# Costa Rica '06



## Philth

This was my second year back.  Life's to short , theres to much to see. 

My trip started in Tortuguero.  True spiders.


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## Philth

*Red Eye's*

Tree frogs and there eggs.


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## Philth

This snake was about 10 feet off the ground eating a snail.  Anybody know what it is ?  -Tom


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## Crotalus

Very nice pictures! The snake looks like a Imantodes sp.


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## Sheri

Really, really awesome pics.    Damn, its like... a kind of torture looking at them. But a really sort of enjoyable torture, all the same.


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## xgrafcorex

awesome pictures man!! you must've hated to come back?? no a seemani?? :}   btw it was nice to meet you at ac this year..maybe next year we'll chill some and have some drinks. 

post more pics please.


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## skinheaddave

Tom,

Looks like you had a good time.  Glad you saw Dinopis ... very cool spiders!  Did you see any of the very orange Ctennids?  Any scorps?

Cheers,
Dave


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## Philth

Thanks for the info and comments.  

Dave, I didnt see any of the orange Ctennids.  I have some pics from last year of a bright orange one in the Arenal area, But I didnt see any in Tortuguero this year.

I didnt do much blacklighting on my trip but this was the one scorp I found in Tortuguero.  I dont have pics of the underside as it took off and vanished into the leaf litter before I could capture it.  Any clue what it is:?  I found some other scorps in Monteverde that I'll get to later in this thread.


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## cacoseraph

great series!

those frog egg pictures are crazy looking!

thank you very much


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## Philth

*Monkeys*

Howler monkeys & whiteface monkeys.  You can hear the male Howler's grunt all over the jungle.


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## Ryan C.

Hey Tom,

Great pics! I think the scorpion is C. limbatus. Not too sure on that though.


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## syndicate

awesome pics!did u have a special guide while you were out there or just ventured off on your own?


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## LongDucDong

Looks like you had a great trip!!! The scorp might be _C. gracilis_? Just a guess...

Any C. fasciatum sightings? What about lance-heads (Terciopelo)? Id love to hit up Costa Rica one day.


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## skinheaddave

Tom,

Keep in mind, this ID comes with a STRONG disclaimer of "I don't really know".  I would guess it to be Tityus pachyurus.  You weren't that far out of the published range and it fits the general description.  The manus colour is rather light compared to the Viquez picture floating around, but as we all know -- "colour means nothing!"  

I'll take a quick moment to point out that the general proportions -- chela finger length, metasoma thickness etc. -- , along with the proportion of the aculeus to subaculear spine are what suggest to me that it is not Centruroides.  Obviously I would love to check the specimen out in person, as it would represent a slight range extension as T.pachyurus, but maybe if you tell me which rock it is on, I'll go and pick it up and have a look next time I'm there. 

Cheers,
Dave


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## LongDucDong

I think you might be onto something Dave. That does look like a _Tityus_. Wow. Never would have thought of that. :wall:


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## Philth

@ syndicate,  In Tortuguero some of the pics were with a guide and some were on my own.  It helps to have a guide, but I found most of them to only be helpfull with birds and mammels.


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## Philth

*Caimans*

Crocodiles, A few of them swam right up to our boat.  This was a highlight of the trip for me.


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## Only Exotics

Having a wet dream although I'm awake!!!


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## skinheaddave

Philth said:
			
		

> Crocodiles, A few of them swam right up to our boat.  This was a highlight of the trip for me.


Tom,

You lucky bastard!  I got some sweet shots of C.acutus out of the water when I was down there, which I then for some reason erased before they were burned to CD.  Me kicking myself for that one has been the highlight of the last year and a half.  

Cheers,
Dave


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## Galadriel

SO very envious!
Great pics of the spectacled caiman! The snake is indeed an Imantodes cenchoa, aka blunthead tree snake. Have you run across any eyelash vipers yet? Should you ever decide to start making an event of the trip, we're in!


