WA Heteronotia sampling (Part 2)
Shark Bay to Canberra via Exmouth and Meekatharra (25th May – 1st June)
Day 8
We started the next morning at the dismal Wooramel Roadhouse. It had not improved in the ten months since my last visit. The nearby trees also failed once again to deliver a V. caudolineatus, but the first Pygmy Spiny-tailed Skinks (Egernia depressa) were enjoyed appropriately. Further north and another station dump once again increased our binoei numbers, along with more Western Netted Dragons (C. reticulatus), our most northerly Micro Three-toed Slider (L. micra), and a Slender Broad-blazed Slider (Lerista uniduo), a first for the others. Now back on schedule with sampling efforts we coasted into Bullara, our base for the next two nights. After a couple of well earned beers it cooled off rapidly and we enjoyed an early night.
Day 9
Heading into Exmouth the next morning we were on the chase for the other parthenogen parental lineage. The first station wasn’t keen to have us (sigh), so we took a quick detour to the beach and managed to follow trails to a few of the best Lerista, the Keeled Slider (Lerista planiventralis). I’m still not sure why we struggled so much the year before, but this time we ended up coming across several diurnally active in a quick jaunt across the dunes. Heading back south we found another station that was took pity on us, and quickly added a few more Bynoe’s to the total, along with a very dead Jan’s Banded Snake (Simoselaps bertholdi) and some active Long-nosed Dragons (Gowidon longirostris).
We still had a few more Bynoe’s to find, so we spent the rest of the afternoon and the night back around Bullara and after much effort rounded up the final necessary samples. Bycatch wasn’t too bad either, with Western Narrow-banded Sand-swimmers (Eremiascincus pallidus), Western Fat-tailed Geckos (Diplodactylus bilybara), Childrens Pythons (Antaresia childreni), Western Two-toed Sliders (Lerista bipes) and a well received North West Cape Ctenotus (Ctenotus iapetus) all found while scrounging around. Less fortunately, the moths were absolutely insane when we tried to photograph the Ctenotus and it also decided to be a sulky turd. Very frustrating behaviour and unbecoming of most Ctenotus.
Day 10
Waving the Exmouth area goodbye the next morning we headed inland towards Mt Augustus, with several stations lined up to visit along the way. The first stop proved to be perhaps the best station dump we visited, providing several Bynoe’s as well as Pygmy Pythons (Antaresia perthensis), Rosen’s Snakes (Suta fasciata), Barred Wedgesnout Ctenotus (Ctenotus schomburgkii), Sharp-blazed Sliders (Lerista clara) and something I was stoked to find, a Rolfe’s Slider (Lerista rolfei).They look just like all the other muelleri group species, except with a paler stripe along the lower lateral zone. How good!
While the first station might have been a resounding success, it also took a while to find everything and get out of there (never truly a bad thing). Next up we made another detour up towards Nanutarra, but unfortunately to no success with sampling and at this point it was past midday. We tried to pick up the pace throughout the afternoon (it’s a long dirt drive to Mt Augustus), but the next station also ended up being a waste of time, although we did see several rather pretty Fire-tailed Skinks (Morethia ruficauda exquisita). The third station was far more bountiful for Hets, although not much else was found on the prowl. By this point it was getting close to dark and we still had about ~150 km to camp. Several randomised stops unsurprisingly failed to produce a Mount Augustus Spiny-tailed Gecko (Strophurus wilsoni) and several hours later we pulled into camp. Stephen was understandably keen to find a Spotted Broad-blazed Slider (Lerista stictopleura) despite the relatively late hour, so we set off into a nearby drainage line with some juicy looking litter mats. Looking at how much better the habitat seemed than last year I thought it would be quick. But after a good 45 minutes to an hour we’d instead found about a dozen Pale Broad-blazed Sliders (Lerista petersoni) (this was a new one for me so I was pleased), a single (monstrous) Unpatterned Robust Slider (Lerista macropisthopus) and a weird muelleri group thing that keyed to Jackson’s Slider (Lerista jacksoni), but no stictopleura. A large number of Lerista for a short time searching, but still frustrating. Also, can someone please sort out WA Lerista taxonomy. I beg. Questioning just what habitat L. stictopleura could possibly rely on we curled up for a few hours sleep.
Day 11
Not quite ready to throw in the Lerista towel the next morning we visited the disappointing as always roadhouse. Fortunately, walking back into some absolutely dismal looking shrubland quickly produced the truly funky looking Spotted Broad-blazed Slider (L. stictopleura). Stephen was keen to find his own and continued looking, but it took me finding another before he managed one. I wonder if Nick had felt the same signature sense of superiority with his Aprasia raking skills last trip?
