25 Volume 26
January 2012 June 2013
Number 12
THIS MONTH’S PROGRAM
Wade C. Sherbrooke, Ph.D., Director Emeritus, Southwestern Research Station, American Museum of Natural History
Film, Story, Lizard – “Where Did the Horny Toad Go?”
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7:15 PM; Tuesday, 18 June; University of Arizona, BIO5/Keating Building; 1657 East Helen Street
aving learned at an early age that many snakes stink, lots of lizards are fast, and there are way too many species of Sceloporus, Wade has focused on horned lizards for many of his studies (for 37 years). He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in 1988. (His B.S. degree was from Cornell University 1963 and his M.S. degree was from the University of Arizona 1966). He was the Director of the Southwestern Research Station of the American Museum of Natural History in Portal, Arizona, 1985-2003. Publications include Horned Lizards: Unique Reptiles of Western North America, 1981 (Southwest Parks and Monuments), Introduction to Horned Lizards of North America, 2003 (University of California Press), and research papers on horned lizard topics such as behaviors and morphology associated with “rain-harvest” drinking, blood-squirting and other antipredator behaviors utilized across a wide spectrum of horned lizard predators, morphological and physiological aspects of coloration and color change, convergent evolution with Australian thorny devils, and specialized ingestion of “dangerous” ant prey. In recent years he has worked with various film/TV crews (BBC-Natural History, National GeographicTV, Jar of Grasshoppers, etc.) in bringing a better understanding to the public of horned lizards, as another view into our incredible living surroundings and our place in the spectrum of life. Wade will present a film made by Stefanie and Beau Leland of Oklahoma City, Jar of Grasshoppers Productions, that focuses on conservation of Texas Horned Lizards. www.hornytoadmovie.com.
FUTURE SPEAKERS 31
16 July 2013: Mike Cardwell; “Myth and mystery: Unraveling the confusing history of Crotalus scutulatus”
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20 August 2013: John Sullivan; “Frogs, Lizards, Frogs, Snakes, Bugs, and More Frogs: A Field Herping Trip to Peruvian Amazonia”
ANNOUNCEMENT 32
Camping is S’more Fun: Great American Backyard Campout Sponsored by National Wildlife Federation
SHORT ARTICLE 33
“Reproduction of the Great Plains Skink, Plestiodon obsoletus (Squamata: Scincidae) from New Mexico” by Stephen R. Goldberg
N AT U R A L H I S TO RY NOTE 36
“The Ingraining of a Natural History Observation into the Culture of a Nation” by Howard O. Clark, Jr.
BOOK REVIEW 37
“Where do the Animals Go When it Rains?” Review by Howard O. Clark, Jr.
PUBLISH WITH US!
Wade Sherbrooke hunting Phrynosoma braconnieri, Short-tailed Horned Lizard, near Miahuatlán, Oaxaca, México, in November of 2012. Photo by Esmeralda Bravo Hernández.
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Sonoran Herpetologist Information for Contributors
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Herpetofauna of the 100-mile Circle: Call for Articles
SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
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FUTURE SPEAKERS
16 July 2013: Mike Cardwell Myth and mystery: Unraveling the confusing history of Crotalus scutulatus 7:15 PM; University of Arizona, BIO5/Keating Building; 1657 East Helen Street
M ike Cardwell was confused at an early age by the reaction of his parents to an unhappy—yet uninjured
—juvenile California Kingsnake, brought into his Los Angeles home by his mother’s cat. But Mike’s parents put their fears aside when they saw his fascination with the creature and allowed him to keep it. Over the next decade, Mike amassed a modest collection of local and exotic reptiles, converting his parents over to his passion for creatures that others unreasonably fear. Yearning to escape big city life, the family moved to Apple Valley, in California’s Mohave Desert, in 1963. The area was home to a wide variety of reptiles, with Crotalus scutulatus being one of the most frequently encountered. Mike’s menagerie grew in his new rural setting, soon fostering a close relationship with California Fish and Game and County Animal Control. For many years, he probably had the only coyote with a rabies vaccination and county dog license. Local school classes occasionally took field trips to see his animals. Nonetheless, during his second year as a college biology major, he was recruited by the San Bernardino County Sheriff ’s Department and ultimately spent 32 years with SBSD, rising to Chief of Specialized Operations before leaving in 2004 to continue his formal education in biology. Mike has long been bewildered by the wild rumors and the assertions of self-proclaimed experts about “Mohave Greens” and the deadliness of their bite, the lack of antivenom, their recent hybrid origin, and other equally ridiculous stories. Mike collaborated with colleagues on several research projects at Loma Linda University before undertaking the first long-term field study of Crotalus scutulatus. He has lectured extensively around the country on venomous bites and stings and published repeatedly in both scholarly and popular publications on Mohave Rattlesnakes. He recently
Local Research News
T he Sonoran Herpetologist welcomes short reports for our Local Research News, a regular feature in our
journal. We are interested in articles that can update our readers on research about amphibians and reptiles in the Sonoran Desert region. These articles need be only a few paragraphs long and do not need to include data, specific localities, or other details. The emphasis should be on how science is being applied to herpetological questions. Please submit your materials to Howard Clark, editor.sonoran.herp@gmail.com. Submissions should be brief and in electronic form.
finished a master’s degree with a thesis on the behavioral adaptations of Crotalus scutulatus to drought. His talk at THS will elaborate on the detective work that unraveled the identity of the type specimen of Crotalus scutulatus, with interesting Arizona twists that did not make it into the technical publication (Cardwell et al. 2013. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 126:11-16).
Mike Cardwell and a Mohave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) investigating each other in California’s Mohave Desert. Photo by Denise Garland-Cardwell.
Mike Cardwell was confused at an early age by the reaction of his parents to an unhappy— yet uninjured —juvenile California Kingsnake, brought into his Los Angeles home by his mother’s cat.
Sonoran Herpetologist Natural History Observations
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he Tucson Herpetological Society invites your contributions to our Natural History Notes section. We are particularly interested in photographs and descriptions of amphibians and reptiles involved in noteworthy or unusual behaviors in the field. Notes can feature information such as diet, predation, community structure, interspecific behavior, or unusual locations or habitat use. Please submit your observations to Howard Clark, editor.sonoran.herp@gmail.com. Submissions should be brief and in electronic form. SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
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20 August 2013: John Sullivan Frogs, Lizards, Frogs, Snakes, Bugs, and More Frogs: A Field Herping Trip to Peruvian Amazonia 7:15 PM; University of Arizona, BIO5/Keating Building; 1657 East Helen Street
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ohn is a long time field herper who has been maintaining his illustrated herp life list for the past 15 years at wildherps.com. He used to spend most of his days working for Apple, Inc., where he helped develop the Safari web browser since its inception. Somehow he still found time to travel to such exotic locales as Australia, Madagascar, Indonesia, Costa Rica, and Roger Repp’s Suizo Mountains study site to find and photograph his favorite animals. Now he has left Apple in order to have even more time to go herping. In January of this year he traveled to Peruvian Amazonia with Margarita Tours along with a bunch of other field herpers and herp photographers to experience that region’s incredible herpetofaunal biodiversity. In his presentation, he will show photos and tell stories to try to impart a flavor of that experience to THS.
