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Like a dog? :)


Like a dog? :)
Photo Information
Copyright: Bayram Gocmen (boreocypriensis) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3981 W: 153 N: 4792] (12682)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-06
Categories: Reptiles
Camera: Olympus C-5060WZ
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Turkish Herpetofauna-II, Reptiles - Geckos 1 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-07-19 1:08
Viewed: 653
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 50
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Stenodactylus grandiceps (Large-headed Thin-toed Gecko) (in Turk. Tombul Keler, Kocabaş Keler) (A Baby, Juvenile)

Dear Friends, Today and at last…. another shot of this adorable baby, but this time in its another posture:) resembling that of a dog. Hoping that you like this shot too!

Cheers,

Bayram

Ps. The name of the species, i.e., grandiceps came after the Latin words grand= "big" + ceps= "head".

*****************************

This lovely gecko species is distributed in Iraq, N. Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan and the westernmost part of SE Anatolia (Turkey). In Turkey, It is represented with some isolated small populations in Kilis province (I do not give their exact localities to protect them against to gecko-hunters).

It is a strictly nocturnal, medium-sized (up to 9-10 cm total length but the males are usually smaller) terrestrial gecko, without adhesive pads on fingers. The head is fairly broad and large, snout relatively rounded. The eyes are large and prominent, with a vertical pupil. Ear opening is small and rounded. The digits and toes lack adhesive pads and they have one row of scales (sometimes these scales shows a tricarinate structure). The tail is relatively thick, elongated conical, gradually tapered to a not very fine point. Coloration is variable especially "depending on age". They are usually grayish, brownish or yellowish above, with whitish or yellowish dots of irregular size. A more or les developed darker pattern, consisting of 3-5 transversal cross-bands is seen on dorsal side. The tail is generally has some dark rings or cross-bands, often nearly completely black, sometimes with a whitish tip. The belly is crème or dirty whitish.

During the daytime, it is hidden in self-dug borrows under stones. It is generally inhabits more burrows. Activity starts with the sunset. They forage for prey with highly arisen tails. When they were encountered with a prey, the tails exhibits lateral undulation, and soon after the dinner Large-headed Gecko shows eye-licking behaviour!. The eyelicking behaviour is definetely spontaneus. When threatened, they adopt a raised, stiff-legged posture(as also indicated in this shot). An interesting voice resembling the “whiip” “whiiip” is emitted when touched its tail with finger and soon after it tooks its characteristic posture.

I impressed that Stenodactylus females and juvenilles are especially aggressive. I admire their eye-licking behaviour and the characteristic postures exhibiting when threatened of these lovely geckos.

They feed on various small nocturnal soft-bodied invertebrates including some caterpillars, crickets and grasshoppers. Females lay two hard-shelled, nearly spherical eggs.

References:

1. Göçmen, B. (Unpub. results). The results of herpetological trips.
2. Budak, A. & Göçmen, B. (2005). Herpetology. Ege Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226 pp. [2nd Edition, 2008].
3. Disi, A. M., Modry, D., Necas, P. & Rifai, L. (2001). Amphibians and Reptiles of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Edition Chimaira, 408 pp.
montivipera, haraprasan, rkailas, cypturk, nkasot, bahadir, maurydv, ramthakur, zulfu, Argus, nglen, goldyrs, vanderschelden, jaycee, spalaxtr, xTauruSx, CeltickRanger, Gert-Paassen, yasemin, eng55 has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To vanderschelden: Hi Annickboreocypriensis 1 07-20 00:35
To bahadir: :Dboreocypriensis 1 07-19 02:24
To rkailas: :)boreocypriensis 1 07-19 01:16
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Bayram

The tail looks like a dog, but it is crouching like a wildcat ready to pounce on its prey. It still looks like a very nice gecko :).

TFS
Ravi

Hi uncle... are you sure that this is a gecko species:) Really very very cute animal:)... tfs... kind regards, cypturk

Hocam bu hayvanın hareketleri mimikri mi diye soracam ama, yasadığı yer hakkında az çok bilgim olduğu için imkansız sanırım. Gerçekten bir köpecik gibi gövdesini yere yapıştırıp kuyruğunu dikmiş:) Çok tatlı gerçekten. Elinize emeğinize sağlık.
Nazım

:) hocam bana nispet yapıyorsunuz anlaşılan. Bugün yine günüm güzel geçecek. Aşkımla uyandım ya:D elinize sağlık hocam. Teşekkürler.
Bahadır

