by Frank Deschandol
All pictures © Frank Deschandol & Philippe Sabine
From 14th to 29th December, I visited southern Portugal/Spain, amphibians being the most part of the goal. I made partly the trip with Jeroen Speybroeck, Jan Van der Voort, Bobby Bok and Sander Schagen, the '50% Belgian/Dutchman team'. Thanks to all just as Vasco Flores Cruz, David Donaire, Wouter Beukema, Mirjam Van de Vliet and Onno for their precious help.
Serra de Monchique (Portugal) :
From Le Havre, north of France, I made a direct drive to Monchique, spending one frozen night near Valladolid. Once on the area, a short search by day on 2 known sites gave only one Salamandra salamandra crespoi under a stone, but by 4-5°c... not a big surprise.
Salamandra salamandra crespoi
Surroundings of Vila do Bispo (Portugal) :
Next, I reached Vila do Bispo, extreme SW of Portugal, but the T° was still rather cold (5°c) and the strong wind didn’t help. However, I found a lot of Lissotriton boscai maltzani, a few Triturus pygmaeus and Pelophylax perezi. Also tadpoles of Pelobates cultripes. A few calls of Pelodytes sp. (nov.). I meet in the evening Jeroen, Jan, Bobby, Sander, Mirjam and Onno, ready for a great exploration.
At another place, a search with the friends allowed us to see : Discoglossus galganoi galganoi, Pelobates cultripes, Pleurodeles waltl, Lissotriton boscai maltzani, Triturus pygmaeus, Pelophylax perezi, only one Pelodytes sp., Bufo calamita and Bufo bufo spinosus. The next day, a little bit warmer and... "moist" :) all amphibians were outside, with of course a true carnage everywhere on roads. Pelodytes were calling in large number. We added Hyla meridionalis on our list.
Pelophylax perezi
Triturus pygmaeus, male
other
female
other
same
other
same
Lissotriton boscai maltzani, male
other
other
other, female
Bufo calamita, female
Bufo calamita, male
Pelobates cultripes
Triturus pygmaeus
other
other with truncated tail
very young female
other, male
herpers at work... Onno and Mirjam at foreground
Pelodytes sp.
other
other
other
Discoglossus galganoi galganoi, female
other
Pleurodeles waltl
Back to Serra de Monchique (Portugal) :
I reached once again Monchique in a hurry, but this time, rain and 15°c is enough to admire 15 Salamandra salamandra crespoi. 2 other ones were found near Foia. Also another dead on road.
Salamandra salamandra crespoi
other
same
other
other
other
other
other
other
other
other
strange other
same
herpers at work... Wouter and his father (on the left) joined us for a - too - short time
Near Monte Gordo (Portugal) :
A nice spot where we were able to see only one Alytes cisternasii found by Bobby and Sander. Also some Salamandra salamandra of undetermined subspecies, maybe a transition form between crespoi and morenica.
Salamandra salamandra crespoi x S. s. morenica ?
Alytes cisternasii, male with eggs
Alcalá de los Gazules / Alcornocales (Spain) :
Large flood in this part of Spain, I've never seen a such thing. Then, not easy to make pictures outside...But for the good news, amphibians were rather easy to find, especially on the road (dead and alive). Pelodytes ibericus was calling everywhere in large number. A night drive gave 2 small Salamandra salamandra longirostris, but the Jeroen's team was more lucky finding 3 Salamandra whose a huge pregnant female.The same night, I decided to reach a place where a population of S. s. longirostris is known. About 1 hour of shit night walk under the heavy rain, but fortunately I did find 5 big salamanders. Also Discoglossus galganoi jeanneae.
Pelodytes ibericus, female
male
other
other
other
Discoglossus galganoi jeanneae
Salamandra salamandra longirostris, female
other
other big gravid female
other
same
other
young
Near Jabugo (Spain) :
To profit from the rain, I made a crazy long drive to a known place, a deep artificial canal (almost without water), where 15 Salamandra salamandra morenica were trapped. I picked up all salamanders to release them near the Rio. I found 3 more Salamandra (alive) by a night drive, Pleurodeles and Discoglossus dead and a lot of big Bufo bufo alive or killed on road.
