The Lerista Trip of ‘21 (Part 5)
Townsville to Narrabri (25th-29th of June)
A shorter and more random entry as we poke our way back to Narrabri
Day 15
While we were now quite close to Townsville and had seen or attempted to find most of our targets, there were still a couple of species on the hit list heading south. Our only species for this day, if we found it, would be the Anomalopus genus tick for both Nick and I (pending soon to come taxonomic revision). Jumping back up onto the tablelands on a roundabout route back to Townsville, we started investigating rocks, logs and leaf litter in sclerophyll. After finding nothing at several spots and continuing south, we were running out of road and my nerves were climbing.
Jumping out at what seemed the last possible location, we spent the next hour desperately searching. Despite good habitat I found almost nothing bar Bynoe’s Geckos (Heteronotia binoei), a Slender Mulch Skink (Glaphyromorphus cracens) and a basking Carpet Python (Morelia spilota) and was despondently making my way back to the car when I ran into Nick. A cheeky “Got one” had me in a much happier mood and we all crowded around to see the absolutely tiny Speckled Worm Skink (Anomalopus gowi) Nick had raked up. Not the ideal photo subject but certainly a relief to find, and they’re a pretty skink to boot. Stoked with our find, we made our way back to Townsville, with a little tourist walk at Paluma thrown in for good measure.
Day 14 & 15
Day 14 was fairly herpless, although I did end up photographing a singular skink just west of Townsville. For our final day (day 15) in the area we decided to duck back west and see if we could access one Lerista species entirely on station property, the Rochford Slider (Lerista rochfordensis). Although the owners weren’t around to talk to, we did get possible access for November. We’ll put it down as a partial success.
With that complete, we set about trying to find the only Lerista we’d looked for on the circuit without success, the Wide-striped Four-toed Slider (Lerista zonulata). Ironic considering it was the most widespread of our initial targets. Our efforts produced little to begin with, other than an Eastern Barred Wedgesnout Ctenotus (Ctenotus strauchii) and a large Burton’s Legless Lizard (Lialis burtonis). Moving spots, we continued searching for what seemed ages before Justin eventually turned up the goods with an immaculate juvenile. Soon after, he also found a deep in shed Collared Whipsnake (Demansia torquata) and another Ctenotus, with Nick also finding an adult Lerista. A fairly successful day under our belts, we turned tail for Townsville.
Day 16
It was time for another sad departure from Townsville but we just couldn’t stay any longer, Nick had been away for a month at this point. Bidding tearful goodbyes to Justin, Boof and Loki (Justin’s dogs), Nick and I swept out the door. Naturally, we made a slight detour down to the Ross before we left to see Krefft’s Turtles (Emydura krefftii) in their hundreds. Contentious turtle taxonomy aside, they were listed in the Wilson as different and I was happy to accept it at that. Turtled up, we shot south.
It was early afternoon when we arrived in sandstone outcrops west of Mackay, an area with a diverse assemblage of reptiles. We were of course there for a fossorial species, a weird and likely new Anomalopus currently listed under the Short-necked Worm-skink (Anomalopus brevicollis). After a little searching we managed to turn up two, along with quite a few Eastern Mulch Sliders (Lerista fragilis). Photos were had and the place was bookmarked as an area I wanted to revisit and we continued on our way.
We didn’t arrive in Dingo until sunset and after a compulsory stop at the roadhouse, we continued up to Blackdown Tablelands NP. Our first target would be the Major Toadlets (Pseudophryne major) living atop the plateau and they were found without issue. Their modeling skills left a lot to be desired but with cold temperatures we quickly bailed out. Retreating a little down the escarpment, our second target, a Rough-throated Leaf-tailed Gecko (Saltuarius salebrosus) was immediately spotted sitting in the middle of the road. Closeby was another large adult and a juvenile, all with original tails. Considering we’d only found regen tail individuals last time I was rather happy. Continuing further down the slopes into drier scrub we had one final spotlight to see if we could find a Golden-tailed Gecko (Strophurus taenicauda). It was only after seeing nothing and beginning to make my way back to the car that I spotted a large female at head height in a tree. One final nocturnal photography session for the trip and we were on our way to Banana to make camp.
Day 17
Our final day was largely uneventful other than learning we’d lucked out and left Townsville at the perfect time as it went into lockdown. We did make one small detour near Condamine to look for what would be our 14th Lerista of the trip. After inspecting a couple of roadside areas and finding several Eastern Robust Sliders (Lerista punctatovittata), I finally raked out a very mundane species that had somehow eluded me for quite a while, the Timid Slider (Lerista timida). Rather excited that I would no longer have to waste time looking for such a sombre species, we shot southwards. I was now sitting at a total of 397 reptile species and only three away from my 2021 goal of 400. Not bad. Our final stop was not far north of Narrabri to flip some tin, producing a species I’d long failed to find for Nick, a small Spotted Black Snake (Pseudechis guttatus). A little ironic that the only elapid we’d photograph on the trip was back in NSW, we’ll have to look for more in summer. Elated with just how well we’d done over the last few weeks, we coasted back into Narrabri.
Nick had to head home the next morning, although not before having to get a flat tyre fixed, bringing the trip to an official end. We’d once again stepped up our game and our recent adventure now took out top spot as my favourite herping road trip. All going to plan we’ll be reunited in November to search for another array of herps in Qld.