John admiring a Northern Caiman Lizard (Dracaena guianensis) that wandered through the camp at Madre Selva Biological Station near Iquitos, Peru. Photo by Gina Harper.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Camping is S’more Fun: Great American Backyard Campout Sponsored by National Wildlife Federation
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ESTON, VA—On June 22, 2013, thousands of families across the nation will gather in their backyards, neighborhoods, communities, and parks and enjoy a night under the stars while helping fundraise for a leading conservation organization. As part of the National Wildlife Federation’s “Be Out There” movement, the Great American Backyard Campout encourages people to get outside and connect with the natural world. It is especially important for kids because, for the first time in our country’s history, we have an entire generation that is growing up disconnected from nature. Spending time outdoors, like Campout, makes kids happier and healthier. The National Wildlife Federation provides everything you need to head out into the great outdoors. The Campout website has packing lists, recipes, nocturnal wildlife guides, exploration activities, nature
games, fundraising prizes, directory of Campouts by state to search for large groups to join, and more. For more information, and to register, please go to: www. backyardcampout.org.
John is a long time field herper who has been maintaining his illustrated herp life list for the past 15 years at wildherps. com. He used to spend most of his days working for Apple, Inc. where he helped develop the Safari web browser since its inception.
For more National Wildlife Federation news, visit: www.nwf.org/news National Wildlife Federation is America’s largest conservation organization, inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future.
SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
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SHORT ARTICLE
Reproduction of the Great Plains Skink, Plestiodon obsoletus (Squamata: Scincidae) from New Mexico Stephen R. Goldberg, Whittier College, Department of Biology, Whittier, CA 90608, sgoldberg@whittier.edu
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he Great Plains skink, Plestiodon obsoletus Baird and Girard, 1852 (Figure 1) ranges from southern Nebraska to northern Tamaulipas and Durango, Mexico, from western Missouri and east Texas to west central Arizona; it occurs from near sea level to around 2,650 m (Stebbins 2003). The biology of P. obsoletus is summarized in Hall (1976). The most detailed studies on P. obsoletus reproduction are by Fitch (1955), Hall (1971), and Hall and Figure 1. Great Plains skink, Plestiodon obsoletus, Baird and Girard, 1852. Photo by Jason Ksepka. Fitch (1971). Anecdotal information on P. obsoletus reproduction is in Mosauer performed on them. Histology slides were deposited (1932), Smith (1946), Stebbins (1954, 2003), Gehlbach at LACM and MSB. An unpaired t-test was used to (1965), Fitch (1970, 1985), Parker (1973), Behler and compare P. obsoletus male and female body sizes (SVL) King (1979), Belfit and Belfit (1985), Williamson et al. using Instat (vers. 3.0b, Graphpad Software Software, (1994), Degenhardt et al. (1996), Brennan and HolySan Diego, CA). cross (2005, 2006), Caron and Swann (2009), Ballinger The difference between adult P. obsoletus male and et al. (2010), Collins et al. 2010, and Fogell (2010). In female body sizes (SVL) was not significant (unpaired this paper I provide additional information on the t-test, t = 1.2, df = 80, P = 0.23). Four stages were reproductive cycle of P. obsoletus from a histological noted in the testicular cycle of P. obsoletus (Table 1); (1) examination of museum specimens. Comparisons are regression, germinal epithelium of the seminiferous made between the timing of the P. obsoletus reproductubules is reduced to a few layers of spermatogonia tive cycle and those of other North American scincid with interspersed Sertoli cells; (2) recrudescence, a lizards. Skink taxonomy is according to Brandley et al. proliferation of germ cells for the next period of (2012). spermiogenesis (spermiogenesis) is underway, primary A sample of 92 P. obsoletus consisting of 49 males spermatocytes predominate; (3) spermiogenesis, lumi(mean SVL = 102.9 mm ± 9.4 SD, range = 83-122 na of the seminiferous tubules are lined by clusters of mm), 33 females (mean SVL = 105.2 mm ± 6.3 SD, sperm or metamorphosing spermatids; (4) late sperrange = 93-121 mm), and 10 subadults (mean SVL = miogenesis, germinal epithelium is markedly reduced 59.3 mm ± 16.1 SD, range = 38-80 mm) from New when compared to stage 3 smaller amounts of sperm Mexico was examined from the herpetology collecare being produced. Spermiogenesis was underway in tions of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles April (Table 1) and continued in May. It is not known County (LACM), Los Angeles, California, and the Mu- when spermiogenesis commenced as no P. obsoletus seum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), Albuquerque, were examined from February or March. The presence New Mexico (see Appendix). Plestiodon obsoletus were of males from May exhibiting late spermiogenesis collected 1947 to 2003. indicates the period of sperm formation is coming to The snout-vent length (SVL) of each specimen was a close. Since my June sample consisted of only one measured from the tip of the snout to the posterior male with regressed testes, it is not known when the margin of the vent to the nearest mm. The left gonad spermiogenic perod ends. The smallest reproductively was removed and embedded in paraffin. Histologiactive male (spermiogenesis in progress) measured 83 cal sections were cut at 5 µm and stained by hemamm SVL (MSB 12287) and was collected in May. toxylin followed by eosin counterstain (Presnell and Four stages were noted in the ovarian cycle of P. Schreibman 1997). Enlarged follicles > 4 mm length obsoletus (Table 2): (1) quiescent, no yolk deposition and oviductal eggs were counted. No histology was was observed; (2) early yolk deposition, basophilic yolk SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
The Great Plains skink, Plestiodon obsoletus Baird and Girard, 1852 ranges from southern Nebraska to northern Tamaulipas and Durango, Mexico, from western Missouri and east Texas to west central Arizona.
