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Bálint Wenner

@balintwenner

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Reptiles and amphibians (mostly Coronella)
University of Debrecen - Biology PhD
HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research

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A subadult Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus) from Budapest. These snakes hunt opportunistically for mammals and birds, however, they often consume lizards as well. It is not so well known that they sometimes also prey on their conspecifics, as cannibalism has been recorded in the species in Wales (where they are not native). This young individual was found preparing to shed after some much needed August rain.

#zamenis #zamenislongissimus #snake #aesculapiansnake #herping #herpingtheglobe #biology #fieldbiology #fieldherping #snakes #snakesofig #snakesofinstagram #reptiles #reptilesofig #reptilesofinstagram #snakephotography #reptilephotography #herpphotography #nature #naturephotograpy #wildlife #wildlifephotography #colubridae #herpetology #colubrid #forest #rockflipping #budapest #hungary by @balintwenner

In situ shot of a common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) from Budapest. These lizards have colonised cities across Hungary, even in regions where they were not present originally, such as the Hungarian plains. They have often spread with building material as well as along train tracks. Fences, rock and wood piles and walls provide suitable basking spots for these lizards, and they can utilise steep and vertical surfaces much more than any other Hungarian lizard species. The population in Buda is native though, as the warm, rocky hillsides next to the city provide excellent natural habitats for these lizards. I always found lizards of the genus Podarcis to be quite curious and easy to photograph in situ.

#podarcis #podarcismuralis #lizard #commonwalllizard #herping #herpingtheglobe #biology #fieldbiology #fieldherping #lizards #lizardsofig #lizardsofinstagram #reptiles #reptilesofig #reptilesofinstagram #reptiles #reptilesofig #reptilesofinstagram #lizardphotography #reptilephotography #herpphotography #nature #naturephotograpy #wildlife #wildlifephotography #herpetology #lacertidae #insitu #insituherps #insituphotography #faligyík #budapest #hungary by @balintwenner

While smooth snakes (Coronella austriaca) were traditionally considered a colubrid species lacking venom, a new study revealed that they do in fact have Duvernoy's glands as well as sheathed rear fangs. While the venom system is present in the species and might help the smooth snake subdue its prey, the species should still be considered harmless and medically insignificant to humans.

Read the paper here: https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5873.1.8

#coronella #coronellaaustriaca #snake #smoothsnake #herping #herpingtheglobe #biology #fieldbiology #fieldherping #snakes #snakesofig #snakesofinstagram #reptiles #reptilesofinstagram #reptilesofig #snakephotography #reptilephotography #herpphotography #nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildĺifephotography #herpetology #colubridae #pilis #rézsikló #europeanherping #wildsnake #science #hungary by @balintwenner

Another shot of this stunning adder (Vipera berus) from the Southern Carpathians in July. Whereas several lowland populations tend to be mostly melanistic both in Romania and in Hungary, highland vipers tend to be more variable, with black snakes occurring together with snakes with the classic zigzag pattern. This snake was one of the highlights of our fieldwork in the Piatra Craiului mountains this year.

#vipera #viperaberus #adder #snake #herping #herpingtheglobe #biology #fieldbiology #fieldherping #snakes #snakesofig #snakesofinstagram #reptiles #reptilesofig #reptilesofinstagram #vipers #vipersofig #vipersofinstagram #viperphotography #snakephotography #reptilephotography #nature #naturephotograpy #herpetology #viperidae #venomous #venomoussnake #piatracraiului #romania #carpathians by @balintwenner

A nice male adder (Vipera berus) from the Southern Carpathians. These snakes are often found in wet montane meadows in the Carpathians, where they hide among the tussocks or near the forest edges. We found 3 individuals last time in the Piatra Craiului mountains, as the humid, rainy, sometimes sunny weather made reptile activity possible across the day.

#vipera #viperaberus #adder #snake #herping #herpingtheglobe #biology #fieldbiology #fieldherping #snakes #snakesofig #snakesofinstagram #reptiles #reptilesofig #reptilesofinstagram #vipers #vipersofig #vipersofinstagram #viperphotography #snakephotography #reptilephotography #nature #naturephotograpy #herpetology #viperidae #venomous #venomoussnake #piatracraiului #romania #carpathians by @balintwenner

An Eastern slow worm (Anguis colchica) from the Southern Carpathians. These lizards occur in Eastern Europe as well as Western Asia, and in Central Europe their range often intersects with that of their relative, the slow worm (A. fragilis). While there are a few features that help distinguish the two species, such as the arrangement of scales on the head and the presence of visible ear openings in A. colchica. However, these features are more like trends and both species (as well as hybrids) can look like any of the species, making identfication in contact zones complicated.

