the gambian sun squirrel ( heliosciurus gambianus ) is a species of rodent in the family sciuridae .

it is found in angola , benin , burkina faso , central african republic , chad , democratic republic of the congo , ivory coast , eritrea , ethiopia , gambia , ghana , guinea , guinea-bissau , kenya , liberia , nigeria , senegal , sierra leone , sudan , tanzania , togo , uganda , and zambia .

its natural habitat is wooded savanna .

gambian sun squirrel

gambian sun squirrels bask in the sun ( that’s where they get their name ) .
inside one of the out - buildings , the gambian sun squirrel is racing around his cage .
gambian sun squirrels are primarily arboreal ( spend most of their time in the trees .
a young / baby of a gambian sun squirrel is called a ' pup , kit or kitten ' . the females are called ' doe ' and males ' buck ' . a gambian sun squirrel group is called a ' dray or scurry ' .
gambian sun squirrels are adorable . we love that they spend their time basking in the sun to keep warm ! we wonder if they use sunscreen .
, differ from typical gambian sun squirrels only because they are paler and there is a little bit of pink under the tail .
the gambian sun squirrel is listed as least concern . does not qualify for a more at risk category . widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category , on the iucn red list of threatened species
gambian sun squirrel . heliosciurus gambianus . feeding in some kind of wild fig tree , locals , called it sotho tree , i think . ( just a short video clip for a blog post about squirrels . )
there are at least seven different sub - species of gambian sun squirrels , and all are distinguished almost solely by differences in color . because of this variety , it is difficult to describe the appearance of these animals except in broad terms and in comparison to other species of sun squirrel .
little is known about the reproductive habits of sun squirrels . however , the genus
eastern gray squirrel ( video for dogs and cats to watch . . . )
bolivian squirrel monkeys are arboreal ( spend most of their lives in trees ) .
bolivian squirrel monkeys live in large troops , with up to 40 - 50 individuals .
thanks machi and injica for your comments and id suggestion . indeed it looks like the subspecies of gambian .
like most squirrels , gambian sun squirrels are confident climbers and leap with agility between trees . on the ground , their gait is a series of small leaps , the two hindfeet and two forefeet alternating as pairs .
this experiment examines combining
ultrascatter advanced instancing for daz studio
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in daz studio and iray . i had to convert the lamh fur to an object and then i could use ultrascatter to generate 40 gambian sun squirrel ' s . no post work . 30 min render
is known to coexist quite peacefully with humans as well as other species of squirrels , and as a result is quite common in the tropics of africa . gambian sun squirrels are currently not listed as threatened or endangered .
khodakevich l , jezek z , kinzanzka k . isolation of monkeypox virus from wild squirrel infected in nature .
i spent a long morning walking through the forest with robert . again it was fairly quiet . we saw a green squirrel or two , and a red - legged sun squirrel . we heard a giant squirrel along with another squirrel that , from robert’s description , was presumably a fire - footed rope squirrel . we also another cusimanse , saw lowe’s monkeys and heard geoffroy’s pied colobus quite near to the visitor centre in the late morning . at about 10am something bolted through the undergrowth close to where we stood . robert saw it better than me and identified it as a brush - tailed porcupine . all i saw was a blur of brown that , even i , with my dodgy ethics for counting new mammals , couldn’t in all conscience add to my life list .
gambian sun squirrels have been seen eating everything from fruits , seeds , and the pods of acacia species to insects , eggs , and young birds . they have even been recorded eating geckos , lizards , and nestlings . rosevear infers that if the opportunity should arise , small mammals would also be killed and eaten .
most observed communication has been recorded in captivity . gambian sun squirrels emit a high - pitched squeak when they are eating and are afraid that they will be disturbed . the tail flicks when they sense danger , but this may simply be a reaction rather than a type of signal . they also squeak constantly when running around a room .
goodness these bolivian squirrel monkeys adorable . can you imagine hearing a whole troop of these monkeys in the trees ? that would be so fun !
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nowak , r . 1997 .
sun squirrels
( on - line ) . walker ' s mammals of the world . accessed february 12 , 2004 at urltoken .
gambian sun squirrels prefer to live in tall , dense woodland savanna . they are arboreal , and are slowly expanding into the rainforests . although they prefer staying in the upper branches of trees , they will also feed on lower branches and even on the ground . in addition to the savannas and rainforests , they are found in woody water courses and thickets .
although a familiar mammal in many parts of great britain , the grey squirrel ( sciurus carolinensis ) is non - native , having been first introduced from the eastern usa in 1876 ( 3 ) . it is responsible for the decline in populations of the uk ' s native red squirrel ( sciurus vulgaris ) ( 3 ) . the introduced species is larger than the red squirrel , has largely grey fur with touches of russet - brown , and white underparts ( 2 ) . unlike the red squirrel , this species never has ear tufts ( 2 ) . the sexes are similar in appearance ( 4 ) .
although populations can be quite dense , gambian sun squirrels are for the most part solitary creatures . occasionally a family group ( the parents and one or two young ) will be seen together . they are diurnal animals , and at night they sleep in holes lined with freshly gathered leaves . for the most part they are arboreal , preferring the higher strata of the trees to the lower strata or the ground .
1 . red - legged sun squirrel heliosciurus rufobrachium 2 . forest giant squirrel protoxerus stangeri ( heard only ) 3 . green bush squirrel paraxerus poensis 4 . fire - footed rope squirrel funisciurus pyrropus ( heard only ) 5 . nagtgla’s dormouse graphiurus nagtglasii 6 . brush - tailed porcupine atherus africanus 7 . long - tailed pangolin uromanis tetradactyla 8 . long - nosed ( common ) cusimanse crossarchus obscurus 9 . straw - colored fruit bat eidolon helvum 10 . egyptian tomb bat taphozous perforatus 11 . demidoff’s galago galago demidoff 12 . potto perodicticus potto 13 . geoffroy’s colobus colobus vellerosus ( heard only ) 14 . olive colobus procolobus verus 15 . olive baboon papio anubis 16 . lowe’s monkey cercopithecus lowei 17 . mona monkey cercopithecus mona 18 . lesser spot - nosed monkey cercopithecus petaurista 19 . green monkey chlorocebus sabaeus ( heard only ) 20 . kob kobus kob 21 . western tree hyrax dendrohyrax dorsalis ( heard only )
the invasive alien species project ( march , 2008 ) http : / / 138 . 253 . 199 . 114 / iaap % 20web / iaapwebsite / factsheet / squirrel . doc
interviews with the u . s . importer and the licensed commercial ghanaian exporter indicated that in march–april 2003 collections of multiple ghanaian mammal species were made by local persons . these animals were subsequently shipped to the united states . the shipment included several rodent species including gambian rats (
the grey squirrel is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) . it is an introduced invasive species to the uk , south africa and italy ( 1 ) ( 3 ) .
a very adaptable species , the grey squirrel prefers mature broadleaved woodlands with a rich understorey layer ( 4 ) . it also occurs in conifer woodlands , urban areas where there are mature trees , as well as gardens and parks ( 5 ) .
ghana , 2017 : romain bocquier , 7 days & 28 species including a range of nice bats ( including a hammer bat ) , pel’s anomalure , olive colobus , african palm civet and a slender - tailed squirrel . further discussion on the bat ids is here .
squirrels are hunted for their meat and pelts . squirrel pelts were also once used as a form of currency . the modern word for money in finland actually comes from a root word that means squirrel skins . since their diets consist of mainly fruits and seeds , squirrels become very useful in seed dispersal . squirrels that eat flowers or drink nectar may also aid in pollination . squirrels are used in medical and scientific research . a research project at the institute of arctic biology at the university of alaska , fairbanks has been studying hibernation in
also live in moist forests and are colored similarly to punctate sun squirrels except that the crown , neck , and mid - dorsum are redder , and the tail bands are not as distinct . what sets this sub - species apart is the unusual red tinge on the insides of the thighs and the root of the tail .
there are no threats to the grey squirrel ( 1 ) . it is a serious pest in britain , and its habit of removing tree bark is extremely damaging . in addition to out - competing red squirrels , it also carries a disease called parapox virus , which affects the native species ( 7 ) .
there are a few other mammals in the forest . squirrels are quite common , especially in the early morning when they feed in palm trees in the village . after an hour of looking in the afternoon i saw a red - legged sun squirrel and then a couple of squirrels , most probably a different species , run along a fallen tree . after considerable debate with the locals looking in my field guide , i gave up trying to work out which other species occurred in the forest , though it seems several do . the day before my visit , a lord derby’s anomalure had been in a tree by the visitors’ office at 11am . red river hogs were also apparently findable but with a considerable amount of effort .
introductions of this species to the uk continued up until 1915 . between 1930 and 1945 it underwent a huge expansion in range ; it is now common throughout central and southern england , wales and the central lowlands of scotland ( 3 ) , and is still increasing in terms of range and numbers ( 5 ) . the grey squirrel has also been introduced to south africa , australia ( 3 ) and italy ( 6 ) . in italy the grey squirrel has extended its range into the alps and piedmont , and it seems likely that it will now spread throughout much of europe ( 6 ) . its native range extends throughout the eastern usa reaching as far north as canada , and south to the mississippi river ( 4 ) .
genovesi , p . and bertolino , s . ( 2001 ) human dimension aspects in invasive alien species issues : the case of the failure of the grey squirrel eradication project in italy . in : mcneely , j . a . ( ed ) the great reshuffling human dimensions of invasive alien species . iucn biodiversity policy coordination division , gland , switzerland . available at : urltoken
this squirrel has little impact on its human neighbors . at times their skins were made into small bags , but it is now rarely done . they were also once considered a food source , but that was only for a brief period . perhaps their greatest contribution to humans is by becoming pets . squirrels make good pets , as long as they are taken before they are weaned .
genets and palm civets are noted as an adults squirrel ' s most likely predator . the young are likely to fall prey to rats , snakes , and driver ants . parents are known to cover the entrance to their nest with loose twigs and leaves , but this is easily bypassed . the parents may sometimes save the young from ants by carrying them in their mouth to a safer place .
