# A Herpetological Rummage in Gibraltar and surrounding areas of Spain 2012 (Pic CRAZY)



## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Well, I recently returned from this year's trip back home to Gibraltar. I went to celebrate my thirtieth birthday with the family - but who is anybody kidding, we all know that I spent 99% of my time stalking snakes, lizards and various bugs!

I think I've done particularly well photo-wise this year, so rather than do a day-by-day account as I did on last year's thread, I think I'll group all the species together per post and just put up some pretty pictures of the various reptiles on offer in this area and give a little info on them!

I'll start then on perhaps the most ubiquitous reptile in Gibraltar itself, the Wall Lizard. There are at least two species present (_Podarcis vaucheri_ and _P. hispanicus_) although recent mtDNA data seems to indicate that there may be a cluster of cryptic species in this area.

The green-backed males in particular are in my opinion some of the most eye-catching and beautiful reptiles Europe has to offer, and in sunlight they have an almost metallic iridesence similar to the wings of certain butterflies that the camera doesn't really capture.

Although numerous, the Wall Lizards in Gibraltar are much less tolerant of human presence than some other species, notably _P. muralis_ and _P. siculus_, and are noticably more shy and quick to flee when approached... they also happen to be particularly quick and agile (much quicker than _P. muralis_). These species are also generally somewhat smaller and more delicate in build than some other _Podarcis_ species... amongst a genus well known for being good climbers that inhabit rock walls, the ones found here have taken that trait to a dazzling degree and tend to inhabit higher elevations and steeper habitats than either _P. muralis_ or _P. siculus_ (although there is a notable tendency amongst babies and juveniles to occur either on the ground or at the lowest points of walls compared to adults).





Alameda Botanical Gardens, Gibraltar






































Europa Point/ Rosia, Gibraltar






























"The Jungle", Gibraltar




























Caught this one licking it's crotch like a dog bwahaha!


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Alcaidesa, Spain










"The Jungle", Gibraltar






















































































































Upper Cable Car Station, Upper Rock, Gibraltar


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

"The Jungle", Gibraltar




























Next Up: The Large Psammodromus. Don't go away!


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Next up is _Psammodromus algirus jeanneae_ (Large Psammodromus). Iberian animals were recently split from _Psammodromus algirus _to _P. jeanneae_ and _P. manuelae, _although it seems the general consensus now is that the two forms are not separate species and merely subspecies.

The genus has undergone some drastic revision in the past few years; formerly there were two recognised species in Europe: _P. algirus_ (Large Psammodromus) and _P. hispanicus_ (Spanish Psammodromus). However, _P. hispanicus_ at the moment is being treated as at least three species: _P. hispanicus_, _P. edwardsianus_ and _P. occidentalis_.

However, although common, I did not get a chance to see any of the diminutive _P. edwardsianus_/_ P. occidentalis_ this time around, although they are very abundant in the sandy areas with low grass bordering the the beaches of La Linea de la Frontera, right next to Gibraltar. I will be interested to see which species they are!

I did however see a great many of the ubiquitous _Psammodromus algirus_, which are probably the most abundant lizard in Spain and are very common in many habitats, replacing the genus _Podarcis_ in the southern third of Iberia, particularly in more terrestrial situations. These lizards, though common, are notoriously shy, rarely straying far from the undergrowth and speeding away very quickly when disturbed. In size they are somewhat in between wall lizards and green lizards, reaching about a foot in length including the tail.

I used to breed these regularly when I lived in Gibraltar, and they are probably one of my favourite lacertids. One of their quirks is the ability to give tiny metallic squeaks when handled, or when fighting one another. Despite their shy nature, they quickly lose their fear in captivity and become hand tame.



A pair of Large Psammodromus in a garden near Alcaidesa, Spain



















The large, strongly keeled rhomboid scales are distinctive, as are the orange hindparts of some animals - often all you see of this species is a flash of orange accompanied by scurrying sounds as it disappears into the vegetation!




































































































Sotogrande, Spain





































El Burgo, near La Linea de la Frontera, Spain


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

This unfortunate animal was found drowned in a storm drain near Alcaidesa. It gives you some idea of their size compared to a Wall Lizard and my hand.




























Next Up: Geckos!


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Iberia has two native gecko species, the Moorish Gecko (_Tarentola mauritanica_) and the Turkish Gecko (_Hemidactylus turcicus_) and both are found in Gibraltar.

The Moorish Gecko is a contender for most numerous lizard in Iberia, vying for this place with the Large Psammodromus in Southern Spain, and the Wall Lizards in Gibraltar. Large, squat and warty, it is easily identifiable and often seen basking in the sun during the day, and on walls near lights at night in the warmer seasons.

