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NUMBER 65 | JULY 2017 AHN AFRICAN HERP NEWS FOUNDED 1965 The HAA is dedicated to the study and COMMITTEE OF THE HAA 1 EDITORIAL conservation of African reptiles and CHAIRMAN amphibians. Membership is open to SURVEYS anyone with an interest in the African Graham Alexander, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the 3 J. L. WEINELL, D. M. PORTIK & A. R. BAUER herpetofauna. Members receive the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa. Association’s journal, African Journal E-mail: [email protected] NATURAL HISTORY NOTES of Herpetology (which publishes review papers, research articles, and SECRETARY 11 J. M. TAFT, J. GREUEL & B. MARITZ short communications – subject to Buyi Makhubo, Department of peer review) and African Herp News, Herpetology, National Museum, P. O. Box 12 W. R. BRANCH the Newsletter (which includes short 266, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa. communications, natural history notes, E-mail: [email protected] 14 W. CONRADIE, W. R. BRANCH & D. G. HERBERT book reviews, bibliographies, husbandry TREASURER 16 D. F. HUGHES & M. BEHANGANA hints, announcements and news items). Johan Marais, Suite 150, Postnet X4, Bedfordview 2007, South Africa. 17 V. J. T. LOEHR NEWSLETTER E-mail: [email protected] EDITOR’S NOTE JOURNAL EDITOR 19 C. A. YETMAN, T. CLARK & A. DIEPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN Articles shall be considered for publication John Measey, Department of Zoology, 24 A. REBELO provided that they are original and have Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, not been published elsewhere. Articles Port Elizabeth, South Africa, South Africa. 26 D. F. HUGHES & M. BEHANGANA will be submitted for peer review at the E-mail: [email protected] Editor’s discretion. Authors are requested NEWSLETTER EDITOR 28 J. REISSIG & J. S. HEATON to submit manuscripts by e-mail in Jessica da Silva, South African National MS Word ‘.doc’ or ‘.docx’ format. Biodiversity Research Centre. 30 J. V. LYAKURWA & S. M. THOMAS COPYRIGHT: Articles published E-mail: [email protected] GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTIONS in the Newsletter are copyright of ADDITIONAL MEMBERS the Herpetological Association of Michael Bates, Department of Herpetology, 33 B. HUGHES Africa and may not be reproduced National Museum, P.O. Box 266, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa. E-mail: [email protected] 34 B. HUGHES without permission of the Editor. Aaron Bauer, Department of Biology, The views and opinions Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, 36 R. VAN HUYSSTEEN & M. PETFORD expressed in articles are not Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085, USA. necessarily those of the Editor. Email: [email protected]. 38 M. PETFORD & R. VAN HUYSSTEEN Shelley Edwards, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 40 W. CONRADIE, B. DU PREEZ & J. VENTER COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Atheris squamingera South Africa. E-mail: [email protected] - Photograph by: Luke Verburgt (second Bryan Maritz, Department of Biodiversity 42 L. KEMP & W. CONRADIE prize - photography competition 13th HAA and Conservation at the University of the Western Cape. E-mail: [email protected] Conference). 45 INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS 49 HAA MEMBERSHIP FEES EDITORIAL It is a tremendous pleasure and honour that I take on the role of Editor of African Herp Graham Alexander and Ashadee Kay Miller. I am pleased to report that we appear to be fully News (AHN). There is no doubt that it is a challenging prospect considering the AHN has a caught up on all of the back-logged submissions. However, if one of your submissions has long tradition and long list of outstanding scientists and herpetologists who have held the somehow gone unattended, please do contact me to rectify this. position before me, starting with Bill Branch in 1983 and now ending with Gavin Masterson, Moving forward, I encourage readers (academics, field and research assistants, students, from whom I take the reins. Each of the previous editors has improved the presentation of consultants, professional and amateur herpetologists, among others) to submit articles the newsletter in some way and ensured it maintains the highest standards. I would like that will help advance the knowledge-base of African herpetology. I often hear of people to take this opportunity to thank of all of these editors for their service and contributions: recounting stories of the varied and unique herpetofauna that they came across during field Issues Years Editor trips or hikes through the African landscape – new behaviours, new morphs, new localities – African Herp News 1-4 1983-1984 Bill Branch yet, much of this goes undocumented. is the perfect forum to share this information, and in doing so, potentially stimulate future herpetological research. I would 5-9 1985-1987 J. H. van Wyk also like to put forward the idea of having the occasional themed issue. If anyone reading 10-12 1987-1989 Johan Marais this Editorial is stimulated to suggest a theme, please contact me. I would be happy to work 13-26* 1990-1997 Mike Bates with potential guest editors to develop their ideas. Lastly, I call upon readers to submit 27-30 1998-1999 Angelo Lambiris potential cover photographs that are striking, with interesting subject matter, composition 31-33, 35 2000-2002 Alison Leslie and exposure. Without your contributions, there wouldn’t be a newsletter, so please share your talent and work. 34 2002 Louise Visagie 36 2003 Michael Cunningham I hope you all enjoy this read! 37 2004 Richard Boycott 38-48 2005-2009 Angelo Lmabiris 49-59 2010-2013 Bryan Maritz Jessica da Silva 60-61 2013-2014 Warren Schmidt Editor 62-64 2015-2017 Gavin Masterson *In 1993, the name of the newsletter changed from Herpetological Association of Africa Newsletter to African Herp News. Being new to the role of editor, I have had to experience a steep learning curve. However, through the assistance of HAA Chair, Graham Alexander, and the numerous reviewers I have called upon in the preparation for this issue, this has been a very educational, pleasant and rewarding experience. I truly hope this issue will be my first of many. Although there have been some delays in getting the newsletter out to members in recent issues due to various logistical issues, I am committed to ensuring that we provide best possible service to our authors and readers. This will surely be facilitated by the new electronic format, which started last issue (64), thanks to the hard work and dedication of 1 NUMBER 65 | JULY 2017 NUMBER 65 | JULY 2017 2 ..