Lycian Coast

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Lycian Coast

Postby Frank Paul Fietz » Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:57 pm

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
Attachments
FrankPaulFietz_002629_1.jpg
Testudo graeca ibera (guess male and female)
_DSC0235.JPG
Ophisops elegans
_DSC0085.JPG
Dolichophis cspius
FrankPaulFietz_002893_1.jpg
Laudakia stellio daani
FrankPaulFietz_003017.jpg
juvenil Laudakia stellio daanis
IMG016_Kas2006 Kopie_filtered.jpg
Hemidactylus turcicus
IMG222_Kas2006 Kopie_filtered.jpg
Anatololacerta oertzeni finikiensis
IMG251_Kas2006 Kopie_filtered.jpg
Hatchling of Mauremys rivulata
FrankPaulFietz_000602_2014_2.jpg
Adult Testudo graeca terrestris
FrankPaulFietz_000595_2014.jpg
DOR- Hemipenis of Dolch. jugularis
FrankPaulFietz_000557_2014_1.jpg
and again - can´t get enough
FrankPaulFietz_000538_2014_1.jpg
Zamenis hohenackeri- same animal again because so nice !
FrankPaulFietz_000496_2014.jpg
Semiadult Testudo graeca ibera
FrankPaulFietz_000489_2014.jpg
Portrait of Testudo graeca ibera
FrankPaulFietz_000456_2014.jpg
Natrix persa
FrankPaulFietz_000436_2014.jpg
Typhlops vermicularis
FrankPaulFietz_000416_2014.jpg
Dead Caretta Caretta (in the backround newly opened beach club at nesting beach !)
FrankPaulFietz_000402_2014.jpg
Portrait of same animal
FrankPaulFietz_000375_2014.jpg
Mauremys rivulata
FrankPaulFietz_000368_2014.jpg
Zamenis hohenackeri, same as before
FrankPaulFietz_000341_2014.jpg
Ablepharus budaki
FrankPaulFietz_000319_2014.jpg
Adult Blanus strauchi aporus
FrankPaulFietz_000281_2014.jpg
Portait of Zamenis hohenackeri
FrankPaulFietz_000263_2014_1.jpg
adult Laudakio stellio daani
FrankPaulFietz_000197_2014.jpg
adult Eirenis modestus
FrankPaulFietz_000161_2014.jpg
same
FrankPaulFietz_000158_2014.jpg
semiadult Eirenis modestus
FrankPaulFietz_000137_2014.jpg
Portrait of Anatololacerta oertzeni finikiensis
FrankPaulFietz_000128_2014.jpg
Trachylepis aurata
FrankPaulFietz_000103_2014.jpg
Blanus strauchi aporus
FrankPaulFietz_000099_2014.jpg
Eirenis modestus
FrankPaulFietz_000082_2014.jpg
Cyrtopodion kotschyi ciliciensis
FrankPaulFietz_000022_2014.jpg
Ophimorus punctatissimus
FrankPaulFietz_000003_2014.jpg
Laudakia stellio daani
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Re: Lycian Coast

Postby Peter Oefinger » Thu Jun 12, 2014 6:40 am

Very nice! I guess some might miss the salamanders in this report :lol:
I like the Zamenis and Eirenis shots.
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Re: Lycian Coast

Postby Laura Bok » Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:45 am

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
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Re: Lycian Coast

Postby Ruggero M. » Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:32 am

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?
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Re: Lycian Coast

Postby Manfred Gessner » Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:35 am

Hello,
in my opinion the hohenackeri looks like tauricus?
Great pictures. Thanks.
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Re: Lycian Coast

Postby Jeroen Speybroeck » Thu Jun 12, 2014 1:24 pm

Good stuff!

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

Yes but no.
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Re: Lycian Coast

Postby Laura Bok » Thu Jun 12, 2014 4:53 pm

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

Yes but no.


Yes but yes! ;)
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Re: Lycian Coast

Postby Bobby Bok » Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:32 pm

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!
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Re: Lycian Coast

Postby Frank Paul Fietz » Thu Jun 12, 2014 10:02 pm

@ 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 :(
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Re: Lycian Coast

Postby GertJan Verspui » Fri Jun 13, 2014 8:09 am

Good finds and good photo's, thanks!
Amphibian & Reptile Adventures http://www.gertjanverspui.com
Instagram: @gj.verspui_wildlife
Facebook: Gerrit Jan Verspui
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