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Table 1. Monthly stages in the testicular cycle of 49 P. obsoletus from New Mexico.
one December vitellogenic P. obsoletus (Table 2) might delay further yolk deposition until the warmer temperatures April 8 0 2 6 0 of spring. This occurs in the vivipaMay 26 4 1 19 2 rous Sceloporus jarrovi in which females commence yolk deposition in autumn June 1 1 0 0 0 with further development delayed until July 7 5 2 0 0 spring (Goldberg 1971). Aug 4 4 0 0 0 The presence of four males of Sept 3 1 2 0 0 adult sizes from May (Table 1) with Table 2. Monthly stages in the ovarian cycle of 33 P. obsoletus from New Mexico. regressed testes at a time when seventy three percent of the sample (n = 26) Early yolk Follicles > 4 Month n Quiescent Oviductal eggs deposition mm was undergoing spermiogenesis is surprising as typically a very high perApril 7 3 2 2 0 centage of temperate zone adult lizard May 9 2 5 2 0 males undergo spermiogenesis during June 4 3 0 0 1 the breeding period (see for example, July 6 6 0 0 0 Goldberg 1974). This, coupled with reAug 4 4 0 0 0 productive inactivity in 5/16 (31%) of Sep 2 1 1 0 0 P. obsoletus females of adult sizes from April and May (Table 2) suggests that Dec 1 0 1 0 0 not all mature P. obsoletus reproduce granules in ooplasm; (3) enlarged oocytes > 4 mm; each year. This was previously reported by Fitch (1955, (4) oviductal eggs. Mean clutch size for 5 females was 1970), Hall and Fitch (1971), and Collins et al. (2010). 11.2 ± 1.3 SD, range = 9-12. This is within the range This phenomenon of reduced reproduction was not of 7-21 reported for 30 clutches of P. obsoletus eggs apparent in two other North American scincid species: by Hall (1971). Female P. obsoletus guard their clutches P. skiltonianus (as Eumeces skiltonianus) (Goldberg 2005) during the one to two month incubation period (Hall or P. gilberti (Goldberg 2009). Factors responsible for and Fitch 1971). The smallest reproductively active this apparent reduced reproductive success of P. obsolefemale (yolk deposition in progress) measured 96 mm tus warrant further study. SVL (MSB 55805) and was collected in May. I arbiI thank Howard L. Snell (MSB) and Greg Pauly trarily considered two slightly smaller reproductively (LACM) for permission to examine P. obsoletus and J. inactive females that were both collected during June Tom Giermakowski (MSB) for facilitating the loan. (MSB 6967, SVL = 94 mm) and (MSB 58908, SVL = 93 mm) to be adults. There was no evidence (oviductal Literature Cited eggs and concurrent vitellogenesis) in the same female Ballinger, R.E., J.D. Lynch, and G.R. Smith. 2010. to suggest P. obsoletus produces consecutive clutches Amphibians and Reptiles of Nebraska. Rusty lizard in the same year. This confirms the report of Fitch Press, Oro Valley, AZ. (1985). Behler, J.L., and F.W. King. 1979. National Audubon It is apparent that P. obsoletus, like numerous other Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles North American oviparous skinks, is an early spring and Amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. breeder. This was reported earlier by Fitch (1955). Belfit, S.C., and V.F. Belfit. 1985. Notes on the ecology Other skinks in this category are: Plestiodon septentrioof a population of Eumeces obsoletus (Scincidae) in nalis (Breckenridge 1943), P. fasciatus (Fitch, 1954), P. New Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist 30:612-614. laticeps (Vitt and Cooper 1985), P. anthracinus and P. fasBrandley, M.C., H. Ota Fls, T. Hikida, A.N. Montes de ciatus (Trauth 1994), P. skiltonianus (Goldberg 2005); P. Oca, M. Fería-Ortíz, X. Guo, and Y. Wang. 2012. gilberti (Goldberg 2009). In marked contrast, P. egregius The phylogenetic systematics of blue-tailed skinks reproduces in Florida during autumn (Mount 1963). (Plestiodon) and the family Scincidae. Zoological The presence of early yolk deposition in one female Journal of the Linnean Society 165:163-189. P. obsoletus each from September and December (Table Breckenridge, W.J. 1943. The life history of the black2) was unexpected. Whether yolk deposition would banded skink Eumeces septentrionalis septentrionalis have been completed or not is uncertain as the start (Baird). American Midland Naturalist 29:591-606. of vitellogenesis typically commences in March or Brennan, T.C., and A.T. Holycross. 2005. A Field April in spring reproducing lizards. Follicles that comGuide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Maricopa mence yolk deposition late in the reproductive season County. Arizona Game and Fish Department, frequently undergo atresia (spontaneous degeneration) Phoenix, AZ. (Goldberg 1973, 1975). Another possibility is that the Month
n
Regressed
Recrudescence
Spermiogenesis
Late Spermiogenesis
SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
The presence of early yolk deposition in one female P. obsoletus each from September and December was unexpected. Whether yolk deposition would have been completed or not is uncertain as the start of vitellogenesis typically commences in March or April in spring reproducing lizards.
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Brennan, T.C., and A.T. Holycross. 2006. A Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Arizona. Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ. Caron, M.D., and D.E. Swann. 2009. Great Plains skink Plestiodon obsoletus (Baird and Girard, 1852) pp. 456-459 in: L.L.C. Jones and R.E. Lovich (editors). Lizards of the American Southwest: A Photographic Field Guide. Rio Nuevo Publishers, Tucson, AZ. Collins, J.T., S.L. Collins, and T.W. Taggart. 2010. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles in Kansas. Eagle Mountain Publishing, LC, Eagle Mountain, Utah. Degenhardt, W.G., C.W. Painter, and A.H. Price. 1996. Amphibians & Reptiles of New Mexico, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, NM. Fitch, H.S. 1954. Life history and ecology of the fivelined skink, Eumeces fasciatus. University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History 8:1-156. Fitch, H.S. 1955. Habits and adaptations of the Great Plains skink (Eumeces obsoletus). Ecological Monographs 25:59-83. Fitch, H.S. 1970. Reproductive cycles in lizards and snakes. University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History, Miscellaneous Publications No. 52:1-247. Fitch. H.S. 1985. Variation in clutch and litter size in New World reptiles. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History 76:1-76. Fogell, D.D. 2010. A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Nebraska. School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Gehlbach, F.B. 1965. Herpetology of the Zuni Mountains region, northwestern New Mexico. Proceedings of the United States National Museum No. 3505:243-332. Goldberg, S.R. 1971. Reproductive cycle of the ovoviviparous iguanid lizard Sceloporus jarrovi Cope. Herpetologica 27:123-131. Goldberg, S.R. 1973. Ovarian cycle of the western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis. Herpetologica 29:284-289. Goldberg, S.R. 1974. Reproduction in mountain and lowland population of the lizard Sceloporus occidentalis. Copeia 1964:176-182. Goldberg, S.R. 1975. Reproduction in the sagebrush lizard, Sceloporus graciosus. American Midland Naturalist 93:177-187. Goldberg, S.R. 2005. Reproductive cycle of the western skink, Eumeces skiltonianus (Sauria: Scincidae) in southern California. Texas Journal of Science 57:295-301.