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## Sheri

sweet caiman pics!  We only saw juveniles when we were in peru and even that was incredible.  I would have loved to have seen a larger speciman, but I guess it would have been harder to get into the boat.


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## Gesticulator

Incredible pictures, Tom!:drool: 

Glad you had such an awesome trip. And welcome home safe and sound.


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## tarcan

I feel like I am repeating myself in every thread of this section... the pictures are stunning and thanks for sharing...

I just love that section... makes us all dream of being wherever you guys are!

Martin


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## Philth

> Have you run across any eyelash vipers yet?


Unfortunatly the only Eyelash I saw was in a zoo.:wall: Thats one of the things on my wish list to see though.  

A guy selling coconuts on the side of the road had this beetle, _Megasoma_ sp.  Not the same as finding in the wild, but still an impresive bug.


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## Philth

*Lizards*

1. _Gonatodes albogularis _(I think)
2. _Iguana iguana_ (you knew that)
3. _Basiliscus plumifrons_


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## skinheaddave

Philth said:
			
		

> Unfortunatly the only Eyelash I saw was in a zoo.:wall:


That was unfortunate ... though it is pretty strong incentive to go back.  We saw a few when we were there.

Cheers,
Dave


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## Philth

Some other random stuff.


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## Philth

Dave that first picture is awesome!  Thanks for sharing and making me jealous.  -Tom


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## Philth

*Monteverde*

I wont go to Costa Rica with out going here.  This is one of my favorite locations.  The cool air here felt great after sweating in the humidity of Tortuguero.  This spider seemed to be everywhere, and they were pretty big. 4-5"


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## mackids

Great pictures!!! thanks for sharing! I love what appears to be the ogre faced spider (sorry I forgot the scientific name). I think I have to go to costa rica next time my uncle goes fishing down there!


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## Philth

_Megaphobema mesomelas_


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## Philth

_S. hoffmanni_  I swear theres one in there   After a half hour of trying to tease it out I gave up.  I choose not to dig up its burrow just for a pic.


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## Philth

ooopppssss


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## Philth

*Scorps*

After blacklighting in the jungle for 2 hours I gave up and headed back to our cabin, only to find these two hanging on the side of the cabin


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## Scourge

Check out the chunky femora on that _mesomelas_!!


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## becca81

Simply amazing!  :clap: 

How many times have you been?


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## Philth

This was my second time there Becca.  Thanks for checking out the pics.

Porcupine.


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## GQ.

Amazing Philth.  Thanks for sharing.  Now I'm working up plans to go there next year.    What is the best time of year to see inverts and reptiles out there?


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## skinheaddave

Tom,

I'm leaning towards C.margaritatus on your second scorp there, but that comes with the same disclaimer of trying to ID from pictures.

Cheers,
Dave


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## Philth

*other Monteverde stuff*

Dave thanks for all your input, your educated guess is far better than mine.


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## Philth

My next stop was Arenal.  The Arenal volcano is active and you could hear and see small eruptions at night.


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## Loaf

BEAUTIFUL PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I went to Cost Rica about 8 years ago, it was awesome! Looks like you had a wonderful time. Did you get to see the sea turtles lay there eggs, or the hatchling go out to sea??


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## Philth

_Aphonopelma_ sp.


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## Crotalus

Great pictures Phil! Thanks for posting! How big was the mesomelas?


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## Philth

@ Loaf, I watched some Green sea turtles lay there eggs, but no pics as this is very protected.  I wasnt evan allowed anywhere by the beach at night.  Watching a 4 foot turtle crawl back into the ocean is something I'll never forget though. 

@ Lelle, that mesomelas was prob around 6".  She was quite calm, compared to the ones I found last year. (screen names stink ) 
Later, Tom


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## Philth

*amphibians*

The camouflage of the first one was awesome.  From a distance I thought it was a dead snake.:?   It jumped when I poked at it with my snake hook . Scared the hell outta me.


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## Snipes

Jeez! Im going there for Xmas. What camera did you use? Those are some crystal clear shots!


