# Tropical Queensland, Paluma Area



## moloch05 (Dec 9, 2009)

*PALUMA AREA*

After my wife returned to Wollongong, I visited Gus, a grad student who is attending James Cook University in Townsville. Gus is an enthusiastic herper who is interested in leaf-tailed geckos. We decided to try and find a few of these. We started with the rarest of all, _Phyllurus gulbaru_. Before my visit, Gus did the research and hard work to track down this species that is found in only a couple of gorges in the Paluma area. The following is a link to a report that discusses the original discovery of the gecko and also includes a few habitat photos.

http://www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/Scott/PDF...2003 AJZ.pdf

Gus, a friend and I set off at 3 pm to drive, mountain-bike and then climb into the gorge where the gecko lives. The climb was a hard slog and involved lots of rock-hopping and occasional climbs around waterfalls. Our shirts were soon dripping wet with perspiration due to the temperature and the high humidity. I drank over three litres of water that evening. 

After a few hours, we finally reached the upper rainforest where the gecko lives. It did not take Gus and his friend long to track down these amazing lizards. For me, seeing a wild _Phyllurus gulbaru_ was especially rewarding since access to the site is so difficult. I never thought that I would have the chance to see it so I am very grateful to Gus for his help with this species. I think that we are some of the lucky few to have observed and photographed this rare gecko in the wild.

The gecko was common once we reached the upper rainforest but it seemed to be very specific about its habitat requirements. All but one of the 10 that we encountered was in the creek bed where there were huge boulders with cracks. Smaller boulders did not seem suitable. One animal was also seen near the base of a shrub a little above the creek bed. We searched other likely looking sites above the creek bed but had no luck. It seemed that these geckos were restricted to the coolest locations where the humidity would remain high during the day. 

Here are a few photos of this lovely species:
*Phyllurus gulbaru*















































We saw other animals while climbing in/out of the gorge and also on another to the Paluma Range. Some of these animals will be familiar from the post by Gus a week or so ago.

Here are a couple of habitat shots from the Paluma area. 






This is a shot of a Lawyer Vine, a climbing palm ("ratan") that is covered with small hooks. These plants attracted my attention while I was walking through the forest. Their tendrils latched onto my clothes and skin and would not let go without a fight.







*Northern Barsided Skink (Eulamprus brachysoma)* -- we saw a number of these asleep on boulders.

















*Pink-tongued Skink (Cyclodomorphus gerrardii[/])*_ -- we saw three of these included an unpatterned individual while we climbed in the gorge at night.

























*Boyd's Forest Dragon (Hypsilurus boydii) * -- These are always a nice sight.














*Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis)* -- we found one of these hunting at night in the gorge. It would no doubt be a predator of the Phyllurus and other lizards.







*Scrub Python (Morelia kinghorni)* -- we saw two of these in the gorge at night.







*Eastern Small-eyed Snake (Cryptophis nigrescens)* -- We found two of these hunting in the gorge at night. I think that these would be another potential predator of the Phyllurus.







I think that these are Litoria wilcoxi. 
male





female







*Orange-thighed Frog (Litoria xanthomera)* -- These frogs were particularly beautiful. I love the eyes, especially of the unusual one below.





























*Golden Bowerbird*
Gus showed me a Golden Bowerbird bower not far from the township of Paluma. The bower was huge. The bird would display on the top, cross branch and also on the branch near the flowers. It would return to the bower every 10 or 15 minutes so it was not a long wait to see this beautiful creature.







Bowerbirds have an artistic sense and this male was re-arranging the flowers on its bower. It quivered its wings and called while doing this.


















*Tooth-billed Catbird*
This is the display site of another bowerbird known as a Tooth-billed Catbird. These birds are drab but they have a powerful voice. They clear an area on the forest floor then decorate it with upturned Neolitsea leaves. Here, they dance and call to try and attract a female.












These amorous snails were common in the gorge at night. They seem quite odd. They have a shell but keep it covered with their fleshy bodies.













Regards,
David_


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Dec 9, 2009)

Do you know what species the snail is?
Beautiful pics as usual David.
Cheers


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## -Matt- (Dec 9, 2009)

Amazing pictures as always David! Im really looking forward to your photos from Iron Range.

Matt.


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## whiteyluvsrum (Dec 9, 2009)

I go to Paluma alot riding bikes, also had a few army ex's there. We call that climbing palm, wait-a-while. It is one of the most annoying plants you can run into while walking around the scrub in a jelly bean suit.
There's another one in tully but I forgot the name. Anyway when you brush against it will leve tiny hollow needle type spikes in your skin. When air blows in them it feels like crazy prickly heat, drives me mad!


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## whiteyluvsrum (Dec 9, 2009)

googled around, its the evil gympie I was talking about.


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## froggyboy86 (Dec 9, 2009)

Great photos David, that Phyllurus looks stunning. Its interesting I've seen other photos of Litoria xanthomera from that area with the unpigmented pupil - must be some genetic trait that is being passed on.


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## Sock Puppet (Dec 10, 2009)

Awesome shots, I love the leaf tailed geckos (although I have to admit, I prefer the ones with the actual leaf tail than the round tail). My other faves from this post are the Boyd's & the "David Bowie" frog with the mismatching eye colours. Great shots as always.


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## gus11 (Dec 10, 2009)

ssssnakeman, the snails are some sort of pseudosnail, they only have half a shell and it isnt hard. when you touch them they slide a soft skin layer over the top of the shell. there really weird and many species occur across the wet tropics.

whiteyluvsrum, you could be thinking of stinging trees, a painful experience


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## moloch05 (Dec 10, 2009)

Thanks, all.

Thanks, Gus, for the snail info. They were odd little beasts.

As Gus mentioned, an encounter with a stinging tree is memorable. I had a nasty surprise one night at Mt. Ossa and even now, 2.5 weeks later, my arms and legs itch and burn.

Regards,
David


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## whiteyluvsrum (Dec 10, 2009)

gus11 said:


> whiteyluvsrum, you could be thinking of stinging trees, a painful experience



Yep, Dendrocnide moroides also known as the Gympie Gympie, moonlighter or stinger/stinging tree.


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