Africa Wild

The second phase of our animal checklist will be reptiles. People often see them along the road, but mostly you will get good sightings in the camps or under your tent. I had snakes and scorpions visiting my tent before and could not believe these creatures moved under me with only a thin piece of canvas separating us. I won't be giving brownie points on this one, but lets see if we can get some fact on reptiles and get to know which ones we need to avoid. A few pics per specie per member will be fine. My photo library only have a few and I am not sure if it is that I just avoid snakes and reptile or that I never had a camera with me on my camp walks. On the last walk a 2 meter long Cape Cobra was lying in the path and we quickly had to retreat.

I would like to add Scorpion to this section as its important to know a bit more about them and the reptile list is not that long, unless the rest of you do not have to same phobia as me.

Lets start posting



AW MEMBERS REPTILE CHECKLIST OF KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK - see post below

Lizards
Family Gekkonidae (Geckos)
Common Giant Ground Gecko, Giant Ground Gecko Chondrodactylus angulifer
Common Barking Gecko Ptenopus garrulus
Wrinkled Thick-toed Gecko, Rough Thick-toed Gecko, Rough-scaled Gecko Pachydactylus rougosus
Cape Thick-toed Gecko Pachydactylus capensis
Bibron's Gecko Pachydactylus bibronii https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 29#p140937
Wahlberg's Kalahari Gecko Colopus wahlbergii
Cape Dwarf Gecko Lygodactylus capensis

Family Chamaeleonidae
Flap-necked Chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis

Family Varanidae
Rock monitor, White-throated Monitor Varanus albigularis http://www-sagr.co.za/forum/viewtopic.p ... 10#p141630

Family Agamidae
Ground Agama Agama aculeata https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 29#p140949
Common Spiny Agama, Southern Spiny Agama Agama hispida https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 24#p141624

Family Scincidae (Skinks)
Western three-striped Skink Trachylepis occidentalis
African Striped Skink Trachylepsis striata, Mabuya striata
Variegated Skink Trachylepis variegata, Mabuya variegata
Karasburg Tree Skink Trachylepis sparsa https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 35#p141535
Kalahari Tree Skink Trachylepis spilogaster, Mabuya spilogaster
Bronze Rock Skink, Damara Skink Trachylepis lacertiformis, Mabuya damarana
Striped Legless Skink, Acontias kgalagadi Typhlosaurus lineatus
Cuvier's Blind Legless Skink Typhlosaurus gariepensis
Sundevall's Writhing Skink Mochlus sundevalli, Lygosoma sundevalli

Family: Gerrhosauridae
Yellow-throated Plated Lizard Gerrhosaurus flavigularis

Family Lacertidae (Lizards)
Western Sandveld Lizard, Striped Sandveld Lizard Nucras tesselata, Lacerta tesselata
Bushveld Lizard, Mourning Racerunner, Black and Yellow Sand Lizard Heliobolus lugubris, Lacerta lugubris, Eremias lugubris
Namaqua Sand Lizard Pedioplanis namaquensis
Spotted Sand Lizard, Ocellated Sand Lizard Pedioplanis lineoocellata https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 40#p141940
Spotted Desert Lizard Meroles suborbitalis, Scaptira suborbitalis, Scapteira depressa, Eremias suborbitalis
Common Rough-scaled Lizard Ichnotropis squamulosa

Family Amphisbaenidae (Worm Lizards)
Slender Spade Snouted Worm Lizard Monopeltis sphenorhynchus, Monopeltis ocularis
Cape spade-snouted worm lizard Monopeltis capensis
Kalahari Worm Lizard Monopeltis leonhardi WERNER
Dalophia pistillum, Monopeltis pistillum
Kalahari Round-snouted Worm Lizard Zygaspis quadrifrons


Snakes
Family Typhlopidae (Blind Snakes)
Schinz's Beaked Blind Snake Rhinotyphlops schinzi, Typhlops schinzi
Boyle's Beaked Blind Snake Rhinotyphlops boylei

Leptotyphlopidae (Slender blind snakes or thread snakes)
Peter's Thread Snake Leptotyphlops scrutifrons, Stenostoma scutifrons, Glauconia scutifrons