The rest of the day passed slowly as we continued on the long dirt road to a town none of us were particularly excited to visit. Meekatharra. A couple of station dumps closer to our destination once again turned up some of the required Bynoe’s, along with a family of Pygmy Spiny-tailed Skinks (E. depressa) living in a stack of tin, and several Leonhardi’s Ctenotus (Ctenotus leonhardii). After a pub feed and dealing with all the local caravaners yelling about state of origin, we visited the wetland in town. Somehow Motorbike Frogs (Litoria moorei) have become established there and several exceptionally brown adults were found along the edge. I also saw my first few Flat-shelled Turtles (Chelodina steindachneri), including a mating pair. Temperatures continued to drop and we eventually made a cold camp out at some nearby outcrops. No Southern Banded Knob-tailed Geckos (Nephrurus wheeleri) were out to greet us and I only came across a single Western Velvet Gecko (Oedura fimbria) before heading for bed.
Day 12
Before leaving we made one quick stop at an abandoned building on the edge of town, producing a handful more Bynoe’s. We’d find out later that we actually sampled three different parthenogenic and one sexual lineage, pretty cool for a single spot. I also came across what I thought was a rather elegant looking (at least for the species group) Dwarf Three-toed Slider (L. timida) thing. Our final planned stop for sampling involved a singular station further south, with limited options if it failed. We needn’t have worried though, the station had arranged their dump perfectly, with stacks of tin and other waste laid artfully among leaf litter and not elevated off the ground. We really need more places to follow their lead. With such well arranged flipping opportunities our final Hets were easy to find. Flipping also produced a Broad-banded Sandswimmer (Eremiascincus richardsonii) and I spent a while raking trying to turn up a Meekatharra Slider (Lerista eupoda). While scratching about under bushes I came across a couple of Inland Broad-blazed Sliders (Lerista nichollsi) and made the fatal mistake of kneeling on a centipede. I do not recommend the experience. The bastard bit me through my pants. It gradually built into a broad, pulsing pain and my lower leg turned blotchy red and was extremely warm and sweaty for the next six hours. A lovely way to finish off what was technically our last sampling stop.
Not to be defeated by a singular, overly-legged, rather painful and ugly creature, we stopped once more nearby at some bushes for Lerista redemption. It took a while to be redeemed, and we all found many more Inland Broad-blazed Sliders (L. nichollsi) before I finally got an L. eupoda after having given up and started walking back towards the car. Naturally, it threw its tail when I found it. I was not in the slightest distressed by the events of the past hour at this point. Disgusted, I stewed in the back seat as we spent many more hours winding our way south and east.
Despite it being cool we did make one stop in the night for a gecko. The relatively newly described Lesser Thorn-tailed Gecko (Strophurus spinula) proved easy(ish) to find in some likely habitat. With more kilometres to cover none of us got out the cameras - I’ll also admit to not being blown away by them, they are outdone by most others in the genus. Of course I regret the lack of photos now though. Some nearby granite domes also turned up a few Thick-tailed Geckos (U. milii) as well as a sleepy but very nice orange Goldfields Ring-tailed Dragon (Ctenophorus infans). Continuing down the road we reconvened with Bryce in some nice yellow sand mallee. A final late night rake produced a lovely Spinifex Slender Bluetongue (C. melanops), with Bryce also finding an Unpatterned Robust Slider (Lerista macropisthopus) and another Dwarf Three-toed Slider (L. timida).
Day 13
Kalgoorlie’s promise of pepper pies and coffee lured us in the next morning and we weren’t disappointed. Bryce continued onwards quickly, planning to stop for a Southern Robust Slider (L. picturata) before meeting us down at Balladonia. It was mid afternoon by the time we refound him and we set out to find a Dark-backed Mulch-slider (Lerista tridactyla). Unfortunately for us and despite over an hour of searching, the slider would elude us. We did find some other things including Nullarbor Marbled Geckos (Christinus alexanderi), Saltbush Morethias (Morethia adelaidensis), Shinglebacks (Tiliqua rugosa) and a Gould’s Hooded Snake (Suta gouldii) before bidding farewell and sending it eastwards. It was a cold and windy camp east of the border that night.
Days 14 & 15
Little slowed us for the drive back to Canberra one the final two days. We did make one unsuccessful stop for a Saltbush Slender Bluetongue (Cyclodomorphus venustus), instead raking out two Gulf Delmas (Delma molleri). I was slightly peeved to miss the species after not failing on other trips. But after two days of mostly staring at paddocks we did eventually make it back to Canberra, concluding what was overall a very successful Bynoe’s sampling expedition. Any trip where you can look for Lerista on the side is always a good time, and thankfully the usual crew doesn’t seem to have got sick of having me along yet! Hopefully anyone reading this wasn’t too bored by seeing mainly small brown Lerista photos, I wasn’t the most proactive with a camera this time. Then again, if you don’t like Lerista I don’t know what you’re doing here.
