Cape York Peninsula, Queensland

[nathancl]

Stephen and Michael,

have you both found the frill necks in iron range to resemble those from NG compared to your typical frill necks that you find in cairns? Whilst there i found an adult which seemed a bit different to the normal QLD frillies.

 

[Waterrat]

Nathan,
I haven't seen any PNG specimens, so I can't comment.

M

 

[StephenZozaya]

The species M. harrisoni was raised by R. Hoser and is accepted by some American herpers.

I am aware of the harrisoni situation and have yet to be convinced that it even deserves subspecific status, let alone its title as a unique species.

have you both found the frill necks in iron range to resemble those from NG compared to your typical frill necks that you find in cairns? Whilst there i found an adult which seemed a bit different to the normal QLD frillies.

Like Waterrrat I am also unfamiliar with the PNG frillies. However, I have found that frillies can be extremely variable at a fairly local level. The animals here in Townsville are a fairly solid grey-brown with yellow on the frill, whereas those I have seen in Chillagoe can have completely black heads with a yellow-brown body. Variability is fairly unsurprising considering the extent of their range.

 

[Waterrat]

Hoser states: "Morelia harrisoni can best be definitively be separated from the other species of Morelia by DNA analysis". No reference?

The revision paper (i.e. blurb) is a joke.

 

[Niall]

Looks like you had a great trip!
The Black Mountains are a great place and the dream time story behind them is a interesting one aswell.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

Hoser states: "Morelia harrisoni can best be definitively be separated from the other species of Morelia by DNA analysis". No reference?

This is common for Hoser, as part of his shotgun style of taxonomy. If he makes enough unsupported, unreferenced claims, sooner or later one will be correct and he can pipe up and go "I told you so!". His latest fad is to quote how many Google hits his newly described species receive and using this as a foundation for them being "accepted". I can just see the ICZN amending their code so it states that a certain amount of Google hits is required before a species is deemed valid.

 

[sweetangel]

wow very nice pics!
what gear are you using? and whats your flash situation?
very nice lighting and very sharp images!

 

[python_dan89]

awesome, looks like ya had alot of fun.. =)

 

[StephenZozaya]

wow very nice pics!
what gear are you using? and whats your flash situation?
very nice lighting and very sharp images!

Thanks! Because I am poor I use an old Canon 10D and at the time I was using a camera-mounted 430 EX II flashgun with a stofen diffuser. For macro I use a Canon 100mm f/2.8 and for telephoto stuff a Canon 70-200 L f/4.

Stephen

 

[Chadleystar]

Thanks for sharing your journey with us Stephen, I sometimes forget just how lucky we really are to live in this amazing part of Australia and thank you for reminding me why I moved here in the first place.

 

[RPene]

Amazing Trip and pictures!,

 

[monitordude]

yeh went up there and saw palm cockies and casowary and heaps of other reptiles
wow kanopy goanna

 

[byron_moses]

wow mate grea pics thanks for sharing