Family Colubridae
Brown House Snake Lamprophis fuliginosus
Mole Snake Pseudaspis cana https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 35#p141517
Slender Quill-snouted Snake Xenocalamus bicolor
Lineolate Shovel-snout, Sundevall's Shovel-snout, South African Shovel-snout Prosymna sundevalli
Two-striped Shovel-snout, Twin-striped Shovel-snout Prosymna bivittata, Prosymna sundevalli
Dwarf Beaked Snake, Western Beaked Snake Dipsina multimaculata, Rhamphiophis multimaculatus
Karoo Sand Snake, Whip Snake Psammophis notostictus
Fork-marked Sand Snake, Kalahari Sand Snake Psammophis trinasalis, Psammophis leightoni trinasalis https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 10#p141634

Family Elapidae
Cape Cobra Naja nivea https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 29#p140959
Kalahari Garter Snake Elapsoidea sundevalli fitzsimonsi

Family Viperidae
Puffadder Bitis arietans https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 29#p140962
Horned Adder Bitis caudalis https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 29#p140963


Tortoises & Terrapins
Family Testudinidae
Kalahari Tent Tortoise Psammobates oculifer
Leopard Tortoise Geochelone pardalis https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 29#p141519

Family Pelomedosidae
African Helmeted Turtle, Marsh Terrapin Pelomedusa subrufa https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 10#p141636

Bibron's Gecko, Bibron's Thick-toed Gecko
Pachydactylus bibronii
Family: Gekkonidae



The most familiar and widespread of the thick-toed geckos. It is distributed across the southern part of the African continent. It is common in South Africa, where it is one of the largest gecko species. Bibron's thick-toed gecko inhabits rock outcrops in the Cape and Karoo.
This moderate-sized gecko reaches 5-9 cm long. It has a stockier build than most other geckos, a pugnacious-looking gecko with a big head, pimply skin and segmented tail. The back has numerous, scattered, enlarged, conical scales that have a distinct longitudinal keel. The female is generally smaller than the male. Its base color is brown, and it has a beaded pattern dorsally, with horizontal black strips. The male has white dots. The female may, as well. The belly is white or very light brown. The newly-hatched Bibron's gecko has solid line and color patterns, while the adult's patterns are more broken.
Bibron's gecko is arboreal and ground-dwelling. It takes prey up to the size of large centipedes. It is territorial, and males are very aggressive toward each other. Individuals can commonly be found missing appendages in the wild. The female usually lays two clutches per year, with two eggs per clutch.

by Lisbeth

Links: SCARCE

Ground Agama
Agama aculeata
Family: Agamidae

by Lisbeth

by Lisbeth
Breeding male

by PRWIN

by PRWIN

Video:


Introduction
The ground agama is a medium-sized lizard which has a triangular head with a rounded snout. The tail is shorter in the female than in the male, but in both sexes the tail is usually longer than the head and body. Despite the name, they are known to climb into low shrub to bask and dig a small hole in loose soil at the base of a bush to rest or hide. They are solitary creatures but form monogamous pairs in the breeding season.
Ground agamas run as fast as they can with their tails curved upwards when disturbed, stopping suddenly to hug the ground in the hope their natural camouflage tricks chasing predators such as the greater kestrel and other small raptors.

Diet
Ants or termites ambushed in lines coming and going from their nests.

Colouring
The body is olive to reddish-brown, often with a distinct grey-yellow dorsal streak usually with a thin central black line. The belly is creamy-white to pale dirty pink.

Breeding
Females lay between 8 t 18 eggs in a hole dug in sandy soil, often under a stone or at the base of a bush. Breeding begins in the early summer and a 2nd clutch of eggs is sometimes laid in February.

Size
SVL 75 to 100 mm. Max SVL 117 mm for males, 106 mm for females.

Cape Cobra
Naja nivea


Kgalagadi 2012, by nan

with an urgent need by nan

by nan

Video:



Introduction
For a cobra, the Cape cobra is relatively small in size, although it has a broad head. They are most active during the day and early evening and are a nervous and deadly species. The venom is neurotoxic and a bite from the Cape cobra usually results in death in humans. It is a non-spitter. Large volumes of anti venom are urgently required in the treatment of a cobra snakebite with paralysis remaining for periods of up to 25 days.

