The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas

306 Pages·2018·323.69 MB·English

by  Heather R Cunningham

The Maryland Amphibian
and Reptile Atlas

The
Maryland Amphibian
and Reptile Atlas
Edited by Heather R. Cunningham and Nathan H. Nazdrowicz
Johns Hopkins University Press | Baltimore
This book was brought to publication with the generous
assistance of the Maryland Department of Natural
Resources and the Natural History Society of Maryland.
© 2018 Johns Hopkins University Press
All rights reserved. Published 2018
Printed in Canada on acid- free paper
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21218-4363
www .press .jhu .edu
Library of Congress Cataloging- in-Publication Data
Names: Cunningham, Heather R., 1976– , editor | Nazdrowicz,
Nathan H., editor.
Title: The Maryland amphibian and reptile atlas / edited by
Heather R. Cunningham and Nathan H. Nazdrowicz.
Description: Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2018. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifi ers: LCCN 2017054172 | ISBN 9781421425955 (hardcover :
alk. paper) | ISBN 1421425955 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN
9781421425962 (electronic) | ISBN 1421425963 (electronic)
Subjects: LCSH: Amphibians—Maryland—Atlases. | Reptiles—
Maryland—Atlases.
Classifi cation: LCC QL653.M3 M34 2018 | DDC 597.909752—dc23
LC record available at https: // lccn .loc .gov /2017054172
A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
Illustration credits: p. ii: Marbled Salamander, photo by Robert T.
Ferguson II; p. iii: Smooth Greensnake, photo by Scott McDaniel.
Special discounts are available for bulk purchases of this book. For
more information, please contact Special Sales at 410-516-6936 or
[email protected].
Johns Hopkins University Press uses environmentally friendly
book materials, including recycled text paper that is composed of
at least 30 percent post- consumer waste, whenever possible.
To the memory of Ronald L. Gutberlet, Jr., PhD.
Ron served as the Wicomico County Coordinator
for the field data collection portion of the Maryland
Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project and wrote
one of the species accounts prior to his premature
passing. He was a great naturalist, an enthusiastic
educator at Salisbury University, and a dedicated
herpetologist, whose commitment to biodiversity
conservation has left us a lasting legacy.
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix Designing and Implementing the Atlas Project 33
Acronyms and Abbreviations xix Coordination 33
Survey Methodology 34
Introduction 1 The Volunteer Network 36
Overview of Amphibians and Reptiles in Maryland 1 Data Collection 36
The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project 1 Data Management 39
Citizen Science and Herpetological Research 2
Goals of the Atlas 4 Results of the Atlas Project 40
Organization of the Atlas 4 Overall Results 40
County- Level Results 42
History of Herpetofaunal Distributions in Volunteer Results 44
Maryland 6 Data Verification 44
charles a. davis Taxonomic Results 44
Discovery 6
Collections and Descriptions 7 Species Accounts 53
Organizing for Discovery and the Early Amphibian and Amphibians 55
Reptile Collections 8 Reptiles 131
Limitations and Challenges of Assessing Historical
Ranges: Where Were the Rattlesnakes? 10 Appendixes
Early Geographic Lists 12 A. Quadrangle and Block Total Species Summary 225
More Efforts to Organize 12 B. Quadrangle and Block Effort- Hours Summary 231
Efforts to Update the Distributional Survey 16 C. County Summary 237
Challenges and Practices for Gathering Distributional D. Species Summary 239
Data 17 References 243
Additional Institutional Efforts That Document Index 275
Amphibian and Reptile Distributions 18
Rare Species Surveys 19
Increasing Access to Herpetofaunal Information 20
Maryland’s Environment 21
Physiographic Provinces 21
Habitat Types 23
Climate 24
Land Use 26
Conservation of Maryland’s Herpetofauna 27
lynn m. davidson and glenn d. therres
Legislation, Regulation, and Monitoring Programs 27
Protected Lands 30
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Acknowledgments
Successful completion of the Maryland Amphibian and Rep- logical Stream Survey, the Herpetological Education and Re-
tile Atlas (MARA) project was the result of a collaborative search Project, HerpMapper, and the Marine Mammal and
