Arizona - California July 21-31, 2010

[SsarahH]

We just got back from our field herping trip out to AZ and CA a few weeks ago. Figured I would post up some pictures from our field herping adventure! All in all, we found about 52 species, that I could for sure identify. I didn't get pictures of everything....but did get most of it.

I'm not going to write up too much of a novel right now, as I think that would take me all day!

First find, the first night we went out...(well I think technically the first find was actually a Great Plains Toad (Bufo cognatus) ) but we got a little distracted from the cognatus by the pool of Spadefoot toads that were calling/mating.

Scaphiophus couchii ( Couch's Spadefoot toad )

Then we came across the biggest toad I've ever seen:

Bufo alvarius ( Sonoran Desert Toad )

Callisaurus dracanoides ( Zebra-tailed lizard )

A not too happy Sceloporus clarkii (Clark's Spiny Lizard)

Thamnophis cyrtopsis juvenile ( Black necked garter snake)

Cool red bug

and a cool green one...

Aspidoscelis sonorae (Sonoran spotted whiptail)

Beautiful scenery

Urosaurus ornatus ( Ornate Tree lizard) this little guy was quite intimidating while he was doing his 'push-ups'....lol

A scorpion with lots of little scorpions on its back. Andrew flipped a rock and found this, definitely were not expecting this!

 

[SsarahH]

Holbrookia elegans ( Elegant earless lizard )

This picture was taken by Andrew. We named this little guy Javier, he traveled probably about 20-30 miles on our windshield. Unfortunately, I think a bird may had him for lunch while we were inside eating our lunch...

Our awesome off-roading mini van rental!

The only Gila we found....DOR. I never knew they had such gnarly teeth!

Dung beetle hard at work

Phyrnosoma solore ( Regal horned lizard) One of my favorite finds from the trip!

Bufo punctatus ( Red-spotted toad)

Crotalus atrox (Western Diamondback Rattlesnake)

 

[SsarahH]

A very sad sight that we came by...

A very large, and very gravid female Thamnophis marcianus ( Checkered garter snake)

We did however, find two live young....this one presumably going through its first shed.

Organ Pipe scenery

As we were hiking up this trail, I apparently picked up this ball of 'Jumpin cholla' with my left shoe, and then inserted it into my right ankle....It did NOT feel good!

I'm pretty sure Andrew thought I was being a big wuss when I was trying to pull it out....but at the end of each one of those spines are tiny barbs, making it very difficult to just pull out...it feels like you are going to tear the inside of your leg out...especially when some of the spines are ~ 3/4 inch into your leg!

Some more beautiful scenery

Our first California find

Crotalus cerastes laterorepens

Pseudacris cadaverina ( California Chorus frog or treefrog)

There were I believe 51 on this one wall on the right!

 

[SsarahH]

One of my favorite scenery shots that I got! It's amazing how beautiful the desert can be!

Derek taking a dip

My turn

Kyle pretending to swim...lol

Andrew falling back into a deeper pool...notice how the front of his shirt is still dry!

Robber fly eating a damselfly

Crotalus helleri (Southern Pacific Rattlesnake) Quite possibly the prettiest one I've ever seen!

About two minutes after finding the helleri, we found this mitchelli.

Crotalus mitchelli pyrrhus ( Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake)

Lampropeltis getula californiae ( California kingsnake)

 

[SsarahH]

Trimorphodon biscutatus vandenburghi (Lyre snake) It was hard to capture a good shot of this guy, as Jeff Lemm wouldn't quit making us laugh!

Phyllodactylus xanti foot macro (Leaf toed gecko)

Spotted skunk that Jeff came across...definitely a cool find!

Young Coleonyx variegatus ( Banded gecko)

Had to get a photo with the quarter!

We spent most of the next day in La Jolla, CA. Went to check out the sea lions.

dirty sea lion...

Couple of scenery pics from near the glider port. Right below us was apparently a nudist beach that we didn't know about Andrew Derek and I walked down there!! lol

 

[SsarahH]

Us being dorks as we waited for Lemm the second night we met up with him to go herping.

Another Coleonyx variegatus ( Banded gecko)

Pseudacris cadaverina

Tubby Bufo boreas halophilus ( Western Toad )

Arizona occidentalis eburnata (Desert Glossy snake)

Another really cool find.

Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis

Imperial Sand Dunes

 

[SsarahH]

Masticophus bilineatus ( Sonoran whipsnake)

Macro head shot taken by Andrew

Masticophus flagellum ( Red phase coachwhip)

Andrew with the biggest and nastiest looking centipede I have ever seen!

Scenery

Gopherus agassizii ( Desert Tortoise)

Thamnophis marcianus ( Checkered garter snake)

 

[SsarahH]

Hemidactylus turcicus ( Mediterranean Gecko)

Bufo cognatus ( Great Plains toad)

Crotalus scutulatus (Mohave Rattlesnake)

Bufo debilis (Green Toad)

Tantilla nigriceps

Thamnophis marcianus feeding on some sort of Spadefoot toad.