Goldberg, S.R. 2009. Reproductive cycle of Gilbert’s skink, Plestiodon gilberti (Squamata: Scincidae) from California. Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society 45:28-32. Hall, R.J. 1971. Ecology of a population of the Great Plains skink (Eumeces obsoletus). The University of Kansas Science Bulletin XLIX:357-388. Hall, R.J. 1976. Eumeces obsoletus (Baird and Girard) Great Plains skink. Catalogue of American Amphibians and reptiles 186.1-186.3. Hall, R.J., and H.S. Fitch. 1971. Further observations on the demography of the great plains skink (Eumeces obsoletus). Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 74:93-98. Mount, R.H. 1963. The natural history of the redtailed skink Eumeces egregius Baird. American Midland Naturalist 70:356-385. Mosauer, W. 1932. The amphibians and reptiles of the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico and Texas. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 246:1-18. Parker, W.S. 1973. Notes on reproduction of some lizards from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. Herpetologica 29:258-264. Presnell, J.K., and M.P. Schreibman. 1997. Humason’s Animal Tissue Techniques. 5th Ed. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 572 pp. Smith, H.M. 1946. Handbook of Lizards, Lizards of the United States and Canada. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, NY. Stebbins, R.C. 1954. Amphibians and Reptiles of Western North America. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, NY. Stebbins, R.C. 2003. A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians. 3rd Ed. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. Trauth, S.E. 1994. Reproductive cycles in two Arkansas skinks in the genus Eumeces (Sauria: Scincidae). Proceedings of the Arkansas Academy of Science 48:210-218. Vitt, L.J., and W.E. Cooper, Jr. 1985. The relationship between reproduction and lipid cycling in the skink Eumeces laticeps with comments on brooding ecology. Herpetologica 41:419-432. Williamson, M.A., P.W. Hyder and J.S. Applegarth. 1994. Snakes, Lizards, Turtles, Frogs, Toads & Salamanders of New Mexico. Sunstone Press, Santa Fe, NM.
Appendix: Plestiodon obsoletus examined from New Mexico by County from the herpetology collections of the Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (LACM). Bernallilo: MSB 2371, 2372, 6967, 8648, 2623, 10568, 11558,12287, 12677, 12845, 12926, 13192, 23391, 23494, 26210, 31318, 34775, 50312, 54102, 17002; Catron: MSB 5136, 5137, 5278, 38855; Doña Ana: LACM 5980, 5981, 5982, 5983, 113377, 113380, 113381, 113383-113385, 133630, 133633; Eddy: LACM 5978, 5979; MSB 26009, 26569; Hidalgo: MSB 57114; Lincoln: MSB 12574, 13704, 14456, 15520, 18298, 20924, 22486, 22518; San Miguel: MSB 11176, 18292, 18297, 18709, 19961, 22011, 31092, 31093, 38374, 38382, 38386, 38405, 38409, 52011, 52012, 52013, 74428; Sierra: LACM 5984, MSB 6886, 6887, 56333, 63032, 71752, 72463; Socorro: LACM 14918, 14919, 14920, 62416, MSB 6902, 11454, 55805, 55873, 58908, 63144, 63154-63156, 71663; Quay: MSB 31902; Valencia: MSB 32916, 39615, 49570, 50010.
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N AT U R A L H I S TO RY N OT E
The Ingraining of a Natural History Observation into the Culture of a Nation Howard O. Clark, Jr., Senior Wildlife Ecologist, H. T. Harvey & Associates, 7815 N. Palm Avenue, Suite 310, Fresno, CA; hclark@harveyecology.com
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n the sixth grade we learned about the Aztecs and their culture. We even built part of a pyramid in the back of the classroom where you could actually enter and explore within. During the Aztec lesson we learned about the founding of Tenochtitlan (Now Mexico City; tenoch is the word for cactus fruit and titlan means “the place of ”). We were told that the early Aztecs were searching for an eagle, perched on a cactus, devouring a snake. I was thrilled to hear these details, as interest in natural history was one of my passions. Recently, I researched a bit into this legend and I realized that this observation counts as a natural history note—rarely does the interaction between species hold much meaning to a nation—let alone become their national coat of arms. Identifying the species has led to some intriguing deductions and delving into the archeological record. The cactus appears to be an Opuntia, perhaps O. ficus-indica, a common species well ingrained in Hispanic culture. The identification of the bird perched on the cactus has proved to be more of a challenge. In 1960, the Mexican ornithologist Rafael Martín del Campo identified the eagle in the pre-Hispanic codex as the Northern Caracara (Caracara cheriway), a species common in Mexico (although the name “eagle” is taxonomically incorrect, as the Caracara is in the falcon family). Rafael Martín del Campo realized that, although the bird is often depicted as a Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), this species is rare in Mexico and after reviewing the archeological record, the best fit was the Northern Caracara (Gonzalez Block 2004). The snake was originally thought to be an aquatic serpent, but the serpent was later interpreted as a rattlesnake, because rattlesnakes were more common than the aquatic varieties in pre-Hispanic illustrations. The species of rattlesnake is unknown, since in some translations of the legend, a snake was not part of the scene; but was added based on other interpretations; some likely species include Crotalus aquilus, C. atrox, C. lepidus, C. molossus, and C. scutulatus. Being a resident of California, I see the flag of Mexico often, as it is part of our cultural landscape, but if studied closer it is obvious there is something else going on—something a biologist should take note! Something I wouldn’t mind seeing myself in the wild. So take another look at the Mexican Coat of Arms, and imagine it as a natural history note ingrained into the culture of a people. Literature Cited González Block, M.A. 2004. El Iztaccuahtli y el Águila Mexicana: ¿Cuauhtli o Águila Real? Arqueología Mexicana 70:60-65.
A
B
In the sixth grade we learned about the Aztecs and their culture. During the Aztec lesson we learned about the founding of Tenochtitlan. We were told that the early Aztecs were searching for an eagle, perched on a cactus, devouring a snake. I was thrilled to hear these details, as interest in natural history was one of my passions.
C Figure 1. Various portrayals of the Mexican Coat of Arms: A. Coat of Arms of Mexico, 1823-1864 and 1867-1893; B. Coat of Arms of Mexico, 1893-1916; C. Coat of Arms of Mexico, modern day. Images from Wikipedia, public domain.
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BOOK REVIEW
Where do the Animals Go When it Rains? Review by Howard O. Clark, Jr., Editor, Tuscon Herpetological Society, Tuscon, AZ; editor.sonoran.herp@gmail.com Janet Crown (Author) Daron Rosenberg (Illustrator) Hardcover: 24 pages Publisher: Self-published, 2012 Language: English ISBN-10: 0985282009 ISBN-13: 978-0985282001 www.thepaintedturtle.org
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recall a story from my youth where several woodland animals were caught in a rain storm. One of the animals found a mushroom and sought shelter from the rain under the cap. Another animal came along and also ducked into dryness under the mushroom cap. Soon, the mushroom sheltered a variety of woodland critters, with the question asked near the end of the story: how did so many animals fit under the mushroom? Answer, the mushroom grew during the storm, allowing plenty of room for the animal party (Ginsburg 1974). When I began reviewing “Where do the Animals Go When it Rains?” I kept thinking about the mushroom story. Here, Janet Crown and her children have come up with another solution regarding wildlife and shelter from rainstorms—answers that are actually more ecologically accurate, such as bears using caves, squirrels using trees, and birds using nests—all written in rhyme. I read the book to my daughter several times and she began reading it on her own. I was pleased with
her interest in the book and she began asking questions about the animals. One question she asked was why the frogs didn’t seek shelter. From the book: “Then frogs began jumping from the shore to the lily pads. They love the rain, it’s like a party with the fish. How could they possibly be mad?” I thought, “Hey, that’s right! Frogs wouldn’t necessarily need to seek shelter during the rain.” The book provided a good lead into discussing the biology of frogs and how they need a water source nearby; rain wouldn’t be much of a problem for them. Books about wildlife need to be part of our children’s library; they open avenues of exploration and pique the natural curiosity that children have. By writing about a common interface between the abiotic environment and our wildlife, the authors are educating the future generation about science and ecology. I hope my daughter keeps this story in mind—and many others like it—just like how I kept the mushroom story tucked away. Perhaps it will make a difference in her life. Literature Cited Ginsburg, M. 1974. Mushroom in the Rain. Turtleback Books, St. Louis, MO. 32 pp.
