| REPTILES |
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| Reptiles and Amphibians |
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Finally our Reptiles Section is up and running! Reptiles and Amphibians of Phaselis Bay During two trips to southern Turkey (2 weeks in October 2001, 1 week in June 2002) when I stayed in Tekirova and Beldibi together with my family I visited many places between Antalya and Kumluca in search of amphibians and reptiles. On this stretch of the Turkish coast and in the adjoining Taurus Mountains a surprisingly big quantity of species could be found during these excursions. 1. Amphibian and reptile species observed in 2001 and 2002 A M P H I B I A N S
Anura > Hylidae > Hyla arborea
Marsh frog • Ova Kurbagasi The marsh frog has a distribution similar to that of the common tree frog and is a common sight in the Phaselis bay where it lives along the Karacay River and in water filled trenches. During mating season marsh frog males use their very loud, distinctive voices to attract females. This big frog (up to 15 cm) devours anything it can, sometimes even small snakes and newly hatched chicks of waterfowl. R E P T I L E S
Nile soft-shelled turtle • Nil Kaplumbagasi The Nile soft-shelled turtle is a rather big species. Its carapace can reach a length of a little bit more than 100 cm. Beside Africa and Israel, this species lives along the Turkish coast between the city Hatay and Lake Dalyan. A single specimen could be observed in a pond near Tekirova in October 2001. This turtle might also live in the marsh behind the antique ruins of Phaselis.
Caspian turtle or Stripe-necked turtle • Çizgili kaplumbaga The Caspian turtle is widely distributed in northern Africa, southern Europe and western Asia. It is a very common sight in Phaselis, but also in fast flowing mountain creeks in the Taurus Mountains. At times, groups of 20 to 30 of these turtles can be seen basking together, one sitting on top of the other, along riverbanks. Once disturbed by an observer, they readily plunge into the water. The Caspian turtle reaches a length of about 25 cm. It feeds mainly on fish and other aquatic animals, but also on aquatic plants sometimes.
European pond turtle • Different subspecies of the European pond turtle live in northern Africa, the southern half of Europe and in western Asia. The European pond turtle reaches a length of approximately 20 cm. It can be distinguished from the Caspian turtle by its dark colour and the prominent yellow spots on carapace, limbs and head. In Phaselis bay and Tekirova several individuals could be observed in small water filled trenches in October 2001 and June 2002.
Spur-thighed tortoise This tortoise lives in northern Africa, different southern European countries and areas of southwest Asia. Along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey it can be found both in the coastal plains as well as in the Taurus mountains and is a common sight around Sundance Nature Village where it can be found in pine forests, fields, pastures and also in dry riverbeds. The spur-thighed tortoise feeds on leaves, fruit and flowers, sometimes also on snails and grows to a maximum carapace length of 30 cm.
Agama • Dikenli Keler The agama is probably the most prominent lizard around Sundance Nature Village. Although this lizard is very shy it can often be seen sitting on rocks, tree trunks or fences. Large males can reach a length of 35 – 40 cm and can be very brightly coloured, especially during mating season when they sit on some elevated lookout and typically bob up and down their heads. The agama can also be found high up in the Taurus Mountains. It also lives in northern Africa, south-eastern Europe and southwest Asia. Beside insects and small reptiles the agama sometimes feeds on plants.
Strauch’s amphisbaena Looking rather like a large earthworm than a reptile, Strauch’s amphisbaena, which reaches a length of about 20 cm, leads an underground life where it feeds on insects and termites. From some Aegean islands, its distribution extends through southern Turkey into Syria and northern Iraq. One specimen was observed in sandy soil under a stone in a pine forest adjacent to Phaselis bay in June 2002.
Mediterranean chameleon • Bukalemun The chameleon can easily be distinguished from all other lizard species by its unique slow motion movements, its eyes that can look into different directions independently from each other and by its prehensile tail. The Mediterranean chameleon grows to a total length of 30 cm. Its area extends from northern Africa to southern Portugal and Spain, Greece, some Aegean islands and into Turkey and western Asia. The chameleon mainly lives on bushes and small trees where it also catches its prey, mainly insects, with its sticky, extensible tongue. As the chameleon can change its colour rather quickly, it is well camouflaged between twigs and leaves and therefore very difficult to spot even for a practised observer. Several specimens were observed in Tekirova in October 2001, but its occurrence around Sundance Nature Village is almost certain, too.
