4/22/2006
Weekend trip to southern AZ, and Rocky Point
(Puerto Penasco)
The primary goal of this trip was to get out of
town/traffic/smog for a while, and hopefully find Mexican Rosy Boas (Lichanura trivirgata trivirgata) or any other
interesting reptiles and other animals in the process.
Unfortunately there were quite a few other people with the same “get out of
town” idea this weekend and all but 2 snakes we found were road kill. The highlight of this trip ended up being the
species diversity in the tidepools in Rocky Point, along with the interesting scenery
around southern
The first stop was
Searching in the rocks
Organ Pipe Cacti in the
This species has a tendency to be rather defensive
especially on a hot day
Tidepool habitat on the
Gulf of California in Rocky Point,
Almost every large rock turned over had one or both
of these species of brittle stars, an echinoderm closely related to urchins and starfish
There were also countless hermit crabs and snails
This species of crab was covered with large armored
bumps and knobs
This was a very interesting little crab. Both claw arms, and each
leg are bordered with a comb of fine flexible bristles.
My guess would be that they are used in filter feeding similar to the purpose of
baleen in whales.
Most of the rocks also had a variety of chitons on them
This American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliates)
was very photogenic but not altogether cooperative about having its picture taken.
The only other live snake of the trip was this baby
Aside from the above we also found sidewinder
rattlesnakes, long nosed snakes, a glossy snake, leaf nosed snakes, a shovel nosed snake,
another gophersnake & another kingsnake
however all had been hit by cars.
WATCH WHERE YOU DRIVE EVERYONE. SHARE THE ROAD WITH THE WILDLIFE.