Janet Crown and her children have come up with another solution regarding wildlife and shelter from rainstorms— answers that are actually more ecologically accurate —such as bears using caves, squirrels using trees, and birds using nests—all written in rhyme.
Daughter of review author reading “Where do the Animals Go When it Rains?”
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Sonoran Herpetologist Information for Contributors
Howard O. Clark, Jr., and the Editorial Board, Sonoran Herpetologist; editor.sonoran.herp@gmail.com
Stopics onoran Herpetologist accepts manuscripts on diverse in herpetology, with emphasis on conservation,
education, and research involving amphibians and reptiles of Arizona and Mexico. We welcome submissions for Local Research News, Natural History Notes, Recently Published Papers, News and Notes, Herpetofauna of the 100-mile Circle, Book Reviews, and letters to the editor. In addition, we encourage essays or other unique contributions that do not fall within these regular categories. Submissions will not be peerreviewed, but they may be edited. Local Research News articles update our readers on current research on amphibians and reptiles in the Sonoran Desert region. These articles need be only a few paragraphs long and do not need to include data, specific localities, or other details. Emphasis should be on how science is being applied to herpetological questions. Herpetofauna of the 100-mile Circle articles provide accounts of species within an area radiating 100 miles from the center of Tucson (see http://www. cfa.arizona.edu/herp/circle.html). These articles may be formatted as short notes or longer, detailed species accounts. Recently Published Papers provide readers with summaries of interesting recent scientific articles about reptiles and amphibians. News and Notes are usually short news articles and announcements of interest specifically for members of the Tucson Herpetological Society. Style and format of both features are flexible (see recent issues of Sonoran Herpetologist for examples). Book Reviews can be submitted on any recently published book on a herpetological topic. Books about the herpetofauna of Arizona and northern Mexico are preferred. Submit manuscripts electronically to Howard Clark, Editor (editor.sonoran. herp@gmail.com). Natural History Notes include photographs and descriptions of noteworthy or unusual behavior of amphibians and reptiles observed in the wild. Notes can feature information such as diet, predation, community structure, interspecific behavior, or unusual locations or habitat use. Please submit your observations electronically to Howard Clark, Editor (editor. sonoran.herp@gmail.com). Consult the Editor prior to submitting a paper if you have doubts as to its suitability. Style and Formatting Title – The article title should be followed by the list of authors. Each author should include numbered references for their affiliation/address as shown below. Include an email address for the corresponding author.
Lewis S. Smith1,3 and James R. Clark2 1 Department of Biology, University of Western Kansas, Simpson, Kansas, USA 2 Department of Zoology, Nebraska State University, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA 3 Present Address: Southcentral Louisiana State University, Houma, Louisiana, USA; smith@email.edu Main Body – Manuscripts submitted as featurelength articles (>2000 words) should typically consist of the following sections: Introduction (no heading), Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgments, Literature Cited, and Figure Legends. Style and format of shorter contributions are informal. Use a single space after a period, except between author initials in the Literature Cited. Use metric units, followed by English conversions in parentheses. Date format is day, month, year (e.g., 13 October 2003). Use 24-h times (e.g., 1301 h, not 1:30 PM). Scientific and English/Spanish names should generally follow Crother et al. (2008) and Liner and Andreu (2008). If the author prefers to use a different scientific name, particularly a different generic name, please include (in parentheses) the name given in the applicable reference above. Use italics for Latin names, and capitalize common names. We generally recommend use of the English/Spanish names with scientific name in parentheses for the first reference; for example: Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), with English/Spanish name in subsequent text. Abbreviations – Spell out week, month, day, and mean. Spell out generic names the first time used for each species, regardless of whether the same genus has been used for a different species (within a paragraph or elsewhere in the article). Abbreviate genus for each species throughout the rest of the article. In-text References – Cite references in the text in chronological order, using a comma to separate citations. Use “et al.” for three or more authors (example: Smith 1975, Jones and Jones 1987, Brown et al. 1990). Papers accepted for publication should be cited as Smith (in press). Unpublished manuscripts (including manuscripts submitted for publication) should be cited as A.A. Smith (unpubl. data), and should not be placed in the Literature Cited (include all names and initials for multi-authored unpublished data). Be careful that all references cited in the text (including tables and figure legends) are included in the Literature Cited. Literature Cited – Spell all journal titles in their entirety (i.e., no abbreviations). Be sure that all entries in the Literature Cited also appear in the text (and vice-versa). Entries with more than four authors SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
We welcome submissions for Local Research News, Natural History Notes, Recently Published Papers, News and Notes, Herpetofauna of the 100mile Circle, Book Reviews, and letters to the editor. In addition, we encourage essays or other unique contributions that do not fall within these regular categories. Submissions will not be peerreviewed, but they may be edited.
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should use “et al.” instead of listing each author (see Crother et al. [2008] in Literature Cited, below). Do not include issue number for journals that have consecutive page numbering throughout the volume. For two-author citations, include a comma after the inititals of the first author. Do not use en (–) or em (—) dashes with page number ranges. Article in a Journal Smith, A.T. 1992. Ecology of rattlesnakes in Florida. Journal of Herpetology 26:100-105. Book Smith, A.T., and J. Jones. 1995. Physiology of Amphibians and Reptiles. McGraw-Hill Inc., New York (page numbers not needed when entire book is the citation). Be sure to include the state and country (unless U.S.A.) with each book entry unless it is given in the name of the publisher (e.g., Arizona Game and Fish Department). Capitalize the first letter of each significant word in book titles. Chapter in a Book Smith, A.T. 1994. Systematics of frogs and toads. Pages 52-65 in: J. Black and M. Lee (editors). Systematics of Amphibians and Reptiles, University of Kansas Press, Lawrence. Works “in press” Smith, J.Q. (in press). Things my uncle never said about snakes. Journal of Ethnography. Dissertation or Thesis Smith, A.T. 1991. Behavioral Ecology of Turtles. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation (or Thesis), University of Kansas, Lawrence. (Use state name if not obvious from the university name and include country if not U.S.A.). Unpublished Report Schneider, P.B. 1981. A population analysis of the Desert Tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, in Arizona. Unpublished report to U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix. Multiple Citations – Multiple citations for the same author should be organized as follows: single citations first, two-author citations second (in alphabetical order), three or more authors third (in chronological order). Smith, A.T. 1992. Ecology of rattlesnakes in Florida. Journal of Rattlesnake Ecology 26:100-105.
