Monday, October 5, 2015

257) Leapin' Lizards!

Nephrurus levis (Smooth knob-tailed gecko) in the Simpson Desert, AU


Nancy is back from 3 weeks in the Simpson Desert being a research field assistant with the Ratcatchers (University of Sydney Desert Ecology Research Group).  I have a new appreciation for herps (that's reptiles and amphibians) like this wonderful gecko--what a smile he has!  When threatened, they lunge their tiny bodies (10 cm!) at their aggressor with a loud wheezing bark (Wilson and Swan, 2010, reptiles of AU). Isn't it amazing such creatures exist?!

Delma butleri (flap-footed lizard)
We were in charge of surveying several areas to keep track over time of who is where, when. This is done using a set of grids across the landscape that are comprised of pitfall traps.  Basically, we see who falls into our holes overnight. We rescue everybody in the morning, measure and weigh them, and set them free again. I recovered this guy from one of the traps that I searched. I hadn't guessed that though he looks like a tiny snake, he is actually a lizard with little vestigal hindlimbs.  They flee with rapid wriggling leaps when approached (Wilson and Swan, 2010).








Ctenophorus nuchalis (Central netted dragon)
Yep, dragons do exist, but bet you didn't know they were as lovely as this one.  No fire-breathing from these guys.  They were the second most common dragon in our area, always a joy to spot.










Gehyra variegata
Some of the reptiles didn't fall into our traps, but we were lucky to see them anyway despite their cryptic colouring.  These two (a gecko and a dragon) were in the trees right in our camp area.

Gowidon longirostris (Long-nosed dragon)








tracks


Not sure who made these tracks, but so nice to see signs of life in the soft sand of the dunes.  On dune crests, there were often myriad tracks of snakes, lizards, mammals and birds.  Fun to imagine the activity when we're not around.













Measuring a Dunnart

We saw great little mammals, too.  Here, Dave Nelson is measuring either Sminthopsis youngsoni or S. hirtipes (Hairy-footed or Lesser hairy-footed Dunnart).
 
Here's a little sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsbergensis), otherwise affectionally known as P. herm, emerging from a collection bag, ready to  be released to run back to home under a spinifex clump.



Main camp
Our camp was comfortably situated under a patch of Gidgee trees, an acacia of arid environments. The trees provided nice shade during moderately warm days.  While it was hot during a few of the days, some nights were cool--springtime in the desert is fine.  We stayed in '5 million star accommodation'--tents between the dunes under the starry starry sky.

baking bread over the coals
Dave was a superb cook, dinners were fantastic and included delicacies like freshly cooked bread!

betting at the races (mealworm races!!)
And everyone on the trip was fantastically fun--it didn't take much to entertain us, we had a good time when work was done for the day and we could relax and laugh at ridiculous things.