>>>>>>>> SURVEYS . FAMILY: GEKKONIDAE FAMILY: SCINCIDAE SURVEYS Chondrodactylus turneri Trachylepis striata (Gray 1864) (Peters 1844) NOTEWORTHY RECORDS OF diurnal and nocturnal visual surveys. Time Turner’s Thick-toed Gecko African Striped Skink limitations precluded the use of pitfall AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES African Striped Skink, MVZ 266184–87, traps or other standardised collecting Turner’s Thick-toed Gecko (Fig. 1), MVZ FROM MOZAMBIQUE closest records are 90 km SE, from the Mt. techniques. Voucher specimens and tissue 265919–25, nearest record is 19 km NE, Namuli Grasslands (Portik et al. 2013a). J. L. WEINELL, D. M. PORTIK samples are deposited in the Museum of from Mitacué Mountain near Nova Freixo (Blake 1965). & A. M. BAUER Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) at the University ZAMBÉZIA PROVINCE of California, Berkeley, with a subset of Mozambique harbours a highly diverse Mocuva Town, Pensão Cruzeiro Parking Lot voucher specimens deposited at the Natural Hemidactylus platycephalus herpetofauna, with more than 280 reptile (-16° 50’ 18.2”, 36° 59’ 9.8”, 88 m). History Museum of Maputo. The primary Peters 1854 and 82 amphibian species known from this survey sites of the trip were located on Tree Gecko country (Schneider et al. 2005; Ohler & Frétey the Lichinga Plateau and Gurué Highlands, 2015). Nevertheless, the herpetofauna of Tree Gecko, MVZ 265960–68, located 34 km FAMILY: GEKKONIDAE specifically Serra Jeci massif and Mt. Namuli, Mozambique remains poorly documented W of Lurio, the nearest published locality of Hemidactylus mabouia respectively. Results from these two major compared to other areas of southern Africa this species (Broadley 1977). (Moreau de Jonnés 1818) collecting sites have already been published (Pietersen 2014). Although the region south House Gecko (Portiket al. 2013a,b; Loader et al. 2015), but of the Zambezi River is routinely included Lygodactylus capensis House Gecko, MVZ 265929–30, closest several records from Maputo, Inhambane, in works summarizing the herpetofauna of (Smith 1849) record is 103 km NW, near Liciro (Broadley Zambézia, and Niassa Provinces have not southern Africa (e.g., Branch 1998; du Preez 1977). yet been reported. In light of the paucity of Cape Dwarf Gecko & Carruthers 2009), published point locality published records for even common species Cape Dwarf Gecko, MVZ 266121–28, closest Gorongosa Town, Gas Station (-18° 40’ records are relatively rare. Records north in Mozambique, we here summarize these published records are 45 km E, near Mutali 10.4”, 34° 4’ 42.1”, 291 m). of the Zambezi are especially scarce and data. Additionally, for each locality and (Blake 1965). have focused on areas of higher elevation each species, we report the distance to the (Branch 2005; Bayliss et al. 2010) or coastal nearest previously published locality. We forests (Pascal et al. 2011). Additional did not comment on Global Biodiversity scattered records from both northern Information Facility (GBIF) records that have and southern Mozambique are vouchered not been otherwise cited in the literature by museum specimens (D.G. Broadley, in because these records may include taxon litt.), but the majority of these have never identity errors as well as georeferencing been published in either faunal papers or errors, and have been vetted neither by us taxonomic revisions. nor by the peer-review process. During July and August 2011, Daniel M. Portik conducted short opportunistic NIASSA PROVINCE herpetological surveys across several Cuamba Town, Hotel Vision 2000 and Public provinces of Mozambique, including Gardens (-14° 48’ 0.5”, 36° 32’ 27.1”, 586 m).
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  • Pre-Incursion Plan PIP003 Toads and Frogs

    Pre-Incursion Plan PIP003 Toads and Frogs

    Pre-incursion Plan PIP003 Toads and Frogs Scope This plan is in place to guide prevention and eradication activities and the management of non-indigenous populations of Toads and Frogs (Order Anura) in the wild in Victoria. Version Document Status Date Author Reviewed By Approved for Release 1.0 First Draft 26/07/11 Dana Price M. Corry, S. Wisniewski and A. Woolnough 1.1 Second Draft 21/10/11 Dana Price S. Wisniewski 2.0 Final Draft 11/01/12 Dana Price S.Wisniewski 2.1 Final 27/06/12 Dana Price M.Corry Visual Standard approved by ADP 3.0 New Final 6/10/15 Dana Price A.Kay New DEDJTR template and document revision Acknowledgement and special thanks to Peter Courtenay, Senior Curator, Zoos Victoria, for reviewing this document and providing comments. Published by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Agriculture Victoria, May 2016 © The State of Victoria 2016. This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Authorised by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, 1 Spring Street, Melbourne 3000. Front cover: Cane Toad (Rhinella marinus) Photo: Image courtesy of Ryan Melville, HRIA Team, DEDJTR For more information about Agriculture Victoria go to www.agriculture.vic.gov.au or phone the Customer Service Centre on 136 186. ISBN 978-1-925532-37-1 (pdf/online) Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.