# herps from Wollongong, NSW. Part 2



## moloch05 (Jun 11, 2008)

Here is the second post of herps that I have seen in the Wollongong area in the last 3 years.

One of my favourites here is the Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko (_Phyllurus platurus_). These geckos seem to be active much of the year. 

adults with regenerated tails:




























adults with original tails:











Adults can be hard to spot on the rocks, but juveniles are even more cryptic. 












Eastern Small-eyed Snakes (_Cryptophis nigrescens_). I think that these are the most common snake in the hills near Wollongong.





















... preparing to shed:






Golden-crowned Snakes (_Cacophis squamulosus_) are probably the second most common snake in this area. Sometimes, I see them in my yard in the suburbs.


























I see a few Marsh Snakes (_Hemiaspis signata_) every summer.











Red-bellied Black Snakes (_Pseudechis porphyriacus_) and not scarce but they are shy and rarely hold still long enough for a photo.





... this one was dead on the road.






Eastern Tiger Snakes (_Notechis scutatus_) seem to be scarce or I don't know where to look for them. I only see one or two of these snakes each year.






... this one was still alive but had been fatally injured at Byarong Park.






... a colourful juvenile:






I rarely see Diamond Pythons (_Morelia spilota_).
















There are a number of turtles in a swamp near Primbee. I assume that these must be Snake-necked Turtles (_Chelodina longicollis_) based on the range map in my herp book.






These Green and Golden Bell Frogs (_Litoria aurea_) lived in an industrial area. I helped out on a survey of these beautiful frogs one evening.












_Litoria phyllachroa _(or _nudidigita_, Henry?)











This annelid was on the trail during a summer thunderstorm. It was the biggest worm that I have ever seen and was more than two boots in length.







Spring flowers are great in the Wollongong area, particularly along the top of the escarpment. Peas are the most conspicuous family:




















... a milkwort (_Comesperma sp._)






... a flannel flower (_Actinotus sp. _)





... everlastings 






... the stunning waratahs:










Regards,
David


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## W.T.BUY (Jun 11, 2008)

great pics love the broad tailed geckos


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## CassM (Jun 11, 2008)

Absolutely love the Diamond pics!!!


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## serpenttongue (Jun 11, 2008)

Bloody nice diamond, love leaf-tails, i've never seen a Tiger snake around Wollongong.


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## Tim.Arm (Jun 11, 2008)

*Awsome shoots David. Gotta love the leaf tails.*


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## kab_65 (Jun 11, 2008)

Gorgeous piccies, thanks for sharing. Stunning flowers!


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## Lars K (Jun 11, 2008)

WOW, excellent pictures of awesome animals!!! :shock:

Thank-you very much for sharing!!!


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## FAY (Jun 11, 2008)

Gorgeous pics as usual David!
Who said that diamonds around here were more black than Gosford area?? LOL


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## ryanharvey1993 (Jun 11, 2008)

brilliant shots, that shot with the pythons mouth open is a stunner. all the platurus look like they have a lot of mites, what is the reason they have so many compared to other herps? I love crowned snakes, need to get a few pictures of them. if I ever come down to the gong I will definantl go out herping and see if i can find some of this awsome stuff


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## Tatelina (Jun 11, 2008)

Hey! Nice photos!


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## jack (Jun 11, 2008)

around mt kembla there are tiger snakes, i have had to id some that turned up in a yard, and an upstairs room!

and once upon a time there was a death adder in the dunes near the steel works....

i miss golden crowned snakes, they used to come out on wet nights in summer when i lived in austinmer... they have such a great defensive display for such a little animal.

great photos, and special commendation on the she oaks, i spent 8 years in the 'gong and never saw them.


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## Vincent21 (Jun 11, 2008)

Love the pictures!


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## beefa270 (Jun 11, 2008)

Awesome pics !!! Thanks !!


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## dunno103 (Jun 11, 2008)

Yes thanks for the pics.

Cheers


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## callith (Jun 11, 2008)

awesome pictures


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## scorps (Jun 11, 2008)

awsome


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## froggyboy86 (Jun 11, 2008)

Awesome photos there. I think your _phyllochroa _looks like _nudidigitus_, they tend to have more gold in the stripe and it is much more extensive. Great to see _L. aurea_ are still around in the Illawarra!


