by Frank Deschandol
All pictures © F. Deschandol & Ph. Sabine
From 5 to 17th May, I went to Northern Italy and Croatia by car with my friend Pierre-Yves for a "cool herp trip". In Italy, we were looking especially for Salamandra atra aurorae and S. a. pasubiensis, while Vipera ammodytes was our main desiderata in Croatia. Unfortunately, the weather was rainy and cold almost all the days, so reptiles were rather scarce. As we heard from local people : "a very unusual climate here his year…!"
"Hvala ljepa" to Pierre-Yves, Mario, Jeroen, Neven, Jean-Marc and all especially Wouter for their help.
We left from Geneva, Switzerland, in the morning.
Near Asiago (N Italy)
Once on our first place, the rainy night didn't allow us to observe any Salamandra atra aurorae. T° were low, about 2-3°c. Only two Anguis fragilis, some Bufo bufo spinosus and one Natrix natrix natrix. A little bit disappointed, we decided to cancel S. a. pasubiensis and drive East to Venezia, hoping for a better weather lower on the plain.
Bufo bufo spinosus
Natrix natrix natrix with split necklace
Near Venezia (N Italy)
By a sunny day, we found several Hierophis viridiflavus carbonarius, some nice Natrix natrix persa, Pelophylax esculenta, Pelophylax lessonae, Hyla intermedia, Emys orbicularis hellenica and Lissotriton vulgaris meridionalis. Also a single Bufo viridis and some Podarcis muralis maculiventris in the garden of our hotel.
Hierophis viridiflavus carbonarius
other
other
other
Natrix natrix persa
Emys orbicularis hellenica, young (strange color but was found in a ferruginous ditch !)
same
other
Podarcis muralis maculiventris
Lissotriton vulgaris meridionalis, male
Pelophylax ridibundus
Bufo viridis
Pelophylax lessonae
Hyla intermedia
improvised studio for newts… © P-Y Vaucher
Near Muzzana del Turgnano (N-E Italy)
In a nice place with a lot of ditches, a lot of species were found : four Hierophis viridiflavus carbonarius, plenty of Hyla intermedia, Emys orbicularis hellenica, Natrix natrix persa, a lot of Rana latastei, Rana dalmatina, Lacerta bilineata, Triturus carnifex and a few Bombina variegata variegata. Some firefly embellished our evening...
Hierophis viridiflavus carbonarius
other
I and two H. viridiflavus carbonarius © P-Y Vaucher
Natrix natrix persa
Natrix natrix persa, young crushed
Lacerta bilineata
Lacerta bilineata, young
Bombina variegata variegata
Hyla intermedia
Triturus carnifex
Rana dalmatina
Rana latastei
other
same
Brachytron pratense
Luciola lusitanica
Near Vizinada (Istrie, Croatia)
We reached a nice dry and rocky area where we saw : Podarcis muralis maculiventris, Podarcis siculus campestris, Algyroides nigropunctatus, Lacerta (bilineata ?), one Hierophis gemonensis, two Vipera ammodytes ammodytes, Anguis fragilis, Rana dalmatina, Pelophylax ridibundus, Zamenis longissimus DOR, and also a very young Elaphe quatuorlineata DOR. Just next to a big canal, two Falso vespertinus were hunting insects in front of our car, inside a small colony of Falco naumanni.
Podarcis muralis maculiventris
a flashy Lacerta bilineata male
same
Algyroides nigropunctatus
same
other
other
other
Anguis fragilis
Vipera ammodytes ammodytes
same
Hierophis gemonensis
Pelophylax ridibundus
other
Melitaea sp. larva
The next day, we visited a nice cave (Jama Baredine) where we saw two Proteus anguinus anguinus. Sorry for rather bad picture but it was forbidden to use the flash :'o()
Proteus anguinus anguinus
On the way to Krk island (Croatia)
In the beautiful Croatian mountains (we willingly avoided the highway), we made a stop in the center of a small village. In and around a nice and large pond, we could see adults and hundred of young Bombina variegata variegata, thousand of Bufo bufo spinosus tadpoles, a young Zamenis longissimus, Hyla arborea, Lissotriton vulgaris meridionalis. There, in the night and under the rain, we were seeking Salamandra salamandra salamandra (seen by local people), but without luck. Only a nice Otus scops, very common here.
Zamenis longissimus, young
Bombina variegata variegata
others
a very young (1 cm)
Lissotriton vulgaris meridionalis, male...
… and a fat female
huge Hyla arborea
we will be quiet, promised !!
Zerynthia polyxena polyxena
Narcissus radiiflorus
Further East, we found Anguis fragilis and a Lacerta (bilineata ?).