"The Jungle", Gibraltar





































This species is frequently seen in pairs, and experiences with _Tarentola_ in captivity lead me to believe that mated pairs do stay together for extended periods, basking together and often resting alongside one another.























































This species can undergo quite a dramatic colour change, going from pale bone/ ghostly grey in colour at night and in cool periods to almost black in the heat of the day.





































A specimen in the hand. If you look closely you can see the red _Geckobia_ mites between the toes!










They have quite an attitude! Their little grunts and squeals are particularly cute.










Cable Car Station, Upper Rock, Gibraltar










This pair, including the fat Jabba of a gecko on the left, were spotted at the Moorish Castle. Moorish Geckos in the Moorish Castle? How apt...


















This specimen was seen in a crack among boulders near Alcaidesa, Spain.


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

In contrast to the ubiquitous and very noticable Moorish Gecko, the Turkish Gecko in Iberia is a much more infrequent site, and they are less bound to human-made habitats and are less visible during the day (they DO still bask however, usually on trees and very old, uninhabited walls and so on).

This species is much more graceful looking and less warty than the _Tarentola_, with a wonderful pinkish background colour and chocolate spots.

Although this species is found around the coastal regions of Spain, they are very rare on Gibraltar itself. Previously, I had only found infrequent individuals over the years near the old Sandpits Tennis Courts below the Alameda Botanical Gardens, and in two caves on the Upper Rock... it came as quite a surprise to find a very large specimen basking in broad daylight in "the Jungle"!

I have explored this area of Gibraltar for many years and at great length (I do not believe I am exaggerating when I say there simply cannot be anybody alive who knows "the Jungle" as well as I do, since it is fenced off and enclosed and hardly anybody goes there), and I have never seen this species there before.




























I love the pale blue colour above the eyes!










Next Up: Snakes!


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Unlike lizards, (and completely unlike the situation in Spain) snakes in Gibraltar are fairly rare and difficult to find; an average of about one a week is a good tally if you are searching every day in the right places. I was therefore pleasantly surprised this year to see an average of one a _day_ during my trip.

Snake hunting here is beset by several difficulties, the foremost of which is the nature of the terrain in Gibraltar. Most places you are hunting, you will have a cliff or steep slope below you on one side (messing around on here is virtually impossible and dangerous for obvious reasons), and on the other side, thickly vegetated cliff and steep slope above you, usually riddled with deep crevices and holes into which any reptile will happily slip before you get close.

Furthermore, the two most common snake species here (the Horseshoe Whip Snake and the Montpellier Snake) are both very alert, very shy and very, very fast, so the odds are completely against you when it comes to laying hands on one as the terrain is completely to their advantage.

Thus, snake sightings tend to be brief and generally consist of a glimpse of the serpent sliding swiftly into thick, spiky and impenetrable undergrowth, or into a deep cleft in the rock... or, more usually, through thick spiky and impenetrable undergrowth beneath which there is a deep cleft in the rock. This situation does not lend itself well to photographing these animals in a natural situation, hence the few pics I did manage to get despite seeing quite a few more snakes than is evident here!

(That's my excuse, anyway!)









First up is _Hemorrhois hippocrepis_, the Horseshoe Whip Snake. This handsome species is probably the most commonly seen snake on the Rock and, unlike most other places in its range (where it is said to inhabit lowlands and a terrestrial habitat), here in Gibraltar they seem to have adapted to a uniquely saxicolous lifestyle and are almost always seen on cliffs and rock walls, sometimes quite high up bare rock. I have even seen specimens eight or ten feet high the sides of houses - and bear in mind most houses here are plastered and whitewashed so the brickwork isn't visible - this gives some idea of their agility.

A good place to see these snakes is along the back wall of the Alameda Botanical Gardens, where there are a number of holes in the wall in two rows at regular intervals... normally these are home to wall lizards, geckos and funnelweb spiders but every now and again you come across a Horseshoe Whip Snake inside one as well.

This particular trip I struck it lucky the very first day I checked, with not one but two animals seen inhabiting the holes.




























When I attempted to scare the snake out with a long, thing twig, it reacted by attacking the stick as if it intended to eat it... perhaps it though it was a lizard? This species is rather defensive and does not hesitate to bite, but the way it was going for the stick looked more like a feeding behaviour.