Smith, A.T. 1993. Ecology of turtles in Louisiana. Journal of Herpetology 27:91-99. Smith, A.T., and B. Black. 1991. Systematics and morphology of snakes. Journal of Ophidology 25:100-105. Smith, A.T., and J. Jones. 1989. Diamond-backed Terrapins in Louisiana. Bulletin of the Society for Aquatic Critter Study 23:234-236. Smith, A.T., W. White, and J. Jones. 1989. Mating behavior in Gila Monsters. Herpetologica 23:230-234. Smith, A.T., A. Black, and J. Jones. 1995. Temperature relationships in gartersnakes. Bulletin of the Gartersnake 29:30-34. Tables – Tables should be provided as separate files (XLS or DOC formats). Tables should be doublespaced, and each table should be numbered consecutively and placed on its own page. Do not use vertical lines. The legend of the table should be concise but sufficiently detailed so the table can be understood without reference to the text. The legend should appear on the same page as the table. Avoid footnotes whenever possible. Figure Captions – Figure captions should be placed on a single page and numbered in the order in which they are cited in the text. The term “Figure” in text is spelled out and capitalized. Figures – Figures should be provided as separate files (one per figure) in TIFF or JPG formats, with resolution at least 300 dpi. Scan line art at 1200 dpi. Figures with multiple parts should have each part labeled with capital letters (e.g., A, B, C, …). Figures of researchers handling venomous animals are discouraged unless the handling process is pertinent for article clarity. Holding venomous animals in trophy-like poses will not be published. Literature Cited Crother, B.I., et al. 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 6th edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetological Circular 37:1-96. Liner, E.A., and G. Casas-Andreu. 2008. Nombres estándar en Español en Inglés y nombres cientificos de los anfibios y reptiles de México/Standard Spanish, English, and scientific names of amphibians and reptiles of Mexico. 2nd edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetological Circular 38:1-167.
SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
Local Research News articles update our readers on current research about amphibians and reptiles in the Sonoran Desert region. These articles need be only a few paragraphs long and do not need to include data, specific localities, or other details. Emphasis should be on how science is being applied to herpetological questions.
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H E R P E TO FAU N A O F T H E 100- M I L E C I R C L E
Herpetofauna of the 100-mile Circle: Call for Articles
Howard O. Clark, Jr., and the Editorial Board, Sonoran Herpetologist; editor.sonoran.herp@gmail.com
T ucson and its surrounding environs have long been a mecca of sorts for herpetologists. The reason for
this is the density and diversity of the amphibian and reptile populations found here. The Sonoran Desert provides unusual habitats and ecological conditions for which a unique herpetofauna has evolved adaptations. The mountain ranges, which are forested islands in semi-arid grasslands, have isolated populations of amphibians and reptiles with evolutionary adaptations to montane environments. The Tucson Herpetological Society (THS) provides an illustrated checklist of the species of amphibians and reptiles found within “the 100-mile circle” — an arbitrarily chosen area radiating 100 miles in all directions from the center of Tucson (Figure 1). The checklist can be found here (and in Table 1): http://www.cfa.arizona.edu/herp/circle.html. Along with each species listed are one or more photographs and a species account. However, the checklist, photographs, and species accounts are works in progress and are in need of completion. The THS encourages its members to draft available accounts and submit them to the editorial board for review. The account will be published in the Sonoran Herpetologist and then posted on the website. If you have a favorite
herp species, please check to see if it has been completed already. Check Table 1 below to see what species are available.
Figure 1. Map of southern Arizona and northern Sonora, with the 100-mile circle indicated in red. Please note that the actual boundaries of the circle vary a fair amount according to what part of Tucson is chosen for the center point. Map generated using Microsoft MapPoint 2004.
Table 1. Checklist of species within the 100-mile circle. The “Species Account” column notes whether an account of the species has been published in Sonoran Herpetologist, or has been reserved by someone, or is available for authorship. Taxon
English Name
CAUDATA
Salamanders
Species Account
Ambystomatidae Ambystoma mavortium
Barred Tiger Salamander
Jones, reserved
Ambystoma rosaceum
Tarahumara Salamander
Enderson, April 2006
Pseudoeurecea belli
Bell's Salamander
Bezy et al., Dec. 2004
ANURA
Frogs
Plethodontidae
Bufonidae Anaxyrus cognatus
Great Plains Toad
Enderson, Dec. 2002
Anaxyrus debilis
Green Toad
Enderson & Bezy, Sept. 2011
Anaxyrus kelloggi
Little Mexican Toad
AVAILABLE
Anaxyrus microscaphus
Arizona Toad
Clark, Feb. 2011
Anaxyrus punctatus
Red-spotted Toad
AVAILABLE
Anaxyrus retiformis
Sonoran Green Toad
Enderson, May 2002
Anaxyrus woodhousii
Woodhouse’s Toad
AVAILABLE
Ollotis alvaria
Sonoran Desert Toad
Enderson, Nov. 2002
Barking Frog
Goldberg, July 2002
Tucson and its surrounding environs have long been a mecca of sorts for herpetologists. The reason for this is the density and diversity of the amphibian and reptile populations found here. The Sonoran Desert provides unusual habitats and ecological conditions for which a unique herpetofauna has evolved adaptations.