. tree and flying squirrels are also essential in the regeneration of forests around the world through their seed dispersal activities . this is not only because seeds are left in the feces of these animals but also because of the caching habits of many squirrels . squirrels are also important in dispersing the spores of fungi that they eat , including ecologically important underground endorhyzal fungi . squirrels serve as host to a number of parasites such as fleas , mites and ticks . these parasites are known for causing the transfer of a number of diseases , such as plague , from squirrel to squirrel and to other mammals , including humans . some species have also been identified as playing the role of a keystone species in their ecosystem . one study conducted by kotiliar et al . ( 1999 ) confirmed that prairie dogs acted as a keystone species in the great plains of the united states . not only were prairie dogs an important food source for predators such as
the natural cycle of mpx within its native range is poorly understood , as is the route of transmission to humans in the tropical forest setting . the only mpx virus isolated from a wild - caught mammal was obtained from a single moribund rope squirrel ( funisciurus anerythrus ) collected during an outbreak investigation in zaire . 5 primary human ( and non - human primate ) infections are hypothesized to result from contact with an infected sylvan animal , although this reservoir host species is currently unknown .
. like in all mammals , the pregnant female invests her energy in producing the young , and the litters are typically small . when just born , the neonates are basically helpless , and are completely dependent upon the parents . the mother will nurse them , but sun squirrels grow fast , and will reach adult age fairly quickly . as the young are growing , the mother offers food and protection , as well as teaches them what is good for consumption and what is better left alone . the role of males in parental care of this species has not been documented .
at about 1pm , just back on the main trail we stopped to look for a squirrel that robert had seen . while scanning the bushes he got a glimpse of movement and saw about 2cm of something brown sticking out of a thicket . this turned into a long - tailed pangolin . even when i could see the tail through the binoculars ( all we could see was the size and texture of a pine cone ) i still wasn’t convinced that it wasn’t just a couple of strange leaves . and so i have simply no idea how robert spotted it .
squirrels have distinct vocalizations for particular situations , such as infants calling to their mothers and adults vocalizing during aggression . males vocalize during the mating season to attract mates . many squirrel species use distinctive alarm calls to warn conspecifics of dangers , including alarm calls that warn of specific threats , distinguishing between aerial and terrestrial predators . squirrels also use posture and movement as a form of communication , with messages carried by tail position , stomping of the feet , or body posture . as in most mammals , olfaction is very important in communication . females indicate sexual receptiveness through pheromones and social position or relatedness may also be inferred through chemical cues .
the most common tactics of sciurids for avoiding predators is camouflage and escape . squirrels typically have coats with color that matches their surroundings . tree squirrels often have lighter coloration on the ventral side compared to the dorsal , allowing them to blend in with the light sky to a predator that is looking at the squirrel from below and at to blend in with the dark ground when being stalked by an aerial predator . squirrels also avoid capture by quickly darting away from predators , remaining vigilant , biting , clawing , hiding in burrows or nests and sounding alarm calls . squirrels that are commonly attacked by snakes take on a completely different defense tactic known as mobbing . especially common in communal prairie dogs (
most squirrels eat mainly tree seeds and fruit , but their diet is diverse , including insects , eggs , fungi , lichens , and small vertebrates . while some squirrels consume fungi as a secondary component of their diet , it makes up nearly half of the diet of other species . many species opportunistically take animal prey , such as the young and eggs of birds or other mammals . foods such as buds , shoots , flowers , bark , lichens , and green plant material have generally low energy content per unit weight and make up a smaller portion of the diet . but the amount of each type of food consumed is determined mainly by its availability and accessibility . for this reason , diet composition changes from region to region , season to season , and year to year . many squirrel species cache or hoard food as well .
gestation ranges from 29 to 65 days , depending on the size of the species , with smaller squirrels having shorter gestation periods . for squirrels that hibernate , mothers must wean their young in enough time to gain winter weight for hibernation . all sciurids give birth to their young in a nest . although a single male can fertilize an entire litter , usually a litter has varying paternity , so a single litter could have multiple fathers . a typical litter consists of four offspring that are born naked , with closed eyes and ears . development and sexual maturity varies from species to species , with some squirrels being able to leave the nest after 26 days , and reaching sexual maturity by 87 days , to squirrels that are fully developed after 42 days , but don’t reach sexual maturity until they are 3 years old . hibernating squirrels tend to develop more quickly , with lactation times averaging 38 days . in tree and flying squirrels , lactation averages 70 days , longer than most other squirrel groups . african tree squirrels tend to be born at larger birth weights and have relatively shorter times to independence .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
this is almost certainly a complex of several similar species . the form occurring east of the nile river ( multicolor ) is likely to be distinct ( p . grubb pers . comm . ) .
justification : listed as least concern in view of its wide distribution , presumed large population , it occurs in a number of protected areas , has a tolerance of a degree of habitat modification , and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category .
this species has been widely recorded over subsaharan africa . it ranges from senegal and the gambia eastwards through west africa to cameroon , through southern chad and central african republic , to southern sudan ( with an isolated population on jebel marra ) , ethiopia , and northwards to eritrea with a southerly extension into uganda and northwestern kenya . in the south of its range , the species occurs in central angola , zambia , southern democratic republic of the congo and southwestern tanzania . it has been recorded to elevations of up to 2 , 000 m asl .
this is considered to be a common and widespread savanna species ( grubb et al . 1998 ) .
this species is typically associated with savanna woodland . populations have also been observed within riparian forest and in savanna areas . it is generally absent from closed forest habitats . this species is commonly found in agriculural areas , especially oil palm plantations . animals are diurnal , solitary and predominantly arboreal .
this species is present in a number of protected areas . heliosciurus gambianus probably represents a complex of several similar species . further studies are needed to clarify the taxonomic status of populations currently allocated to this species .
this errata assessment has been created because the map was accidentally left out of the version published previously .
( errata version published in 2017 ) . the iucn red list of threatened species 2016 : e . t9830a115094544 .
to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .
, are found only in the tropical regions of africa . the range of this species range stretches from nigeria and senegal on the west coast , across to the eastern coasts of sudan , uganda , kenya , and ethiopia . a few populations have been found in angola , the congo , and zambia .
has a small head coming to a bluntly pointed muzzle . the ears are round , and the eyes are large and bright . these animals weigh between 250 and 340 g , and measure in at 153 to 210 mm . the sexes are reported to be the same size , and to possess the same pelage .
is duller than other squirrels found in western africa . its dorsal pelage and flanks are grey , grey - brown or honey - colored and can have black speckling . there is a distinct black line that travels from the head to the tail , flanked on either side by a wide honey colored band . the tail has a black tip and the throat , chest , and ventral pelage are white . the tail is ringed with alternating black and tan rings .
, live in moister forest climates and have darker pelage , with some intermingled honey - colored hairs . the ventral pelage is more grey than white , and is a little longer and softer than the typical
, have very distinct rings on the tail , because the honey colored rings are a lighter , almost beige tone .
, live mainly in forests on the banks of streams . the tail rings are faint and the flanks of this sub - species are lighter due to interspersed white hairs . there is some red in the dorsal pelage .
, are a dark reddish sub - species . the tail is distinctive because of the greyish - black hair at the base of the back , leading into a long band of rusty - red thena long black ring , a short pale ring , and a short black tip .
, except that they have no dorsal reddish hairs . this subspecies also has fainter rings on the tail and the tips of the tail hairs are very long and white .
the more arboreal the subspecies is , the softer and longer the hairs are , especially in relation to the dorsal pelage .
is often found in pairs . it is not known if these represent stable mating pairs , however , it raises the prospect that these squirrels could be monogamous .
is reported to have two breeding seasons in west africa , july through september and november through january . the young of
were collectd in february , and two pregnant females had one and five embryos . it has been noted that most squirrels in west africa tend to have one to two young in each litter . it is not known how these data pertain to
breeding season the breeding season is apparently bimodal , with breeding occuring between july and september , then again between november and january .
has never been measured in the wild . there is one recording of its lifespan in captivity as eight years and eleven months .
have been in captivity , and their behavior is interestingly divergent from their behavior in the wild . for example , in captivity they are prone to sleeping with other animals , and other species if their own is not available . also , they do not make nests in captivity .
in the wild , these animals make other noises , such as a long note ,
ker , ker ,
a short trill , and a chatter . the meanings of these calls are yet to be determined . it can be inferred that their hearing is quite good because of their medium sized external ear conch and sensitivity to dangerous sounding noises .
in addition to vocal communications , it is likely that these animals use some visual and tactile communication , especially between mates , or between parents and offspring . chemical communication has not been documented in this species .
especially likes oil palm nuts , and prefers the husk to the kernal . the foraging behavior of these animals helps to wear down their ever - growing incisors . gnawing through tree bark and the tough husks of some fruits apparently helps their teeth .
the most significant impact that this species has on its ecosystem is most likely the result of its eating habits . its daily diet of nuts and fruits plays a role in the destruction and dispersal of seeds . they are small mammals , and therefore probably have voracious appetites . even though their diet is , for the most part , varied , their presence is surely felt by the insects and birds they prey on .
on humans . predators abound in the tropics , so they have little chance of becoming pests . they eat palm oil nuts , and sometimes cocoa pods , but not in enough numbers to be a nuisance .
alice park ( author ) , university of michigan - ann arbor , phil myers ( editor , instructor ) , museum of zoology , university of michigan - ann arbor .
living in sub - saharan africa ( south of 30 degrees north ) and madagascar .
