The Calusa Herpetological Society Of Southwest Florida

Thursday, September 7, 2006  - 7:00 pm

SPEAKER & TOPIC :    Rick Lavoy is the education coordinator and a part-time researcher working at Archbold Biological Station in south-central Florida.  His special interest is herps, and his field work of late has been particularly focused on a Florida endemic lizard that few of us are probably even aware of that exists not far from Southwest Florida.  The Florida Sand Skink Neoseps reynoldsi is a bizarre, nearly legless, sand-swimming lizard that spends most of its life under the sands of the Lake Wales Ridge.   This silvery-white creature leads a specialized existence preying upon tiny creatures it finds in the upper layers of soft, sugar sand dunes.   Rick will reveal what he’s learned on this mysterious little Floridian’s life history to us via an interesting and entertaining PowerPoint program this evening.

MEETING SITE : In Ft. Myers, Florida at the Calusa Nature Center , near Colonial Blvd. (S. R. 884) and Interstate 75. Get off I-75 at exit #136 (old exit #22) and go west (towards the coast) on 884 (Colonial Blvd.) for one-half mile, then turn right at the first traffic light onto Ortiz Ave., and then left into the Nature Center after only one-quarter mile. The Iona House meeting site is an older dark green house located to the left (as you enter the grounds) at the rear of the complex, back near where the school busses are parked.  The meeting opens at 7:00 pm, and the speaker usually starts no later than 7:15 pm.  Non-members must pay $3.00 at the door to attend the meeting. Click HERE for a map to the meeting site.  After each meeting, all attendees are invited to join "the core" for an informal nightcap at RJ Gator's Restaurant / Sports Bar on Colonial Blvd. where we usually gather following meetings which end at 8:30 pm.

WHO'S INVITED ? You are! Anyone with an interest in any aspect of herpetology or herpetoculture is welcome to attend, learn, and exchange their experiences with our friendly membership. Come out to meet others who keep, breed or study reptiles and amphibians, and let them share their fascination with you. We average 35 – 70 people attending every meeting.

Cookies and cold soda, a nightly raffle of live herps, herp products, and books follow each speaker's talk, and lots of herp camaraderie, gossip, and fun can be counted upon at all meetings !

For more info , call (239) 728-2390 or (239) 481-3525 or  EMAIL: info@calusaherp.org