Brachycephalidae Craugastor augusti
SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
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Hylidae Hyla arenicolor
Canyon Treefrog
Swann, April 2005
Hyla wrightorum
Mountain Treefrog
Bezy et al., Nov. 2011
Smilisca fodiens
Lowland Burrowing Treefrog
Enderson, Sept. 2002
Great Plains Narrow-mouthed Toad
Enderson, July 2002
Scaphiopus couchii
Couch’s Spadefoot
AVAILABLE
Spea bombifrons
Plains Spadefoot
AVAILABLE
Spea multiplicata
Mexican Spadefoot
AVAILABLE
African Clawed Frog
AVAILABLE
Lithobates berlandieri*
Rio Grande Leopard Frog
AVAILABLE
Lithobates blairi
Plains Leopard Frog
AVAILABLE
Lithobates catesbeianus*
American Bullfrog
AVAILABLE
Lithobates chiricahuensis
Chiricahua Leopard Frog
Enderson, Mar. 2003
Lithobates magnocularis
Northwest Mexico Leopard Frog
AVAILABLE
Lithobates tarahumarae
Tarahumara Frog
AVAILABLE
Lithobates yavapaiensis
Lowland Leopard Frog
Swann, reserved
TESTUDINES
Turtles
Microhylidae Gastrophryne olivacea Pelobatidae
Pipidae Xenopus laevis* Ranidae
Emydidae Chrysemys picta*
Painted Turtle
AVAILABLE
Terrapene ornata
Ornate Box Turtle
AVAILABLE
Trachemys scripta*
Pond Slider
Stitt, June 2005
Kinosternon arizonense
Arizona Mud Turtle
AVAILABLE
Kinosternon flavescens
Yellow Mud Turtle
AVAILABLE
Kinosternon sonoriense
Sonoran Mud Turtle
AVAILABLE
Desert Tortoise
AVAILABLE
Apalone spinifera*
Spiny Softshell
Averill-Murray, Sept. 2007
SQUAMATA
Lizards
Kinosternidae
Testudinidae Gopherus agassizii Trionychidae
Anguidae Elgaria kingii
Madrean Alligator Lizard
Bezy, July 2011
Crotaphytus collaris
Eastern Collared Lizard
AVAILABLE
Crotaphytus nebrius
Sonoran Collared Lizard
AVAILABLE
Gambelia wislizenii
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
Clark, May 2010
Western Banded Gecko
Bezy, July 2010
Mediterranean House Gecko
AVAILABLE
Gila Monster
AVAILABLE
Crotaphytidae
Eublepharidae Coleonyx variegatus Gekkonidae Hemidactylus turcicus* Helodermatidae Heloderma suspectum
SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
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Iguanidae Ctenosaura conspicuosa*
Isla San Esteban Spiny-tailed Iguana
AVAILABLE
Ctenosaura macrolopha*
Sonoran Spiny-tailed Iguana
AVAILABLE
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Desert Iguana
Bezy, Oct. 2010
Sauromalus ater
Common Chuckwalla
AVAILABLE
Callisaurus draconoides
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Bezy, Mar. 2011
Cophosaurus texanus
Greater Earless Lizard
Bezy May 2011
Holbrookia elegans
Elegant Earless Lizard
Bezy, Dec. 2010
Holbrookia maculata
Common Lesser Earless Lizard
AVAILABLE
Phrynosoma cornutum
Texas Horned Lizard
Swann et al., Aug. 2007
Phrynosoma ditmarsi
Rock Horned Lizard
AVAILABLE
Phrynosoma goodei
Goode’s Horned Lizard
AVAILABLE
Phrynosoma hernandesi
Greater Short-horned Lizard
AVAILABLE
Phrynosoma modestum
Round-tailed Horned Lizard
AVAILABLE
Phrynosoma solare
Regal Horned Lizard
AVAILABLE
Sceloporus clarkii
Clark’s Spiny Lizard
Bezy, Feb. 2003
Sceloporus cowlesi
Southwestern Fence Lizard
AVAILABLE
Sceloporus jarrovii
Yarrow’s Spiny Lizard
AVAILABLE
Sceloporus magister
Desert Spiny Lizard
Bezy, Sept. 2003
Sceloporus slevini
Slevin’s Bunchgrass Lizard
Bezy, June 2004
Sceloporus virgatus
Striped Plateau Lizard
AVAILABLE
Urosaurus graciosus
Long-tailed Brush-lizard
Enderson, Aug. 2002
Urosaurus ornatus
Ornate Tree Lizard
AVAILABLE
Uta stansburiana
Common Side-blotched Lizard
AVAILABLE
Plestiodon callicephalus
Mountain Skink
Edwards & Swan, June 2003
Plestiodon obsoletus
Great Plains Skink
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis arizonae
Arizona Striped Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis burti
Canyon Spotted Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis costata
Western Mexico Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis exsanguis
Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis flagellicauda
Gila Spotted Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis pai
Pai Striped Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis sonorae
Sonoran Spotted Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis tigris
Tiger Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis uniparens
Desert Grassland Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis velox
Plateau Striped Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Aspidoscelis xanthonota
Red-backed Whiptail
AVAILABLE
Xantusia bezyi
Bezy’s Night Lizard
Bezy, reserved
Xantusia vigilis
Desert Night Lizard
Bezy, reserved
SQUAMATA
Snakes
Phrynosomatidae
Scincidae
Teiidae
Xantusiidae
Boidae Boa costrictor
Boa Constrictor
AVAILABLE
Lichanura trivirgata
Rosy Boa
AVAILABLE
Arizona elegans
Glossy Snake
AVAILABLE
Chilomeniscus stramineus
Variable Sand Snake
AVAILABLE
Colubridae
SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
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Chionactis occipitalis
Western Shovel-nosed Snake
AVAILABLE
Chionactis palarostris
Sonoran Shovel-nosed Snake
AVAILABLE
Coluber bilineatus
Sonoran Whipsnake
AVAILABLE
Coluber flagellum
Coachwhip
Clark, Nov. 2010
Coluber mentovarius
Neotropical Whipsnake
Rorabaugh et al., Jan. 2009
Coluber taeniatus
Striped Whipsnake
AVAILABLE
Diadophis punctatus
Ring-necked Snake
AVAILABLE
Gyalopion canum
Chihuahuan Hook-nosed Snake
AVAILABLE
Gyalopion quadrangulare
Thornscrub Hook-nosed Snake
AVAILABLE
Heterodon kennerlyi
Mexican Hog-nosed Snake
Averill-Murray, Sept. 2006
Hypsiglena chlorophaea
Desert Nightsnake
AVAILABLE
Hypsiglena jani
Chihuahuan Nightsnake
AVAILABLE
Lampropeltis getula
Common Kingsnake
AVAILABLE
Lampropeltis pyromelana
Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake
AVAILABLE
Lampropeltis triangulum
Milksnake
AVAILABLE
Oxybelis aeneus
Brown Vine Snake
AVAILABLE
Phyllorhynchus browni
Saddled Leaf-nosed Snake
AVAILABLE
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus
Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake
AVAILABLE
Pituophis catenifer
Gophersnake
Repp, June 2002
Rhinocheilus lecontei
Long-nosed Snake
AVAILABLE
Salvadora grahamiae
Eastern Patch-nosed Snake
AVAILABLE
Salvadora hexalepis
Western Patch-nosed Snake
AVAILABLE
Senticolis triaspis
Green Ratsnake
AVAILABLE
Sonora semiannulata
Western Groundsnake
AVAILABLE
Tantilla hobartsmithi
Smith’s Black-headed Snake
AVAILABLE
Tantilla nigriceps
Plains Black-headed Snake
AVAILABLE
Tantilla wilcoxi
Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake
AVAILABLE
Tantilla yaquia
Yaqui Black-headed Snake
AVAILABLE
Thamnophis cyrtopsis
Black-necked Gartersnake
AVAILABLE
Thamnophis elegans
Terrestrial Gartersnake
AVAILABLE
Thamnophis eques
Mexican Gartersnake
Wallace, Oct. 2002
Thamnophis marcianus
Checkered Gartersnake
AVAILABLE
Trimorphodon lambda
Western Lyre Snake
LaDuc, reserved
Sonoran Coral Snake
AVAILABLE
Leptotyphlops dissectus
New Mexico Threadsnake
AVAILABLE
Leptotyphlops humilis
Western Threadsnake
AVAILABLE
Crotalus atrox
Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake
Repp, Jan. 2003
Crotalus cerastes
Sidewinder
AVAILABLE
Crotalus cerberus
Arizona Black Rattlesnake
AVAILABLE
Crotalus lepidus
Rock Rattlesnake
AVAILABLE
Crotalus mitchellii
Speckled Rattlesnake
AVAILABLE
Crotalus molossus
Black-tailed Rattlesnake
AVAILABLE
Crotalus pricei
Twin-spotted Rattlesnake
AVAILABLE
Crotalus scutulatus
Mohave Rattlesnake
Cardwell, reserved
Crotalus tigris
Tiger Rattlesnake
AVAILABLE
Crotalus willardi
Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake
AVAILABLE
Sistrurus catenatus
Massasauga
Holycross, May 2003
Elapidae Micruroides euryxanthus Leptotyphlopidae
Viperidae
*Non-native
SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
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Arizona Treefrog (Hyla wrightorum), Cochise Co., Arizona. Photo by Erik F. Enderson.
