The beautiful White-chinned Giant Anole, Anolis flavigularis, is now a full species.
With 60 (plus or minus a few—the taxonomists are still at work!), Cuba, if you don’t already know, is “anole-central.” These vary from 3 ½ to 5-inch-long twig anoles, that, even if you’re looking for them are difficult to see, to the 12+ inch long giant and chameleon anoles that blend superbly with the foliage and trunks among which they dwell.

Following our very successful stop at Soroa,, our next venture took us westward to the beautiful town of Vinales. Although a great stop for both herping and birding, we were hoping to see at least 5 herp taxa on that first night, 4 Anolis species, and 1 snake. We succeeded on the anoles and the target snake plus 1.

The anoles included 2 in the subgenus Chamaeolis, the “gnarly” Western Bearded Anole, A. (C.) barbatus and the Short Bearded Anole, A. (C.) chamaeleonides, (these are big and different looking than “normal” anoles), plus 2 typical anoles, the big tree dwelling, white-chinned A. flavigularis and the smaller tan and blue, cliff dwelling A. bartschi. The “target” snake seen was the Broad-banded Trope, Tropidophis feicki, a species most wanted by our group. Additionally, a Guaniguanico Racerlet, Arrhyton tanyplectum, was found. This latter is, as suggested by its name, an alert and fast rear-fanged species of small size.

The weather was very dry and it was perhaps for that reason that we failed to see the big Giant Robber Frog, Eleutherodactylus zeus. But we’ll try again.

Sitting at its front door, this E. zeus had an estimated snout to vent length nearing 6 inches.
Zeus--the Greek God who rules sky and thunder; who rules as king of the gods of Mount Olympus.

But no, it was not for this deity that our search took us to the mojotes in western Cuba near Vinales. We had looked for our Zeus on an earlier trip but perhaps due to the dryness then, had failed. Our Zeus, you see, was a frog, a rather spectacular frog that because of its restricted range and even more restricted habitat is not a well-known species.

The common name for this sought frog, Eleutherodactylus zeus, is Zeus' Robber Frog. As suggested by its scientific name, it is in the family Eleutherodactylidae. It dwells in the perpetual dampness of caves and crevices, shaded by forests on the limestone mojotes of western Cuba.

And this time, with escarpments and caves still dampened by rainfall runoff, we succeeded, seeing not one, but a half dozen of the frogs. These varied from about a 2 inch svl (snout-vent length) to close to 6 inches.

Nearly as dark in color as the caves from which they had emerged, the first one seen was mistaken for one of the local giant toads. But its 3+ foot leap back into its cave—a length that no giant toad could equal--quickly gave lie to that assumption.

Within just a few minutes others were seen, photos were taken, and we departed, leaving these prodigious anurans in peace.

Like all members of the family, reproduction is by “direct development. There is no free-swimming tadpole stage.

Meet the Amazonian Toadlet, one of the smallest and most easily overlooked of the regions herpetofauna.
Truly a “Minuta”

At an adult length of just under 1”, the tiny, basically terrestrial, Amazonian Toadlet, Dendrophryniscus (Amazophrynella) minuta, is truly an anuran whose actual length is exceeded (dramatically!) by a scientific name that is, when printed, much longer than the amphibian itself. In some areas, such as in our “stomping grounds” north of Iquitos Peru, this is a rather common but easily overlooked component of the rainforest floor herpetofauna. Afterall, the dorsal color is “fallen leaf” brown, the orange belly color is not to be see unless the toad is in hand or peering at you from a trailedge shrub leaf that just happens to be face-high, it is literally minute, and is not overly active. The reddish soles of the feet will not be seen unless the toad is being held.

This tiny bufonid has an immense range, being found almost coast to coast from Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru northward to Colombia and Venezuela. It utilizes temporary waterholes for breeding in its rainforest habitat. The breeding call remains undescribed.

This was the "Big Guy."Long known as Epicrates angulifer, this long and hefty boa is now, like other West Indian Boas, in the genus Chilabothrus. Its common name of Cuban Boa has not been changed and it remains well known to hobbyists. They are live-bearing and may have up to 20+ young.

This boa is the largest and heaviest of the genus and may attain an adult length of 15 feet and an age of 25+ years. It ranges in the forestlands throughout Cuba and Cuba’s immediate islands. Although on an earlier trip in the dry season we had missed seeing this iconic taxon, some rain had fallen between then and now and we hoped that we would see at least one. We did. In fact we saw about a half a dozen, and these ranged from about 2 feet in length to—well let me tell you a bit about the largest one.

The group had spent a couple of hours on a trail known by the name of “Enigma of Rocks.” You may have never seen this trail, but the name alone should give you an idea of the complexity of passage. And somewhere along the trail a 5 foot long Cuban boa had been seen. Our group were happy campers.

We had been making our ways slowly back to the bus and were about ready to board when Luis, who had been chatting with a Forest Ranger, said ”One more stop—if you want to see a big boa.” Of course we did and within minutes we were on another rocky forest trail. A 15 minute walk took us to a “bat cave” and in front of the cave lay coiled the biggest Cuban Boa any of us had ever seen. We all agreed that the snake was at least 10 feet long (and probably longer) and its normally substantial girth was swollen even more by the prey it had eaten. The forest ranger guessed the prey to be an adult Hutia (as mentioned, a big rodent) and said the boa had been lying at the cave entrance for 4 days and that he expected that it would remain for another 4 or 5 days while digesting its meal.