(Also, note the cool "night vision" function of the camera!)














































Several days later, another specimen was caught while canoeing around the cliffs below Rosia, about 200m out to sea! This not being a naturally tenable position for a snake to survive, the little critter was brought back to shore... although it was a surprise to see it in the sea! My guess is it must have fallen in from the grassy zone on the cliffs above, as it was very cold and virtually torpid (although still swimming gamely!)

Here's my cousin Peter holding the little beauty.










He's got quite the reputation back home for being a skilled fisherman and spearfishing master, now we know the man is so good he even catches snakes in the sea!









Another day spent exploring a series of golf courses built alongside heathland near Alcaidesa turned up an unfortunately drowned Horseshoe Whip Snake in a drain. This drain was absolutely full of frogs (the picture below doesn't really show just how many were in there; when I first looked the entire surface of the water was covered with them in what looked like a layer three deep!).

When they all started jumping around and diving as I photographed them, I noticed the body of the snake and fished it out.










It turned out to be a large specimen about 48" long, and with a very colourful dorsal pattern. A real shame, and an unfortunate end for such a pretty animal.



















Several further sightings of this species inevitably ended up in disappointment as they escaped, although I did once line up what would have been a perfect shot of a particularly dark specimen in "the Jungle" only to find that I had left the memory stick for the camera in my PSP... and the little sod then found a very deep hole from which it wouldn't budge when I tried to capture it.


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

The other (relatively) common snake species that can occasionally be found in Gibraltar is the Montpellier Snake (_Malpolon monspessulanus_) or "Culebra Bastarda" in Spanish.


This is a large, rear-fanged species that is easily capable of exceeding 72" and has only one real predator as an adult (the Short Toed Eagle); this snake grows large enough to feed on rabbits and adult Ocellated Lizards (_Timon lepidus_) and is probably the most abundant terrestrial snake in Iberia (taking second place to the Horseshoe Whip Snake in Gibraltar only because of the unfavourable terrain).


They are very, _very_ fast snakes that can and will put up an impressive defensive display when cornered or handled. Adults have to rate as the most alert snakes I've ever dealt with, and usually see you coming and disappear well before you even know they were ever there... in Gibraltar, with all its dense terrain and nooks and crannies, it is more possible to come across one around a corner that hasn't seen you. Thus I was pleased to capture this small specimen in "the Jungle".



















These snakes are quite powerful and thrash about like anything when first caught (I found in younger days that they calm down rather quickly in captivity though, although they remain shy for a long time). Anyway, this specimen thrashed about while I juggled my right-handed camcorder with my left hand and tried to maintain my hold with my right... as you can see in the above picture, it did manage to tag me sideways, although there were no symptoms from the (very quick) nip.

In Alcaidesa I came across a Lataste's Viper (Vipera latastei) among one of the piles of boulders that border the roads there, but the snake disappeared into the rocks before I could get my hands on it... disappointing, as this species is rare around Gibraltar and the surrounding regions.

Much more common, particularly around bodies of water, is the Viperine Snake (_Natrix maura_), a semi-aquatic species far more tied to the water than its relative the Grass Snake (_Natrix natrix_). This small, inoffensive species feeds on the multitude of frogs and fish that live around the Spanish rivers. The fact that they readily eat earthworms in captivity makes me think they also will take aquatic annelids like leeches as well.

These specimens were caught around the River Guardiarro in Sotogrande.














































Viperine Snakes are named for their passing resemblance to some _Vipera_ species what with the zig-zag pattern down the backs of some specimens. When cornered, this species may even flatten the head and bluff-strike. This, combined with hissing, may cause some people to confuse them with vipers, although they really don't look anything like the only Viper found in the southern three quarters of Iberia, the Lataste's Viper.










Investigating a lake on a golf course in Alcaidesa yielded several more specimens several days later.




























A larger female










This species is very numerous in the ponds, streams, lakes and rivers of Spain, and it is not unusual to find several at a time.





































During the summer months when the Iberian heat is at its most intense, this species becomes almost fully aquatic, but in the Spring and Autumn they are also often seen basking some metres away from the water.










Next Up: Terrapins and Frogs!


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Spanish Terrapins (_Mauremys leprosa_) basking in a pond in Alameda Botanical Gardens, Gibraltar. The specific name for these terrapins is said to be derived from the tendency of older animals to develop a thick growth of algae on their shell that gives the impression it is rotting. Apparently it used to be believed the turtles carried leprosy or some similar illness.



















Here two Spanish Terrapins (on the left) bask along two introduced Red-Eared Terrapins (on the right). Red-Ears are a common sight in Spain, although unlike in the UK and other parts of Europe where they quickly can become invasive, they are never abundant and for once don't seem to be able to compete successfully against the local species, which can tolerate a huge range of water conditions and habitats, from lakes and rivers to brackish water, sewage canals, cisterns and so on.