Kotschy’s gecko Kotschy’s gecko is widely distributed from southern Italy and Greece to some Aegean islands, Turkey and the Middle East. This small gecko (9–10 cm) mainly lives in rocky places, but sometimes also in buildings. One specimen was observed under a log beside Karacay River in October 2001.
Turkish gecko • Kertenkele The Turkish gecko can be found all around the Mediterranean Sea, but also along the Red Sea, in India and in places in the New World where it was brought to accidentally on board of ships. It mainly feeds on insects and lives both in natural environments and in houses and ports of big cities. One juvenile specimen was found near Beldibi in June 2002.
Lacerta danfordi pelasgiana, Danford’s lizard Danford’s lizard is a very common sight in Phaselis. It is mostly found in rocky areas, light forests and on the rims of cultivated fields, often not too far away from creeks or humid areas. These beautiful lizards grow to a length of approximately 23 cm. Beside Turkey, it is also found on some Aegean islands. The taxonomy of these lizards in the Kemer-Tekirova area is somewhat confusing and would need further research. Most specimens found seem to belong to the subspecies Lacerta d. pelasgiana, whereas others, especially in the Taurus Mountains, look more like Lacerta d. anatolica. Further to this, some subspecies of Danford’s lizard were given full species status by Eiselt-Schmidtler (1986) and therefore it might also be possible to find Lacerta anatolica ssp. and/or Lacerta oertzeni ssp. in the surroundings of Phaselis.
Lacerta trilineata, Balkan green lizard or Three-lined emerald lizard A big lizard that can reach 60 cm in some areas of its range. The Balkan green lizard mainly feeds on insects, but also on smaller reptiles. It prefers sunny places with dense vegetation and seems to like rather humid areas along streams and on the edges of swamps. In Phaselis it can mainly be found along the Karacay River and on the fringes of cultivated fields. This lizard is usually very shy and often runs away before an observer comes closer than 15 to 20 meters. As with Lacerta danfordi, the taxonomy of Turkish Lacerta trilineata would surely need further research. Without close examination of captured specimens it is almost impossible to determine to what subspecies they belong. Moreover, some subspecies were raised to full species status by Schmidtler (1986) and the lizards of Phaselis could therefore also belong to some of these species (Lacerta media ssp. or Lacerta pamphylica ssp.).
Ophisops elegans macrodactylus, Snake-eyed lizard This is a rather small lizard with a total length of max. 15 – 16 cm. Like with snakes, the transparent eyelids of this species are fused together and the lizard is therefore not able to blink. It is possibly a protection against dust and sand grains in their steppe habitats. The snake-eyed lizard is found from southern Balkan countries across the Aegean islands to southwest Asia and Punjab in northern India. In Phaselis it inhabits mostly areas with sparse vegetation such as harvested fields and pastures, but can also be seen on the beach. It is very agile and will flee with great speed towards its hiding place when disturbed.
Ablepharus kitaibelii, Snake-eyed skink This small skink reaches a length of 10 – 12 cm. Its range includes south-eastern Europe and southwest Asia. In southern Turkey the snake-eyed skink can be found in the coastal plains as well as on higher altitudes in the Taurus Mountains. Around Phaselis this skink can be found mainly in not too dense forests around the different rocky hills where it lives in leave litter and under stones where it also finds the insects and molluscs it feeds on.
The ocellated skink has a total length of up to 20 cm. Compared to the snake-eyed skink it is rather stout. The ocellated skink prefers sandy places where it can burrow in the loose ground. Beside northern Africa, it inhabits some areas in Italy, on the Balkan Peninsula and some Mediterranean islands. In Turkey it can be found from Izmir all along the Mediterranean coast. One specimen was found near Göynük in June 2002. As similar habitats exist around Phaselis, this skink species might also appear here.
The golden skink reaches about 20 – 25 cm length. It prefers rocky places with sparse vegetation. It is known from Ethiopia, the Arabian Peninsula and southwest Asia. One specimen was found near Kumluca in June 2002 and its occurrence in Phaselis could also be possible.
