View from the Pic Matécho

INTRODUCTION

The goal of this expedition was to undertake a preliminary inventory of the anuran species (and secondarily of the reptile species) found on Pic Matécho. Future expeditions on Pic Matécho are planned, the next one will normally take place in April or May 2001.
Results are in process and will be integrally presented on the site as soon as published. Nevertheless, we thought interesting to present a small part of the results right now.
A very good general survey on the expedition with details on the trip (given by Scott MORI) is available on the site of the NYBG (see www.nybg.org/bsci/french_guiana/trip2000.htm).

THE STUDY SITE

Pic Matécho is a  granitic outcrop difficult to reach (highest point at ca. 600 m) located ca. 24 km airline from Saül. Several interesting habitats were explored, one of the most interesting of them was a small lake located at the foot of the peak, hemmed in by steep hills. This lake was first discovered around 20 years ago by botanists Jean-Jacques de Granville and Georges Cremers who led the first and only (until September 2000) expedition in this remote area . They decided to name the place "Lac des Dinosaures" (Dinosaur's Lake) because of the peculiar aspect of the site: it reigns there an atmosphere worthy of Cretaceous.
Big nests of an undetermined caiman species were discovered. Eggs are under study in order to determine the species identity.

SPECIES OBSERVED

A complete list of the amphibians and reptiles observed is under construction and will be given as soon as possible, probably after the next expedition.
Here are photographs of some of the species found (click on the thumbnail to see larger picture) :
 
 
 

Dendrobates tinctorius	Epipedobates femoralis	Atelopus flavescens	Bufo sp 1	Eleutherodactylus gutturalis
Eleutherodactylus marmoratus	Hyla dentei	Leptodactylus myersi	Liophis reginae	Paleosuchus trigonatus

Created 28/11/2000
Last update of this page: 09/01/2001