Here a couple of Red-Ears are basking by a lake near Alcaidesa.










One hot day near Sotogrande, I found this Spanish Terrapin trundling about the undergrowth several hundred metres away from the river. From the huge crack on its shell, I would guess that something carried it off (maybe a stork, which are common here) and then dropped it. Or possibly a cat or dog has had a go at it.










Note the water behind the terrapin in this shot. The larger animals have a habit of voiding the contents of their bladders when picked up, which can be a surprising amount of liquid! Luckily I am well used to this tactic and held the animal well away from my body as I carried it back to the river.


















Perez's Frogs (_Pelophylax perezii_) in a storm drain outside Alcaidesa. This close relative of the Marsh Frog is extremely abundant alongside water courses.




























More Perez's Frogs in the small streams around Alcaidesa.



















Small specimens of this species are hyper-abundant around the streams here; there were originally six or seven frogs sitting on this rock (you can see where they were sitting from the wet patches) but several jumped while I was taking the picture!










And then there were two...



















_Pelophylax perezii_ have also been introduced into the ponds of the Alameda Botanical Gardens in Gibraltar, where these introduced amphibians share their homes with other introduced species - American Red-Clawed Crayfish, Mosquitofish and Red-Eared Terrapins. Fortunately since Gibraltar doesn't really have any fresh water habitats to speak of, there isn't really a risk of them spreading anywhere here...










That's it for tonight, there are still tons of photos to go though. Next time I will cover some of the weird and wonderful bugs I found and also add lots of habitat shots!

Regards,
Francis


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

For the invertebrate-lovers amongst you, here are just a few of the funky bugs I saw... starting off with an Iberian Black Widow (_Latrodectus_ sp.) - yes, there are Black Widows in Europe (in fact there are several species) - and yes, they are dangerous... luckily this species, while not really all that rare, tends to live under stones and logs so rarely comes into contact with humans.

In Iberia we have _L. lilianae_ in Portugal (an all-black species) and _L. tridecimguttatus_ (the one with thirteen red spots, sometimes known as the "Malmignatte").

This specimen was found under a stone by a roadside in Alcaidesa, Spain.





































The other nasty spider in the region capable of giving a significant bite is the Iberian Funnelweb (_Macrothele calpeiana_), also one of the largest European spiders... I have some pics on my mobile of a particularly large female (3"+ across) out and about during the day (which is unusual as they normally stay in their burrows except at night), but here are some I took last year from Pinar del Rey near San Roque, Spain...

This is a common arachnid, often found when turning over rocks and stones, and their distinctive webs are also very common on stone walls and even up trees. A favourite childhood pastime in Gibraltar is teasing out the big spiders with a blade of grass (and then inevitably shrieking and screaming when the spider comes out with a vengeance and attacks the grass or twig). The fact that there are often many funnelwebs within close proximity seems to indicate they live in little colonies.



















Funnelweb Spider webs in Alameda Botanical Gardens, Gibraltar (go on, put your finger in - I DARE you...!)



















There is another large and nightmarish-looking spider in the region, _Lycosa tarantula_ (the _original_ tarantula!), a fast-moving and active hunter that is famed since ancient times as being the species that causes "tarantism" with its bite, a malady that supposedly can only be cured by "sweating out the poison" by dancing the very vigorous tarantelle dance... in actual fact, the bite of this spider is not dangerous, and it is likely that the real cuplrit was actually one of the _Latrodectus_ species.

Moving away from the more horrid spiders, here is a much more cute species: the Ladybird Spider, _Philaeus chrysops_. I came upon a few of these bouncing around the undergrowth of "the Jungle" - they are a species of Jumping Spider and, despite not being much of a spider-lover myself, I found them enchanting.

What was most thrilling to see was two males "dancing" together - literally holding the first two pairs of legs forwards and grabbing one another, then spinning around quickly... I am sure it must have been some kind of dominance ritual or territorial scuffle, but it looked very much like a cute little arachnid waltz! Sadly it was over in just a few seconds.




























Here is the _real_ terror of the undergrowth; a Mediterranean Giant Centipede. This specimen is only about 5" long, but I have seen them reach at least 8" and about as thick as my thumb.

These are incredibly fast-moving little monsters easily capable of snacking upon a scorpion, a funnelweb spider or indeed anything else smaller than they are (including lizards!). I remember I once turned over a log to find one in the process of devouring one of the larger orange _Buthus_ scorpions in Spain.


