This time our trip went to the area around Dalyan, Turkey – the target species was Montivipera xanthina (Ottoman Viper) and Chamaleo chameleon.
We arrived Dalaman Airport saturday 29.march, and we stayed til 05.april
The reptile species that was most abundant, was Testudo graeca ibera
One of the specimens in the pictures, had a missing eye.. but seemed to do well. A big and old specimen – who knows – perhaps he had survived all world wars ?
We did not see to many turtles, but there were some – but I did not use much time on these this year, as we always was on our way to the next potential spot for Xanthina
We off course had to stop by the hot spring near the Dalaman Airport, to have a look at the Nile Soft-shell Turtles (Trionyx tringuis) – we also did see some specimens in the Dalyan River
I had some hopes finding Pelobates, but no luck – we did find several other species of amphibians, (Pelophylax ridibunda, Bufo viridis and the endemic Lycasalamandra fazilae)
We did see a few Lacerta trilineata in the start of the trip, and I was always thinking that I could get some good shots of them in the end – after I got some cracking shots of the viper..
We saw many skinks (Trachylepis aurata), and the small and swift Snake-eyed Lizard (Ophisops elegans). Further in-country we saw several beatiful specimens of Anatolacerta pelasgiana. In all old ruins we encountered many agamas (Laudakia stellio)
Ufortunatly we did not find any chameleons, or Ottoman Viper – and very few snakes at all.
Species list for the trip :
Bufo bufo
Bufo viridis
Pelophylax ridibundus
Lyciasalamandra fazilae
Mauremys rivulata
Testudo graeca
Trionyx tringuis
Blanus strauchi
Typhlops vermacularis
Laudakia stellio
Pseudopis apodus
Hemidactylus turcicus
Anatololacerta pelasgiana
Lacerta trilineata
Ophisops elegans
Trachylepis aurata
Ablephorus keitabelli
Dolichophis jugularis
Hemorrhois nummifer
Platyceps najadum
Eirenis modestus
Natrix natrix
Natrix tesselata