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An Amphibian and Reptile Inventory of Isle Royale National Park

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An Amphibian and Reptile Inventory of Isle Royale National Park National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center An Amphibian and Reptile Inventory of Isle Royale National Park Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/GLKN/NRTR—2008/146 ON THE COVER Eastern American toads, Daisy Farm Campground, Isle Royale, 2005. Photo by G.S. Casper An Amphibian and Reptile Inventory of Isle Royale National Park Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/GLKN/NRTR—2008/146 Gary S. Casper Great Lakes Ecological Services, LLC P.O. Box 375, Slinger, WI 53086 December 2008 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center Fort Collins, Colorado The Natural Resource Publication series addresses natural resource topics that are of interest and applicability to a broad readership in the National Park Service and to others in the management of natural resources, including the scientific community, the public, and the NPS conservation and environmental constituencies. Manuscripts are peer-reviewed to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and are designed and published in a professional manner. The Natural Resource Technical Reports series is used to disseminate the peer-reviewed results of scientific studies in the physical, biological, and social sciences for both the advancement of science and the achievement of the National Park Service's mission. The reports provide contributors with a forum for displaying comprehensive data that are often deleted from journals because of page limitations. Current examples of such reports include the results of research that addresses natural resource management issues; natural resource inventory and monitoring activities; resource assessment reports; scientific literature reviews; and peer reviewed proceedings of technical workshops, conferences, or symposia. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations and data in this report are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the National Park Service. Printed copies of reports in these series may be produced in a limited quantity and they are only available as long as the supply lasts. This report is also available from the Natural Resource Publications Management Web site (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/NRPM) on the Internet, or by sending a request to the address on the back cover. Please cite this publication as: Casper, G. S. 2008. An amphibian and reptile inventory of Isle Royale National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/GLKN/NRTR—2008/146. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS D-123, December 2008 ii Contents Page Figures ............................................................................................................................................ v Tables............................................................................................................................................ vii Abstract.......................................................................................................................................... ix Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................... xi Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1 Methods .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Field Methods ............................................................................................................................. 3 Collection of Vouchers ............................................................................................................... 3 Review of Existing Data and Specimens.................................................................................... 3 Results and Discussion ................................................................................................................... 7 Confirmation of Species ............................................................................................................. 7 Species Inventory Results......................................................................................................... 12 Salamanders .......................................................................................................................... 12 Frogs and Toads.................................................................................................................... 17 Turtles ................................................................................................................................... 24 Snakes ................................................................................................................................... 25 Species Inventory Discussion ................................................................................................... 29 Recommendations......................................................................................................................... 31 Conservation and Management ................................................................................................ 31 Inventory and Monitoring......................................................................................................... 31 Literature Cited............................................................................................................................. 33 Appendixes ................................................................................................................................... 39 iii Figures Page Figure 1. Study area, Isle Royale National Park............................................................................. 2 Figure 2. Blue-spotted salamander, Isle Royale, 2005 ................................................................. 12 Figure 3. Blue-spotted salamander eggs, Isle Royale, 2005......................................................... 13 Figure 4. Terrestrial adult newt, Isle Royale, 2005 ...................................................................... 15 Figure 5. Aquatic adult newt, Isle Royale, 2005 .......................................................................... 15 Figure 6. Newt eft, Isle Royale, 2005 ........................................................................................... 15 Figure 7. Toad hunting at night on Daisy Farm Trail, Isle Royale, 2005..................................... 18 Figure 8. Basking painted turtle, Benson Creek, Isle Royale, 2005............................................. 25 Figure 9. Color variation in Isle Royale gartersnakes (Daisy Farm Campground, 2005) ............ 28 v Tables Page Table 1. Sampling methods, Isle Royale National Park, 2004-2005.............................................. 4 Table 2. Museums canvassed for Isle Royale material (either individually or through HerpNet). ........................................................................................................................................ 5 Table 3. Comparison of common and scientific names for species that have been reclassified (based on Crother 2008). ............................................................................................. 6 Table 4. Isle Royale National Park amphibian and reptile checklist.............................................. 8 vii Abstract The National Park Service, Great Lakes Network Office, commissioned a herpetological inventory of Isle Royale National Park, Michigan, in 2004. Isle Royale National Park is actually a collection of over 400 islands (one large island surrounded by many smaller islands), covering approximately 54,228 ha (134,000 acres) in western Lake Superior. The park was federally designated a wilderness area on October 20, 1976, and an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980. The protected area includes submerged land extending 7.2 km (4.5 miles) into Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. Objectives of this study were to: 1) supplement existing inventory data for amphibians and reptiles in the park, and 2) better assess the status of species listed as “Unconfirmed” or “Probably Present” in the park’s species list, which was produced in 2003. Based on the 2003 list status and additional review of regional status, we targeted six species for surveys. We reviewed records for 232 museum specimens from the park, frog and toad survey data provided by the park, and all available literature and observations, both published and unpublished. Sampling was performed over three periods in 2004 and 2005, utilizing visual searches, calling frog surveys, aquatic funnel traps, and artificial cover objects. Thirty-five new voucher specimens were collected from the park. No new species were documented, but nine amphibian and three reptile species were confirmed in the park, with one more remaining unconfirmed. Recommendations are made regarding inventory, monitoring, and management of amphibians and reptiles in the park. ix Acknowledgments I thank Jean Battle and Mark Romanski of the National Park Service for their kind and generous logistical support and informative discussions. Joan Elias, Stephen J. Hecnar, Wendel Johnson, Yuman Lee,
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