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state ; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth / hatching . in birds , naked and helpless after hatching .
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror - image halves . animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides , as well as anterior and posterior ends . synapomorphy of the bilateria .
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature . endothermy is a synapomorphy of the mammalia , although it may have arisen in a ( now extinct ) synapsid ancestor ; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities . convergent in birds .
forest biomes are dominated by trees , otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality .
offspring are produced in more than one group ( litters , clutches , etc . ) and across multiple seasons ( or other periods hospitable to reproduction ) . iteroparous animals must , by definition , survive over multiple seasons ( or periodic condition changes ) .
the area in which the animal is naturally found , the region in which it is endemic .
the business of buying and selling animals for people to keep in their homes as pets .
rainforests , both temperate and tropical , are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground . epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant . precipitation is typically not limiting , but may be somewhat seasonal .
referring to something living or located adjacent to a waterbody ( usually , but not always , a river or stream ) .
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator , from 23 . 5 degrees north to 23 . 5 degrees south .
a terrestrial biome . savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy . extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical africa and south america , and in australia .
a grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees , a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest . see also tropical savanna and grassland biome .
a terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes ( > 23 . 5° n or s latitude ) . vegetation is made up mostly of grasses , the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available . fire and grazing are important in the long - term maintenance of grasslands .
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female .
to cite this page : park , a . 2004 .
heliosciurus gambianus
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
kari pihlaviita added the finnish common name
gambianaurinko - orava
to
heliosciurus gambianus ( ogilby , 1835 )
.
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dark brown - grey animal with cream colored underparts ( chest , neck and belly ) ; with a long barred tail . approx 22 to 25 length for the body , and the same , if not a bit more , for the tail .
this subspecies is found mainly in eastern africa , from north - east congo dr , up to forested regions of ethiopia and eritrea . this one was seen in forested area between the town of awassa , and lake awassa . the forest is swampy and very rich in wildlife , in particular birds as it is one of stops on the main migratory routes .
this subspecies is currently treated as separate species , with three subspecies , by some authors ; and it would be named
the cepape
- it can also be found under the scientific synonyms h . multicolor or sciurus multicolor . it was finally identified thanks to this photo , urltoken .
1st i thought it could be a dassie rat ( petromuridae ) but the habitat definitely does not fit - they like arid locations , and its tail is too thick anyway . this is a mystery indeed , i also don ' t think is any herpestidae . . . it has to be a rodent but i don ' t know any that looks like this one .
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to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
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about birding africa birding africa is a specialist birding tour company customising tours for both world listers and more relaxed holiday birders , and combining interests in mammals , butterflies , dragonflies , plants and other natural history . our guides know the continents birds like few others ; we ' ve written two acclaimed guide books on where to find southern africa ' s and madagascar ' s best birds and will guide you to africa ' s and madagascar ' s most diverse birding destinations . birding is more than our passion , it ' s our lifestyle and we are dedicated to making professional best value trips filled with endemic species and unique wildlife experiences . since 1997 , we ' ve run bird watching tours in south africa and further into africa for individual birders , small birding groups and top international tour companies . we ' ve run conservation tours in association with the african bird club and work with and consult for a number of other top international tour companies and the bbc natural history unit . for feedback from our guests , please see our tour information pages . for trip reports , please see our trip reports page .
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mary g . reynolds , * † darin s . carroll , † victoria a . olson , christine hughes , jack galley , anna likos , joel m . montgomery , richard suu - ire , mubarak o . kwasi , j . jeffrey root , zach braden , jason abel , cody clemmons , russell regnery , kevin karem , and inger k . damon
* address correspondence to mary g . reynolds , division of viral and rickettsial diseases , centers for disease control and prevention , 1600 clifton road ne , mailstop g - 43 atlanta , ga 30333 . e - mail : vog . cdc @ 6rzn
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human monkeypox has never been reported in ghana , but rodents captured in forested areas of southern ghana were the source of the monkeypox virus introduced into the united states in 2003 . subsequent to the outbreak in the united states , 204 animals were collected from two commercial trapping sites in ghana . animal tissues were examined for the presence of orthopoxvirus ( opxv ) dna using a real - time polymerase chain reaction , and sera were assayed for antibodies against opxv . animals from five genera ( cricetomys , graphiurus , funiscirus , and heliosciurus ) had antibodies against opxv , and three genera ( cricetomys , graphiurus , and xerus ) had evidence of opxv dna in tissues . additionally , 172 persons living near the trapping sites were interviewed regarding risk factors for opxv exposure , and their sera were analyzed . fifty - three percent had igg against opxv ; none had igm . our findings suggest that several species of forest - dwelling rodents from ghana are susceptible to naturally occurring opxv infection , and that persons living near forests may have low - level or indirect exposure to opxv - infected animals , possibly resulting in sub - clinical infections .
the first case of human monkeypox ( mpx ) was identified in 1970 in the basankusu district of the democratic republic of the congo ( former zaire ) during the intensification phase of the smallpox eradication campaign . 1 in that same year , five additional mpx cases were reported in west africa , four in liberia and one in sierra leone . 2 , 3 however , during the subsequent 13 years , only 11 of the 155 mpx cases identified in africa were reported from west africa countries ( côte d ' ivoire , liberia , nigeria , sierra leone ) ; 4 most cases occurred in the democratic republic of the congo .
most of the previous field investigations designed to identify the sylvatic reservoir of mpx virus were confined to relatively short - term outbreak responses and involved general broad spectrum collections of a wide variety of mammalian taxa . the taxa and animals examined were mostly composed of those species that can be purchased from local hunters and collectors . such taxonomically broad surveys yield large numbers of samples , but usually do not sufficiently sample any individual taxon given the likelihood of a low incidence of active infections in presumptive reservoir species . 6 – 8
to determine the precise geographic origin of the infected animals and to assess whether one or more of the three implicated species might harbor mpxv in nature , we traveled to the area in which the animals were originally trapped and collected additional specimens ( from the same time of year ) , which could then be tested for mpxv . furthermore , we examined residents of nearby communities for serologic evidence of orthopoxvirus ( opxv ) exposure to determine to what extent persons living near these animals might be exposed to the virus . the findings of these investigations are detailed below .
the origin of the mpxv - infected animals imported into the united states on april 21 , 2003 , was traced to a single facility in accra , ghana . a description of husbandry practices at the facility was undertaken by officials from the ghanaian wildlife division in cooperation with the owner , focusing on animal housing , turnover , shipping , and other practices that could have influenced virus transmission among captive animals .
two localities outside accra were identified by the facility owner as being the areas from which the original animals from the april 2003 shipment had been collected . one site ( 5 . 98125n , 0 . 58489e ) was near the town of sogakofe , in the volta region and the other site ( 5 . 78562n , 1 . 01410w ) was near the city of oda in the eastern region . in march–april , 2004 , animals representing several of the species contained in the 2003 consignment and others commonly found in the two source areas were collected and evaluated for the presence of mpxv and for serologic evidence of prior or current infection .
the collection and processing of animals followed methods for trapping and sampling small mammals for virologic testing published by the centers for disease control and prevention ( cdc ) . live animals were handled according to guidelines and recommendations of the cdc institutional animal care and use committee and as outlined in the institutional animal care and use committee protocol field collections in zoonoses investigations . small rodents were either trapped live by using live traps ( h . b . sherman traps , tallahassee , fl ) and locally produced live traps or were captured live by hand . gross pathologic examinations were followed by a complete necropsy in which blood , heart , liver , kidney , lung , spleen , and skin samples were collected and immediately frozen at −20°c before being transferred to dry ice coolers . specimens were split , with half remaining at the noguchi memorial institute for medical research in accra and half sent to cdc laboratories in atlanta .
the cdc laboratories in atlanta evaluated tissue specimens for evidence of opxv and mpxv ( by using a polymerase chain reaction [ pcr ] and virus culture ) and assayed blood specimens for antibodies ( by using an enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay [ elisa ] ) .
residents living in villages near the two original trapping sites were contacted by ghanaian ministry of health officials and cdc investigators and asked to participate in a research study to evaluate human exposure to opxv species . local ministry of health workers explained the purpose of the study and read the consent form to prospective enrollees , translating from english when necessary . parental consent was obtained for persons less than 18 years of age . adolescents ( age = 11–17 years ) and children ( age = 7–10 years ) were asked to provide their assent to participate in the study .