And except to say all in the group felt that this sighting was well worth the walk and thanks Luis, that’s the story of our largest Cuban Boa.

Darker than many, this is an adult Scarlet Kingsnake.
Whether called Scarlet Kingsnakes or Milk Snakes, these mostly small-sized constrictors are so pretty that I can't stop writing about them.

The Scarlet Kingsnake, Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides, is the sole tricolored kingsnake of the southeastern USA. It is a pretty snake, gaudily bedecked with triads of red, then black that separates the red from the yellow, rings, and it almost always (perhaps always, but aberrancies may sometimes happen) has a red nose. In this manner of nose color and ring assembly, the harmless scarlet kingsnake differs from the venomous Eastern Coral Snake, Micrurus fulvius, that almost always has a black nose and again, almost always, has the 2 caution colors, red and yellow, touching.

This is one of the smaller of the tricolored kingsnakes, with lengths of 17-20 inches being most common and lengths in excess of 24 inches being quite uncommon. Hatchlings are tiny, often being only 6 to 6 ½” in length. Although large adults may accept nestling mice as prey, throughout their lives this species feeds primarily on suitably sized lizards.

The last Scarlet King that I happened upon was found in moist microhabitat beneath a sizable, mouldering,pine limb. Others have been seen crossing roadways, beneath debris, and actually in moist leaf-filled crotches of still living trees.

These are Italian Wall Lizards in NY.
No lizards of the family Lacertidae are native to the USA but as a result of the pet trade and deliberate introduction, 3 species now exist here. One, the Western Green Lizard, Lacerta bilineata, is restricted to the Topeka, KS region and is not discussed in this blog. The remaining 2 are both Wall or Ruin Lizards and are in the genus Podarcis. The species are the Italian Wall Lizard, P. siculus and the Common Wall Lizard, P. muralis, both common to abundant species in their European homelands.

Of nomenclatural interest is the fact that rather than subspecies, color and size differences in P. muralis are referred to as morphs, while P. siculus has been broken into so many subspecies that even the researchers can be confused.

Although subspecific/populational size differences can be seen in Europe, both species in the USA are of relatively similar length and overall appearance but generally differ markedly in color.

Both have an adult snout-vent length of about 3 ½” and a tail, if in its original form, of another 3 ½ or 4 inches. They are slender lizards that are of somewhat flattened appearance, especially on cool mornings when they are warming in the sunshine. Fortunately for observers the two do differ markedly in coloration as well as in current range in the USA. Both are habitat generalists, being equally successful in populating residential, agricultural, or dry fields or meadowlands. Both species can climb but the Italian Wall Lizard seems the more apt to use arboreal escape routes.

The Common Wall Lizard, P. muralis, is an overall sand tan and warm brown dorsally and laterally. Originally introduced in Cincinnati this little European lizard is now truly common in that area. It is also now firmly established in northwestern Kentucky.

The Italian Wall Lizard P. siculus differs from the Common Wall Lizard in having a green back and often some green on the sides. It is also at home in both residential and urban areas. It has been reported from CT, MO, KS, NY, CA, NJ, PA, but may now be absent in some regions and present in others.

Meet the Banded Knob-tailed Gecko, N. wheeleri cinctus.
Earlier we discussed the 2 most distinctive Knob-tailed Geckos, the Centralian and the Queensland Rough-skinned species. Today we’ll take a look at two species, the Three-banded and the Banded Knob-tails, respectively known as Nephrurus levis (three subspecies, N.l. levis, N.l. occidentalis and N.l. pibarenis) and N.wheeleri cinctus. As with other members of this genus, these 2 are capable of “barking” vocalizations.

The Three-banded Knob-tailed Gecko, Nephrurus levis, is the most widespread member of this genus on the Australian Continent. Two of the 3 subspecies of this species occur in westernmost Western Australia. The third, has a vast range throughout most of interior Australia. The reference of 3 bands refers to the three narrow light bands, often dark bordered, that cross the dorsum between the back of the head and the shoulders. If taken literally, the reference to smooth in a second common name is erroneous. It is meant only as a comparison to differentiate the relative skin texture of this species from the very roughened dorsal and lateral skin of other members of this genus.

This species has a rather long, somewhat flattened, knob-tipped tail. Counting tail, the length of this species would be about 5 inches. It, like other members of the genus is oviparous.

The more commonly seen of the 2 subspecies of Wheeler’s Knob-tail, is the northernmore form, N. wheeleri cinctus. It has been elevated to full species status, N. cinctus, by some researchers. It is also known as the Banded Knob tail Gecko. It is restricted to Western Australia.

It is a rough-skinned species with the dorsum being much rougher than the sides. Dorsal and lateral coloration is purplish with wide brownish bands.

This species seems to prefer vegetated rocky areas as habitat.

The Banded Knob-tailed Gecko has a rather long, flattened tail tipped with a small knob. Counting the tail, the length of this species would be about 4 ½ inches. It, like other members of the genus is oviparous.

Both the Banded and the Three-banded Knob-tailed Geckos have proven hardy captives and have been bred numerous times by hobbyists. Aridland terrariums are preferred, and several inches of clean sand is a suitable substrate. Watering is a bit of a chore. Besides not recognizing water dishes as moisture sources, their normal activities usually have dishes rapidly sand filled. It has been found that spraying the terrarium sides in the evenings when these lizards are active is the best solution to the watering question.