Un'altra splendida macro di questo simpatico geco, eccellenti POV e DOF, molto bella la composizione in habitat per un perfetto mimetismo, eccellente definizione. Complimenti e grazie. Buon weekend. Ciao Maurizio

Hi Neighbour!
The baby Gecko merges well with the background, so it can be safely assumed it is camouflage at work here.
Very cute creature which you have photographed well with fine details and colours.
Thanks and regards.
Ram

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 527 W: 0 N: 95] (583)
  • [2008-07-19 3:48]

Mükemmel duruş ve nefis bir makro hocam. Arkadaşların bazıları heyecanlanmış:). Elinize sağlık.
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2596 W: 133 N: 7433] (23169)
  • [2008-07-19 4:04]

Hello bayram,
You are right this time this capture of a young S. grandiceps looks like a puppy - young daschund!
Technically great with pleasing pose and composition.
Tebrikler!
TFS this beauty, my friend,
Ivan

Ahahahah great title!!!Yesterday like a cat and now like a dog...but the top quality is always the same,another faatstic pic perfectly taken,have a nice week end,Luciano

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1988 W: 5 N: 5524] (20880)
  • [2008-07-19 5:48]

Hi bayram. An amazing thing this is as you sat it looks like a small dog. great detail and natural colours. It blends into the background so well . well done TFS. good notes too.
Nick..

very nice close up, greeings Ori

YEat another awesome shot of this lizard, my dear brother!Beautiful work!
Very well done!
Goldy

Hello Bayram,

You are also a good director as your baby has a great posture here. You are helped at little as babies do have bigger heads.:-) Probably my scientific approach after a few glasses of dandelion wine.
But being serious, it is a beautiful animal with these overall brownish tones, the big eye and the arisen tail

Read your critique to Loot's 'crocodile' and I like it very much you shared your opinion and concern about the situation in Kruger National Park.

I like the 'shot' very much as well. Don't hesitate to close the aperture as much as possible to get as much depth of field as possible. Concerning the aforementioned and looking back at your photo, I do find it positive that the tail and the head are both sharp. Photo-wise I do like the monochromaticity as well.
I'm quite convinced this increases the sharpness.

I wonder if there's a policy or legislation against 'gecko-hunters' in Turkey or in the other habitat countries you mentioned.

Well done!!
TFS and a nice weekend!
Annick

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1778 W: 8 N: 4597] (14871)
  • [2008-07-19 9:36]

Hi Bro,

I love it! And what's tomorrow - Like a Chicken? The pose is wonderful. My Cocker Spaniel liked to lay like this but he didn't have that long tail. This Gecko is adorable. Good details from head to tail and a delightful shot.

Jane

Bayram merhaba,
Fotoğrafların inanılmaz güzel olmaya başladı. Bu da çok güzel. Elie sağlık. Selamlar,
Mustafa

:) mükemmel kare hocam. Gerçekten cocker gibi durmuş:) elinize sağlık.
Deniz

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1251 W: 0 N: 4829] (14332)
  • [2008-07-19 12:29]

Hi Bayram

Lovely close up view of this little gecko. Great detail and colour - I love the eye.

James

Hi,
On the road now with slow mobile connection. Just marking up the best ones this time.
TFS
Pekka

Hello brother...
This one so cute too...Very pretty like baby..
Fotograf direktoru oldun gibi...Nasil anlasiyorsun bu hayvanciklarnan da sana poz veriyorlar anlamadim...Kesin konustugunuz bir dil yada telepati uzmanligin var...Hayran kaldim gercekten saka yapmiyorum...
Saygi ve sevgiler
Leyla

hello Bayram

i would say he/she is on POINT like a pointing dog,
great shot of this camouflaged reptile with excellent
sharpness and details and a great eye-contact with you, TFS

Asbed

Hi bro Bayram,

what a beautiful camouflaged Gecko.
Nice pov and lots of detail.

Gert

Hi Bayram,
We are neighbors today. Another fine capture of this beautiful baby Gecko. Superb composition and very good details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Bayram, an other great capture of this fantastic creature, today in pose like a dog, splendid focus, great details and excellent sharpness, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 353 W: 3 N: 376] (1127)
  • [2008-07-21 11:40]

Merhaba Bayram bey,
Bu da basligi ile uyumlu hos bir kare olmus.Cok sevili gozukuyor.Tebrikler,ellerinize saglik!

Merhaba Hocam,
Mükemmel bir kare, elinize sağlık.
Naşit

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