persons who consented to participate were asked to provide basic demographic information ( e . g . , age , occupation ) and to answer several questions pertaining to illness history , smallpox vaccination status , and exposure to wildlife . in addition , one blood specimen was collected from each study participant . blood for serologic testing was collected in standard marble - top vacutainer™ tubes and stored refrigerated for not more than 48 hours before being centrifuged . centrifugation and collection of serum was conducted at the noguchi memorial institute for medical research . serum specimens were divided and frozen ; one aliquot was kept at the ministry of health laboratories and one was sent to cdc for analysis of opxv - reactive igg and igm .
persons who participated were compensated for their time and effort . the protocol for this study was reviewed and approved by institution review boards at the cdc in atlanta ( cdc protocol # 4043 ) and at the noguchi memorial institute for medical research in accra .
detailed methods for preparation and analysis of tissues using real - time pcr are described elsewhere . 11 all processing of animal tissues was performed under biosafety level 3 conditions . solid tissues ( pooled or individual ) were placed in disposable dounce homogenizers ( kendall large tissue grinders ; kendall company catalog no . 3500sa ; tyco healthcare , mansfield , ma ) . one milliliter of phosphate - buffered saline was added to each measured tissue sample before grinding to enable creation of slurries . genomic dna was prepared from an aliquot of each slurry ( kit catalog no . 732 - 6340 ; bio - rad , hercules , ca ) . remaining tissue slurries were stored for future virus isolation ( see below ) .
nucleic acid samples prepared from pooled tissues were tested by real - time pcr for opxv dna before testing individual tissues . the primer / probe sequences were selected from the dna polymerase gene ( e9l ; genbank accession no .
) with primer express version 1 . 5 ( applied biosystems , foster city , ca ) . these sequences included opx forward primer ( 5′ - tca aat att gat cgt cca acg a - 3′ ) , opx reverse primer ( 5′ - tgg atg aat ttc tca ata tta gtt gg - 3′ ) , and opx probe ( 5′fam - taa cat ccg tct gga gat atc ccg tta ga - bhq1 - 3′ ) . primers and probe were synthesized in the biotechnology core facility ( cdc ) by using standard phosphoramidite chemistry . each reaction ( 25 μl ) contained 5 μl of template dna , 0 . 5 μl of each primer , 0 . 5 μl probe added to the lightcycler faststart dna master hybprobe ( 2 . 5 μl vial 1 [ dna polymerase ] , 3 μl vial 2 [ 25 mm mgcl
] , and 10 . 25 μl vial 3 [ water ] ; roche , indianapolis , in ) and taqman exogenous internal positive control ( 2 . 5 μl 10× internal positive control mix and 0 . 25 μl 50× internal positive control dna ; applied biosystems ) . thermal cycling conditions for the abi7900 apparatus ( applied biosystems ) were one cycle at 95°c for 10 minutes and 45 cycles at 95°c for 15 seconds and 60°c for 1 minute . the pcr amplification is based on fluorescent emission after annealing / elongation ( 60°c ) .
human serum samples were assessed for igg and igm reactive with opxv antigen in accordance with published methods . 14 antibody positivity was measured and compared with reference standards . any reading that was three standard deviations above the mean of the negative controls was inferred to be positive .
epidemiologic and demographic variables and qualitative laboratory findings were analyzed by using parametric and nonparametric statistical tests . nonparametric statistical tests were used when analyzing subsets of data that were not normally distributed . the mantel - haenszel common odds ratio ( or ) and fisher ' s exact tests ( two - tailed ) were used for categorical variables , and the student ' s t - test was used for comparison of means derived from continuous variables . a p value < 0 . 050 was used to measure significance of associations .
) . these collections were made gradually over a period of a few weeks . while awaiting shipment , the pouched rats were stored together in concrete enclosures and the squirrels were housed in contiguous wire mesh cages with several individuals per cage . all animals were grouped with members of their own species . most of the squirrels , and pouched rats were collected in a forest zone northwest of accra (
) could not be ruled out by the ghanaian exporter . the dormice were collected from a lowland scrub vegetation area near the volta river northeast of accra . these two sites are separated by approximately 200 miles (
the animal shipments were packed into multi - tiered wooden crates with wire - lined compartments . members of each of the smaller species ( lemniscomys and graphiurus ) were shipped with approximately 25 animals per compartment . the exporter reported seeing nothing unusual as far as overt disease in the animals before shipment , nor were any unusual animal die - offs seen at his facility before shipment . the shipment was sent as freight aboard a commercial airline and entered the united states through dallas , texas .
to determine which species of interest might be capable of harboring mpxv in nature , members of the ghanaian division of wildlife services , cdc , the u . s . department of agriculture , and local trappers collected 204 animals over nine nights during march 24–april 2 , 2004 . approximately 28 % ( 57 animals ) were collected in the eastern region and the remaining from the volta region (
* pcr = polymerase chain reaction ; elisa = enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay .
† the orthopoxvirus dna detection threshold for the orthopoxvirus generic e9l polymerase real - time pcr assay is ≥ 2 fg of purified vaccinia dna .
result replicated in independent assay ; represents finding from liver , spleen , skin , and / or pooled organ specimens . details are shown in
¶ female dormice were significantly more likely to have opx - reactive titers at 1 : 50 than males ( p = 0 . 030 , by fisher ' s exact test , 2 - sided ) .
spp . ( at a reciprocal dilution of 200 ) , and seven others had low levels of antibodies .
* pcr = polymerase chain reaction ; elisa = enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay ; nd = not determined .
tissues from the nine animals that showed positive results by real - time pcr specific for opxv ( generic ) polymerase ( e9l ) dna signatures were also assayed for a secondary opxv dna target ( 14 - kd fusion protein ) . three of the nine animals were also positive for this secondary opxv (
) . all animals were subsequently screened for mpxv - specific signatures by using a real - time pcr designed to detect sequences corresponding to the mpxv envelope protein ( b6r ) . the mpxv - specific dna signals were not reproducibly detected in any of the specimens . however , the mpxv - specific assay is slightly less sensitive than the opxv generic a27l assay ( 10 genomes versus 4 genomes , respectively ) .
a cytopathic effect caused by opxv was not observed in virus cultures prepared from the tissues of any animals , nor was culturable virus obtained after serial passage . ( in our hands , virus culture is typically 10–100 - fold less sensitive than the most sensitive real - time pcr in detecting opxv in clinical specimens . )
one graphiurus spp . ( animal number 431 ) had a low level of antibodies against opxv in its serum and opxv dna signatures in its spleen . two funisciurus spp . with antibodies against opxv had equivocal opxv dna findings in pooled organ specimens in the pcr screening .
to investigate whether persons working closely with sylvan animals and humans living near animal trapping sites might be at enhanced risk for exposure to opxvs , we conducted a serosurvey among residents of several villages within walking distance of where the animals implicated in the u . s . outbreak had been originally collected . for purposes of this study , these villages will be referred to as villages a / b ( eastern region ) and village c ( volta region ) . in all , 65 residents of village c ( approximately 92 % of the total village population ) , 100 residents of villages a / b ( approximately 33 % and 85 % of the total village populations , respectively ) , and 7 persons who were directly involved in the exotic animal trade consented to participate in the serosurvey (


the marbled leaf-toed gecko ( afrogecko porphyreus ) is a gecko found in southern and southwestern south africa ( including many offshore islands ) and in namibia .

it is a flat , medium-sized gecko .

marbled leaf - toed gecko

marbled leaf - toed gecko ( afrogecko porphyreus ) from claremont , western cape .
the two subspecies are commonly referred to as the western marbled gecko and the southern marbled gecko .
afrogecko porphyreus ( marbled leaf - toed gecko ) , western cape . [ photo tyrone ping © ]
leaf - toed gecko is a common name for some species and genera of gecko . more
the peninsular leaf - toed gecko is the only nocturnal , climbing gecko native to the continental united states . the leaf - toed geckos distinctive swollen toepads only cover the tips of the toes , and have a bilobed shape unlike those of other geckos found in north america . more
the musandam leaf - toed gecko is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
leo shapiro set
marbled gecko
as an exemplar on
christinus marmoratus gray 1845
.
marbled leaf - toed geckos gain their name from the enlarged leaf - like pads on each digit . in this image the gecko has at some point shed its tail to flee from a predator . the tail is now growing back with a rare
double fork
the burmese leaf - toed gecko is a small gecko species native to myanmar ( burma ) . the total length of their body rarely excees 5 cm . these geckos are a light grey - brown color on top , with a darker brown bottom that varies from gecko to gecko . more
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arkive species - musandam leaf - toed gecko ( asaccus caudivolvulus )
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arkive species - musandam leaf - toed gecko ( asaccus caudivolvulus )
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the leaf - toed gecko is classified as least concern . does not qualify for a more at risk category . widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category .
the peninsular leaf - toed gecko ( phyllodactylus nocticolus ) is the only gecko species native to the united states of america that is both climbing , and nocturnal . this gecko can be found in southern california on the slopes of semi - desert mountain ranges , extending through the baja california peninsula . more
distribution the cederberg dwarf leaf - toed gecko has a very restricted range in south africa and occurs from the bokkeveld mountains in the north through the cederberg to the klein drakenstein mountains near wellington . more
as its common name suggests , the musandam leaf - toed gecko is endemic to the musandam region of oman , and to the hajar mountains of the eastern united arab emirates ( 2 ) ( 5 ) .
