# Triva - Fuscus's Ulitimate Creature Kontest



## Fuscus (Nov 16, 2003)

I think it is time for another triva contest.

One point per question. first to 10 points.
Questions will be posted at randon times but most questions will be posted after 9:00 Central daylight time.
I'll try and make the questions google - unfreindly !
Where a question asks for a species name, list style answers will be ignored :!: 
The important time is to have fun and learn things.

*Q1* Which australian reptile has recently become unextinct?


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2003)

rough scaled python? oelopelli rock python?


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## Alexahnder (Nov 16, 2003)

adelaide pygmy blue tongue. Tiliqua adaladensis


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## Fuscus (Nov 16, 2003)

Alexander scores the point. To be regarded as extinct an animal must not seen for about fifty years. The Adelaide Pygmy Blue-tongue didn't quite make that time frame - it was unseen from 1959 to 1993 when one was found in a road-killed brown snake!
Points
Alexander 1
Everyone else 0

*Q2* what is the oldest known living reptile in Australia? Give species and enough details to pinpoint the actual animal.


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## wattso (Nov 16, 2003)

The galapagos turtle at australia zoo. think its female.


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## Fuscus (Nov 16, 2003)

Yep, thats the animal, the galapagos TORTOISE at cricky zoo. It has an estimated age of 164 years.
Points 

Alexander 1 
Wattso 1 
Everyone else 0 
*Bonus Question (2 points)* what was the name of the (famous) ship that is reputed to have brought the animal to Australia?


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## Switch (Nov 16, 2003)

Boat


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## NoOne (Nov 16, 2003)

Titanic


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## Fuscus (Nov 16, 2003)

wrong and wrong!
If it makes it any easier, name the famous naturalist who was on board. Remember that the animal is over 160 years old so the naturalist is proberly now dead!


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## wattso (Nov 16, 2003)

Endevour?...Charles Darwin was on board??? :?


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## Parko (Nov 16, 2003)

Darwin


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## Switch (Nov 16, 2003)

id go with darwin too


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## wattso (Nov 16, 2003)

Wasnt Rene Rivkins boat, he had a cargo of worry beads!, mans innocent!  its been 25 yrs since i did that stuff at school...damn, teacher was righht i wasnt listening.......pinta...santa maria????....oh bugger.......


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## Fuscus (Nov 16, 2003)

The naturalist was Charles Darwin and the ship was the Beagle (Well, I thought it was famous. Perhaps I read too much Stephen Jay Gould). It was the trip in which he formulated the theory of evolution.
The Naturalist on board the Endevour was Joesph Banks. Wattso named Darwin first so he gets the points, even though he got the ship wrong.

Points 

Alexander 1 
Wattso 3 
Everyone else 0 

*Q3* Name the species of pythons whose natural range includes the state of South Australia. One species per member, one point per species. if you submit a list, I will only accept the first species listed and ignore the rest.


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## wattso (Nov 16, 2003)

Bredle?


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## Pinkie (Nov 16, 2003)

Antaresia stimsoni


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## wattso (Nov 16, 2003)

Woma also i think.


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## saikrett (Nov 16, 2003)

carpet?


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## Parko (Nov 16, 2003)

morelia metcalfei (darling carpet)


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## wattso (Nov 16, 2003)

common trouser snake? :lol:


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## ReptileRascals (Nov 16, 2003)

...


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## ReptileRascals (Nov 16, 2003)

...


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## ReptileRascals (Nov 16, 2003)

...


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## Switch (Nov 16, 2003)

Woma (Aspidites ramsayi)


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## Switch (Nov 16, 2003)

Black Head doesnt come down to SA according to Cogger, Sixth Edition


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## ReptileRascals (Nov 16, 2003)

...


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## ReptileRascals (Nov 16, 2003)

...


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## Switch (Nov 16, 2003)

Liasis Stimsoni


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## Pinkie (Nov 16, 2003)

> Q3 Name the species of pythons whose natural range includes the state of South Australia. One species per member, one point per species. if you submit a list, I will only accept the first species listed and ignore the rest.


