fieldherping.eu

Ruggero Morimando wrote:

Kristian Munkholm wrote:

P1010905 (3).jpg

Female Malpolon in rasta hair...

You can determine the gender of juveniles by their pattern? How?

It's easy with adults, but...

Btw - don't know if it makes a difference in this regard - this is ssp. saharatlanticus

Kristian Munkholm wrote:

Ruggero Morimando wrote:

Kristian Munkholm wrote:

P1010905 (3).jpg

Female Malpolon in rasta hair...

You can determine the gender of juveniles by their pattern? How?

It's easy with adults, but...

Btw - don't know if it makes a difference in this regard - this is ssp. saharatlanticus

Yes Kristian, I can understand the sex even in juveniles. The labials are well marked with white spots and the markings are well visible on the head and body: your Malpolon is a female. Males are more uniform even when babies and the labials are not so sharply spotted with white.
Years ago I used to go herping Malpolon very often in Liguria, and once a guy gave us a bucket full of baby Malpolon. They hatched inside a school garden... that's all I knew. But: my herp-friend and I were able to understand for every baby if it was male or female. And we once found eggs: the eggs hatched in captivity, and I was able to recognize very well males hatchlings from females hatchlings. Small nuances, but if you have many babies you can see very well the differences...
Those were all Malpolon monspessulanus: but I think the sexual dimorphism is about the same in african Malpolon too...
P.s. Your Malpolon is actually young, but not an hatchling I think...

Ruggero Morimando wrote:Yes Kristian, I can understand the sex even in juveniles. The labials are well marked with white spots and the markings are well visible on the head and body: your Malpolon is a female. Males are more uniform even when babies and the labials are not so sharply spotted with white.
Years ago I used to go herping Malpolon very often in Liguria, and once a guy gave us a bucket full of baby Malpolon. They hatched inside a school garden... that's all I knew. But: my herp-friend and I were able to understand for every baby if it was male or female. And we once found eggs: the eggs hatched in captivity, and I was able to recognize very well males hatchlings from females hatchlings. Small nuances, but if you have many babies you can see very well the differences...
Those were all Malpolon monspessulanus: but I think the sexual dimorphism is about the same in african Malpolon too...
P.s. Your Malpolon is actually young, but not an hatchling I think...

Thanks for educating me. I've only ever seen two Malpolon this size (+ some in pics) and this just didn't stick out to me. As for the age, I really wouldn't know how old it was. As I recall it, I'd say it was probably a little shy of 30 cm long.

...& yes, saharatlanticus are also monspessulanus. I imagine the difference is the same

@Kristian -- cool pic
@Mario -- that's hard to top

Wideangle in situ of a very big Vipera ursinii ursinii female in France

Natrix natrix natrix in garden of my family home


Bombina variegata inCroatia


Pelophylax esculeta complex in Poland


Rana arvalis arvalis in Poland in garden of my family house


male of Gallotia stehlini in Gran Canaria

Niklas Ban wrote:Wideangle in situ of an very big Vipera ursinii ursinii in France

Precious!

Jeroen Speybroeck wrote:

Niklas Ban wrote:Wideangle in situ of an very big Vipera ursinii ursinii in France

Precious!

Thank you very much !

Niklas Ban wrote:Wideangle in situ of a very big Vipera ursinii ursinii female in France

Ahaha, well that was a direct answer to Mario's picture. Very cool!

@Michal -- nice, of course I like the Gallotia the most

Hi!
A bit outdated (April 2017) but still one of my favorite in situ situation: A young femal adder, which I ve named "model", was everything but nervous. She did not move for a 20 min. fotoshoot with close-ups (except for raising the head a centimeter) and also kept on lying still after I left.





Best regards,
Patrick