The contact zone: Alicante Province

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The contact zone: Alicante Province

Postby Peter Oefinger » Mon Jan 11, 2010 7:33 pm

Happy new year!
Due to its warm climate, Birgit and me spent our winter break (December 24th – January, 3rd) in the Alicante province. There, active reptiles can be found during the whole year. For lacertid enthusiasts, the area is of special interest because it is the contact zone of two members of the Podarcis hispanicus complex: in the south, P. hispanicus (sensu stricto) can be found, the north is populated by a form of P. liolepis. P. hispanicus shows a rather homogenous pattern of light and dark stripes. The P. liolepis in the Alicante Province are similar as the lizards in Catalonia and Southern France with brownish colours and dark blotches, but – in contrast to the French form – the liolepis in the Alicante province often have greenish backs and flanks.

We visited several habitats and found that these two species seem to be clearly separated (although we are aware of the fact that our photo documentation can’t replace a genetic analysis): We found P. liolepis in a distance of only 6 kilometers from P. hispanicus, but didn’t notice syntopic populations. Only in one habitat the lizards showed patterns with intermediate characteristics of P. hispanicus and P. liolepis.

01 P hisp.jpg
Podarcis hispanicus (sensu stricto) with characteristic stripe pattern
01 P hisp.jpg (129.55 KiB) Viewed 7051 times


02 P hisp.jpg
Another P. hispanicus
02 P hisp.jpg (173.55 KiB) Viewed 7064 times


03 habitat.jpg
Habitat of P. hispanicus
03 habitat.jpg (144.04 KiB) Viewed 7048 times


04 P lio.jpg
Podarcis liolepis: most of them have a brownish colouration…
04 P lio.jpg (101.19 KiB) Viewed 7050 times


05 P lio.jpg
…but some show green colours
05 P lio.jpg (201.48 KiB) Viewed 7049 times


06 P lio.jpg
A male P. liolepis with remarkable pattern
06 P lio.jpg (203.06 KiB) Viewed 7047 times


07 P lio.jpg
Another male with amazing colours (looks like a Balearic lizard!)
07 P lio.jpg (163.34 KiB) Viewed 7046 times


08 Beni.jpg
The city of Benidorm: Although numerous habitats have been lost some interesting species still can be found in this extremely touristic region.
08 Beni.jpg (109.35 KiB) Viewed 7039 times


09 P alg.jpg
The omnipresent Psammodromus algirus
09 P alg.jpg (154.1 KiB) Viewed 7039 times


10 Ps hisp.jpg
Psammodromus hispanicus ssp. edwardsianus
10 Ps hisp.jpg (125.87 KiB) Viewed 7040 times


11 Tarentola.jpg
Tarentola mauritanicus sunbasking
11 Tarentola.jpg (176.29 KiB) Viewed 7059 times


12 Hemi.jpg
Hemidactylus turcicus is a common species in coastal areas
12 Hemi.jpg (155.17 KiB) Viewed 7116 times


13 Timon.jpg
Our only shot of a very shy subadult Timon Lepidus
13 Timon.jpg (150.69 KiB) Viewed 7034 times


14 Blanus.jpg
The alien-like head of Blanus cinereus
14 Blanus.jpg (95.94 KiB) Viewed 7032 times


15 hippo.jpg
Hemorrhois hippocrepis is the most common snake in the area. Although we are no snake experts, we even managed to get some in-situ shots!
15 hippo.jpg (148.95 KiB) Viewed 7033 times


16 hippo.jpg
Another Hemorrhois hippocrepis climbing on a vertical rock…
16 hippo.jpg (159.86 KiB) Viewed 7030 times


17 hippo.jpg
…a juvenile specimen…
17 hippo.jpg (151.72 KiB) Viewed 7039 times


18 hippo.jpg
…and finally another one
18 hippo.jpg (125.55 KiB) Viewed 7029 times


Regards
Peter
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Re: The contact zone: Alicante Province

Postby Vlad Cioflec » Tue Jan 12, 2010 8:29 am

Nice stuff. Congratulations!

Loved this herp in habitat type shot:
Image

Happy herping!
Vlad
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Re: The contact zone: Alicante Province

Postby Mario Schweiger » Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:03 am

Thanks Peter for sharing!
But you made - at least me - frustrated, when I look out of my window today :D . snowing, snowing and very cold :cry:
But next spring will come in Central Europe too :D
I hope so! :lol:

Mario
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Please visit also my personal Herp-site vipersgarden.at
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Re: The contact zone: Alicante Province

Postby Jürgen Gebhart » Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:16 am

I envy you!!!!!!!!!
Very nice shots Peter! You are on the right way to be a snake man!!!!!!!!!
Next time I hope to see some vipera pics!!!

48 Days = 01.03.2010 :cry: :cry: :cry:
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Re: The contact zone: Alicante Province

Postby Ilian Velikov » Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:52 pm

Very nice! :) The Blaus portrait is great! I don't remember seeing that kind of detailed photo of the head anywhere else! Thanks Peter!
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Re: The contact zone: Alicante Province

Postby Grégoire Meier » Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:55 am

Nice photos!!
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Re: The contact zone: Alicante Province

Postby Wolfram Schurig » Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:18 pm

Peter!

I will convince my family to spend the next x-mas holidays in the south! Much better than eating biscuits and spending time by visiting all those relatives you usually see once a year... :roll:

Nice documentaion of hispanicus-complex!


All the best!


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Re: The contact zone: Alicante Province

Postby Peter Oefinger » Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:20 pm

Thanks for all your comments.
@Wolfram: it is best eating bisquits in the south! :lol:
@Jürgen: I'm still working on these Vipera pics :(
If anyone is interested in the hispanicus complex: Meanwhile I updated my species pages of P. liolepis and P. hispanicus and added some information about morphological characteristics.
See here: http://www.bpo-natura.de/index.php?opti ... Itemid=476,
http://www.bpo-natura.de/index.php?opti ... Itemid=478
Regards
Peter
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