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## Fuscus (Nov 16, 2003)

ARRRRHHHHH.
The two species are the woma (wattso) and the carpet (saikrett). It is actually the Murray-Darling sub-species but I did ask which SPECIES. We miss out on the bredi by a couple of hundred kilometers. I just double checked and Stimsons makes it 3 so Pinkie gets a point too. The Ehmann book (Aust Museum) has the stimsons range covering most of SA right down to Port Augusta and the Flinders Ranges (But I might take that with a grain os salt). I've never heard of _Antaresia Saxacola Cambelli_ nor can I find any references so we will regard that anwser wrong unless proved otherwise.

points

Alexander 1 
Wattso 4 
saikrett 1
Pinkie 1
Everyone else 0 

*Q whatever* Name the 2 sub species of the Carpet python whose range includes Victoria. Again one species per member, one point per species and only the first answer accepted.


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## wattso (Nov 16, 2003)

morelia spilota varigata


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## Brodie (Nov 16, 2003)

Diamond python


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## Switch (Nov 16, 2003)

Murry Darling (Inland) and Diamond


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## ReptileRascals (Nov 16, 2003)

...


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## ReptileRascals (Nov 16, 2003)

...


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## NoOne (Nov 16, 2003)

Hey wattso, varigata is a darwin carpet.


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## Alexahnder (Nov 16, 2003)

South Western and diamond


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## wattso (Nov 16, 2003)

Um..oh well No-one, Darwin/victoria.....its just down the road mate


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## saikrett (Nov 16, 2003)

Diamond
coastal


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## Fuscus (Nov 16, 2003)

First off I have to make a scoring correction  As has been pointed out to me, the rules for Q3 I stated said that one species per member so wattso used up his turn with his Bredi answer. Sorry mate, I have to drop a point off you and award it to switch. I'll report to the whipping post ASAP 


Now the _Antaresia Saxacola Cambelli_ question. There is a paper here http://www.smuggled.com/pytrev1.htm that confirms what RR said BUT it is NOT a subspecies of stimsoni but a seperate species. So RR scores a point.

The corrected points are

Alexander 1 
*Wattso 3* 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 1 
*Switch 1*
*Reptile Rascals 1*

Everyone else 0 

_ And I thought this was going to be easy. Its not a good week to try and stop sniffing glue _. 


Now the answer to the Victorian carpet snake question is the Murray-Darling (M s metcalfei) and the Diamond (M s spilota) so Brodie scores for the Diamond. By the (self-inflicted) rules Switch first answer was the Murray-Darling.
A number of people answered the coastal, its range is the QLD coast and the northern NSW coast.

So points are now

Alexander 1 
b.Wattso 3
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 1 
Switch 2
Reptile Rascals 1
Brodie 1 
Everyone else 0 

Now that thats settled here is the next question.

There is a town called Springbook in QLD. It is up in the mountains behind the Gold Coast. In that area is a snake the locals call the "Yellow bellied black snake". Its colors are, um, black with a yellow belly. It is also a color variety of a wild spread and varible species of snake. What is the name of that snake?
Normal rules - One species per member, one point per species and only the first answer accepted.


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## Belinda (Nov 16, 2003)

NT Water Python/ water python?


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## ReptileRascals (Nov 16, 2003)

...


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## Switch (Nov 16, 2003)

Is it venomous?


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## Belinda (Nov 16, 2003)

Lol...I dun think hes gonna give clues


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## Switch (Nov 16, 2003)

Black Whip Snake (Demansia atra) referenced from Cogger 6th Edition, just so i dont get in sh*&


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## Fuscus (Nov 16, 2003)

I'll give a clue in the morning if the question hasn't been answered correctly.


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## Switch (Nov 16, 2003)

I did edit my post, it originally was Murry Darling and Coastal and I changed Coastal to Diamond, sorry.....should have re posted not edited.
Doesnt affect anything anyways


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## wattso (Nov 16, 2003)

yellow face whip snake?


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## wattso (Nov 16, 2003)

keelback?


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## marc (Nov 16, 2003)

pigmy blue tongue


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## snakehunter (Nov 16, 2003)

one-eyed trouser snake?