taylor d , daniels cb , johnston g . in press . the marbled gecko in urban parklands : do retreat sites limit population size during winter ? herpetologica .
the leaf - toed gecko is from the order squamata . species from this order are amphisbaenians , lizards or snakes . there are over 6 , 000 living species belonging to the squamata order - it is the largest order of all reptiles . more
the european leaf - toed gecko was first described by gené in 1839 , the scientific name of this species is euleptes europaea . euleptes from greek meaning ' true ' and ' slim ' . europaea from latin meaning ' from europe ' . more
because the kurdistan leaf - toed gecko is a recently described species from iran few is known about ecological and biological aspects in this species ( torki and sharifi 2007 ) . therefore this species is kept to gain more knowledge about its behaviour . more
. . . the marbled gecko , christinus marmoratus is widely distributed across the woodlands of the southern seaboard of australia . marbled geckos are small ( snout vent length of ≈50 mm and mass of ≈2 . 5 g ( kearney and predavec 2000 ) ) . in the adelaide region marbled geckos are found on trees with exfoliating bark , in dry sclerophyll forests which it uses as diurnal retreat sites ( daniels 1981 ) . . . .
a study conducted by king in 1977 showed that c . marmoratus exhibits considerable geographic variation in karyotype across its range . further investigation by donnellan et al . ( 2000 ) led to the species being recognized as a composite of two subspecies ; c . marmoratus marmoratus and c . marmoratus dactyls . the two subspecies are commonly referred to as the western marbled gecko and the southern marbled gecko .
there are no known specific conservation measures currently in place for the musandam leaf - toed gecko . however , it occurs in a number of protected areas , which may offer it some protection . further studies are needed into the distribution , abundance and biology of this gecko , as well as into the potential threats it faces ( 1 ) .
the musandam leaf - toed gecko was only described as a separate species as recently as 1994 ( 4 ) . the body of this species is pinkish in colour , almost translucent , with darker bands running down the body and onto the tail , and small tubercles covering the back .
palystes occurs mainly on plants where it hunts various insects but is also regularly found in the home where they are fond of hunting geckos ( usually the marbled leaf - toed gecko , afrogecko porphyreus in the western cape or the cape dwarf gecko , lygodactylus capensis in the eastern parts of southern africa ) and are sometimes called lizard - eating spiders . they usually appear in the home just before the onset of rain and the males are regularly seen in august to december , probably looking for females and also females busy foraging .
size a small gecko with adult snout - vent length ranging from 45 - 50 mm .
arnold , e . n . and gardner , a . s . ( 1994 ) a review of the middle eastern leaf - toed geckoes ( gekkonidae : asaccus ) with descriptions of two new species from oman . fauna of saudi arabia , 14 : 424 - 441 .
relatively little is known about the threats faced by the musandam leaf - toed gecko , but it may be locally threatened in parts of its range by quarrying activities ( 1 ) . general threats to the region’s wildlife include habitat loss due to increasing urbanisation and development , as well as overgrazing by livestock , mining , pollution , and over - extraction of ground water ( 6 ) ( 7 ) .
rösler , herbert 2017 . gecko - chorologie ( squamata : gekkota ) . gekkota ( 4 ) : 1 - 160
daniels cb . 1984 . the importance of caudal lipid in the gecko phyllodactylus marmoratus . herpetologica 40 : 3 , 337 - 344 .
bauer a m . good d a . branch w r . 1997 . the taxonomy of the southern african leaf - toed geckos ( squamata : gekkonidae ) , with a review of old world
phyllodactylus
and the description of five new genera . proc . cal . acad . sci . 49 ( 14 ) : 447 - 497 . - get paper here
the musandam leaf - toed gecko is active at night ( 2 ) and , like most other geckos , is likely to feed on a variety of insects and other small invertebrates ( 3 ) . this species lays a single , hard - shelled , spherical egg , which is glued to rock deep within crevices in caves or cliffs . a number of individuals may lay their eggs in the same traditional , communal laying sites . in captivity , one egg may be laid around every three to four weeks ( 2 ) .
although the mountains of the united arab emirates have so far not been subject to the same degree of habitat loss as many lowland regions , the available habitat in these areas is limited , and some isolated reptile populations may potentially be threatened . of particular concern is a population of the musandam leaf - toed gecko in jebel ras , south of khor fakkan in the united arab emirates . this area has been subject to high levels of urban and industrial development , and the continued survival of this small population is uncertain ( 8 ) .
kearney m , predavec m . 2000 . do nocturnal ectotherms thermoregulate ? a study of the temperate gecko christinus marmoratus . ecology 81 : 11 , 2984 - 2996 .
the bibrons gecko is a nocturnal species with large eyes and vertical pupils to improve vision in the dark . during the day they hide in rock crevices or under bark .
heinicke , matthew p . ; juan d . daza , eli greenbaum , todd r . jackman & aaron m . bauer 2014 . phylogeny , taxonomy and biogeography of a circum - indian ocean clade of leaf - toed geckos ( reptilia : gekkota ) , with a description of two new genera . systematics and biodiversity 12 ( 1 ) : 23 - 42 , doi : 10 . 1080 / 14772000 . 2013 . 877999 - get paper here
hemidactylus platyurus , commonly known as the flat - tailed house gecko , is a species of gekkonidae native to southeastern and southern asia . the species is sometimes classified under the genus cosymbotus .
these geckos are frequently found in the pet trade , including corporate chain stores , usually identified only as
house gecko
. while there are other species of gecko available under the same common name , the cosymbotus platyurus is easily identified by the flaps of skin along its sides , making them resemble a miniature flying gecko ( ptychozoon genus ) . they are easily maintained in a terrarium with frequent misting and insect prey , but they are not easy to handle . also , herpetoculturists often use this species in addition to anoles as a feeder lizard for some species of snakes , especially asian green vine snakes ( ahaetulla prasina ) .
description the head and body is flattened , an indication that it is a crevice dweller . the nostril is pierced between the rostral and three nasal scales . the calcium stores in the lateral neck region of females are often very prominent . the body is covered with small smooth granular scales . each toe has a pair of leaf - shaped lamellae . there is often a dark streak from the nostril through the eye . the body is greyish to grayish - brown above , uniform , variegated or marbled with reddish to dark brown . occasionally , specimens have a white stripe down the middle of the back . the underparts of the body are uniform white .
. . . the close relationship chunky bark has with the trunk of the tree might also aid geckos to behaviourally thermoregulate . marbled geckos in victoria that use rocks as retreat sites , actively choose rocks with favourable thermal conditions ( kearney and predavec 2000 ; kearney 2002 ) and actively control their temperature while in retreat sites by changing their posture ( kearney 2001 ) . . . .
) is a species of gekkonidae ( gecko ) native to southern mainland of australia , from victoria to western australia . the species is well adapted to a variety of habitats , including city dwellings . other related taxa in addition to this species are also known as
c . marmoratus is australia’s most southerly gecko . it occurs from northeastern new south wales to southwestern western australia , as well as a number of islands off the coasts of south australia and western australia . they use a variety of habitats including open shrubland , sclerophyll forest , riverine woodland and urban regions .
gecko porphyreus daudin 1802 : 130 phyllodactylus porphyreus — duméril & bibron 1836 : 393 phytodactylus porphyreus — wainson 1839 : 371 ( in error ) phyllodactylus porphyreus — boulenger 1885 : 87 phyllodactylus porphyreus namaquensis hewitt 1935 : 320 phyllodactylus porphyreus cronwrigthi hewitt 1937 : 205 phyllodactylus porphyreus namaquensis — wermuth 1965 : 143 phyllodactylus porphyreus — kluge 1993 afrogecko porphyreus — bauer et al . 1997 afrogecko porphyreus — heinicke et al . 2014
wow i would have said those are 2 different species , but i guess babies can be different sometimes . . . even in body shape . now that i see the second picture , i would guess flat gecko ( afroedura ) species . . . mainly because of the flattened body shape and also the irregular pattern . because of distribution you mentioned i would also guess it to be one of the afroedura pondolia ssp ?
