| Author: Warren Schmidt
Struik Publishers
Cape Town, 2006
ISBN: 9781770073425
Paperback, 13x18 cm, 128 pages, throughout colour photos What is the difference between a crocodile and an alligator? Can tortoises predict rain? Is the tiny Thread Snake a snake or a worm? This book answers these and other questions about the curious creatures that are the reptiles and amphibians of southern Africa. An easy and fascinating cover-to-cover read, Curious Creatures: Reptiles & Amphibians of Southern Africa reveals the habitat, diversity, reproduction, and diet of these creatures. For those taking a brief herpetological dip in the pages there are many curious and fascinating facts highlighted in information panels and “Did you know?” boxes. Warren Schmidt has worked as a Curator of Reptiles at the Transvaal Snake Park and Farm Manager at Kwena Gardens Crocodile Sanctuary. He has enjoyed a lifelong interest in reptiles and amphibians, and is a long-standing member of a number of herpetological societies. Warren currently works as a photographer, writer and photojournalist. Geckos The gecko family, Gekkonidae, is an unusual group of lizards with more than 930 recorded species. Southern Africa has a rich diversity of these reptiles, with over 95 species recorded from the region and several others awaiting description. These reptiles have adapted to all environments, and are particularly successful in arid regions. There are species that live in trees, rocky outcrops, termite mounds, and burrows they dig into the ground. There are both nocturnal and diurnal geckos in southern Africa, but most species are nocturnal, emerging in the evenings to hunt for prey. Vocal lizards: Many geckos emit chirping and squeaking sounds and will emit a distress squeal when caught and held. Residents of the coast and Lowveld will be familiar with the regular clicking chirps of the Tropical House Gecko, Hemidactylus mabouia, in their home. The most pronounced vocalizations come from the barking geckos of Namibia, Botswana and the Northern Cape. They dig burrows into sandy substrates and sit at the entrance emitting high-pitched chirps at dusk. Tropical House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) One of the most familiar commensal geckos is the Tropical House Gecko. These lizards grow to 12 cm, and are often found clinging to the walls of houses in the coastal regions of KwaZulu-Natal. They emerge in the evening to feed on insects that are attracted by lights. While hiding beneath the bark of trees during the day they are a dark shade of brown, but on the pale surfaces of house walls at night these geckos turn a pale, almost translucent grey. Tropical House Geckos are highly adaptable lizards that have spread to many regions outside their natural range and are continuing to spread southwards towards the Western Cape. Translocated populations have been recorded in Johannesburg and other towns outside their natural range. They are competitive reptiles and have displaced smaller geckos like the Pondo Flat Gecko, Afroedura pondolia, in KwaZulu-Natal. Dwarf geckos Dwarf geckos are a group of small, cryptically coloured geckos that forage during the day. They are abundant in many areas, and the Cape Dwarf Gecko, Lygodactylus capensis, is the most common reptile in the suburbs of Johannesburg and Pretoria. They often run along precast walls, disappearing into the crevices at any hint of danger. Thick-toed geckos The most diverse group of geckos in southern Africa can be found among the thick-toed geckos. Most thick-toed geckos are terrestrial creatures, although some are skilled at climbing up vertical rock surfaces and walls. These geckos lay two hard-shelled eggs under rocks, in termite mounds and inside rock crevices. The eggs take between 2 and 3 months to hatch, and females will lay several clutches in a season. The Cape, Van Son’s and Transvaal Thick-toed geckos are common in the eastern regions of South Africa, where they shelter in deserted