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## eman

Your pictures are simply amazing! Thank you for sharing.   

What camera/lens kit do you use?  

Regards,

Eman


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## Randolph XX()

Philth said:


>


It is M.elephus, one of the most popular beetles that can easily reach WC size in captivity, aorund 110mm-135mm


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## Jeff_C

Tom, 

Great Pics! I am so going with you next year...wherever you decide to go.


Jeff


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## Philth

Jeff_C said:


> Tom,
> 
> Great Pics! I am so going with you next year...wherever you decide to go.
> 
> 
> Jeff



Cool,think south of Costa Rica Jeff. 


Coatimundi ,  Some poeple were feeding these along the side of the road.  ( i dont recomend feeding  wild life )  I stoped to take pics and were soon surrounded by about 30 of them.


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## Loaf

The Caotimundi sure are cute, but it sure would be scary to be surrounded by 30 of them.  If you started running away, do you think they would chase after you? Man what a scary thought, being chased by 30 Coatimundi.


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## syndicate

philth can i come to


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## Stefan2209

Hi there,

the two first pictured (page 1, first post) true spiders:

1.) Cupiennius getazi

2.) possibly Phoneutria boliviensis
(and damn, i really hope i´m wrong on that one! I´m having some pics of proofed P. boliviensis from CR that show a much brighter colour form, looks much nicer to me. Wouldn´t make things any better to learn that even in a so confined area there are two different forms of the very same species around...)

Greetings,

Stefan


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## Crotalus

Stefan2209 said:


> Hi there,
> 
> the two first pictured (page 1, first post) true spiders:
> 
> 1.) Cupiennius getazi
> 
> 2.) possibly Phoneutria boliviensis
> (and damn, i really hope i´m wrong on that one! I´m having some pics of proofed P. boliviensis from CR that show a much brighter colour form, looks much nicer to me. Wouldn´t make things any better to learn that even in a so confined area there are two different forms of the very same species around...)
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> Stefan


Colors varies in most species of spiders so I wouldnt be surprised if there were a few colorforms in CR. 
However, that spider could be Ctenus or another genus, but it sure have the P. look to it


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## Sobrino

wow awsome pics....lol...i always see all of the animals in your pics lol...im costa rican and its awsome over there....its a very recommended place and i currently got 3 houses over there 
well awsome pics...im going back to visit next year so ill be sure to put up some pics


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## nepenthes

AWSOME!

I never have seen that last mammal before, mind elaborating on them a little bit?


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## lizmotobike

lovely pictures. I need to go there! may i copy a pic of the coatis for my computer wallpaper? pleeaaase.............


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## Anastasia

Simply Amazin and beautiful what Nature brings
all the colors and wonders
I jes love it
Thank you  Philth


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## Philth

> I never have seen that last mammal before, mind elaborating on them a little bit?



Caotimundi, There like racoons, sort of,Thats all I know 



> may i copy a pic of the coatis for my computer wallpaper?


As long as its for personal use only, no prob 

@ Stefan, thanks for all info on the spiders:clap: 

This threads a bit old now, but since I'm here, a few more from Costa Rica.


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## rollinkansas

Philth said:


> 1. _Gonatodes albogularis _(I think)
> 
> Love the Gonatodes..I hope to go to Costa Rica one of these days
> 
> -Mike


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## Buckwheat

I just found this thread on Costa Rica. I have recently returned from down there myself. We[myself and two others]spent two weeks there. One full week in the bush and made some incredible finds. Stan Schultz reviewed some of the photos and thinks that perhaps we photographed a species of tarantula unknown as of yet to science according to him. It is a fantastic place to visit and there is allot to see there without question.


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## M.F.Bagaturov

Hi!
Let us see some photos including this unknown one?


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## Martin H.

Hello Buckwheat,



Buckwheat said:


> Stan Schultz reviewed some of the photos and thinks that perhaps we photographed a species of tarantula unknown as of yet to science according to him.


may we see the photos of this species too?

all the best,
Martin


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