fieldherping.eu

Hi there,

couple months ago I asked the community about promising spots to go herping in autumn.
I finally decided to go to Corfu. So I''ve been there from 20th of September till today morning.

It was my first reptile focused trip and I was there on my own. My base was Gouvia - quite central.
I realised that it is quite challanging to watch both the right and left side of the ways with ecery step as all animals are soooo alertly. Secondly the vegetation was so dense and high sometimes and because of sheepdogs and stray dogs I found myself in some uncomfortable situations in the middle of nowhere.
So although I was on a very touristic island being there alone can be difficult.

So lots of snakes escaped way too fast!

But although I managed to find quite some species.
For the international community here are some pictures:

Lacerta tauricus


Triturus vulgaris graecus


Algyroides nigropunctatus


Stellagama stellio


Eryx jaculus


Any guesses on the species?


Vipera ammodytes


Emys orbicularis and Trachemys scripta


In the same habitat: Lots of Pelophylax (I have no clue about the species!)


Any guesses on this snake? (I also got this photo in a wider version)


Lacerta viridis or trilineata?


Pseudopus apodus


Hierophis gemonensis


Much more photos of habitat and Corfus landscape and my trip report can be found on my homepage (german): http://www.ambystomatidae.de/ausfluege- ... -2014.html
or on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60302003@ ... 036594736/

Best regards,
Mario

I also stayed in Gouvia nice little village and the same hotel haha ! Congrats to your findings especially the Eryx very very good! And the hidden snake is Malpolon insignitus I think..

Hi Niklas,

Popi Star seems to be a cheap place for "typical" tourists from mainly Russia, England and France these days. It's really not very special, clean, quit or anything else

At first I thought this snake is a Malpolon too but the scales look so different
So my next guess was Dolichophis.

But that's exactly why I ask here

I have to be careful because I asked the same question last year. But I think the lizard is a trilineata because of the yellow underneath, the green lips and throat and no white on (light) blue on the throat.
Did you count the rows of scales on the shed?

I like the pics of the sand boa and the viper.

Greetings,

Miguel

hidden snake looks like Malpolon, no Dolichophis. Dolichophis should have a light stripe in the center of each scale.
green lizard is trili for sure!

Mario

Nice findings & species list. I like the realistic report which shows that it can be hard to search alone, without concrete spots and nimals hiding in dense vegetation. Thanks for sharing!

I think the lacerta is a trillineata. They are more common on the island and this on have no blue color and it's belly seems to be very yellow.

Thanks guys for your help on both the Lacertid and snake!

The Pelophylax are still a mystery for me. Some are light coloured, some dark, some had a strip on their back,...

@Miguel: Now I know what I forgot to do!

@Peter: I guess that's why many are herping in spring too. The vegetation is more subtle and all animals are out to find mates/food/...
But the good thing about Corfu is, that there are so many good looking places and it seems diffcult for me not to find anything

Best regards,
Mario

Malpolon for me

Nice pictures Mario! Eryx on Corfu... great job!