. . . notably , although temperature tags in backpacks might indicate less accurate body temperatures for basking than for non - basking indi - viduals ( barroso et al . 2016 ) , the highest body temperatures selected by individuals did not differ between years ( % 42 . 1°c ) . active diurnal behavioral thermoregulation is a necessary adaptation of nocturnal geckos for digestion ( bustard 1967 , greer 1989 , angilletta et al . 1999 , kearney and predavec 2000 and for body growth ( autumn and de nardo 1995 ) . however , true basking behavior was previ - ously known for larger gecko species only ( greer 1989 ) or for species from cooler climates , e . g . , tarentola mauritanica ( lisi ci c et al . 2012 ; k . henle , personal observation ) . . . .
snout longer than the distance between the eye and the ear opening , one time and a half the diameter of the orbit ; forehead concave ; ear - opening small , oval , oblique . rostral four - sided , not twice as broad as high , with median cleft above ; nostril bordered by the rostral , the first labial and three nasals . nine to eleven upper and seven or eight lower labials ; mental large . triangular or pentagonal ; two pair of chin - shields , the median pair large , in contact with each other , the posterior pair small , sometimes separated from the labials . body depressed , covered above with uniform small granules , largest on the snout ; a dermal expansion from axilla to groin and another along the posterior side of the hind limb . ventral scales cycloid , imbricate . male with an uninterrupted series of 34—36 femoral pores . tail depressed , flat inferiorly , with sharp denticulated lateral edge , covered above with uniform small granules , below with a median series of transversely dilated plates . limbs moderate , depressed ; digits strongly dilated , about half - webbed , inner well developed ; 3 to 6 lamellae under the inner , 7 to 9 under the median digits . grey above , marbled with darker grey ; generally a dark streak from eye to shoulder . lower parts white . length of head and body 61 mm . ; tail 66 mm .
western cape . [ photo rebelo a . © , from sarca virtual museum ]
islands off the west coast of south africa ( robben , jutten , dassen , meeuw , marcus , malgas , schappen ) . one questionable record from cameroon ( tornier 1902 ) , namibia
type locality : santo domingo island . terra typica designata ( fltzsimons 1943 ) : cape of good hope
note : tdwg regions are generated automatically from the text in the distribution field and not in every cases it works well . we are working on it .
bates , m . f . ; branch , w . r . , bauer , a . m . ; burger , m . , marais , j . ; alexander , g . j . & de villliers , m . s . ( eds . ) 2014 . atlas and red list of the reptiles of south africa , lesotho , and swaziland . suricata 1 . south african national biodiversity institute , pretoria , 512 pp .
bauer , aaron m . 1997 . family gekkonidae . genus phyllodactylus . in : j . h . van wyk ( ed . ) : proceedings of the fitzsimons commemorative symposium , south african lizards : 50 years of progress . - herp . assoc . africa ( matieland , south afr . ) , pp . 24 - 28
boulenger , g . a . 1885 . catalogue of the lizards in the british museum ( nat . hist . ) i . geckonidae , eublepharidae , uroplatidae , pygopodidae , agamidae . london : 450 pp . - get paper here
daudin 1802 . histoire naturelle , générale et particulière des reptiles , vol . 4 . f . dufart , paris .
duméril , a . m . c . and g . bibron . 1836 . erpetologie générale ou histoire naturelle complete des reptiles . vol . 3 . libr . encyclopédique roret , paris , 528 pp . - get paper here
herrmann , h . - w . ; w . r . branch 2013 . fifty years of herpetological research in the namib desert and namibia with an updated and annotated species checklist . journal of arid environments 93 : 94–115 - get paper here
hewitt , j . 1935 . some new forms of batrachians and reptiles from south africa . rec . albany mus . 4 : 283 - 357
hewitt , j . 1937 . descriptions of south african lizards . ann . natal . mus . 8 : 199 - 209
rösler , herbert 2015 . bemerkungen über einige geckos der zoologischen staatssammlung münchen . gekkota , suppl . ( 2 ) : 3 - 54
schönecker , p . 2014 . südafrika . auf reptiliensuche entlang der garden route . reptilia ( münster ) 19 ( 105 ) : 80 - 93
swainson , w . 1839 . the natural history of fishes , amphibians , & reptiles , or monocardian animals . vol . 2 . longman , orme , brown , green and longmans , london - get paper here
tornier , g . 1902 . die crocodile , schildkröten und eidechsen in kamerun . zool . jahrb . , abt . syst . , 15 ( 6 ) : 663 - 677 - get paper here
witberg , m . 2012 . the herpetofauna of schaapen island , langebaan , south africa . african herp news ( 56 ) : 11 - 16
this database is maintained by peter uetz ( database content ) and jakob hallermann , zoological museum hamburg ( new species and updates ) .
the number of species increased from 10 , 711 to 10 , 793 , i . e . an increase of 82 species . 66 new species have been described , 9 species have been revalidated from synonymy and 16 subspecies were elevated to full species . . .
over the past 4 months , the number of species increased from 10 , 639 to 10 , 711 .
the number of species has grown from 10 , 544 in the may release to now 10 , 639 ( + 95 species ) .
overall , 212 new taxa have been added or changed their status or name .
the reptile database is a taxonomic database that provides basic information about all living reptile species , such as turtles , snakes , lizards , and crocodiles , as well as tuataras and amphisbaenians , but does not include dinosaurs .
currently there are more than 10 , 000 species and an additional 2 , 700 subspecies . this is making reptiles the largest vertebrate group after fish ( ~ 25 , 000 species ) and birds ( ~ 10 , 000 species ) , and significantly larger than mammals ( ~ 5 , 000 species ) or amphibians ( ~ 6 , 000 species ) .
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justification : common in the region and tolerant of transformed habitats hence this species is assessed as least concern .
the population is stable . the population size is unknown ; genetic studies indicate possible cryptic taxa .
nocturnal , occupying moist habitats where it shelters under tree bark , exfoliating rock flakes and fissures in rock outcrops . communal ; groups may occupy the same shelters . commensal with humans and common in urban areas ( branch 1998 ) .
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found in hermanus in the western cape . gravid female . one can clearly see the eggs through the body .
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biology it is nocturnal and very common at houses in coastal areas of the western cape where it is often seen feeding on insects around outdoor lights . it is often regarded as a nuisance because of its faeces sticking to the walls . in nature , its habitat is very varied and it will shelter in any suitable hiding place , from rock crevices to under bark on dead trees . it is particularly common in coastal rock just above the highwater mark . it does not seem to be territorial as a number of individuals often live in the same retreat . females lay two hard - shelled eggs in early summer and communal egg laying sites are common . the eggs hatch after one and a half to two months .
distribution it is found in the w estern and southern coastal regions , from nieuwoudtville to cape st francis . it is also present on most of the offshore islands .
distribution in the gcbc there are only isolated records from the central cederberg range .
the environment agency - abu dhabi ( ead ) is working within the united arab emirates to protect and conserve the region’s valuable biodiversity ( 9 ) , while the use of traditional , protected , livestock - free areas by local people in some parts of the hajar mountains may help to slow habitat loss to some degree ( 7 ) .
environment agency - abu dhabi is a principal sponsor of arkive . ead is working to protect and conserve the environment as well as promoting sustainable development in the emirate of abu dhabi .
hellyer , p . and aspinall , s . ( 2005 ) the emirates : a natural history . trident press limited , london .
this information is awaiting authentication by a species expert , and will be updated as soon as possible . if you are able to help please contact : arkive @ urltoken
endemic a species or taxonomic group that is only found in one particular country or geographic area . invertebrates animals with no backbone , such as insects , crustaceans , worms , molluscs , spiders , cnidarians ( jellyfish , corals , sea anemones ) and echinoderms . tubercles small , rounded , wart - like bumps on the skin or on a bone . wadis mountain canyons found in north africa and the middle east that only carry water when it rains .
halliday , t . and adler , k . ( 2002 ) the new encyclopedia of reptiles and amphibians . oxford university press , oxford .
alsharhan , a . et al . ( 2008 ) terrestrial environment of abu dhabi emirate . environment agency , abu dhabi , united arab emirates .
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this species is featured in jewels of the uae , which showcases biodiversity found in the united arab emirates in association with the environment agency – abu dhabi .
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. the species is well adapted to a variety of habitats , including city dwellings .
. gray ' s description was based on four specimens that were preserved in spirits . they were collected on the abrolhos islands ( off
) , and were donated to the british museum from the collection of a “mr . gilbert . ” gray examined another preserved specimen of
further investigation by donnellan et al . ( 2000 ) led to the species being recognized as a composite of two subspecies ;
adults reach an average ( snout - vent ) length of 50mm , and weigh about 2 . 5g .
) when threatened , to aid in escape . tails take about eight months to regenerate . fully regenerated tails are characterized by an abrupt change in dorsal skin colouring and pattern at the level of the original fracture plane . original tails also have much more developed muscular bands .
hatchlings do not have any fat in the tail , and they drop it more readily than adults do .
during the hot summer months they generally use deep crevices and burrows as their daytime retreat sites , and in cooler weather they aggregate under rocks .
are commonly found in aggregations of up to 10 individuals , and most aggregations contain one male .
aggregate so commonly ( kearney et al . reported that one quarter of individuals they found were in aggregations ) .
was 27 . 7°c . , which is much higher than their average body temperatures during the day or night . subsequent investigation by kearney and predavec ( 2000 ) revealed that
by adjusting its posture , for instance , by raising or flattening the body to contact the rock substrate . they also seem to touch the rock with their snout before doing so , as if testing the temperature .
browne - cooper , robert ; brian bush ; brad maryan ; david robinson ( 2007 ) . reptiles and frogs in the bush : southwestern australia . university of western australia press . pp . 108 , 109 . isbn 978 - 1 - 920694 - 74 - 6 .
gray , j . e . 1845 . catalogue of the specimens of lizards in the collection of the british museum . trustees of die british museum / edward newman , london : xxvii + 289 pp .
boulenger ga . 1885 . catalogue of the lizards in the british museum ( nat . hist . ) i . geckonidae , eublepharidae , uroplatidae , pygopodidae , agamidae . london : 450 pp .
wells rw , wellington cr . 1985 . a classification of the amphibia and reptilia of australia . australian journal of herpetology , supplementary series 1 : 1 - 61 .