termite mounds and under flat rocks. Turner’s Geckos Turner’s Geckos, Chondrodactylus turner’s, are resident throughout the northern provinces of South Africa, Mpumalanga, and much of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. In the bushveld they often gather in large numbers on roads at night to catch insects and to absorb heat from the tarred surface. How do Geckos climb up vertical surfaces? Geckos’ feet have generated much excitement among scientists. Many of these lizards can scale smooth, even glassy surfaces with apparent ease. When examined microscopically, the feet have minute overlapping rows called lamellae, which are made up of hundreds of tiny hairs or setae. These tiny hairs penetrate inconsistencies on the material surface, allowing the gecko to move over the surface without falling off. For all we know, their feet may provide scientists with a new and innovative adhesive. Introduction
Reptiles
Snakes
Lizards
Tortoises, terrapins & turtles
Crocodiles
Amphibians
Frogs & toads
Conservation
Glossary
Acknowledgements
Index Adder 42-47
Berg 45
Gaboon 42
Horned 44
Many-horned 44
Namaqua Dwarf 6, 44
Night 46-47, 105
Common 46
Rhombic 46, 47
Snouted 46, 47
Peringuey’s 45
Puff 12,23,25,42-43,
46, 51
Side-winding 45
Agama 48, 56-59, 60
Etosha 58
Kirk’s Rock 58
Makgadikgadi Spiny 58
Mozambique 58
Namibian Rock 58
Southern Rock 55, 56, 57
Southern Spiny 58
Southern Tree 57, 69
Amphibians 95-117
calls 101
habitats 8
lifecycle 101
orders 97
reproduction 95, 101
shelter 9
vocalisation 96
Amphisbaenians 13, 76-77
Asp, Burrowing 19, 22
Southern 18
Boomslang 24, 32, 45, 61
Bullfrog 99, 115
Giant 115
Bush Squeakers 108
Natal 108
Caco 106-107
Bronze 107
Cape 107
Common 107
Karoo 106, 107
Namaqua107
Caecilians 97
Caiman 13
Cuvier’s Dwarf 93
Chameleon
Common 60
Desert 61
Dwarf 63
Cape 63
Namaqua 63
Flap-necked 60, 63, 69
Leaf 63
Gorongoza African 63
Marshall’s African 63
Namaqua 61
Chameleons 55, 59, 60-63
colour changes 61, 62
defence mechanisms 63
eyes 62
tails 63
tongue 62
Chelonians 11, 78-87
hidden-neck 78
lifespan 82
marine-based 86-87
semi-aquatic 84-85
shells 78. 82, 87
side-necked 78
suborders 78
threats to 121
Cobra
Cape 37
Egyptian 36
Forest 37
King 37
Snouted 36
Spitting
Black 38
Mozambique 38
Western Barred 38
Cobras 23, 35, 36-39, 45
hood 36
venom spitting 38, 39
Constrictors 16, 21, 22
Crocodile
Dwarf 92
Estuarine 89
Indo-Pacrfic 89
Nile 11, 12,89
Saltwater 89
Slender-snouted 92
West African 92
Crocodiles 13,88-93, 123
basking 93
evolution 88
farms 123
hatchlings 89, 90
heart 93
hunting of 123
reproduction 90
salt glands 92
sensory pits 91
size 89, 93
snout 91
teeth 89, 91
Egg-eaters 27
Common 27
East African 27
Rhombic 27
Southern Brown 27
Frog
Arum Lily 102
Clicking Stream 113
Dainty 107
Ghost 109
Hewitt’s 96, 109
Table Mountain 109
Grass 111
Sharp-nosed 111
Marsh, Montane 106
Moss 106
Drewe’s 106
Landdroskop 106
Mistbelt 106
Pig-nosed 110
Puddle 107
Snoring 107
Rain 104, 105
Bilbo’s 104
Bushveld 104
Cape 104
Cape Mountain 104
Desert 104
Namaqua 104
Strawberry 104
Whistling 104
Rattling 103
Reed 102, 114
Painted 102, 112
Pickersgill’s 102
Yellow-striped 102
Ridged 111
River 111
Cape 111
Common 111
Rubber 105
Marbled 105
Red-banded 105
Spotted 105
Sand 113
Shovel-nosed 110
Marbled 110
Tree 103
Brown-backed 103
Foam-nest 114, 116
Forest 103
Grey 114, 116
Long-toed 103
Mozambique 103
Natal 103
Frogs 9, 97, 98, 100-117, 123
around the home 116
calls 95, 107, 112, 115
coloration 102, 105, 109
defence 105,115
direct development 101,
106,108
endangered 109, 115, 117
fishing bait 117
handling 112
mating 104
nests 110, 116
reproduction 102, 112
sight 114
skin 95, 105, 112, 114
sun defence 114
vocal sacs 112
Gecko
Barking 52
Common 52
Dwarf 53, 69
Cape 53
Pondo Flat 53
Thick-toed 54
Cape 54
Transvaal 54
Van Son’s 54
Tropical House 52, 53, 69
Turner’s 54
Web-footed 53
Geckos 48, 52-54, 59
feet 54
vocalisation 52
Gila monster 48
Kassina, Bubbling 103
Komodo Dragon 50
Leguans 49-51
Lizard
Bushveld 70
Crag 65
Lang’s 65