Salamandra salamandra morenica
other
other
other
other
same
same
other
other
other
other
other
same
Bufo calamita, male
Campofrio (Spain) :
A short stop to Campofrio, but only 3 Lissotriton boscai boscai could be found under stones.
Lissotriton boscai boscai, female
male
Doñana (Spain) :
A few Alytes cisternasii calling here along with a single Discoglossus galganoi galganoi on the path, several Podarcis vaucheri at El Rocio and also some discreet Podarcis carbonelli...
Alytes cisternasii, young
Podarcis vaucheri, male
Astraeus hygrometricus
Near Cartaya (Spain) :
Another Jeroen's spot, and after a consequent research, we managed to find one Coronella girondica. I found another one alone the next day with a Macroprotodon brevis ibericus, while the friends were going back home. Also Psammodromus hispanicus hispanicus, Tarentola mauritanica and Bufo calamita.
Coronella girondica
other
Macroprotodon brevis ibericus
same
and again a Bufo calamita, female
Serra de Grandola (Portugal) :
Further North, I spent one day at a Wouter's spot, checking for amazing Salamandra salamandra crespoi aff. gallaica patterns, but in spite of a rainy evening, T° was too cold (5°c). I only saw some larvae in the stream, with a few Pelophylax perezi. I found a subadult quickly by day, but after lifting about 50 stones and logs or so, the density seemed to be very low. In the Christmas night, under the rain, I couldn't find any Salamandra out. But while going back to my car, I lifted up a small log, maybe the last one still in place, and finally found a big female. I decided to move a small pile of wood next to this log and saw a big "tiger" male walking on a branch...
Salamandra salamandra crespoi aff. gallaica, male
same
same
female, very short tail...
same
subadult female, very short tail again...
same
Pleurodeles waltl, young
Serra de Arrabida (Portugal) :
Seeking Salamandra salamandra gallaica, but strictly nothing outside here in spite of a rainy night and about 6°c....
Near Coimbra (Portugal) :
Difficult to find something by 3°c, except hundred of Salamandra larvae, so only one Chioglossa lusitanica lusitanica could be seen in the dark. Knowing the weather, I stayed at that place the next day ; a better day, warmer in the night (7°c). A few rains started to fall in the afternoon. Later, at a known spot by a stream, at last 10 Salamandra salamandra gallaica were outside, several Chioglossa and Rana iberica. In the middle of the night (3h30 AM), a strong rain made me rise out my bed to check once again the same place. 10 new Salamandra were found !
Chioglossa lusitanica lusitanica
same
same
other
Rana iberica
other
Salamandra salamandra gallaica
awesome " armband 308 " !!
other
same
other
same
other female
other
other male
same
other
other
other
other
same
other
Chrysocarabus lateralis lateralis bilineatus
Donostia-San Sebastián (Spain) :
On the way back to France, I decided to make a short stoppage in the town, trying to see some Podarcis liolepis sebastiani on a scenic place. A nice sunny day, 21°c. Unfortunately, the road was closed (permanently ?) with a barrier recently built. So I continued my way leading to Le Havre and reached my home in the evening.
Reptiles (6) :
Tarentola mauritanica
Psammodromus hispanicus hispanicus
Podarcis carbonelli carbonelli
Podarcis vaucheri
Coronella girondica
Macroprotodon brevis ibericus
Amphibians (15) :
Pelobates cultripes
Pelodytes ibericus
Pelodytes sp. (nov.)
Discoglossus galganoi galganoi
Discoglossus galganoi jeanneae
Hyla meridionalis
Rana iberica
Pelophylax perezi
Alytes cisternasii
Bufo bufo spinosus
Bufo calamita
Pleurodeles waltl
Chioglossa lusitanica lusitanica
Triturus pygmaeus
Lissotriton boscai boscai
Lissotriton boscai maltzani
Salamandra salamandra longirostris
Salamandra salamandra morenica
Salamandra salamandra crespoi
Salamandra salamandra gallaica
Salamandra salamandra crespoi aff. gallaica
Salamandra salamandra crespoi x S. s. morenica ?
Total = 21 sp.