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## Fuscus (Nov 17, 2003)

The one-eyed trouser snake has reared its ugly head again 
HINTS : the animal is a colubrid, the second part of the scientific name means spotted but the average animal has no spots. There is a spotted morph, a golden morph and the *standard green/yellow morph*. It is the most common snake in Brisbane and is able to fit between the bars of a budgie cage. Finally it is offered for sale on one of the major Aussie reptile sites


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## Pinkie (Nov 17, 2003)

Common Tree snake? Dendrelaphis punctulatis?

I saw a black morph with a white belly up here


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## Brodie (Nov 17, 2003)

I have seen a blue morph as well


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## Whaa (Nov 17, 2003)

green tree snake


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## Morelia_man (Nov 17, 2003)

coastal taipan


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## roadkill5000 (Nov 17, 2003)

tiger snake


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## Alexahnder (Nov 17, 2003)

brown tree snake.

There is a photo of one in AUstralian Snakes a natural history fitting through a bird cage


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## jake0476 (Nov 17, 2003)

i would have to agree with wattso
morelia bredli (centralian carpet python)


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## jake0476 (Nov 17, 2003)

oops i answered the last question on the home page


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## saikrett (Nov 17, 2003)

death Adder


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## Morelia_man (Nov 17, 2003)

what about the yellow bellie black snake??


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## Fuscus (Nov 17, 2003)

WooHoo - Pinkie got it. The common tree snake or as we used to call it the green tree snake, which is a lousy name as you normally see it on the ground and is only occasionally green. The black morph with a white belly sounds interesting. I wonder just how many color morphs this animal has (NOTE : that is not the question). I have another morph question but I might save it for later

Alexander 1 
b.Wattso 3 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 1 
Everyone else 0 

*Q*Which goanna species has the most southern most population?


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## snakehunter (Nov 17, 2003)

lace monitor


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## Fuscus (Nov 17, 2003)

SnakeHunter got it. According to cogger the animal is found as far south as Wilsons Prom, the southern most part of mainland Australia

Alexander 1 
b.Wattso 3 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 1 
SnakeHunter 1
Everyone else 0 

*Q* What is the only species of goanna found on Kangaroo Island? (HINT : it is not the Lace Monitor)


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## Morelia_man (Nov 17, 2003)

rosenbergs goanna?


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## Brodie (Nov 17, 2003)

spencers monitor


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## Fuscus (Nov 17, 2003)

Point to Morelia man. Six minutes between question and answer. Looks like you guys deserve a harder question.

Alexander 1 
Wattso 3 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 1 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1
Everyone else 0 

*Q* The rosenbergs goanna has a behavioral adaption that allows it to breed in the cold of KI. What is it?


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## ackie (Nov 17, 2003)

damn u mm!!
can i get half a mark for saying heath monitor and varanus rosenbergi


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## ackie (Nov 17, 2003)

forget that last comment....
the rosenbergs goannas lay their eggs in termite mounds which acts as a sort of natural incubator, keeping the eggs at the perfect temperature.


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## Fuscus (Nov 17, 2003)

Ackie got the question mostly right so he can score the point. According to Ehmann (Aust Museum) The eggs generally don't hatch until exposed to sun. The hypothesis is that the young cannot dig themselves out of the termite mounds and require being dug out by a gravid female.

Alexander 1 
Wattso 3 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 1 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 1
Everyone else 0 
This is the last question for tonight and its a hard one! I'll give two points .
*Q* The morph question. I first went to the Girraween National Park near Stanthorpe on the QLD/NSW border about four years ago. The park has these large granite monoliths with are fairly major climbs. The rocks near the camp site are called the pyramids and take about three hours to climb. Near the tops of these monoliths live colonies of Cunningham's Skink _ Egernia cunninghami _. These are a spectacular morph and I would really like a (leagally obtained) pair. I think they are called the New england morph. Can anyone tell me the head color of this animal?


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## wattso (Nov 17, 2003)

orange/red ..its sunburn! lol....nah too hard mate!


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## Brodie (Nov 17, 2003)

pass coz skinks r crap


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## africancichlidau (Nov 18, 2003)

Wattso beat me to it, Orange Red is correct


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## Alexahnder (Nov 18, 2003)

my cunninghams is a new england tablelands one. Its has a browny black head with a few orange blotches


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## Pinkie (Nov 18, 2003)

Skinx are not crap Brodie!


