A few Darwin herps

[phoebe]

I've just returned from a week in Darwin (first time there!). My friend's band played Bastardfest (anyone here go?!) and I just went along for a holiday. Didn't get to go proper herping but this is what I came across in the backyard of the house we were staying at.

Gehyra australis

Asian house gecko Hemidactylus frenatus

Amphibolurus temporalis

I'm assuming these two are the same as above..?

Green tree frog who lives in the letterbox

Carlia triacantha..? (can someone confirm that please)

 

[Morgan_dragon]

Wish my backyard was like that!

 

[SperO]

nice catch to get the gecko without him losing his tail, I can never do that haha

i didnt go to basterdfest but a friend of mine runs it I think.

 

[phoebe]

nice catch to get the gecko without him losing his tail, I can never do that haha

i didnt go to basterdfest but a friend of mine runs it I think.

Hehe I must have some sort of magic touch
Is your friend Nico? If so all those photos were taken at his house haha. We stayed there for the week

 

[snakes123]

Thats pretty cool, good pics to. Are you allowed to keep the ASH as they are not from here?

 

[SperO]

yea Nico he talked me into Zombie walkin in a few weeks lol

 

[phoebe]

yea Nico he talked me into Zombie walkin in a few weeks lol

Haha wow small world! He's a good guy. We all felt right at home at his place
Oh and Bastardfest was EXCELLENT! He did an amazing job!

 

[jordanmulder]

ok well I'm not 100% posotive but I think the two dragons you weren't sure about were amphiolurus gilberti. Some one with more knowledge might have to clarify.

 

[ianinoz]

Only been to Darwin once and loved the town. It's lizard and frog heaven there.

Other places you really need to visit sometime are Fitzroy Crossing, Catherine and Kununara. Great places to see lots of geckos, skinks,dragons, crocs, and snakes. There wild and very interesting insects and spiders there too and the place very photogenic too.
Only spent 2 or 3 days in each place when there - IT WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME. Must go back again SOON and next time without a bored teenager in tow and with a boat and camper trailor in tow and next time not on tight schedule.
I would like to my grandson with us to visit these places , see the reptiles, natural wonders, insects and plants there, when he's old enough enjoy the experience.

If I can ever talk my wife into it (and drag her away from her family) I'd love sell up here and move permanently to the top end or the far NW. The people who live there live in paradise.

 

[phoebe]

Yeah the A. gilberti and A. temporalis look identical! Now I'm super confused haha.

I'm definitely going to Darwin again. It's already been proposed that we go up there for another gig with a Sydney band next year. I'm thinking one day I would like to move there temporarily too.

 

[richoman_3]

not too sure on this but i think the first one could be a AHG too ?

 

[SperO]

Darwin is pretty awesome, maybe im bias but if you can handle the heat in a buildup then you can handle anything

 

[Bluetongue1]

Hi Phoebe,

Your two Carlias definitely look like tricantha – a male in full breeding colour and another just starting to develop his colour.
The gecko on the wall, or whatever, is far too dark looking for G.australis. That could, however, be an artefact of the lighting. They do get a little bit of colour in them at times, with light brownish blotches as a pattern. It is a Gehyra and not another AHG – based on the shape of the toe pads. It does not look like G. nanna, which has a spotted pattern to it. It may well be an undescribed species – I know there are a few up that way. Without a clear view of the pattern, it is impossible to say.
The male dragon is definitely A. gilberti and the two females or sub-adult males are almost certainly A. temporalis.

Hope that helps a little. Sorry I was a bit late in getting around to posting,

Blue

 

[GeckPhotographer]

Blue that "Gehyra" is not G.nanna its patterning is far too plain for that. It could be G.australis, but I think it could be G.koira or as you say one of the undescribed species currently recognised under G.koira or G.australis.

 

[phoebe]

Thanks for the replies guys! That photo of the gecko was taken at night and with a flash so the colour is a bit off. This one was taken in daylight and shows the true colour (apologies for the crap photo though haha):

 

[GeckPhotographer]

Yeah that pic probably makes me lean towards Gehyra australis.

 

[Bluetongue1]

Agreed. The dark apearance evidently was an artefact of the lighting.

Phoebe, if you get lizards in dark corners like that last gecko, try having someone hold a torch beam on them while you take the photo.

Blue

 

[phoebe]

Yeah I've done that before with success