king m . 1977 . chromosomal and morphometric variation in the gekko diplodactylus vittatus ( gray ) . australian journal of zoology 25 : 43–57 .
donnellan sc , aplin kp , dempsey pj ( 2000 ) . genetic and morphological variation in australian christinus ( squamata : gekkonidae ) : preliminary overview with recognition of a cryptic species on the nullarbor plain . australian journal of zoology 48 : 289–315 .
kearney m , shine r , comber s , pearson d . 2001 . why do geckos group ? an analysis of “social” aggregations in two species of australian lizards . herpetologica 57 : 4 , 411 - 422 .
bellairs ada , bryant sv . 1985 . autotomy and regeneration in reptiles . in : gans c , billett f , editors . biology of the reptilia . new york : john wiley and sons , 301 - 410
king m , rofe r . 1976 . karyotypic variation in the australian gekko phyllodactylus marmoratus ( gray ) ( gekkonidae : reptilia ) . chromosoma 54 : 75–87 .
daniels cb . , flaherty sp . , simbotwe mp . 1986 . tail size and effectiveness of autotomy in a lizard . journal of herpetology 20 : 1 , 93 - 96 .
marcellini d . 1977 . acoustic and visual display behaviour of gekkonid lizards . american zoologist 17 : 251 - 260 .
stamps ja . 1988 . conspecific attraction and aggregation in territorial species . the american naturalist 131 : 3 , 329 .
edgar r . waite f . l . s , c . m . z . s , 1929 the reptiles and amphibians of south australia , printed by harbison weir , government printer 31 january , p . 76 , 7 / - sixpence .
leo shapiro selected
christinus marmoratus
to show in overview on
christinus marmoratus gray 1845
.
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phyllodactylus porphyreus duméril & bibron 1836 ( partim ) phyllodactylus peronii fitzinger 1843 diplodactylus marmoratus gray 1845 phyllodactylus marmoratus — boulenger 1885 : 88 phyllodactylus affinis — boulenger 1885 : 89 phyllodactylus marmoratus — cogger 1983 : christinus marmoratus — wells & wellington 1984 christinus marmoratus — cogger 2000 : 208 christinus marmoratus — wilson & swan 2010 : 60 christinus marmoratus — heinicke et al . 2014 christinus marmoratus marmoratus ( gray 1845 ) diplodactylus marmoratus gray 1845 goniodactylus australis gray 1845 gonatodes australis — boulenger 1885 : 72 ( ? ) phyllodactylus marmoratus marmoratus — storr 1987 christinus marmoratus marmoratus — rösler 2000 : 62 christinus marmoratus macrodactylus ( fitzinger 1843 ) phyllodactylus peronii fitzinger 1843 : 95 phyllodactylus macrodactylus boulenger 1885 : 89 phyllodactylus marmoratus — loveridge 1934 christinus biggsae wells & wellington 1985 : 10 christinus marmoratus macrodactylus — rösler 2000 : 62
type locality : restricted to west - and south australia ( kangaroo island , swan river , freemantle , champion bay , houtman’s abrolhos , norfolk island , aneitum ) .
syntypes : mnhn 6734 , 6734a ( 1843 phyllodactylus peronii fitzinger ) lectotype : bmnh xxi . 9 . a ( 1845 diplodactylus marmoratus gray ) holotype : bmnh 55 . 8 . 16 . 15 ( 1885 phyllodactylus affinis - boulenger ) holotype : bmnh xxii . 86a ( 1845 goniodactylus australis gray ) syntypes : bmnh 70 . 6 . 26 . 60 ( 1885 phyllodactylus macrodactylus boulenger ) holotype : ams 116977 ( 1985 christinus biggsae wells & wellington )
bauer , a . m . 1994 . liste der rezenten amphibien und reptilien : gekkonidae i ( australia ) . das tierreich , vol . 108 , w . de gruyter & co . ( berlin )
cogger , h . g . 2014 . reptiles and amphibians of australia , 7th ed . csiro publishing , xxx + 1033 pp .
cogger , h . g . 2000 . reptiles and amphibians of australia , 6th ed . ralph curtis publishing , sanibel island , 808 pp .
donnellan , s . c . ; aplin , k . p . & dempsey , p . j . 2000 . genetic and morphological variation in australian christinus ( squamata : gekkonidae ) : preliminary overview with recognition of a cryptic species on the nullarbor plain . australian journal of zoology 48 : 289 - 315 - get paper here
fitzinger , l . 1843 . systema reptilium , fasciculus primus , amblyglossae . braumüller et seidel , wien : 106 pp . - get paper here
gray , j . e . 1845 . catalogue of the specimens of lizards in the collection of the british museum . trustees of die british museum / edward newman , london : xxvii + 289 pp . - get paper here
kay , g . m . ; d . michael ; m . crane ; s . okada ; c . macgregor ; d . florance ; d . trengove ; l . mcburney ; d . blair ; d . b . lindenmayer . 2013 . a list of reptiles and amphibians from box gum grassy woodlands in south - eastern australia . check list 9 ( 3 ) : 476 - 481 - get paper here
king , m . ; rofe , r . 1976 . karyotypic variation in the australian gekko phyllodactylus marmoratus ( gray ) ( gekkonidae : reptilia ) . chromosoma 54 ( 1 ) : 75 - 87
michael , d . r . ; d . b . lindenmayer ; m . crane ; c . macgregor ; r . montague - drake ; l . mcburney . 2011 . reptilia , murray catchment , new south wales , southeastern australia . check list 7 ( 1 ) : 25 - 29 - get paper here
rösler , h . 2000 . studien an den begattungsorganen der geckos ( reptilia : gekkota ) - 5 . der hemipenis von christinus marmoratus marmoratus ( gray 1845 ) ( gekkonidae : gekkoninae ) . gekkota 2 : 255 - 258
rösler , h . 2000 . kommentierte liste der rezent , subrezent und fossil bekannten geckotaxa ( reptilia : gekkonomorpha ) . gekkota 2 : 28 - 153
rösler , herbert 1995 . geckos der welt - alle gattungen . urania , leipzig , 256 pp .
storr , g . m . 1987 . the genus phyllodactylus ( lacertilia : gekkonidae ) in western australia . rec . west . austr . mus . 13 ( 2 ) : 275 - 284 - get paper here
wells , r . w . and wellington , c . r . 1985 . a classification of the amphibia and reptilia of australia . australian journal of herpetology , supplementary series , ( 1 ) : 1 - 61 . - get paper here
wilson , s . & swan , g . 2010 . a complete guide to reptiles of australia , 3rd ed . chatswood : new holland , 558 pp .
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palystes castaneus in threat posture , showing banding beneath the legs . [ image n . larsen © ]
palystes is derived from either the latin
palaestes
or greek
palaistes
meaning wrestler . these are the large spiders , often referred to as
tarantulas
, that cause havoc by entering buildings during summer or before rain .
these spiders were previously listed as potentially dangerous . after tests where they were induced into biting guinea - pigs it was established that although the guinea - pigs had died within 3 minutes , it had been from shock and not the effects of any venom . for humans , the venom is in fact no worse than a bee sting although the spider ' s aggressive display , with its 2 front pairs of banded legs raised in warning , is enough to shrink the stoutest of hearts . they occur usually in vegetation but sometimes occur in the home .
palystes is also regularly seen in more unfortunate circumstances where it is being dragged around by a wasp or often the wasp is missing and all one finds is what seems to be a dead spider on the pathway . what has in fact happened is that the spider has been stung and immobilized by a female wasp of the family pompilidae . these wasps hunt only spiders that they sting and paralyse and then stock each of their nests with a paralyzed spider , lay an egg on it and then seal the nest . the wasp eggs then hatch and the larvae have live fresh food on which to feed . all peripheral tissue is eaten first and lastly the vital parts so the meal stays fresh long enough for the larva to mature and then pupate .
pompilid wasp , tachypompilus ignites , dragging a paralysed palystes superciliosus spider to her nest . [ image h . robertson , iziko © ] .
twenty eight palystes species occur in central , eastern and southern africa with 13 resident in south africa .
palystes body length is 15 - 36 mm with a leg span of up to 110 mm . dorsally ( top ) it is covered in tan to dark tan velvety covering of setae ( hairs ) . the abdomen and legs might be interspersed with slightly longer setae ( hairs ) .
the diagnostic features are a white moustachial stripe below the anterior ( front ) eyes and extending down the chelicerae ( fangs ) as well as banding on the ventral ( underside ) of the legs .
another identifying feature of palystes castaneus and p . superciliosus , is the egg sac made by the female . it is a roundish bag made of silk with leaves and twigs woven into it and is about 60 - 100mm in size . the construction of this nursery and the laying of eggs takes about 3 - 5 hours . the eggs hatch inside and are protected within the bag of silk and leaves . during this time the female guards her brood aggressively . many a gardener has been bitten by a protective palystes mother . after about 21 days , the spiderlings chew their way out of the sac to join the world . these egg sacs are a common sight from about november to april . mating takes place in early summer and the spider will produce about 3 egg cases in her 2 year life .
is known from modimolle ( formerly nylstroom in limpopo ) , warburton ( mpumalanga ) to ndumo ( kwazulu - natal ) .
