fieldherping.eu

Dear Forum,

I think it´s time to give something back to you. For that reason I give you a short summary of my experiences at the Lycian Coast.
I´ve been there 4 times. 3 times in autumn (2005,2006 and 2008) and this year around easter.
it turned out (not surprisinly) that the easter-season is much better for herping.
Not even the herps, exspecially the Stone-turner appreciates the lower temperatures.

At first: - I´ve never been there for an exclusive herping trip. It´s always been an Family Holiday with more or less herp-interested members

The places I visited are:

Area around Kas
Patara
Xanthos
Letoon
Pinara
Cirali


The species I found and identified at easter-time:

Testudo graeca ibera - everywhere
Testudo graeca terrestris - Cirali
Mauremys rivulata - Letoon
Caretta Caretta - Patara, Kas
Blanus strauchi aporus - Kas, Pinara
Laudakia stellio daani - everywhere
Cyrtopodion kotschyi ciliciensis - Around Kas
Hemidactylus turcicus turcicus - Around Kas, Patara
Analololacerta oertzeni finikiensis - Around Kas, Pinara
Ablepharus budaki anatolicus - Around Kas
Ophiomorus puntatissimus - Around Kas
Trachylepis aurata - Pinara
Dolichopis jugularis jugularis - Pinara, Around Kas
Eirenis modestus - Around Kas, Patara
Zamenis hohenackeri - Around Kas
Natrix persa - Patara
Natrix tesselata - Patara/ Esen River
Typhlops vermicularis - Patara
Bufo variabilis
Pelophylax ridibundus


Species only observed in Autumn:
Ophisops elegans macrodactylus - Patara
Lacerta trilineata - Xanthos
Dolichopis caspius - Around Kas

What I misses:
Chameleo Chameleon
Montivipera xanthina
Eryx jaculus

What was striking:
Very few Anatololacerta oertzeni finikiensis around Kas in 2008 and 2014.
Eirenis modestus was the most frequent snake, found mainly by turning Stones.

Sorry for that:
I just recognized, that my pictures are in wrong order and unfortunately went unsharp while uploading (believe me, they are sharp).

I´m pretty sure to go back to the Lycian Coast.- It´s really recommendable.

My next trip is going to the North of Toscana, Italy;- The Garfagnana to be more precise.
I´d appreciate to get ans Information for an succesful Family and herping trip.

Yours,
Frank

Very nice! I guess some might miss the salamanders in this report
I like the Zamenis and Eirenis shots.

Hey Frank,

a nice report from one of my favorite places to herp! I especially like the photos of Zamenis hohenackeri and Eirenis modestus - we were lucky once in February to also find a Zamenis, but although it appears to be a common snake in springtime, I have never found Eirenis during my winter trips (but rather a lot of salamanders - different priorities ).

Thanks for sharing!
Laura

The Zamenis is lovely: a mix of a small longissimus with a tiny situla!

I really don't know anything about these places. Where are they situated, and which type of habitat and vegetation can one find there?

Hello,
in my opinion the hohenackeri looks like tauricus?
Great pictures. Thanks.

Good stuff!

Peter Oefinger wrote:Very nice! I guess some might miss the salamanders in this report

Yes but no.

Jeroen Speybroeck wrote:

Peter Oefinger wrote:Very nice! I guess some might miss the salamanders in this report

Yes but no.

Yes but yes!

Great to see pictures of one of my favourite places to herp in the Mediterranean! As Laura pointed out, strangely we never found any Eirenis while you would expect at least a single individual would show up even during winter/early spring. The hohenackeri is just beautiful!

@ Manfred: Yes ! Zamenis should be tauricus.

@ Laura and Bobby: I studied your Lycian Coast trip reports and likes your salamanders and Chamaeleons.
Unfortunately February is not my time to travel.- Hoped to see Chamaeleon

Good finds and good photo's, thanks!