Tripreport: autumn trip to Liguria

[Bobby Bok]

A splendid week in beautiful Liguria! During this small trip we were able to find all our desiderata against all odds.

For the report: http://www.herpsafari.nl/tripreports-eu ... ern-italy/

[Jürgen Gebhart]

Congrats on your findings! Very cool!

I want the Euleptes europaea, very high on my european wishlist!!

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

Ah... such a lovely autumnal atmosphere...

Only 5,5h from your doorstep, Jürgen

[Peter Oefinger]

Ouahrg - only slicky creatures! Why did you ask me to join?
Ok, ok, I try to hide that I'm jealous. Very nice!

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

You know what, I think I'll go there myself. Leaving on the 8th of November

BTW, Bob, I believe that grass snake is actually in the alleged intergradation zone of helvetica and lanzai.

[Peter Oefinger]

Peter, that was rude. I think they all look pretty handsome:
http://u.jimdo.com/www62/o/s5e5bfc918b7 ... trevor.jpg

Haha! Slicky indeed. I always knew that Bobby is a so far unknown newt species

[Bobby Bok]

Thanks for the positive reactions guys, for autumn it was a really good trip indeed with many, many salamanders and some nice additional reptile finds (besides this, the splendid company, excellent food and relaxed atmosphere made it such a great trip).

Jürgen, I know of your preference for the small and cuddly creatures so I'm sure Euleptes will make you fall in love.

Peter, thanks, it's out now! You ruïned my coming out!

Jeroen, have fun with Walter!

[Laura Bok]

Here are some more photos from our amazing end-of-season trip:
https://picasaweb.google.com/tiemann.la ... hernItaly#

Enjoy,
cheers,
Laura

[Jürgen Gebhart]

Jürgen, I know of your preference for the small and cuddly creatures so I'm sure Euleptes will make you fall in love.

In one of these Days, when I`m getting tired of having sand in my shoes, in my pants, in my mouth and in my ears, than I will spend definitely more time in searching my European Top-Herps.

But that takes time, so many things to do – Jordan, Oman, Morocco, Tunisia, maybe Israel.

[Paul Lambourne]

Hello all,

Just thought I would take the opportunity to thank Bobby, Laura and Trev for a splendid trip, well organised, relaxed and very funny... a real pleasure.

I have posted some shakey picture offerings in the wake of Bobby and Laura's splendid efforts..

In no particular order:

Probably my favourite animal from the trip, I know its not rare, but it was a beast of an amphibian, we found our path blocked by it in heavy rain.. if we would have hit it, it would probably have written the car off.. I know vipers are cool, and lizards are pretty, but I love toads.. anyone that has a problem with that has to answer to my friend below....

Next is Salamandra lanzai, a lovely creature I have tried to find on previous occasions, with no success.. I was very pleased to see this species.. there may have been some hugging, socks kept on for safety reasons..

Not new species for me, but a new sub species in a beautiful location, Ichthyosaura alpestris apuanus and Triturus carnifex

The main species for the trip, the beautiful speleomantes..

Ambrosii

Strinatii

Italicus

And without doubt the hardest to find salamander of the trip, the tiny but very cute salamandrina...an unexpected bonus from Laura.. there may have been pant wetting, with the amount of rain its hard to tell..

Another new and much wanted tick, the Italian slow worm...

Some old friends re visited, salamandra , natrix and rana italica

And finally a bit of scenery..

And yes I did climb it.. I am a boy...

I noticed Jurgens comments regarding Euleptes...... Jurgen darling, I know you are tough as old boots and I have seen you handle daboia like people handle kittens.. but I have also seen you scream like a girl when confronted by a tiny steondactylus.. be afraid.. be very afraid..

Once again thanks to the usual suspects for a great trip... I will now hibernate, bearlike until the next one.

Cheers Paul