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## skakavacjakovac (Jun 12, 2008)

Love those Golden Crowned man!!


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## mungus (Jun 12, 2008)

Awesome photo's.......very nice diamond.
See any animals in your travels ????


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## JasonL (Jun 12, 2008)

Top pics David, one of your best threads yet...... I lived down the gong for a few years and never did any herping down that way


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## dragon lady (Jun 12, 2008)

awesome pic...the long neck,nice size to see
the warratahs(red flowers)are my favourite


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## tnarg (Jun 12, 2008)

Yeah those "phyllochroa" are both nudidigitus. Nice pics.

Cheers,
Grant


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## moloch05 (Jun 12, 2008)

Thanks, everyone.

Ryan,
Danny Brown commented to me in a post on the geckophiles forum long ago about the mites. Apparantly, they are harmless but common on Phyllurus. Wollongong is not bad for herps but I think that your area would be more productive since it is further north.


Jack,
I think that you are the only one I have heard of who has seen Death Adders near the 'Gong. Golden-crowns are great little snakes.


frogboy, 
Thanks for the info on differentiating phyllochroa/nudidigitus


mungus,
I sometimes see nocturnal mammals such as Brush Tailed Possums or Sugar Gliders. Swamp (Black) Wallabies are pretty common. On occasion, I encounter Antechinus either during the day or at night. I don't know the species represented here. Do you recognize them?


















... rosting White-throated Treecreeper








Regards,
David


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## Slateman (Jun 12, 2008)

Excellent photos. Thanks for posting.
Administration checked your profile and you are member here for long time, you newer get involved in arguments. Quality of your posts are educational and great value for our site.

You are first member getting free membership for one year for something like this.
We are lucky to have you as member.

Cheers


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## froggyboy86 (Jun 12, 2008)

I'm not particularly good with mammals but I think your antechinus is either the Yellow Footed Antechinus (_Antechinus flavipes_) or the Brown Antechinus (_Antechinus stuartii_). The first photo seems to show the characteristic yellow flanks and rump of _A. flavipes_ but the second + third ones seem to lack this colour and look more like _A. stuartii_. Were they different specimens in each photo?


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## moloch05 (Jun 12, 2008)

Thank you very much, Slateman.


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## jase75 (Jun 12, 2008)

Great thread Moloch, love the pics . Thanks for sharing.


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## moloch05 (Jun 13, 2008)

Froggy,

The first two Antechinus photos are of the same animal. The shots were taken in the afternoon. The third shot is of an Antechinus that I encountered at night while looking for geckos.

Regards,
David


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## Chris1 (Jun 13, 2008)

love the diamond pics!!!

how lucky are u seeing all that stuff in teh wild!!!


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## zulu (Jun 13, 2008)

*re herps*



serpenttongue said:


> Bloody nice diamond, love leaf-tails, i've never seen a Tiger snake around Wollongong.


I noticed that the number of tiger snakes dropped right off at least in the northern escarpment of wollongong since the early eighties when they was common,same thing with lyrebirds which were really common,probably predation by feral cats.
How good are your photos Moloch,outstanding,like the one of the diamond with its mouth open,would look good in a publication of some kind ! 
The little marsupial looks like an antechinus stuartii Moloch,as well as caves and rocks they used to be found commonly under rubbish in the northern suburbs escarpment very commonly,probably more cat food.


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## moloch05 (Jun 13, 2008)

Thanks Chris and zulu,

zulu,
I found this partially eaten tiger snake on the Ring Track of Mt. Kiera a couple of summers ago. I did not see what killed it but I have seen feral cats in the area before. I walked the same stretch of trail on the way and then about 40 minutes later on the return. On the way up, the snake was not there so something caught and killed it during the afternoon.







Regards,
David


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## zulu (Jun 14, 2008)

*re herps*

I dont know what would get an adult tiger snake david,bird of prey or road kill maybe,they do die from natural causes like severe body blisters and parasite build up,ive found one that would of died with ulcerated blisters,another large one was found shot with multiple air rifle pellet wounds,was a large healthy snake previously


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