#anguis #anguiscolchica #slowworm #easternslowworm #herping #herpingtheglobe #fieldherping #fieldbiology #biology #lizards #lizardsofig #lizardsofinstagram #reptiles #reptilesofig #reptilesofinstagram #lizardphotography #reptilephotography #herpphotography #nature #naturephotograpy #wildlife #wildlifephotography #leglesslizard #notasnake #anguidae #herpetology #piatracraiului #carpathians #românia by @balintwenner

A Balkan alpine newt (Mesotriton reiseri) from the Southern Carpathians. These newts are only recently recognized as a separate species, after the splitting of the alpine newt (M. alpestris) into several distinct species. The Balkan alpine newt is found in the Northern Balkans and the Southern Carpathians. Read the paper on the phylogeography of alpine newts here:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.70300

#mesotriton #mesotritonreiseri #newt #alpinenewt #balkanalpinenewt #herpingtheglobe #herping #fieldbiology #fieldherping #newts #newtsofig #newtsofinstagram #salamanders #salamandersofig #salamandersofinstagram #amphibians #amphibiansofig #amphibiansofinstagram #salamanderphotography #amphibianphotography #herpphotography #nature #naturephotography #herpetology #fieldherping #carpathians #piatracraiului #romania by @balintwenner

A couple of yellow-bellied toads (Bombina variegata) working on the next generation. Unlike many other frogs, these toads grab the females near the waist during amplexus. They typically breed in smaller waterbodies, usually montane puddles. These toads were also a great addition to our fieldwork in Piatra Craiului.

#bombina #bombinavariegata #toad #yellowbelliedtoad #herping #herpingtheglobe #biology #fieldbiology #fieldherping #toads #toadsofig #toadsofinstagram #frogs #frogsofig #frogsofinstagram #amphibians #amphibiansofig #amphibiansofinstagram #frogphotography #amphibianphotography #toadphotography #nature #naturephotograpy #wildlife #bombinatoridae #herpetology #insituherps #piatracraiului #romania by @balintwenner

A Carpathian or Montandon's newt (Lissotriton montandoni) from the Southern Carpathians. These newts serve as important evidence to the fact that the Carpathian basin served as an important extra-Mediterranean refugium during Pleistocene glaciations. They are endemic to the Carpathians, but are surprisingly absent from the Southwestern parts. It was a lot of fun doing some fieldwork with these guys and the other amphibians they co-occur with.

#lissotriton #lissotritonmontandoni #newt #carpathiannewt #piatracraiului by @balintwenner

I have dreamt of seeing a secret toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus mystaceus) ever since I saw the species in a documentary as a child. Obviously, the lobe at the edge of its mouth that it flashes at predators (not so visible in the pictures) was the most catching feature of the animal, however, upon seeing them inhabiting these sand dunes with barely any vegetation and seeing them move in their habitat I realized that there is much more to them. They run incredibly fast in these sand dunes, change directions quickly and suddenly disappear in the sand. Here you can see an individual burying itself using its entire body.

#phrynocephalus #phrynocephalusmystaceus #agama #secrettoadheadagama #herping #herpingtheglobe #biology #fieldbiology #fieldherping #agamas #agamasofig #agamasofinstagram #lizards #lizardsofig #lizardsofinstagram #reptiles #reptilesofig #reptilesofinstagram #lizardphotography #reptilephotography #herpphotography #sanddunes #desert #nature #naturephotograpy #herpetology #agamidae #atyrau #kazakhstan by @balintwenner

A large male steppe runner (Eremias arguta) from Northwestern Kazakhstan. These lizards inhabit open habitats from the Danube delta in Romania all the way to Mongolia. They move really fast and change directions frequently, however, they can be quite curious when approached. We saw many individuals of this species during our trip to Kazakhstan this may, however, this male was the nicest one I've seen.

#eremias #eremiasarguta #lizard #stepperunner #herping #herpingtheglobe #biology #fieldbiology #fieldherping #reptiles #reptilesofig #reptilesofinstagram #lizards #lizardsofig #lizardsofinstagram #lizardphotography #reptilephotography #herpphotography #nature #naturephotograpy #wildlife #wildlifephotography #lacertidae #herpetology #westkazakhstan #westkazakhstanregion #kazakhstan by @balintwenner

A nice male steppe viper (Vipera renardi) from Western Kazakhstan. These snakes can be quite abundant in steppe vegetation, often making use of tussocks or bushes as shelters. The species ranges from Ukraine in the West to China in the East, covering the majority of the steppe region. While I have seen several subspecies of the steppe viper in Georgia and Eastern Kazakhstan, it was my first time seeing the nominate subspecies during our expedition this May.

#vipera #viperarenardi #viper #steppeviper #biology #fieldbiology #fieldherping #herping #herpingtheglobe #vipers #vipersofig #vipersofinstagram #snakes #snakesofig #snakesofinstagram #reptiles #reptilesofig #reptilesofinstagram #snakephotography #viperphotography #reptilephotography #herpetology #herpphotography #viperidae #venomous #venomoussnake #nature #naturephotograpy #uralsk #kazakhstan by @balintwenner