MEETING MINUTES BOD minutes can be found here: www.dropbox.com/sh/bxl4xdoyxc1x4bx/s4fCPAHXgS M E M B E R S H I P U P DAT E
Membership Information Individual Family Student
$20 $25 $14
Sustaining Contributing Life
$30 $50 $500
The Tucson Herpetological Society would like to thank existing members and new members for renewing their membership. We appreciate your support and are always looking for members to actively participate in THS activities and volunteer opportunities. It is a great way to be involved with the conservation of amphibians and reptiles in the Sonoran Desert.
Including the THS in your will is an excellent way to support the value of this organization and the conservation of the herpetofauna of the Sonoran Desert. We would like to recognize and thank anyone who has included the THS in their will. Please contact us so we can express our appreciation. For information about designating the THS in your will, please contact Heidi Flugstad, Treasurer, Tucson Herpetological Society, at heidi_flugstad@hotmail.com. Time to Renew Your THS membership? Thank you for your membership in the Tucson Herpetological Society. Renewal reminders for upcoming membership expiration will be emailed at the beginning of the month that your membership expires. If you have any questions about your membership or would like to be in touch with a THS member you do not know how to reach, please contact our Membership Coordinator, Sarah Ashby by email at halfaussie@gmail. com or by phone at (520) 396-9832.
Tucson Herpetological Society P.O. Box 709, Tucson, Arizona 85702-0709 MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM NAME: ________________________________________________ Date ______________ Address or Personal Information Changes_______________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ MEMBERSHIP DUES [ ] $20 Individual [ ] $25 Family [ ] $14 Student [ ] $30 Sustaining [ ] $50 Contributing [ ] $500 Life $ _______ Jarchow Conservation Award $ _______ Flat-tailed horned lizard Fund
$ _______ Speakers Bureau $ _______ C.H. Lowe Herp Research Fund
$ _______ Total (MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: TUCSON HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY) The THS newsletter, the Sonoran Herpetologist, is delivered online only. Please indicate the email address you would like to receive the newsletter if you are not currently receiving the newsletter at your preferred address. If you are unable to receive the newsletter online, please contact Sarah Ashby at halfaussie@gmail.com. If not already done, please indicate if you want your email added to the THS directory and/or the Monthly meeting announcement (circle one or both). Please return this form with your check to the address above. Email address ___________________________________________________________
SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 26 (2) 2013
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Sonoran Herpetologist is the newsletter-journal of the Tucson Herpetological Society, and is Copyright 2013. The contents of Sonoran Herpetologist may be reproduced for inclusion in the newsletters of other herpetological societies provided the material is reproduced without change and with appropriate credit, and a copy of the publication is sent to the Tucson Herpetological Society. Occasional exceptions to this policy will be noted. Contents are indexed in Zoological Record. A complete set of back issues are available in the Special Collections area of the University of Arizona library. They are accompanied by a copy of The Collected Papers of the Tucson Herpetological Society, 1988-1991. Editor-in-Chief Howard Clark, editor.sonoran.herp@gmail.com Associate Editors Roy Averill-Murray, royaverillmurray@charter.net Robert Bezy, robertbezy@gmail.com Dennis Caldwell, dennis@caldwell-design.com Suman Pratihar, pratihar_vu@rediffmail.com Roger Repp, repp@noao.edu Don Swann, donswann@dakotacom.net Art Editor Dennis Caldwell, dennis@caldwell-design.com Book Review Editor Philip Brown, prbrownnaturalist@gmail.com
Information for Contributors Authors should submit original articles, notes, book reviews to the Editor, either via email using an attached word processed manuscript or by mail to the Society’s address. The manuscript style should follow that of Journal of Herpetology and other publications of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. For further information, please contact the editor, at editor.sonoran.herp@gmail.com.
Deadline for Sonoran Herpetologist: 15th of every other month
Tu c s o n H e r p S o c i e t y. o r g
The Tucson Herpetological Society is dedicated to conservation, education, and research concerning the amphibians and reptiles of Arizona and Mexico. Tucson Herpetological Society is a registered non-profit organization.
Officers President Roger Repp, repp@noao.edu Vice President Krista Schmidt, turtlerad@hotmail.com Secretary RenĂŠ Clark, serpentprincess@comcast.net Treasurer Heidi Flugstad, heidi_flugstad@hotmail.com Directors: Sarah Ashby, halfaussie@gmail.com Dennis Caldwell, dennis@caldwell-design.com Rob Nixon, sapo1047@msn.com Ed Moll, e.o.moll@gmail.com Jim Rorabaugh, jrorabaugh@earthlink.net Warren Savary, wsavary@yahoo.com Past President Robert Villa, cascabel1985@gmail.com
Society Activities
Monthly Members Meeting Roger Repp, Program Chair 3rd Tuesday, 7:15 PM Board of Directors Meeting Last Tuesday of each month (except December), 7:00 PM University of Arizona, BIO5/Keating Building 1657 East Helen Street Speakers Bureau (scheduled presentations) Robert Villa & Ed Moll Conservation Committee Dennis Caldwell Herpetological Information Hotline Bob Brandner, 760-0574 Jarchow Conservation Award Roger Repp Publications: Sonoran Herpetologist, Backyard Ponds brochure, Living with Venomous Reptiles brochure, THS Herp Coloring Book, THS Collected Papers, 1988-1991 THS Internet World Wide Webpage http://tucsonherpsociety.org Marty Tuegel, Webmaster, mtuegel@cox.net
For more information about the THS and the reptiles and amphibians of the Tucson area visit
tucsonherpsociety.org
SONORAN SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST HERPETOLOGIST 25 (1)262012 (2) 2013
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