelaphis punctulatus_)




Keelback (_Tropidonophis mairii_)




Keelback (_Tropidonophis mairii_)




Olive python (_Liasis olivaceus_)*




Olive python (_Liasis olivaceus_)*




Olive python (_Liasis olivaceus_)*




Black-headed python (_Aspidites melanocephalus_)




Black-headed python (_Aspidites melanocephalus_)




Children's python (_Antaresia childreni_)




Children's python (_Antaresia childreni_)




_Demansia quaesitor_*




Lesser black whipsnake (_Demansia vestigiata_)




Lesser black whipsnake (_Demansia vestigiata_)




Pale-striped ground gecko (_Lucasium immaculatum_)*




Bynoe's gecko (_Heteronotia binoei_)




Robust dtella (_Gehyra robusta_)*




Northern dtella (_Gehyra australis_)




Northern dtella (_Gehyra australis_)




Zigzag velvet gecko (_Oedura rhombifer_)*




Zigzag velvet gecko (_Oedura rhombifer_)*




Bar-shouldered ctenotus (_Ctenotus inornatus_)*




Bar-shouldered ctenotus (_Ctenotus inornatus_)*




Stripe-headed finesnout ctenotus (_Ctenotus striaticeps_)*




Leopard skink (_Ctenotus pantherinus_)




Leopard skink (_Ctenotus pantherinus_)




Straight-browed ctenotus (_Ctenotus spaldingi_)*




Gravelly-soil ctenotus (_Ctenotus lateralis_)*




Gravelly-soil ctenotus (_Ctenotus lateralis_)*




Northern bar-lipped skink (_Glaphyromorphus isolepis_)




Northern soil-crevice skink (_Proablepharus tenuis_)*




Common dwarf skink (_Menetia greyii_)




Metalic snake-eyed skink (_Cryptoblepharus metallicus_)*




Agile snake-eyed skink (_Cryptoblepharus zoticus_)*




Two-spined rainbox skink (_Carlia amax_)




Sharp-snouted delma (_Delma nasuta_)*




Sharp-snouted delma (_Delma nasuta_)*




Burton's legless lizard (_Lialis burtonis_)




Ring-tailed dragon (_Ctenophorus caudicinctus_)




_Amphibolurus temporalis_




Gilbert's dragon (_Amphibolurus gilberti_)*




Yellow-sided two-line dragon (_Diporiphora magna_)*




Yellow-sided two-line dragon (_Diporiphora magna_)*




Mertens' water monitor (_Varanus mertensi_)*




Mertens' water monitor (_Varanus mertensi_)*




Mertens' water monitor (_Varanus mertensi_)*




Mertens' water monitor (_Varanus mertensi_)*




_Litoria inermis_




_Cyclorana australis_




Watjulum frog (_Litoria watjulumensis_)




Roth's tree frog (_Litoria rothii_)




Ornate burrowing frog (_Platyplectrum ornatum_)




Stonemason toadlet (_Uperoleia lithomoda_)*




Northern spadefoot toad (_Notaden melanoscaphus_)*




Northern spadefoot toad (_Notaden melanoscaphus_)*




Northern spadefoot toad (_Notaden melanoscaphus_)*




Northern spadefoot toad (_Notaden melanoscaphus_)*




Northern spadefoot toad (_Notaden melanoscaphus_)*
The small black tubercle on the metatarsal gives this species its common name and species name.




Common rock-rat (_Zysomys argurus_)*




Large-footed myotis (_Myotis macropus_)*




Gould's wattled bat (_Chalinolobus gouldii_)




Orange leafnosed-bat (_Rhinonicteris aurantius_)*




Dusky leafnosed-bat (_Hipposideros ater_)*




Sandstone escarpment




Sandstone gorge


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## DDALDD (May 24, 2009)

Very impressive mate, looks like you had a good trip. Those bats are great!


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## redbellybite (May 24, 2009)

Really nice Stewart,have they given that Demansia qu.. a common name do you know?
and you gotta admit DV is a really dark looking one ...the bat pictures are gorgeous...


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## method (May 24, 2009)

Great stuff


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## Acrochordus (May 24, 2009)

Great stuff, looks like an awsome trip, did you found any new species you haven't found before..?, Thanks Tim.


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## W.T.BUY (May 24, 2009)

Wow sweet pics love the little ring tailed dragon.


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## smacdonald (May 24, 2009)

redbellybite said:


> have they given that Demansia qu.. a common name do you know?



Not that I'm aware of. So I've decided to officially name it the 'sombre whipsnake'. Here's some information about the species name:

"From the Latin noun quaesitor: a judge of the criminal court, alluding to the generally sombre appearance of the species, which lacks pale markings to the dark collar, and has a pale head; a secondary meaning (a searcher or seeker) alludes to the foraging ecology of the genus."




Acrochordus said:


> did you found any new species you haven't found before..?



Hi Tim,

Everything marked with an asterisk (*) is something I hadn't seen before.


Stewart


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## Acrochordus (May 24, 2009)

reptilesDownUnder said:


> Hi Tim,
> 
> Everything marked with an asterisk (*) is something I hadn't seen before.
> 
> ...


 Sweet well you find allot of new species then, Thanks Tim.


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## justbrad (May 24, 2009)

great work there, thanks for sharing your pictures! so jelous, would love to head up that way! cheers, brad.


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## herpkeeper (May 24, 2009)

awesome stuff !!!


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## redbellybite (May 24, 2009)

well sounds good Stewart that common name  ..."sombre whipsnake it is ..."


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## pythons73 (May 24, 2009)

What awesome photos Stewart,those Olives,what size were they.The Gilberts and Yellow sided two lined Dragons are really impressive,first time ive seen them....Great stuff...


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## Vixen (May 24, 2009)

LOVE the leafnose bats. Great photos, the leopard skink is amazing to.


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## Lozza (May 24, 2009)

Great pics Stewart! Love the pic of the mertens just hanging in the water. 
LOL at the Leopard Skink pose :lol:


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## ad (May 24, 2009)

Some amazing pics, thanks for sharing them, great work! 
Cheers
Adam


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## tooninoz (May 24, 2009)

Thanks for sharing the pictures - looks like a great trip up north.
cheers


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## lozza_rae (May 24, 2009)

You didn't come to Weipa!!


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## smacdonald (May 24, 2009)

lozza_rae said:


> You didn't come to Weipa!!



Not yet! It's still on my list of places to visit! This recent trip was on the other side of the Gulf, towards the NT.


Stewart


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## smacdonald (May 24, 2009)

pythons73 said:


> those Olives,what size were they.



Someone did measure the one I photographed, but I can't remember the exact length. It was probably around 1.8 metres.


Stewart


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## Pujols (May 24, 2009)

Nice pics mate!!! To me the childreni in the second picture looks more like a stimpsons...


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