We spend most of our time in the vicinity of Tabarka, while making daytrips to surrounding areas. Tunisia is a fantastic country, but has recieved far less herpetological attention in comparison to i.e. Morocco while it does harbour a high number of species. A recommended destination for anyone indeed!
We arrived at Tunis airport, picked up the rental car and drove in the direction of Ichkeul National Park. Our goal in Ichkeul was a small limestone hill which clearly stands out from the surrounding landscape. The national park consists furthermore of a brakish lake and extensive grasslands/wetlands in which especially a high number of bird species is present. Within a small quarry and a nearby wetland we managed to find Mauremys leprosa, Timon pater, Pelophylax saharicus, Hemidactylus turcicus, Psammodromus algirus, Macroprotodon cucullatus, Natrix maura and Hemmorhois hippocrepis. The T. pater were incredibly bright green, somewhat like Podarcis waglerianus. Natrix maura in Tunisia belong to an east-Maghrebian lineage which diverged from the western populations several millions of years ago. The same lineage is also present on Sardinia. These populations seem to have much shorter heads than western maura populations.
- Our goal...
- Welcome!
- Typical habitat of Mauremys leprosa, Timon pater, Pelophylax saharicus, Hemidactylus turcicus, Psammodromus algirus, Natrix maura, Hemmorhois hippocrepis and probably a lot more.
- Pelophylax saharicus
- Timon pater
- A very large Macroprotodon cucullatus.
- A typical plump Tunisian maura
- Note the short head...
For the rest of our stay we took a hotel in central Tabarka, looking out on the old Genoese castle. Miscellaneous finds in the direct vicinity consisted of Psammodromus algirus, a very angry Malpolon insignitus and a unfortunate A. mauritanicus which was under siege by a batallion of leeches.
- Psammodromus algirus
- Malpolon insignitus
- Poor toad...
Somewhat south of Tabarka we visited a large, partially abandoned quarry. Besides many of the same species that we found in Ichkeul, Chalcides occelatus and Amietophrynus mauritanicus were added to the list. The biogeographical story of the Chalcides is very similar to that of the eastern N. maura; closely related populations also occur on Sardinia, as well as in western Lybia and Sicily.
- Green quarry
- Chalcides occelatus
- Timon pater male
- Amietophrynus mauritanicus
Also, considerable time was spend in the forests near Ain Draham. While we failed to find any Bufo bufo, we did come across many Discoglossus pictus, Chalcides occelatus again which seem to occupy quite a large range of habitats, and the (also) yet-to-be described Tunisian Podarcis lineage. This latter one looked quite different from the 'vaucheri' I've seen in Andalucia and Morocco.
- Tunisian forest
- Large D. pictus
- Discoglossus eggs
- Striped morph
- Algeria is just on the other side. Habitat of among others C. occelatus and Podarcis.
- Podarcis sp.
Then, a site near Jendouba. In an area full of ponds (and fish...) a tiny pond up the hill delivered many larvae and tadpoles of Pleurodeles and Hyla. A small Mauremys was found basking at a larger pond. A general lack of cover objects to turn made us fear we wouldn't find any more species; fortunately a farmer had removed some large stones from his field under which several adult P. nebulosus were found.
- Little pond, high hopes...
- Yes! Pleurodeles nebulosus.
- Few stones, high hopes again...
- Pleurodeles nebulosus
- Mauremys leprosa
After that, only the 'airport herps' remain. Just before returning our rental car we searched in a less pretty habitat, and managed to find the last Hemidactylus turcicus and C. occelatus of the trip.
- Habitat near Monastir
- Hemidactylus turcicus
- Very old Chalcides occelatus
As we missed quite some species, and did not even venture south, the only conclusion can be that a second trip is inevitable!