effort by state and county employees, private citizens, and Sea Turtle Stranding Network. These groups submitted to
conservation organizations in Maryland. The MARA project the MARA project amphibian and reptile location data that
was developed through the efforts of the project’s plan- were collected by their respective projects. The Maryland
ning committee. In the earliest stages, the committee de- Amphibian and Reptile Atlas (MARA) Training Handbook pro-
veloped the MARA pilot study, determined the atlas cover- vided guidance on data collection techniques. We appreciate
age goals, and refined the methods of the project. We thank the efforts of Rachel Gauza Gronert and David Smith in de-
Lance Benedict, Robert Bull, David Burman, Lynn David- veloping the handbook. We thank Lynn Davidson and Linda
son, Charles Davis, Matthew Evans, Don Forester, Matthew Weir for their work in developing mapping resources for
Grey, Rachel Gauza Gronert, Wayne Hildebrand, William volunteers to use—specifically, digital quad and block map
Lattea, Eugene Meyer, Nathan Nazdrowicz, Mike Quinlan, layers and associated online and smartphone applications.
Kyle Rambo, Chuck Saunders, Bill Sipple, David Smith, Scott The MDNR managed and maintained data collected during
Smith, Christopher Swarth, Mark Tegges, Glenn Therres, the project. The NHSM hosted the official MARA website,
David Walbeck, Linda Weir, and Jim White for their work which disseminated educ ational and project resources. We
on the MARA planning committee. extend our gratitude to Dan Brellis and Joe McSharry, who
The MARA project was guided by a steering committee developed and maintained our website.
throughout the project and the preparation of this book. We express our gratitude to a number of people who
The collective knowledge and experience of the commit- facilitated data management, analysis, and presentation.
tee members greatly benefited the project. Charles Davis, From the MDNR, Robert Swan, Laura Bowne, and Lynn
David Smith, Christopher Swarth, and Glenn Therres Davidson developed and maintained the MARA database,
chaired the committee. Steering Committee members who analyzed data, and formatted data for visual presentation.
served throughout the project were Lynn Davidson, Rachel Jason Poston and Nathan Nazdrowicz developed and main-
Gauza Gronert, Wayne Hildebrand, Nathan Nazdrowicz, tained a separate database for the record verification pro-
and David Walbeck. Lance Benedict and June Tveekrem gra- cess that held all identification evidence submitted to the
ciously agreed to serve on the committee midway through project. Don Becker hosted the verification website and
the project. Committee members who initially served on provided additional web management assistance. A commit-
the Steering Committee were Matt Evans, Don Forester, tee of Maryland herpetofauna experts, chaired by Nathan
Kyle Rambo, Scott Smith, Joel Snodgrass, and Linda Weir. Nazdrowicz, verified all photographs and recordings sub-
Thank you all for your commitment and dedication to the mitted to the MARA project. The MARA Verification Com-
project. mittee members were Lance Benedict, Don Forester, Rachel
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Gauza Gronert, Kyle Loucks, Nathan Nazdrowicz, Brandon
and The Natural History Society of Maryland (NHSM) spon- Ruhe, Scott Smith, Scott Stranko, Ed Thompson, Jim White,
sored the project. The MDNR provided most of the financial and John White. Additional verification team members were
support for the project through State Wildlife Grants, which Lynn Davidson, Wayne Hildebrand, Todd Pierson, Jason
were allocated to state wildlife agencies by the US Congress, Poston, Christopher E. Smith, David Smith, Mark Souther-
administered here through the MDNR Wildlife and Heritage land, Glenn Therres, and David Walbeck. Grover Brown and
Service. We also thank the Maryland Coastal Bays Program David Mifsud assisted with species- specific identifications.
for its financial support to the MARA project. Heather Cunningham and Nathan Nazdrowicz coordinated
Data were collected primarily by atlas project volunteers. the verification process.
Additional data were provided by the MDNR Maryland Bio- County coordinators were integral to the success of the