Lacerta (bilineata ?)
Orchis morio f. alba
strange landscape...
Krk island (Croatia)
The first day on Krk was cold and rainy, and of course it was impossible to find any reptile outside. But we managed to observe : Podarcis siculus campestris, a black Natrix natrix persa, Pelophylax ridibundus, Anguis fragilis and some beautiful Bufo viridis found by night in a residential area. Later a Bubo bubo flying above the car.
The 2nd day was better, "lucky" at last to get some shy sunbeam : adult and young Lacerta trilineata major, Pseudopus apodus thracius, several Hierophis gemonensis, again Anguis fragilis, a pregnant female of Vipera ammodytes ammodytes.
Podarcis siculus campestris
other
other
other
black Natrix natrix persa
Bufo viridis
other female
male
Lacerta trilineata major
a young one
Pseudopus apodus
same
Hierophis gemonensis
other
Vipera ammodytes ammodytes
same
Euscorpius italicus
Euscorpius "carpathicus" group
Philaeus chrysops
a red Cetonia aurata
Scarabaeus variolosus
Copris lunaris
Ophrys bertolonii
North of Krk…
On the way to Plitvice, a big Zamenis longissimus DOR, a few Anguis fragilis (once again !) and a single Iberolacerta horvathi in a ruin.
Iberolacerta horvathi
Zamenis longissimus
Anguis fragilis
Near Plitvice (Croatia)
In the dark, by a bad weather, we found a huge and gravid female of Salamandra salamandra salamandra on a small road. But further investigations the next day in the same place gave no result.
Salamandra salamandra salamandra
Saturnia pavoniella, female
Plitvice falls
fish
On the way to Zagreb, another Vipera ammodytes ammodytes, and Lacerta (viridis ?). We made a stop near Karlovac for the night, where it was possible to see a lot of amphibians in a very small ditch : plenty of Hyla arborea, two Emys orbicularis hellenica, Bombina variegata variegata, Pelophylax ridibunda, and a lot of Bufo viridis tadpoles.
Vipera ammodytes ammodytes
same
Emys orbicularis hellenica
Hyla arborea
Cephalanthera longifolia
Near Zagreb (Croatia)
A search under grey clouds gave only a young Vipera ammodytes ammodytes, some Podarcis muralis maculiventris and Lacerta viridis viridis.
Vipera ammodytes ammodytes, young
same
Lacerta viridis viridis
other
Podarcis muralis muralis
Back to Asiago (Italy)
Another attempt here to see Salamandra atra aurorae in a similar weather that we had at the beginning of the trip. Also another attempt in the night under the rain for nothing, they weren't outside… But the day after, with determination we managed to find 3 specimens under stones, a young and two adults. Other species seen : Rana temporaria, a lot of Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestris, one Zootoca vivipara vivipara, Bufo bufo spinosus and two blueish Natrix natrix natrix under the same stone.
We spent the last day at Monte Pasubio, trying to find Salamandra atra pasubiensis, but unfortunately, after 2h30 of climbing, I was unable to find the exact spot in the very steep mountain. Only Coronella austriaca was found there.
Salamandra atra aurorae, young
adult
same
same
other
same
habitat
Rana temporaria
Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestris, male
Natrix natrix natrix
other
Zootoca vivipara vivipara, young
Coronella austriaca
Near Bex (Switzerland)
I went alone in the Swiss mountains to make pictures of Salamandra atra atra. I found quickly several Salamandra, adult, subadult and young. Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestris was everywhere, under stones and in a cold pond made by the molten snow. Also a Rana temporaria.
Next, on the bank of the Lac Léman, I failed to find any Natrix tessellata on a known spot. Finally, close to the border with France, I found a Zootoca vivipara vivipara but no Vipera berus.
Salamandra atra atra
other
a lot of… Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestris
a female and Rana temporaria eggs
Zootoca vivipara vivipara
Reptiles (18) :
Zootoca vivipara vivipara
Podarcis muralis muralis
Podarcis muralis maculiventris
Iberolacerta horvathi
Algyroides nigropunctatus
Podarcis siculus campestris
Anguis fragilis
Pseudopus apodus
Natrix natrix natrix
Natrix natrix persa
Coronella austriaca
Lacerta bilineata
Lacerta viridis viridis
Lacerta trilineata major
Hierophis viridiflavus carbonarius
Hierophis gemonensis
Zamenis longissimus
Elaphe quatuorlineata (D.O.R)
Vipera ammodytes ammodytes
Emys orbicularis hellenica
Amphibians (17) :
Total = 35 sp.