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## Fuscus (Nov 18, 2003)

I would have said bronze or gold but orange/red/sunburn is close enough, wattso scores. There is a couple of photos here -> http://150.101.58.70/thumbnails.php?id=Skink_Cunninghams_Skink&amp;num=02 . Is that animal the new england morph? If anyone visits the park, these skinks are really easy to find

Alexander 1 
Wattso 5 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 1 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 1 
Everyone else 0 

*Q*I have seen heaps of keelbacks _Tropidonophis marii_ in the wild but are careful with them and treat them as vemonous snakes. Why?


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## wattso (Nov 18, 2003)

They can be difficult to accuratly distinguish from T.Carinatus which is venomous and lethal.[appearance can be very close] They have a habit of thrashing about when caught and can lose the tail like somelizards. Incidently they can eat cane toads with no ill effect!


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## Fuscus (Nov 18, 2003)

wattso scores again. You can turn the snake upside down and check the sub caudal scales. the Keelback has divided (ie. 2 side by side scales) while the rough scale _T.Carinatus_ has undivided scales. This is not a recommended thing to do with possibly vemonous snakes and is proberly not the way to have a long and happy childhood.

Alexander 1 
Wattso 6 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 1 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 1 
Everyone else 0

*Q* what is really weird about the Fitzroy turtle _ Rheodytes leukops _? And I mean *really* weird!


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## wattso (Nov 18, 2003)

It can breath thru its cloaca [bum] lol


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## ackie (Nov 18, 2003)

the fitzroy turtle can breath through its **** by sucking water into the cloaca, then extracts oxygen from the water and squirts the water out again.
it does not bask.


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## africancichlidau (Nov 18, 2003)

There are a few people on here that can do that too 

This is not directed at any people in particular but is just a simple attempt at a little humour


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## wattso (Nov 18, 2003)

It breathes thru its bum but has trouble talking thru it! lol :twisted:


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## Fuscus (Nov 18, 2003)

Wattso again! Here I am thinking that I am asking questions that I am worried are too hard and they get answered in two minutes. The depth of knowleadge in this community is amazing. The turtle draws and expells water though its cloacal orifice 15 to sixty times a minute. It has vascularised pouches which serve as gills

Alexander 1 
Wattso 7 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 1 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 1 
Everyone else 0 

*Q* What reptile nests at a place called Mon repos?


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## wattso (Nov 18, 2003)

Turtles [sea] ?


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## Hawkeye (Nov 18, 2003)

Trouser snake that one.

Cheers Hawkeye


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## wattso (Nov 18, 2003)

nah, thats pubis mons ya thinkin of! lol


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## Slateman (Nov 19, 2003)

Turtles
Loggerhead 
Flatback and Green


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## marc (Nov 19, 2003)

green turtles


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## Fuscus (Nov 19, 2003)

Sorry guys, I had things to do in the real world.
When I asked the question I thought that there was only one turtle species that laid there - the loggerhead, so the slateman got the question (I really wanted a species name, wattso. sorry, mate)

Alexander 1 
Wattso 7 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 1 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 1 
Slateman 1
Everyone else 0 
Further research says that there are actually 4 species that nest at Mon Repos, Slateman has listed three.
*Q* What is the forth species of sea turtle that nests (or has nested) at Mon repos?
(HINT : it ain't the one eyed trouser turtle)


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## Brodie (Nov 19, 2003)

there isnt a fourth species?? haha no jj leather back turtles


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## wattso (Nov 19, 2003)

Olive ridley > this one is endangered
leatherback >not sure
hawksbill > this one i think also frequents mon repos


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## roadkill5000 (Nov 20, 2003)

the pygmy green or little green turtle


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## Slateman (Nov 20, 2003)

Sorry mate they are 4 of them turtles at Mon Repos include the loggerhead, flatback, green and leatherback.


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## Fuscus (Nov 20, 2003)

Brodie answered correctly. It is the leatherback and is the only place in eastern Australia they lay. Now for the horrible bit, during the 1980s no more than three females per year nested there. I don't know if the situation has improved

Alexander 1 
Wattso 7 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 2 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 1 
Slateman 1 
Everyone else 0 

*Q*Approxamtly how far south does the distrubution of the Frilled-neck Lizard extend?


