Montenegro amphibians,insects, orchids etc

[Paul Lambourne]

Last Montenegro post folks..then I will leave you in peace Noticeably very few amphibians seen on this trip compared to my previous visit, due largely to the hot weather.

Firstly a very strange coloured bombina... in an area of small plunge pools in a river gorge, some of the pools had very turpid,green water in them..

Also seen in the same area a very pretty pelophylax sp

Some hyla found at around 1500m ASL

In situ rana dalmatina.. but with faint speckled beard with central void? bloody frogs...

Some very small alpestris..stunning colouration...in a tiny alpine puddle...

In situ

I was lucky enough to see a number of dragonflies that were new ticks for me..

Orthetrum albistylum..old female? any offers?

Somatochlora meridionalis

Gomphus vulgatissimus

The magnificent Lindenia tetraphylla

And finally some cool bugs and orchids...

Pycnogaster species ??

Graphosoma italicum?

Steatodea paykulliana

Selysiothemis nigra

Philaeus chrysops

Some orchids for Peter

Cheers Paul

[Mario Schweiger]

Thanks for posting, Paul.

Your beetle is Cerambyx cerdo.

Mario

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

Colourful collection.

Orthetrum is not albistylum but cancellatum. Dark dorsal lines are different in shape in albistylum and cerci have to be pale/white. Also, abdomen is narrower in albistylum.

[Sandra Panienka]

The green bombina is very cool!! Never saw one like this before. Nice pictures.

[Guillaume Gomard]

Very cool pictures of Philaeus chrysops But where are the Eresus Paul?

[Bobby Bok]

The green Bombina is a stunner! Would like to see that one day soon!

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

The green Bombina is a stunner! Would like to see that one day soon!

Kinda interesting indeed, as this is a rather well-known phenomenon in Bombina bombina which seems far less frequent in B. variegata.

We came across this greenish one in Romania. All others (literally thousands, as this was the most Bombina-rich place I've ever seen) were 'normal'.

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

Here's something to illustrate what I wrote about the Orthetrum
http://www.dragonflypix.com/photos/orth ... lum_01.jpg
Also rather typical, is the pale zone at the base of the wings and in the central area of the thorax.

[Paul Lambourne]

Mario, Jeroen

Huge thanks for the IDs.. much appreciated as always...

Thanks to all for the kind comments..

Jeroen, can you resend the link regarding the Orthetrum as the link will not open..

Cheers Paul

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

Jeroen, can you resend the link regarding the Orthetrum as the link will not open..

Weird... Works fine here...

First pic on this page
http://www.dragonflypix.com/speciespage ... tylum.html