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

There are very many beautiful butterflies in Gibraltar, including a great many migratory species that cross over from Morroco. Here is a Swallowtail that looks like it has been savaged by a bird!










In Gibraltar we get an even bigger and more beautiful butterfly species, the Two-Tailed Pasha, it was a little out of season for them though as I only saw one or two... other times of year they tend to congregate around the fig tree next to my house, attracted by the sweet smell of fallen figs. These butterflies are very large, nearly 4" across in some cases!



















One of the large Blue Carpenter Bees that are perpetually buzzing around places with wild flowers.










Grasshoppers and locusts in the region grow to huge proportions... this one is still not even fully grown; the adults get to about 6" in length and when they are flying are so big their wingspan makes them look like a sparrow-sized bird. They are a heck of a lot spikier than their pet food equivalents over here!



















Here's a moderately sized adult near Sotogrande, Spain.










This species is a little smaller than the above one, but much more numerous. They make appetising food for Ocellated Lizards!





































In the Alameda Botanical Gardens of Gibraltar (and in many of the Spanish river systems) there is an alien invader running amok... the American Red-Clawed Crayfish. In Gibraltar they hardly pose a threat as there are no natural freshwater bodies to speak of, in Spain they have rapidly become a nuisance however, and it is testament to how rapidly they multiply that the series of ponds in Alameda have become so full of these that it is possible to simply reach in and pluck them out.




























Me catching crayfish and terrapins in Alameda Gardens


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

A group of the Barbary Macaques, Europes's only wild monkeys, often frequents the area just above my house there as they are attracted to several large fig trees just above the area known as "the Jungle".

This time around, the same three youngsters (about the equivalent of teens I would guess) were always there, sometimes watched by one of the older matriarchs. They are viewed as a bit of a nuisance as they have a habit of throwing the rubbish out of the bins and can steal - to the extent that the areas where all the rubbish bins are situated are now enclosed by a wire cage so they can't get in.

These three were very amusing to me most mornings, as they have learned to ring my neighbours' doorbell and once even waited for her to open and then slipped past her into the house for a rampage!



















They enjoy sliding down the smooth orange tiles! It's hilarious to watch them!










Play-fighting...










Using the railing as a climbing frame!





































Shimmying up the drainpipe to the top of the three-storey apartment block is no problem at all!










Something is funny...



















Big mama watches proceedings impassively from the top of a nearby wall... (that's "the Jungle" behind her, a magical place!)










Me outside my house greeting some visitors...










She's brought her baby along piggy-back style!










The macaques are often erroneously called "Barbary Apes" but they are in fact tail-less monkeys.

Here's one at the Upper Cable-Car Station playing to type...!










I have a few short video clips on my mobile of them raiding dustbins, playfighting and ringing the neighbours' doorbell, if I get them uploaded on my computer, I will post them up here!

Regards,
Francis


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Some nice shots of some incredible animals. When are you offering ecotour packages?

Thanks for sharing.



*googles "cheap breaks in Gibraltar"*


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Thrasops said:


> For the invertebrate-lovers amongst you, here are just a few of the funky bugs I saw... starting off with an Iberian Black Widow (_Latrodectus_ sp.) - yes, there are Black Widows in Europe (in fact there are several species) - and yes, they are dangerous... luckily this species, while not really all that rare, tends to live under stones and logs so rarely comes into contact with humans.
> 
> In Iberia we have _L. lilianae_ in Portugal (an all-black species) and _L. tridecimguttatus_ (the one with thirteen red spots, sometimes known as the "Malmignatte").
> 
> ...


It's just been brought to my attention that the spider pictured isn't a _Latrodectus_ but _Steatoda paykulliana_ (False Widow) - thanks very much for that robpilley. I had been wondering as it didn't really have the same markings as the Malmignatte (which has spots).


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## gingersnap (Sep 12, 2010)

Fascinating! 

Congrats on some great pics and I enjoyed reading about all the different animals you saw! Looks very exciting! :2thumb:


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## Khonsu (May 20, 2009)

excellant post, saw me right through my lunch break, doh


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## Gar1on (Mar 27, 2012)

Amazing photos, Francis, and a fascinating read! Looks like a splendid way to celebrate the big three-oh. Belated birthday wishes, by the way...


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## 34531 (May 27, 2009)

Brilliant thread! Very helpful in helping me ID some the herps I've seen around.


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## mstypical (Feb 16, 2011)

From me to you.... have a trophy :no1:

Very interesting thread :2thumb:


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