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## ackie (Nov 20, 2003)

brisbane


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## Fuscus (Nov 20, 2003)

Bingo ackie. thought to be locally extinct until rediscovered near Greenbank Army Reseve and Bribie Island about 1990. There was a web site that claimed the animal was found in Lamington National Park which is on the NSW/QLD border

Alexander 1 
Wattso 7 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 2 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 2 
Slateman 1 
Everyone else 0 
*Q* The same bozos who introduced the cane toad to Australia also introduced it to Florida. The Americans call the cane toad by another name. what is it?


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## ackie (Nov 20, 2003)

giant toad


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## Brodie (Nov 20, 2003)

Giant Texas Toads


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## wattso (Nov 21, 2003)

"pain in the ass!" ........lol


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## Alexahnder (Nov 21, 2003)

marine toad


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## Fuscus (Nov 21, 2003)

Alexahnder scores the point. I have even seem them for sale on other websites 2 for $5 and get a third one free!!!

Alexander 2
Wattso 7 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 2 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 2 
Slateman 1 
Everyone else 0 

*Q* What is the current preferred habitat of the costal Taipan _Oxyuranus scutellatus_?


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## africancichlidau (Nov 21, 2003)

On the coast


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## Alexahnder (Nov 21, 2003)

cane fields.


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## Brodie (Nov 21, 2003)

abandoned animal burrows, especially burrow systems under roots and fallen timber; in hollow logs and rotted out fallen trunks' and in deep leaf litter (especially piles at the base of large trees).


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## Pinkie (Nov 21, 2003)

Dry sclerophyll forest and woodland, sometimes sugarcane fields.
Favours dense thickets and grassy slopes


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## Fuscus (Nov 21, 2003)

Alexander scores again. You will find the greatest concentration of taipan in cane fields, lots of cover, lots of cane rats and very little human activity. And now cane burning is becoming less common it is only good news for the snake. And if you want to see wild costal taipans, good luck. I haven't succeded yet. Here is a link to a Taipan photo I took at cricky zoo about four years ago
http://150.101.58.70/thumbnails.php?id=Snake_Taipan Nice snake but possibly a bit overfed.
And while we are on the subject a Member of the SA herp group just lot a taipan he had for 22 years.

Alexander 3 
Wattso 7 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 2 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 2 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 2 
Slateman 1 
Everyone else 0

*Q* what is the distribution of that much loved snake, the carpet python _Morelia spilota_?


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## Brodie (Nov 21, 2003)

St francis island in sa, thru the lower catchment regions of the Murry Darling basin in northern VIC and southern NSW to the east coast of northern NSW QLD, western NT and PNG


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## Pinkie (Nov 21, 2003)

Damn you Brodie lol


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## Pinkie (Nov 21, 2003)

Actually Brodie you forgot central Australia, southern bit of NT. And southern WA.


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## Brodie (Nov 21, 2003)

Bredl's not counted as a carpet is Morelia Bredl in my book!


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## Pinkie (Nov 21, 2003)

They arent either in mine!!!!!


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## Brodie (Nov 21, 2003)

so what carpet lives in southern NT?


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## Pinkie (Nov 21, 2003)

Well south west carpets live in Sth WA, which you missed (ner ner)

Dunno bout southern NT, but my book says so lol


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## Brodie (Nov 21, 2003)

hey dont give me that ner crap  anyway couldnt have piked a nicer person to prove me wrong


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## wattso (Nov 21, 2003)

the Darwin carpet!  (varigata)


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## Pinkie (Nov 21, 2003)

Alice Springs Carpet?  
who knows what they've got out there


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## Brodie (Nov 21, 2003)

naa watsso thats nth western NT which I put in


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## wattso (Nov 21, 2003)

1/4 point? lol


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## Pinkie (Nov 21, 2003)

> St francis island in sa, thru the lower catchment regions of the Murry Darling basin in northern VIC and southern NSW to the east coast of northern NSW QLD, western NT and PNG



Plus south WA!


