Hi
I'm back from Corfu where I tried to find Tritirus macedonicus (unsuccesfully) and score some lifers. It was very hot but fortunately not very crowdy because of the pandemic. This was also the reason why I couldn't meet Bosse Stille (coauthor of a fieldguide to herptiles of the island) to herp together.
At night I arrived to Dassia, where my hotel was located, and I explored neighbourhood but I found only Hemidactylus turcicus on a wall surrounding an olive tree.
habitat
The following morning, when going for a breakfast I spotted
Algyroides nigropunctatus nigropunctatus that soon turned out to be the most common reptile in there.
adult males have red bellies and blue heads
habitat of Algyroides nigropunctatus nigropunctatus
That day I found a man-made ornamental pond with a fish and few Pelophylax epeiroticus.
vocal sacs are black- typical to P. epeiroticus
vertebral line of that individual is not symetrical as you see
The next day we went to a beach where I found Podarcis tauricus ionicus, Algyroides nigropunctatus nigropunctatus and a juvenile of Lacerta trilineata major.
Lacerta trilineata major- juvenile, uniformly coloured
its habitat
That day I snorkeled a bit and then went to Kerkyra but suprisingly I didn't find any Starred Agamas in the Old Fortress, maybe because it was a midday. I also visited Museum of Asian Art and it was great. In evening I went for a walk and found DOR frog or toad, I dont know because the body was in bad condition.
The next day we went to Agios Georgios Beach and there was a river flowing into sea that had Emys orbicularis hellenica, Mauremys rivulata and also Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmulleri- freshly metamorphosed froglets.
Pelophylax sp. tadpole
Then we went to Palaiokastritsa where I visited a beautiful monastery.
The next day we went for a cruise to Parga in Epirus. In that city on my way to Vlacherna Monastery I found a beautiful adult male Lacerta trilineata major in an olive orchard. I saw it eating ants from a tree.
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His habitat
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jt4ufY]
After returning to Corfu, I went for a walk in Dassia and encountered DOR Malpolon insignitus.
The next day we went by cars to Pantokrator mountain, beach and Kerkyra. In Kerkyra I saw and heard a beautiful Divine Liturgy.
The following day, on our way do Sidari, we stoped at a petrol station and there was a pond that used to be a river and there were 3 species of sweetwater turtles- Trachemys scripta elegans, Emys orbicularis hellenica and Mauremys rivulata.
In Sidari I found some Algyroides nigropunctatus nigropunctatus. Here is a male.
The next day didn’t bring new species. Again A. n. nigropunctatus and Hemidactylus turcicus. Here is a female of A.n. nigropunctatus and a juvenile of H. Turcicus.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jt6HtD]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2jt6Jy9]
The following day we drove north to Lagoon Antinioti that is allegedly inhabited by otters. I didnt see any though. Near that place there is an abandoned monastery that I visited. During the trip there I encountered Lacerta trilineata major.
Next day morning I took a bus to Kerkyra to find Starred Agamas and I found a juvenile on a wall near the Old Fortress.
I went south and found several adults some of which were doing press-ups , probably to communicate that they are ready to defend their territory.
Their habitat.
In afternoon we drove to Erimiti private wildlife reserve. Albanian coast was clearly seen from that place. I found there an adult Testudo hermanni boettgeri in shrubs.
The habitat
The following day we went to Gouvia beach and water there was stagnant, warm and non-transparent. The beach was almost empty though. Nearby I found juveniles of Podarcis tauricus ionicus.
The habitat
From Gouvia I took a public bus to Paleokastritsa and I visited their Aquarium which had also amphibians and reptiles. It was nice. I learned that an octopus is as intelligent as a cat but I dont know if it is really true. After returning to hotel I found a snake molt near my hotel apartment but I dont know what species of Colubridae it belonged to.
The next day day we went south of Kerkyra to see Saint Jason and Sosipater church, Vlacherna Monastery and Achillleion palace. The latter had a garden in which I found Starred Agamas and a Platyceps najadum dahlii that was climbing elegantly on a wall.
The habitat
Then we went further south to Korission laguna. Instead of lizards I found their sand traces.
After returning to hotel a juvenile A.n. nigropunctatus ran into my apartment. I had to catch it and release it outdoors.
The following day we went to Porto Timoni beach on the other side of the island. I did some snorkeling but not long because water was relatively cold.
The next morning I went south, to Ropa Valley to take photos of frogs and indeed there were many of them in a river. There were also Mauremys rivulata and E. o. hellenica.
These frogs are Pelophylax epeiroticus.
Their habitat
Then I took a bus to Kerkyra and I visited an archeological museum. It had a Testudo hermanni shell that was once probably a part of a musical instrument.
The next day I went to a New Fortress and a Byzantine Musseum of Antivouniotissa. The museum was cool. When I returned to Dassia I also had an occasion to take a nice photo of a male of A. n. nigropunctatus.
The end.