Description
Adult snakes reach an average length of 1 m (maximum 1.8m). A large, robustly built snake that is easily recognized if it spreads its hood. Colour is very variable and include the following: plain yellow, plain orange brown, coppery brown, dull brown and dark brown. All these colour variations may be accompanied by darker and lighter flecks and sometimes even patches of different colours. The head is not very distinct from the head and the body scales are smooth giving a polished appearance.

Biology
This snake is a generalist that accepts a very wide range of prey, from birds, lizards, other snakes (including puff adders), and rodents to frogs and toads. They have been observed climbing low trees to raid sociable weavers nests. It is active in the day and night and is thus frequently encountered, especially as it is attracted to the rodents surrounding human habitations. It is an alert snake that quickly becomes aware of any movement in its surroundings. It is a reasonably quick moving snake and rapidly retreats if approached although it will often spread a hood as a warning and also to buy time to choose an escape route. If its escape is foiled, it will maintain its hood and strike in an attempt to chase the danger away. Its venom is a potent neurotoxin and if bitten, a person should be taken to hospital immediately. Failure to treat a bite is likely to result in death.

Breeding
Females lay between 8 to 20 large eggs in a burrow.

Distribution
The Cape cobra prefers the hot, arid areas of the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Northwest provinces and southern Botswana and Namibia.

Links: SCARCE

Puff Adder
Bitis arietans



Introduction
The puff adder is the most common adder in southern Africa causing over 70% of serious snakebites in the region. They have long fangs which enable them to inject venom deeply into their victim, with most bites being recorded in the lower leg of humans, usually after they've been trodden on. Fatalities are low, but death usually results from kidney failure and other complications resulting from excessive swelling. It is essential to get medical treatment as soon as possible. The venom is cytotoxic.

They are a heavily built snake that has a large, flattened, triangular head with large nostrils pointing vertically upwards. They emerge at dusk and will lie in cover to ambush their prey. Puff adders move in 'caterpillar' style and often climb into low shrub to bask. They can swim and can often be seen lying on roads at night to take advantage of the extra heat.

Diet
Rodents, birds and at times other snakes.

Colouring
The body is yellow-brown to light brown with dark chevrons on the back and bars on the tail. The belly is white or yellow.

Breeding
Large litters consisting of between 20 to 40 young are born in late summer.

Size
Max SVL male 1,090 mm, female 1,700 mm.

Spoor

by nan


Links: Bill Branch,William R. Branch: A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa; SCARCE

Horned Adder
Bitis caudalis
Family: Viperidae


Kgalagadi - 13.9.2012



Introduction
The horned adder is a small, short and broad adder with a ridge above each eye on a triangular head. They prefer to lie in the shade of small scrub, nestling into the sand for concealment protection from the heat. It will hiss and strike if disturbed but can be tamed. The venom is mild and will cause swelling and pain.

Distribution
Horned Adders occur widely from the Kalahari sands of western Zimbabwe, northern parts of Limpopo province, south along the arid western parts of North West province, including the Magaliesberg in Gauteng, much of the Northern Cape and to the Tankwa Karoo in the Western Cape and then north into Namibia, southern Angola and Botswana.

Diet
Small lizards, rodents and frogs are ambushed, lured into it's range by a waving black tail. It holds on prey before eating.

Colouring
Light grey with pale edged dorsal blotches. The top of the head is decorated with broad, dark V-shaped and radiating dark bars from the eye to the jaw angle. The tail is usually black.

Breeding
Mating occurs between October and November, gestation period are 90 to 100 days and between 4 and 15 young are born in December to February which is the lizard hatching season as well.

Size
Max SVL male 372 mm, female 548 mm.

Links: Bill Branch, William R. Branch: A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa; SCARCE

Mole Snake
Pseudoapis cana





Introduction
Mole snakes are a harmless species of constrictor that live underground in disused animal burrows. The name is derived from their habit of eating moles. They also eat other small mammals and some mole snakes also eat eggs, swallowing them whole. They are up for a fight when first caught, usually biting and twisting for all they're worth and can give you a nasty wound that requires stitches. Snake lovers will tell you they make great pets and are known to fast.