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## africancichlidau (Nov 21, 2003)

And a couple in my snake room


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## Fuscus (Nov 21, 2003)

According to the cogger distubution map, 
WA isolated population in southwest WA, very top portion .
SA from about the streaky bay on the coast spreading west to cover the entire SA/NSW border its contuniation along the SA/QLD border.
VIC Along the murray from the SA border to about albury and the far east tip.
NSW all of the state except the alpine areas
Tasmania - nope
QLD - Almost all except the arid south west
NT - top third
PNG - havn't got an idea except its there.
No one got the entire range so if there are no objections by the morning I'll give a point each to

Brodie : who got most but forgot WA
Pinkie : who got southern WA
but what about wattsos answer? He is hinting northern NT by his answer "the Darwin carpet! (varigata)"

Meanwhile we will continue
*Q* How many species of tiger snakes are there?


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## Brodie (Nov 21, 2003)

six


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## Pinkie (Nov 21, 2003)

lol thanx fuscus how diplomatic of you


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## wattso (Nov 22, 2003)

*mainland tiger ~ notechis scutatas scutatas
*peninsula tiger ~ " ater niger
*chappel island tiger ~ " ater serventyi
* western tiger ~ " ater occidentalis
* king island/tazzy tiger ~ "ater humphreysi
* kreffts tiger ~ "ater ater
*trouser tiger ~ biggus thingus


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## Fuscus (Nov 22, 2003)

For the carpet python distrubtion question I've awarded 1 point each to brodie and pinkie and 1/2 to wattso

so the current points are

Alexander 3 
Wattso 7 1/2
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 3 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 3 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 2 
Slateman 1 
Everyone else 0

Now to the tiger snake question, no one has even got close so far and I think that people are a bit confused on how species are named so I'll give a breif tutorial. Most of this is based on the Zoological Names section in Coggers book "Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia". If you are into Australian reptles you should own this book. 

The *Simplistic* defination of species is a group of animals that are free to interbreed and produce viable, fertile offspring. It is a defination that you can easly poke holes in. Anyhow a guy comes in, does a bit of study and says "This is species A, this is species B" *. So each species gets a zooological or scientific name. The format of this name is subject to rigid rules set by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. The name consists of two, AND ONLY TWO, parts. The first part is the name of the genus the first letter is always captialized, and the second or specific name which is never captialized. Both names should be italicised. So an example of a few valid scientific names are
_Egernia major
Dendrelaphis punctulata
Morelia spilota
Liasis fuscus_

Now the species can be also divided into sub species - _ usually geographically distinct populations which are sufficiently differentiated in some features such as colour, patten of behaviour(???) to warrant distinguishing them from other populations or sub-species. Sub-species are regarded as incipent species, that is, they may develop into a seperate species or be reabsorbed into a more or less homogeneous species._
The name of a sub-species may be added to the genus/species combination to form a _trinomen_ or _trinomial_. That is geek talk for "stick a third word onto the end of the name". So if you see a name like _Morelia spilota variegata_ you know it is the _variegata_ sub-species or form of the species _Morelia spilota_.

So now that I have armed you guys with this knowleadge i'll repeat the question

Q How many species of tiger snakes are there? **


* Don't be fooled by the flippent tone, nomenclature is a difficult and thankless task, and one of the foundations of biological science.

** Brain hurts, need beer.


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## westhamsc (Nov 22, 2003)

6


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## ackie (Nov 22, 2003)

there r 7 species


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## wattso (Nov 22, 2003)

one species then ! notechis..................[/i]your_brain hurts?, HUH!  _


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## Brodie (Nov 22, 2003)

ummm I'll guess 4


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## Slateman (Nov 22, 2003)

2 species


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## Brodie (Nov 22, 2003)

Time to buy some new books me thinks! they gave me the wrong answer


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## Pinkie (Nov 22, 2003)

I'll guess 3 species


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## africancichlidau (Nov 22, 2003)

> Zoological Names section in Coggers book "Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia". If you are into Australian reptles you should own this book.



