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Catesbeiana : bulletin of the Virginia Herpetological Society PDF

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ISSN 0892-0761 Volume 23 2003 Number 1 BULLETIN INFORMATION Catesbeiana is published twice a year by the Virginia Herpetological Society. Membership is open to all individuals interested in the study of amphibians and reptiles and includes a subscription to Catesbeiana, two newsletters, and admission to all meetings. Annual dues for regular membership are $15.00 (see application form on last page for other membership categories). Payments received after September 1 of any given year will apply to membership for the following calendar year. Dues are payable to: Dr. Paul Sattler, VHS Secretary/Treasurer, Department of Biology, Liberty University, 1971 University Blvd., Lynchburg, VA 24502. HERPETOLOGICAL ARTWORK Herpetological artwork is welcomed for publication in Catesbeiana. If the artwork has been published elsewhere, we will need to obtain copyright before it can be used in an issue. We need drawings and encourage members to send us anything appropriate, especially their own work. EDITORIAL POLICY The principal function of Catesbeiana is to publish observations and original research about Virginia herpetology. Rarely will articles be reprinted in Catesbeiana after they have been published elsewhere. All correspondence relative to the suitability of manuscripts or other editorial considerations should be directed to Dr. Steven M. Roble, Editor, Catesbeiana, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, 217 Governor Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Major Papers Manuscripts being submitted for publication should be typewritten (double spaced) on good quality SVj by 11 inch paper, with adequate margins. Consult the style of articles in this issue for additional information, including the appropriate format for literature citations. The metric system should be used for reporting all types of measurement data. Computer diskettes (Word or WordPerfect format) are desired for longer papers. Submissions concerning the herpetofauna of selected areas, such as a state park or county, should be prepared in article rather than field note format. Articles will be refereed by the editor and at least one other qualified reviewer. All changes must be approved by the author before publication; therefore, manuscripts must be received by the editor before the first of March and September to be considered for publication in the spring or fall issue, respectively, of Catesbeiana. Reprints of articles are not available to authors; however, authors may reprint articles (hemselves to meet professional needs. (Editorial policy continued on inside back cover) CATESBEIANA Bulletin of the Virginia Herpetological Society Volume 23_Spring 2003_No. 1 Contents Biological Diversity of Reptiles and Amphibians in Big Survey Wildlife Management Area Jason Daniel Gibson and John White.3 Field Notes. 14 Errata.24 President's Comer.25 Treasurer's Report.26 Minutes of the Fall 2002 VHS Meeting.27 Spring 2003 Meeting Notice.30 Next Meeting May 30, 2003 Greensville County.Virginia See page 30 for details I CATES B El AN A 2003, 23(1) Marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum) Drawing by Jason Gibson 2 Biological Diversity of Reptiles and Amphibians in Big Survey Wildlife Management Area Jason Daniel Gibson Division of Arts and Sciences Danville Community College Danville Virginia 24541 John White 2815 Van Buren Street Arlington, Virginia 22213-1517 Introduction Big Survey Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is one of Virginia’s newest management areas owned and operated by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF). It was officially dedicated on 18 October 2001. This 3,359 ha (8,300 acre) tract of land is located in Wythe County 2 km south of the town of Wytheville and is bordered to the north by Interstate 81. It is comprised of two tracts of land, which include portions of Sand Mountain, Lick Mountain, Stuart Mountain, and Swecker Mountain. Crystal Springs Watershed, a 749 ha (1,852 acre) parcel of land owned by the town of Wytheville, is located in the center of the WMA. Big Survey WMA is in the Ridge and Valley physiographic province and is composed mostly of sandstone and quartzite, which form well-drained, dry soils. Elevation reaches 1,134 m (3,720 ft) on Sand Mountain. Five small streams drain the property to the New River. A diversity of aquatic habitats exists on this property including a high elevation vernal pool, a man-made pond, headwaters of five streams, springs, and steep ravines. There are many terrestrial habitats as well including upland oak-hickory forest, open land with many drought resistant native grasses, rhododendron heaths, and sandstone outcrops. Limited surveys have been conducted in this area by the VDGIF and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (Division of Natural Heritage)(S. M. Roble, pers. comm.). No comprehensive reptile and amphibian surveys have been conducted on this property. The Virginia Herpetological Society (VHS) annually conducts a survey in some part of Catesbeiana 2003, 23(1): 3-13 3 CATESBEIANA 2003, 23(1) Virginia. This site was chosen because of its diversity of habitats, the virtual lack of previous surveys, and its potential to yield new county records. Below is a report of the 2002 spring survey. Study Sites Personnel from VDGIF selected five sites and one man-made trout pond for members of the VHS to survey. A listing and description of each site follows. Site A: Dungeon Branch (starting at Trivett property) The portion of Dungeon Branch surveyed consists of a small stream (<1 meter wide and 1 m deep). A gentle topographic slope creates rapidly flowing water interrupted at times by deeper slower moving pools. One portion of the stream consists of a pool approximately 30 m wide. This site contains many varied aquatic habitats. Site B: Stuart Mountain The Stuart Mountain site has a typical deciduous complement with a fair amount of hemlock interspersed throughout. One side of this mountain consists of a sloping valley bisected by a meandering stream; the other side of the mountain is steep and rugged with a faster flowing stream. Many mosses and ferns are found in the moister areas of this site. Site C: Garden of the Gods Garden of the Gods survey site consists of a ridge of large limestone outcrops and boulders bisected by a powerline right-of-way. Nearby are a few streams with a wet woodland floor. Site D; Big Survey Trout Pond A man-made pond located on the property of Big Walker Game and Fish Club. Site E: Venrick Run This site consists of Venrick Run, rhododendron riparian heath, a dammed pool, and a powerline right-of-way paralleling portions of the stream. 