Description Adults reach an average length of 1.2 m (maximum 1.8 m). A large, thickset snake with a pointed head that has a noticeably long, sharp snout. It has several variations in colour from beige to pitch black. Most Western Cape adult specimens are black. Juveniles are very differently coloured. They have a beige background with a row of brown spots down each side and a wavy dorsal strip and the eyes have a red iris.

Biology
This snake is inoffensive, non-venomous and will always attempt to move off if encountered. If cornered and provoked it will hiss and strike and if restrained will attempt to bite. The bite is powerful and the teeth may inflict painful cuts, but this is not serious as there is no venom. This species is a major predator of mice, rats and mole-rats and thus a very useful species to have in agricultural and urban areas. This snake is a good burrower and spends much time underground where it finds its rodent prey. Its sharp snout, smooth scales and powerfully muscled body aid its underground movement. This snake is active above ground during spring and may be relatively common in suitable habitat, i.e., coastal sands with large populations of mole-rats.

Distribution
The mole snake is widely distributed throughout southern Africa particularly in the drier, sandy areas.

Diet
Moles, rodents and other small mammals. Juvenile mole snakes eat lizards.

Colouring
The upper body is a plain light to red-brown.

Breeding
Males will fight each other in the mating season, inflicting nasty bites on each other. Mole snakes mate in late spring around October time and an average of 25 to 40 juveniles are hatched during March to April.

Size
Max SVL male 1.3m, female 1.3m.

Links: SCARCE

Leopard Tortoise
Geochelone pardalis



Taxonomy
Order: Chelonia
Family: Testudinidae
Genus/species: Geochelone pardalis

Description
The leopard tortoise is one of the largest mainland tortoises and has an elevated carapace that is tawny, yellow or buff, with brown centers to each scute with black radiations and spots. The shell varies in size and colour and can be either smooth or domed in shape. It is usually a uniform dull brown or a bright pattern with black and yellow blotches which gives it a leopard-like configuration, hence the common name. Juveniles are mainly yellow with black spots.
They can reach about 61 cm in length and weigh up to 32 kg. The sexes are not obviously different in size. The male has a slightly concave plastron near the tail and a longer tail.

Distribution and Habitat
Leopard tortoises occur naturally throughout southern and eastern Africa from the coastal plains to elevations up to 3,050 m above sea level.
The Leopard Tortoise is found in the Eastern Cape, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and all the northern provinces of South Africa, and parts of KwaZulu- Natal and Mpumalanga. They occur in a variety of habitats, including grassland and scrub areas. Sheltering trees or bushes are necessary for them to escape the extreme midday tropical sun.

Diet
They are herbivores and primarily eat grasses as well as succulent plants, toadstools, and fruit. They also eat old bones for calcium.
A wide variety of wild foods including mainly herbs, grasses and to a lesser extent trees/shrubs. The Devil's Thorn (Tribulus terrestris), herb seedlings and desert thistle are among favoured food sources.

Breeding
Leopard tortoises are prodigious breeders, females able to give birth throughout the year. Several clutches of eggs are produced, numbering between 5 to 18 eggs. The rainy season usually heralds the onset of hatching. Incubation periods last between 178 and 485 days.

by nan

by nan

by Lisbeth
Twee Rivieren

Karasburg Tree Skink
Trachylepis sparsa
Family: Scincidae



by Toko

Size
Mean snout-vent length is 70mm.

Description
A dorsally dark brown or black skink, speckled with white.

Geographical distribution
Namibia, South Africa (Northern Cape), common in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Habitat
Nama-Karoo. Along Acacia stands in the dry riverbeds of the Kalahari. Trees appear to be necessary for this skink, presumably due to a combination of factors such as abundance of prey, refuge from predators that are poor climbers, and retreat from harsh environmental conditions, especially high temperature.

Behaviour
Diurnal species. Often living in large colonies. Resting and basking in trees.

Diet
Insectivorous. It forages actively on the ground.

Predators
Potential predators are birds of prey.

Reproduction
Viviparous species with a mean litter size of 5.