If I could find it I WOULD own it  I'll give ya ten bucks for yours Fuscus


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## Fuscus (Nov 22, 2003)

to africancichlidau - thanks for the offer but *NOWAY* 
Thank you slateman - there are only 2 species of tiger snakes (I can feel an arguement coming on, if you disagree please provide supporting data or urls)
_Notechis ater_ the black or island tiger snake and
_Notechis scutatus_ the eastern or mainland tiger snake.
Note that the island tiger snake is also found on the mainland and the mainland tiger can also be found on islands. KI has both species.
Now _Notechis ater_ has HEAPS of sub species such as
_Notechis ater ater_
_Notechis ater niger_
_Notechis ater humphreysi_
hence the confusion.
All should be clear if you read my previous rave on nomenclature. I can understand if you passed.

*Additional info can be found here *
http://www.avru.unimelb.edu.au/avruweb/Tiger.htm

Alexander 3 
Wattso 7 1/2 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 3 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 3 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 2 
Slateman 2 
Everyone else 0 

*Q* One for the south aussies. What is the scentific name for the common skink the South Australians call the sleepy lizard?


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## africancichlidau (Nov 22, 2003)

Trachydosaurus Rugosa


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## wattso (Nov 22, 2003)

shingleback/stumpytail Tiliqua rugosa


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## Slateman (Nov 23, 2003)

Tiliqua rugosa


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## Pinkie (Nov 23, 2003)

Tiliqua scincoides


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## Fuscus (Nov 23, 2003)

The sleepy Lizard is also called the shingleback or stumpytail. My photos of the animals are here

http://150.101.58.70/thumbnails.php?id=Skink_ShingleBack&amp;num=02

This will teach me not to be overconfident (actually it won't). Coggers book calls the lizard _Trachydosaurus Rugos*us*_ not _Trachydosaurus Rugosa_ as stated by African. I was going to award him the point but decided to wait to see if anyone got the spelling right. In the mean time I did some googling and found the following ;

The animal was originally called _Trachydosaurus Rugos*us*_ by Gray in 1825
In the late 1960s it *may* have been temporarly renamed _Tiliqua rugosa_
At some time in the 1970s it was renamed _Trachydosaurus Rugos*a*_ but some papers in the 1980s still refer to it as _Trachydosaurus Rugos*us*_ 
In the early 1990s it was again renamed to _Tiliqua rugosa_. This seems to be its accepted name from about 1995. Except the cogger 2000 edition calls it _Trachydosaurus Rugos*us*_ (AGGGHH)! The book was origanally published in 1975 and last revised in 1986 (but a revised appendix in 1996) so I assume that the name is an artifact from the original print.

from all this we can conclude a number of things
1/ the current name is _Tiliqua rugosa_
2/ Wattso got the point
3/ It is not a good week for me to try and stop sniffing glue!
4/ It is unlikly that I will ever ask a question about scientific names again. 


Alexander 3 
Wattso 8 1/2 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 3 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 3 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 2 
Slateman 2 
Everyone else 0 

WARNING Trick question - research your answer.
*Q* some snake species vemon is incompletley discribed as coagulant. This means that it affects the blood. How does it affect the blood?


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## wattso (Nov 23, 2003)

Venoms described as coagulant can be either coagulant, i.e clots blood or hemmorhagic i.e thins blood with anti coagulant enzyms.


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## wattso (Nov 23, 2003)

most have more hemmorhagic properties/enzyms which prevent platlets from sticking together, keeping the victimes blood thin in order to spread venom more effectivly.


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## africancichlidau (Nov 23, 2003)

Clots it


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## Switch (Nov 23, 2003)

yeh what he said


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## Fuscus (Nov 23, 2003)

Wattso is on the ball again and nearing the finish line. Come on every one, don't let him win.

Coagulant venom can be either pro-coagulant where the blood thickens so that it becomes difficult or impossible to pump around the body or anti-coagulant where the blood is thinned and unable to proform its function


Alexander 3 
Wattso 9 1/2 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 3 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 3 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 2 
Slateman 2 
Everyone else 0 

*Q* The inland taipan is th most venomous snake in the world when measured using the LD50 method. What is the LD50 method?