4 Herps of Big Survey WMA Site F: Lick Mountain SE side, Headwaters of Dungeon Branch Two distinct habitats are found at this site. One is a high elevation (914 m; 3,000 ft) vernal pool that was completely full (1 m deep) and surrounded by an oak-hickory forest. The second site consisted of Mill Creek and the headwaters of Dungeon Branch. Both of these streams flow through a mature oak-hickory forest. Many decayed logs, large chunks of bark, and rock outcrops were found at this site. Materials and Methods Sampling was conducted on 18-19 May 2002. Four teams of 4-8 people sampled sites selected by Betsy Stinson, Bill Bassinger, and Mike Mabe (VDGIF personnel). Sites were selected to cover a wide range of habitats and land area within the WMA. Terrestrial animals were sampled by overturning rocks, cobble, logs, leaf litter, and bark. Male anurans w'ere detected by listening for vocalizations. Aquatic animals were found by overturning rocks in streams and by dipnetting. Visual identifications were made in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Each specimen found was recorded, photographed (if needed), observed for unusual behavior, and inspected for mutations. Microhabitat was documented for each encounter. Larval specimens were taken to the lab and reared if identification was not possible in the field. Results During the survey 17 species of amphibians (12 salamanders, 5 anurans) and 6 species of reptiles (2 turtles, 1 lizard, 3 snakes) were observed. Five species that were not recorded from Wythe County by Tobey (1985), Mitchell (1994), or Mitchell and Reay (1999) are denoted by an asterisk below. One species, Ambystoma opacum (marbled salamander), represents a notable western range extension, the closest vouchered record being documented from western Pittsylvania County (Mitchell and Reay 1999). An annotated checklist of the species found during this survey follows. Letters in brackets refer to sampling locations listed above and shown on the map (Fig. 1). Table 1 summarizes the species found at each location. 5 CATESBEIANA 2003, 23(1) Annotated Checklist Amphibians *1. Ambystoma jeffersonianum (Jefferson salamander) - [F] Two larvae were captured in a vernal pond on Lick Mountain. These specimens were reared in a laboratory to allow for the development of adult color patterns. Tobey (1985) plotted one locality in Wythe County for this species but Mitchell and Reay (1999) did not record it in this county. A specimen has been deposited in the Virginia Museum of Natural History. 2. Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted salamander) - [A, F] Many larvae were dipnetted in vernal pools. *3. Ambystoma opacum (Marbled salamander) - [F] One larva captured in a vernal pool on Lick Mountain was reared in the laboratory and found to have the Ambystoma opacum color pattern. This specimen has been deposited in the Virginia Museum of Natural History and represents a new county record. The lack of previous records of this species from this area is most likely due to limited sampling. 4. Desmognathus Just us (Northern dusky salamander) - f A, E] A total of ten adult specimens were found under rocks along streams. One salamander was observed eating a worm. 5. Desmognathus monticola (Seal salamander) - [A, E, F] Nineteen adult and six juvenile seal salamanders were found during this survey. They were found along streams under rock cobble. 6. Desmognathus ochrophaeus (Alleghany mountain dusky salamander) - [A, B, F] Three adults and four juveniles were found along streams under rocks and logs. 6 Herps of Big Survey WMA 7. Eurycea cirrigera (Southern two-lined salamander) - [A, EJ A total of six adult two-lined salamanders were found along streamside habitats under rocks and logs. 8. Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens (Red-spotted newt) - {D, F] One newt was dipnetted in a vernal pool and another was dipnetted in a pond. 9. Plethodon cinereus (Red-backed salamander) - [A, B, E, F] A total of thirty red-backed salamanders were collected during our survey. They were found under bark, logs, rocks, and leaf litter. One adult was missing its tail. Another adult was observed with eggs. 10. Plethodon cylindraceus (White-spotted slimy salamander) - f A, B, C, E, F] This species was found in the most locations of any salamander species. A total of eleven adults and two juveniles were found under logs, rocks, and in rock crevices. 11. Plethodon richmotidi (Ravine salamander) - [F] Four adults were found under logs and one adult was found under a rock. All sites were adjacent to a small stream. 12. Pseudotriton ruber (Red salamander) - [E] One red salamander was found under a rock on the edge of a powerline right-of-way. This site was adjacent to a spring and a stream. 13. Bufo americanus americanus (American toad) - [A, C, E] Two adult toads were found under rocks and some tadpoles were found dead in an old mine pond at site A. 7 CATES B El ANA 2003, 23(1) *14. Pseudacris crucifer crucifer (Northern spring peeper) - [A, B, D] Three spring peepers were heard calling during this survey. 15. Rana clamitans melanota (Northern green frog) - [A] One male was observed calling beside a stream. 16. Rana palustris (Pickerel frog) - [D] Several adults were found along the edge of a trout pond. *17. Rana sylvatica (Wood frog) - [A, F] Many tadpoles were dipnetted in a vernal pool at site F. A few specimens were collected and reared to metamorphosis. One adult measuring 70 mm SVL was found beside a stream. Reptiles *18. Chelydra serpentina serpentina (Eastern snapping turtle) - [A, F] A total of three snapping turtles, two adults and one juvenile (33 mm carapace length), were found. Microhabitats included a pool and swampy area. 19. Terrapene Carolina Carolina (Eastern box turtle) - [A] One live box turtle (140 mm plastron length) and one dried shell were found. 20. Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus (Northern fence lizard) - [CJ Fence lizards were the only lizards found during this survey. One gravid female was found under a log. 8

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