Don't kill varanus Acantharus

I'll answer my own question - did a search and got

Spiny-tailed goanna – Varanus acanthurus (also ridge-tailed monitor) of Northern Australia.

I want one!

Nice article David and emphatic image to boot.

!MPG:9!

I hope the picture comes up - What type of lizard is this? - sort of blue pattern on it. If the pic doesn't come into this follow up, it is in my gallery at the mo'

Where was photo taken? - it is a dragon lizard most likely genus Amphibolurus. Not sure of species ...more info required (well for me anyway)
Cheers
Greg

Hi Explorer - It was near Wilpena Pound. He was quite small. Dragon lizard, i like that.

Hello - all lizards in family Agamidae are referred to as Dragon Lizards...not all species have "common" names...just remembered ..I actually have a book called the Dragon Lizards & Goannas of SA....let me see....

Yep - Dragon of one form or other.

Their colours tend to change a bit anyways.

http://www.kingsnake.com/oz/lizards/agamids/agamids.htm

Thanks Greg and Andrew, see if you clever SA zoologists can identify this, which was found in the Kulliparu conservatin park Eyre Peninsula.
!MPG:11!

Well base on my limited research Im going for a TAWNY DRAGON Ctenophorus decresii (was Amphibolurus once but they change the genus - got to get some new books:)
Cheers
Greg

Looks like a fossilised sock!

Greg - you certainly win for the most novel answer.

I sent the pic to a website in USA and they suggested a crayfish made it! Inland in the dry Eyre Peninsula? It stands a couple of inches high and i called it a clay pipe wasp nest, but a search for that of the Internet brought up nothing. Our agric. entomologists in WA didn't have a clue; as after all, it was found across the border in that foreign land called SA.

Sorry Greg - i see you are not an SA member, but a true blue WA one.

Re follow-up #7. Looks like a wasp nest built on a bit of old PVC pipe. The wasp in front towards the right, looks to be about 1cm long.

Hi JJ

It is made of clay, like the mud-daub that hornets use to make their nests on our walls. There were no wasps there, just leaves and bark. My opinion was it is a wasp nest. I recall the WA agricultural entomologists contacted SA entomologists who gave a very vague answer that they agreed it was probably a wasp nest.

Motherhen

Hi David
Funny that mention a Lizard in a can because today near the Rail Xing near the Landsborough/Flinders Hwys we all seen a poor little Lizard with it's head stuck in a can on the south lane, I was between two 7 meter wide Dump truck tipping bodies so could not stop, the rear pilot was a woman and someone said for her to stop and free and all we heard was Eeewww I'm not touching that so hell I hope someone did help it

Hi Motherhen,

I have it on good advice that the Lizard is Ctenophorus fionni

Ciao for now
Andrew.

Thanks for taht Andrew - i have changed him from decresii (Explorer's suggestion) to fionni

"I have it on good advice that the Lizard is Ctenophorus fionni "

The advice is good to a certain extent...C decresii and C fionni are very similar in appearance..however ..according to my references C fionni is restricted to Eyre penninsula (as far north as Tarcoola) and therefore would be unlikley to be found at Wilpenna Pound (in fact it is not found there as far as I can figure). Wilpena Pound is well within the range of C decressi. Correct me if Im wrong ...some of my references are out of date and the distribution of C fionna may have been expanded based on more recent information..but my money is still on C decressi.

Cheers
Greg

Great Greg - I can't debate it though.

Information was provided by a Professor of Biology specialising in the area from University of Adelaide who is a client of mine.

Ciao for now
Andrew.

Guys - sent copy of picture to SA Museum ...here is their response..

Hi Greg

Yes, it's decresii (a male). And it is also true that C. fionni does not occur in the Flinders Ra.

Regards

Mark Hutchinson
Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians
ph: (08) 8207 7461
fx:: (08) 8207 7222
South Australian Museum
North Terrace
ADELAIDE SA 5000

Think that settles it.

Cheers
Greg

Thanks Greg,

Hopefully I can teach the expert a thing or two about reptiles as well as photography ;-)

Ciao for now
Andrew.

Hi Greg and Andrew - I am impressed. Decresii he is.

Care to try your luck with this one i found in Tasmania - he was pretty small. We found him at Clarendon House in the Midlands (historic trail). I cheerfully identified all the snakes i saw - definitely Tasmanian Tigers.

Herpetology in Tasmania is assisted by a comprehensive site:

Lizards & Frogs of Tasmania

but I'd guess this one is a Snow Skink - particularly a Spotted Skink.

But that is only my non-expert opinion.

Ciao for now
Andrew.

But i bet he is eternally grateful. Good on you Damo.