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## africancichlidau (Nov 23, 2003)

How many mice it will kill per set volume of venom


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## Slateman (Nov 23, 2003)

The LD50 (Lethal Dose, 50%) value is typically expressed in mg of material per kg of subject-body-weight
The Lethal Dose 50 (LD50) test involves the administration of a substance to a group of animals at increasing doses in order to determine the dose that kills 50 percent of the test subjects within a set time frame

It is not to acurate way of testing tox. but in case of taipan , who cares. this snake is way to deadly if that test is acurate or not.  .


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## Slateman (Nov 23, 2003)

I have just editing my answer and afro you sneeked infront . HA HA, By the way they use mice , or rats or other tested animals. Weight is the important factor.
LD50 do not have to be mice test only.


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## wattso (Nov 23, 2003)

LD50 test's, GRRRRRRRR! :evil: LD50 test is tried and true method of researchers to aquire gov grants whilst wasting taxpayers money! .......just my opinion  

"dont let wattso win"...........?  eat my dust trailblazers!


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## Fuscus (Nov 23, 2003)

The second part of slatemans answer is what I was looking for. The test animal normally used is mice. Since the inland Taipans prey is mainly mice and rats it is not surprising that it scores well. I remember seeing a doco which showed the inland hunting. It move though the burrows until it finds the nesting chamber. If it is lucky there are a number of rodents trapped there. It then will strike at any thing that moves, which is normally a panicing rodent. Putting these animals down quickly is important as they can serverly hurt the snake. The snake will then consume as many bodies as it can find.

Of course, the LD50 method does not tell the whole story regarding snakes and humans. First off is the fact "Mice are not little people". Other factors include the amount of venom, the delivery appartus and the personality of the snake.

Alexander 3 
Wattso 9 1/2 
saikrett 1 
Pinkie 3 
Switch 2 
Reptile Rascals 1 
Brodie 3 
SnakeHunter 1 
Morelia man 1 
ackie 2 
Slateman 3 
Everyone else 0 

*Q* While we are on the subject of snake bite, which snake kills the most people per year? NOTE : It is not an Australian species.


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## Brodie (Nov 23, 2003)

Cobra


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## wattso (Nov 23, 2003)

sri lanken russel's viper ~ russelli russelli attributed the highest annual; death rate per capita. Dont move to sri lanka!


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## wattso (Nov 23, 2003)

Thats Daboia ruselli ruselli .


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## Slateman (Nov 23, 2003)

I think that cobra, but i will do some investigation


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## Fuscus (Nov 23, 2003)

We have a winner
wattso


Well done and thanks to all who particpated or just watched from the sidelines.

The russell's viper is wide spread from Pakistan to East Timor. I think it is also found in east Afica. It likes to live near humans but is a ready biter. Combine that with the fact that light footware is normal in those areas and medical help is often distant then its killing power is increased. Most people recover however, about 9% of bites prove fatal.

Now how did I do?
Was I great  
Was I ordinary :? 
or was I lousy  

And I didn't get one comment on "*F*uscus's *U*ltimate *C*reature *K*ontest" :twisted: I am surprised every one missed that one !


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## wattso (Nov 23, 2003)

You did fuscus, good Questions that needed thought, diplomacy and lots of intresting facts along the way.
long live Fuscus, king of trivia!  p.s. my wife pointed it out but thought it was a funny thing not done on purpous! lol


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## Slateman (Nov 23, 2003)

Russell's Viper over 6000 deaths each year.


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## Brodie (Nov 23, 2003)

hahahhahahahahaha - thats funny shyte....Yea Trivia was kool fuscus..and you explained each of the answers which was good........congrats wattso Buddy!


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## Slateman (Nov 23, 2003)

To late. cobra is second


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## Switch (Nov 23, 2003)

Well Done Wattso
Trivia run very well.....might have to start calling you Eddie


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## Slateman (Nov 23, 2003)

Fuscus your trivia was excelent and i enjoyed to play when ewer i loged in and answer was not there.
You must to do this again mate.


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## Fuscus (Nov 23, 2003)

I'll try do another sometime early next year. No promises at this stage.


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## wattso (Nov 23, 2003)

Thankyou all, it was alot of fun. "Play it again Fuscus!"


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## africancichlidau (Nov 23, 2003)

Your title was not missed by all Fuscus old boy Very well run indeed, well done mate


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