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Crete

PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:16 pm
by Peter Oefinger
Hi everybody,
I spent the Easter holidays on Crete. Weather was - like in the rest of Europe - mixed. I wasn't able to do all excursions, I actually planned...
My main goal was Podarcis cretensis - it was no problem to find them but it took some time to find good looking (colourful) ones.
Some pictures:
cretensis.jpg
Male Podarcis cretensis is the most short-snouted wall lizard I ever saw. Unbelievable that this species was considered as subspecies of P. erhardii for decades...

cretensis8.jpg
and another one

cretensis5.jpg
another male

chalcides.jpg
Chalcides ocellatus

rivulata2.jpg
Mauremys rivulata

fluss.jpg
turtle river

pelophylax.jpg
Pelophylax cretensis

situla.jpg
Zamenis situla

trilineata2.jpg
fishing trilineata? green lizard basking on a fisher net...

lefka ori2.jpg
Lefka ori


Other herps seen were Hierophis gemonensis, Hemidactylus turcicus and Bufo viridis...
While the herpetofauna of Crete is rather poor, the island is a paradise for botanists:
pauciflora.jpg
Orchis pauciflora with Psiloritis mountain in the background

boryi.jpg
Orchis boryi

ophrys cretica2.jpg
Ophrys cretica

candica.jpg
Ophrys candica

petromarula.jpg
Cretan endemic: Petromarula pinnata

Aristolochia.jpg
Another cool endemic: Aristolochia cretica


That's it - hope you enjoyed...
Regards
Peter

Re: Crete

PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:27 pm
by Laura Bok
Yes, I did enjoy! Thank you Peter! I have been on Crete for holidays too (not for herping purposes this time, so please don´t ask for pics), and liked it very much there. Springtime is especially beautiful - all those flowers! No pics of the Bufo viridis though ;) ?

Re: Crete

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:31 am
by Peter Oefinger
For you, Laura: viridis at the beach... ;)
viridis.jpg

Re: Crete

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:00 am
by Laura Bok
Now, that´s a habitat photo...spectacular ;)! Thank you!

Re: Crete

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:33 am
by Jürgen Gebhart
The second lizard is very nice!

Thanks for the sausage-pic!! ;)

Re: Crete

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:41 am
by Jeroen Speybroeck
Super! That Aristolochia is really weird...

Re: Crete

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:47 pm
by Bobby Bok
Wow, great pictures and excellent observations Peter! I don't think I'll be that succesfull in summer ;)

Re: Crete

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 5:43 pm
by Niklas Ban
Very nice pics! The virids is my favorite :)

Re: Crete

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:30 pm
by Thomas Bader
Excellent!

Re: Crete

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:35 pm
by GertJan Verspui
Very nice Peter, what did you have to do what you dont like .......not shopping I hope....