Next Gen Herpetologist 
Archives
Toad Call
Red-lipped herald (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia) Family: Colubridae. Length: 60-75cm. Description: The snakes has an olive body with white flecks. The snake is most easily recognized by its red lip which is absent from some individuals. It has large eyes and vertical pupils. Distribution: The species is present in every province except the Northern cape where it is only found along the outskirts of the province. Habitat:Found in damp areas where it can be found… Read More
This list contains all the water snakes that can be found in and around water in the Grahamstown area. As the names suggest, this means that these snakes are usually found in close proximity to water because of their diets that mostly consist of frogs, tadpoles and fish. Although not as closely related to water as the other snakes on this list, the red-lipped herald has been listed at the end because it is closely associated with… Read More
Once again I found myself in Hogsback, and this time I was determined to catch and photograph (properly) the Amatola Flat Gecko (Afroedura amatolica). This trip to Hogsback was however not intended for herping or adventure but rather as a farewell for the Rhodes Zoology Honours class of 2016 who were staying on a nearby Hogsback farm for the weekend. Unlike my classmates who sought to study in the spare time between… Read More
This list includes all the green snakes that can be found in the Eastern Cape. Barring the boomslang (Dispholidus typus) and the many-spotted reed snake (Amplorhinus multimaculatus), all the individuals listed come from the genus Philothamnus and they are all closely related. In the Eastern Cape, the boomslang is not uniform green. Females are olive and males are green/yellow with black barring. Irrespective of this, the boomslang has been included at the end of… Read More
Western Natal Green Snake (Philothamnus natelensis occidentalis) Family: Colubridae. Scientific name: Philothamnus natalensis occidentalis (Broadley, 1966). Other name: Natal green snake. Size: 60-90cm, but can be as long as 130cm. Diet: Frogs, lizards and especially geckos. Description: Slender snake with a well-defined head, black eyes and round pupils. The body is Bright green to turquoise on top with a yellowish-white belly. The head and tail are usually turquoise green. Number of young:… Read More
This weekend saw Luke and I on the road again. This time we traveled to a far more magical place – Hogsback, the home of fairies, hobbits and more importantly, Natal black Snakes. We had been to Hogback several months prior and in the grips of winter, we had found many species from a large range of taxa. Last weekend held much promise because unlike last time, it was summer. We were… Read More