Hierophis caspius, Caspian whip snake, Hazer yilani A very large and impressive snake that reaches 250 cm, sometimes even 300 cm length. The Caspian whip snake lives in some Balkan countries, in the Black Sea region, in Turkey and in southwest Asia. The species complex of the Caspian whip snake also includes Hierophis jugularis (Large whip snake) and Hierophis schmidti (Schmidt’s whip snake). These three species are very difficult to distinguish from each other, more so because there is almost no difference in their head scalation. Near Kumluca, in the Kemer region and in the Taurus Mountains, several specimens have been observed that, according to their coloration, could belong to any of the three species described above. The Caspian whip snake mainly feeds on rodents and can be regarded as a valuable pest control in cultivated areas. When encountered, it usually flees noisily, but can also attack viciously when cornered. Although bites of this snake are painful, this species is not venomous and therefore harmless for man. In Phaselis bay, chances to observe the Caspian whip snake are best along hedges and forest rims, in talus areas, on rockslides and in harvested fields.
The red whip snake is a slender, very elegant snake that can reach a length of 100 cm. It can be found in different Middle East countries. In Turkey it inhabits western and southern Anatolia. It prefers dry, rocky and bushy places and feeds mainly on lizards and large insects. Being very shy it usually flees before even being spotted and it is even more difficult to catch this extremely fast snake. Several specimens of the red whip snake were observed along the Karacay River in October 2001. It can also be found high up in the Taurus Mountains.
The dwarf snake can reach a length of 70 cm, but usually does not exceed 50 cm. It lives on some Aegean islands and in southwest Asia. In southern Turkey it inhabits a wide variety of habitats and can be found in wooded areas and places with sparse vegetation as well as around cultivated fields. The dwarf snake mainly feeds on insects. Several specimens were observed near Göynük in June 2002, but it is well possible to encounter this small snake around Phaselis bay.
The grass snake can be found in Europe, northern Africa and eastward into central Asia in several subspecies that differ from each other mainly in coloration. The striped grass snake of the Balkans and Turkey shows two prominent yellow stripes on the back ob its body and tail. This harmless snake that almost never bites when handled can sometimes reach a length of almost 200 cm, but usually does not exceed 120 cm. It mainly feeds on Amphibians, but large individuals also eat mice and other rodents. Due to its favourite prey the grass snake mostly lives in the vicinity of lakes, ponds, rivers and swamps where it also swims and dives in search of frogs and fish. Around Sundance Nature Village, several specimens were observed along the Karacay River and in water filled trenches. In the Taurus Mountains, it can be found along creeks and irrigation canals.
Vipera xanthina, Ottoman viper, Seritli engerek The Ottoman viper is the only snake of southern Turkey that can be dangerous for man as it possesses a rather strong haemotoxic venom. Vipera xanthina is a stout snake that usually reaches a length of 80 – 90 cm, although specimens of 150 cm length have been recorded. It can easily be distinguished from other snake species of southern Turkey by a black zigzag pattern of round or rhombic spots on the light grey ground of its back. The Ottoman viper lives in the western half of Anatolia, on some Aegean islands and in northern Greece. It feeds mainly on rodents, birds and lizards. Usually shy and inoffensive, this viper will hiss loudly and bite readily when cornered. Fatal accidents have been recorded. Therefore every bite of this snake should be immediately treated in a hospital! One juvenile specimen was found dead on a country road near Göynük in June 2002. As similar habitats exist in the Tekirova region it might also be possible to encounter this beautiful snake in Phaselis bay.
According to different literature about the Turkish herpetofauna the species listed below might also occur in the discussed stretch of coast between Antalya and Kumluca or in the adjacent Taurus Mountains.
Mertensiella luschani billae, Mertensiella l. antalyana, Luschan’s salamander
This frog has only been described recently and seems to be closely related to the marsh frog (Rana ridibunda). Whether the marsh frogs found around Phaselis belong to Rana ridibunda or to Rana levantina could not be determined. Apparently the voice is one of the main differences to distinguish these two species from each other.
Caretta caretta, Loggerhead turtle It is known that this marine turtle species comes to the shore of Olympos beach to lay its eggs in the sand. It might be possible that some individuals also use Phaselis bay or adjacent undisturbed beaches for laying their eggs.
Beside the Ottoman viper this small species is the only true viper of the area. Due to its smallness (max. 50 cm length) it is not dangerous for man. So far only a handful of specimens of this species have been found near Elmali at almost 2000 m above sea level, but further research might show that it lives also on other mountain ranges of the area.
A lot of information about the region’s herpetofauna comes from the book “Turkish Herpetofauna (Amphibians and Reptiles)” by Baran and Atatür. Interested tourists and visitors of Phaselis will find many other valuable books and field guides in their countries, although many European field guides do not cover Turkey, but only some Aegean islands adjacent to the Turkish west coast. WRITER: |
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V2.5 04|2006