Scaphiophus couchii on the left Spea bombifrons on the right

Scaphiophus couchii eye

Spea bombifrons eye

random spider

 

[SsarahH]

Lampropeltis getula californiae

Sceloporus clarkii

Lots of scenery

The view from this huge cave that we hiked up to

The group at the cave

us being goofy...Andrew had the camera sitting up on a rock and had to run down quickly to get in these shots!

Quite possibly my favorite from the whole trip

Crotalus molossus molossus (Black Tailed Rattlesnake)

Our last find of the trip

Terrapene ornata ( Ornate Box turtle)

I have tons more pictures, but I think these are the best.

Here is the entire list of animals we found throughout our 10 day adventure!

1. Bufo cognatus (Great Plains Toad)
2. Scaphiophus couchii (Couch's Spadefoot Toad)
3. Bufo punctatus (Red-spotted Toad)
4. Spea multiplicada (Mexican Spadefoot Toad)
5. Bufo alvarius (Sonoran Desert Toad)
6. Crotaphytus nebruis (Sonoran Collared Lizard)
7. Callisaurus dracanoides (Zebra-tailed Lizard)
8. Holbrookia elegans (Elegant Earless Lizard)
9. Urosaurus ornatus (Ornate Tree Lizard)
10. Sceloporus clarkii (Clark's Spiny Lizard)
11. Phyrnosoma solore (Regal Horned Lizard)
12. Aspidoscelis sonorae (Sonoran Spotted Whiptail)
13. Heloderma suspectrum DOR (Gila Monster)
14. Pituophis catenifer DOR (Gophersnake)
15. Masticophus flagellum (Red phase Coachwhip)
16. Thamnophis cyrtopsis (Black-necked Garter Snake)
17. Thamnophis marcianus (Checkered Garter Snake)
18. Crotalus atrox (Western Diamondback Rattlesnake)
19. Petrosaurus mearnsi (Banded Rock Lizard)
20. Sceloporus orcutti (Granite Spiny Lizard)
21. Pseudacris cadaverina (California Chorus frog)
22. Crotalus cerastes laterorepens (Colorado Desert Sidewinder)
23. Crotalus helleri (Southern Pacific Rattlesnake)
24. Phyllodactylus xanti (Leaf-toed Gecko)
25. Xantusia henshawi (Granite Night Lizard)
26. Uta stansburiana (Common Side-blotched lizard)
27. Aspidoscelis hyperythra beldingi (Beldings Orange Throated Whiptail)
28. Coleonys variegatus (Banded Gecko)
29. Trimorphodon biscutatus vandenburghi (Lyre Snake)
30. Pitnophis catenifer annectens DOR (San Diego Gopher Snake)
31. Lampropeltis getula californiae (California Kingsnake)
32. Crotalus mitchelli pyrrhus (Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake)
33. Arizona occidentalis eburnata (Desert Glossy Snake)
34. Rhinocheilus lecontei lecontei (Coastal Longnose Snake) DOR
35. Bufo boreas halophilus (Western Toad)
36. Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis (Northern Desert Iguana)
37. Crotalus tigris DOR (Tiger Rattlesnake)
38. Masticophus bilineatus (Sonoran Whipsnake)
39. Salvadora hexalepis (Western Patch-nosed Snake)
40. Hemidactylus turcicus (Mediterranean Gecko)
41. Uma rufopunctata (Yuman Fringe-toed Lizard)
42. Gopherus agassizii (Desert Tortoise)
43. Bufo debilis (Green Toad)
44. Crotalus scutulatus (Mohave Rattlesnake)
45. Tantilla nigriceps (Plains Black-headed Snake)
46. Lampropeltis getula (Desert Kingsnake) DOR
47. Spea bombifrons (Plains Spadefoot Toad)
48. Crotalus molossus molossus (Black-tailed Rattlesnake)
49. Crotalus pricei (Twin Spotted Rattlesnake)
50. Ctenosaurus macrolopha (Sonoran Spiny-tailed Iguana)
51. Aspidoscelis velox (Plateau Striped Whiptail)
52. Terrapene ornata (Ornate Box Turtle)

 

[Calfirecap]

Sarah,

What I said on GU, and then some!!!! Thanks for sharing the pics. Seems the only rattlesnakes I see in Arizona are DOR. Well done.

Lawrence

 

[sune jensen]

This is one of the best posts for years on this site!!! Thanks so much for sharing.
Just one little question: any chance of a pic of the Xantusia henshawi (Granite Night Lizard)?


-Sune

 

[DDReptiles]

This is one of the best posts for years on this site!!! Thanks so much for sharing.
Just one little question: any chance of a pic of the Xantusia henshawi (Granite Night Lizard)?


-Sune

Hi Sune,

Figure I'll reply, since I don't know how often Sarah checks in here.

The ones we saw either got away or were tightly wedged between boulders so not any good photographing opportunities.

Thanks Derek

 

[sune jensen]

no problem, it's a nice thread anyway,
-Sune