Desert 70
Knox’s 70
Flat 66
Broadley’s 66
Common 66
Girdled 12, 64-65
Armadillo 64
Giant 65
Jones’s 65
Grass
Cape 65
Large-scaled 65
Transvaal 65
Mexican Beaded 48
Monitor 49-51, 59, 67
Mountain 72
Cape 72
Cottrell’s 72
Essex’s 72
Plated 67-68
Black-lined 67
Desert 67
Giant 67
Namaqua 67
Rough-scaled 67
Yellow-throated 67, 69
Rock 72
Southern 72
Soutpansberg 72
Sand 71
Spotted 71
Sandveld 71
Delalande’s 71
Shovel-snouted 70
Wedge-snouted 70
Lizards 11, 13.48-77, 123
breeding display 48, 57,
66,67
burrowing 76-77
coloration 48, 57, 66, 70
defence mechanisms 64
diet 58
ears 77
garden, attracting to 69
lifespan 48
limbs 48, 56, 68, 73
scales 64, 73
tails 49, 59, 64
teeth 56, 77
tongue 49
Mamba 34-35, 45
Black 34
Green 24, 35
Eastern 35
Monitor 49-51
Asian Water 50
Nile 49
Rock 51
Water 49
White-throated 51, 122
Newts 97
Padloper 83
Namaqualand Speckled 80
Southern Speckled 80
Speckled 83
Platanna 117
Cape 117
Common 117
Python
African Rock 16
Amethystine 17
Anchieta’s 16, 17
Angolan Dwarf 17
Ball 16
Burmese 17
Indian 17
Northern African 16
Reticulated 17
Royal 16,17
Southern African 16, 17, 26
Pythons 16-17,23
heat-receptive cells 16
size 16, 17
Reptiles 11-93
basking 55
eggs 9, 12
habitats 8
orders 13
scales 12
shelter 9
skin shedding 12
squamate 13, 76
Rinkhals39
Salamander, Fire-bellied 97
Seps 68
Eastwood’s Long-tailed
68,121
Skaapsteker 29
Rhombic 29
Spotted 29
Striped 29
Skink 26, 59, 73-76
Bouton’s 75
Cape 12,69, 74
Dwarf Burrowing 76
Kalahari Tree 75
Karasberg Tree 75
Legless 73
Blind 76
Giant 73
Thin-tailed 73
Montane Speckled 69, 74
Snake-eyed 75-76
Wahlberg’s 75
Striped 74
Sundevall’s Writhing 74
Variable 69, 75
Slug-eaters 23
Snake
Blind 15, 45
Bibron’s 15
Braminy 15
Schinz’s Beaked 15
Schlegel’s Beaked 15
Burrowing, African 18-19
Coral 41
Cape 41
File 22
Black 22
Cape 22
Flower-pot 15
Garter 40
Highveld 40
Grass 28, 29
Short-snouted 28
Green 24
Natal 24
Herald 30
House 20, 23
Aurora 20
Brown 20, 26
Common 20
Olive 20
Mole 12, 13, 23
Natal Black 18, 19
Purple-glossed 19
Common 19
Natal 19
Quill-snouted 18
Red-lipped 30
Sand 28, 45
Stripe-bellied 26
Sea, Yellow-bellied 6
Shield-nosed 41
Small-scaled 35
Stiletto 18
Thread 14, 45
Tiger 30
Beetz’s 30
Eastern 30
Tree 31-32
African 32
Marbled 31
Twig 33
Vine 32, 33, 61
Water 21
Brown 21
Common 21
Dusky-bellied 21
Floodplain 21
Green 24
Mulanje 21
Whip 28
Wolf 22
Cape 19
Worm 14
Snakebite 42, 74
Snakes 11, 13, 14-47, 123
coloration 33, 40, 42,
43,46
combat ritual 25
dangerous 35
defence 33
eggs,16,29, 37
eyes 14,32
fangs 14, 30,32, 35, 41, 45
feeding frequency 26
hoods 34, 36-39
hunting 26
non-venomous 19, 21, 22,
24,45
reproduction 25
scales 14, 15, 19,22,24,
41,46
sexual dimorphism 32
shamming death 29, 39
similar-looking, identifica-
tion 19
size 17,37,44
skin shedding 26
speed 28
stripes 28
tongue 14, 23
venom 18,29, 30, 32,
34, 35,38,39,43
fangs 42, 43, 45
in eyes 39
vision, binocular 33
Snout-burrowers 110
Tabakrolletjies 23
Tadpoles 96, 101, 109
Temperature-dependent sex
determination 91
Terrapin 13, 79, 84-85
Cape 82, 84
Helmeted 84
Hinged 84
Serrated 84
Marsh 84
Soft-shelled 85
Nile 85
Zambezi 85
Toad
Cane 100
Chirinda 99
Guttural 98
Leopard 96,98
Eastern 98
Marine 100
Mountain 99
Rose’s 99
Tradouw 99
Raucous 7
Red 99
Toads 47, 97, 98-101
alien 100
and frogs, difference 100
calls 98, 99
eggs 98, 99
skin 99
Tortoise
Aldabran 82, 83
Angulate 81
Galapagos Giant 83
Geometric 80, 121
Hinged 82
Leopard 78, 79,82
Mountain 79
Parrot-beaked 83
Tent 80
Kalahari 80
Namaqualand 80
Tortoises 13, 78-83
calcium intake 79
pets 81
shells 78, 82
Turtle
Green 86
Hawksbill 86
Leatherback 12, 80, 87
Loggerhead 86
Olive Ridley86
Turtles 6, 9. 13,78, 79,86-87
arribada 86
conservation 87
eggs 86, 87
shells 87
Venom 18,29,30,32-33,35-
39, 43, 45, 48
Viper
Himalayan 6
Russell’s 35
Saw-scaled 35
Worm lizard 13, 76-77
Blunt-tailed 77
Ferocious Round-headed 77
Long-tailed 77
Pink Round-headed 77
Purple Round-headed 77
Spade-snouted 77
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