s common from cape town to heidelberg in the western cape . it appears to be more common in forested areas and during november its egg cocoon is very common in low vegetation and hedges . it is replaced by
is the common species in zimbabwe and limpopo province reaching into malaŵi , botswana ( okavango ) and mozambique . it occurs in savannah woodland .
occurs mainly in the mountainous areas of the karoo . it occurs from beaufort west ( western cape ) to graaf - reinet to the kleinwinterhoekberge and kokstad district ( eastern cape ) . 14 - 22mm .
occurs in the grahamstown to alicedale areas of the eastern cape . 16 - 25mm .
is found in the bloemfontein area ( free state ) to modimolle ( formerly nystroom in limpopo ) .
is only known from the type specimen . no locality is given only that it was collected in south africa . croeser believes it may be a montane species from the eastern cape . 29mm .
palystes martinfilmeri is less common , occurring in the cedarberg - piketberg area ( northern and western cape ) . this is the largest species with a body length of 19 - 36 mm .
is known from the amatola and hogsbach mountains ( eastern cape ) to port edward ( kwazulu - natal ) . 23 mm .
heidelberg district , ( western cape ) . possibly a forest species that often occurs in the same area as
in that its egg cocoon is similar to a white ping - pong ball . the female retreats into this with her eggs and cuts it open when she wants to leave . 26 mm .
stuarti only known from nieuwoudtville ( northern cape ) . 24 - 34 mm .
superciliosus is the most common and widespread species of the genus and ranges from kwazulu - natal westwards to mpumalanga , north west , limpopo , eastern and western cape .
cayton - boxall , p . 1988 . the mating of two palystes . spider club news . 3 ( 1 ) : 8 .
croeser , p . m . c . 1979 . just a bag of old leaves ? eastern cape naturalist 66 : 8–10 .
croeser , p . m . c . 1996 . a revision of the african huntsman spider genus palystes l . kock , 1875 ( araneae : heteropodidae ) . annals of the natal museum 37 : 1 - 122 .
dippenaar - schoeman , a . s . & r . jocqué . 1997 . african spiders : an identification manual . plant protection res . inst . handbook , no . 9 , pretoria , 392 pp .
filmer , m . r . , revised larsen , n . 2010 . filmer’s spiders : an identification guide for southern africa , struik , cape town . 128pg jäger , peter . 1999 . sparassidae – the valid scientific name for the huntsman spider ( arachnida : araneae ) . arachnol . mitt . 17 : 1 - 10 .
jäger , p . 2000 . heteropoda parva n . sp . and h . martusa n . sp . primitive or derived heteropoda species ? ( araneae : sparassidae : heteropodinae ) . mitt . internat . entomol . ver . 25 : 195 - 205 .
jäger p , kunz d . 2005 : an illustrated key to genera of african huntsman spiders ( araneae : sparassidae ) . – senckenbergiana biologica 85 ( 2 ) : 163–213 . download from here
jäger , p . & d . kunz . palystes kreutzmanni sp . n . - a new huntsman spider species from fynbos vegetation in western cape province , south africa ( araneae , sparassidae , palystinae ) . zookeys 67 : 1 - 9 .
larsen , n . 2005 . more than just a bag of old leaves : a look into our rain spiders . newsletter of the spider club of south africa 20 ( 2 ) : 12
lawrence , r . f . ( 1952a ) . new spiders from the eastern half of south africa . ann . natal mus . 12 : 183 - 226 .
lawrence , r . f . 1962 . spiders of the namib desert . ann . transv . mus . 24 : 197 - 211 .
lawrence , r . f . 1965 . new and little known arachnida from the namib desert , s . w . africa . scient . pap . namib des . res . stn 27 : 1 - 12 .
lawrence , r . f . 1966 . new dune spiders ( sparassidae ) from the namib desert , south west africa . cimbebasia 217 : 3 - 15 .
warren , e . 1926 . on the habits , egg - sacs , oögenesis and early development of the spider palystes natalius ( karsh ) . annals of the natal museum 5 ( 3 ) : 303 – 349 .
yates , j . h . 1968 . spiders of southern africa . cape town : books of africa . 6 - 73 . unknown author . 1998 the rain spider , the wasp and physiotherapy . spider club news . 13 ( 3 ) : 5 - 6 .
ever since the time when adam bit into the infamous apple , reptiles have caused a shiver down people’s spine and our inborn reaction is to scream and run , or on occasion , worse for the reptile , pick up a blunt object and beat it into oblivion . reptiles however play a vital role in the environment and if one takes the time to study them , they are generally shy but fascinating creatures .
southern africa has a incredible diversity of reptile fauna with a minimum of 517 species that have so far been described . these include 151 snakes , 338 lizards , 27 tortoises and one crocodile . many more species are still awaiting description in the scientific literature . sadly , many of these reptiles have largely been ignored in conservation management plans and require special attention in the future .
this juvenile cape cobra was basking in the warm evening light , which radiated off its recently shed skin . it reared its hood in a defensive pose and reversed backwards into a bush rapidly trying to escape .
cape cobras are a highly adaptive species that can be found in a variety of habitats including low density towns and villages . their coloration is extremely variable from a golden yellow through to a dark chocolate brown with speckled varieties also occuring . they are highly intelligent snakes , maintaining a territory for many years .
the boomslang has well - developed binocular vision that allows the snake to see directly forward to detect predators and prey . they are generally an aboreal species that seldom descends to the ground .
the diet of the boomslang is extremely varied and includes tree living reptiles such as chameleons and small mammals and birds . due to their habit of raiding birds nests , the boomslang is often mobbed by small birds that will on occasion strike the snake .
snakes , such as this southern adder use their forked tongues to pick up particles in the air , which are then deposited onto the jacobson organs , which act in the same manner as our sense of smell . the forked tongue helps determine the direction of the smell .
the puff adder is one of the most wide - spread snakes in south africa and can attain an adult length of just under one meter . it is a slow moving snake that relies on its camouflage to avoid detection and ambush prey .
the puff adder is responsible for more cases of serious snakebites in south africa than any other . the venom is cytotoxic , causing extreme pain . handlers use plastic tubing and a snake stick to carefully capture and handle puff adders .
despite the bright warning colours of the spotted harlequin snake it is a docile snake , which rarely bites . they largely forage underground in tunnels and cracks , feeding on other burrowing reptiles .
the spotted skaapsteker is a diurnal hunter that uses speed and good eyesight to capture its prey which varies from small rodents , small reptiles and nestling birds . their name is misleading as their venom is only mildly toxic .
the robertsons dwarf chameleon is one of 15 currently described species of dwarf chameleon and adults are small ranging between 4 , 5 and 10cm in length . dwarf chameleons are heliothermic using the suns rays to raise their body temperature and climb into exposed positions in the mornings to bask .
chameleons eyes can scan almost 180 degrees and can be moved in different directions simultaneously . their vision is more acute that that of humans
the male southern tree agama is brightly colored to both attract females and warn other males of their dominance status . they form family groups that are centered around clusters of trees . they avoid danger by moving rapidly around the tree trunk and fleeing into the upper branches .
southern tree agamas are unusual in that they feed almost entirely on ants and termites .
the leopard tortoise is the largest species to be found in southern africa and may weigh as much as 12kgs . their home ranges may exceed 80 hectares
during the breeding season between september and april , male angulate tortoises use their enlarged gular shields in intensive battle with other males and try and use the gular shields as levers to overturn and ram their rivals .
the angulate tortoise which is found in fynbos habitat is extremely vulnerable to fire with many individuals burning to death if they cannot find shelter quickly enough . it can live in very high densities of up to 15 individuals per hectare
marsh terrapins are highly adaptable and during dry periods will bury themselves into the mud and aestivate in a torpid state until rain once again falls . in the kalahari , rain may only fall every few years and it is an incredible site to see the terrapins again emerging after such long periods of time .
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as a dedicated conservationist , peter chadwick has 30 years strategic and operational conservation experience in terrestrial and marine protected area management . he has worked within all of the major biomes in southern africa as well as having provided expert conservation advice at a global level . his conservation and wildlife photography is a natural extension to his conservation work where he has numerous opportunities to capture photographs that showcase the beauty and complexity of the outdoors . peter’s photography is internationally recognized , with this work appearing globally in a wide range of print and electronic media .
these images are absolutely awesome ! aspiring to take photos even . . .
i think another huge issue observed in both kzn and . . .
and flying around in a gyrocopter even better . excellent work . . . .
a really awesome portfolio - must be one of the . . .
south africa has a network of 21 marine protected areas ( mpas ) around our coastline . collectively they protect a wide range of marine habitat types and biodiversity . . . .
the guano islands off south africa are situated along the western and southern coastlines . the islands provide important breeding and nesting sites for many threatened seabirds .
photographs have the power to change the world by altering the perceptions and understanding of the viewer . conservation photography can bridge language barriers , be easily understood and can create . . .
the de hoop nature reserve and marine protected area is without a doubt , one of the flagship reserves of the cape floral kingdom and the fynbos . its habitats cover . . .
the overberg region of the western cape in south africa is one of the countries important agricultural areas and during spring and summer , is covered in vast green swathes . . .
close your eyes and imagine a soccer stadium densely packed to capacity with rows upon rows of fans and the eruption of noise , just as a goal by the . . .
birdlife south africa , with funding from the critical ecosystem partnership fund , initiated a project in southern africa with a focus on mozambique to develop the area as a birding . . .