SWCHR BULLETIN Published Quarterly by the SOUTHWESTERN CENTER for HERPETOLOGICAL RESEARCH (SWCHR) P.O

ISSN 2330-6025 SWCHR BULLETIN Published Quarterly by THE SOUTHWESTERN CENTER FOR HERPETOLOGICAL RESEARCH (SWCHR) P.O. Box 624 Seguin TX 78156 www.southwesternherp.com ISSN 2330-6025 OFFICERS 2010-2012 COMMITTEE CHAIRS

PRESIDENT COMMITTEE ON COMMON AND Tom Lott SCIENTIFIC NAMES Tom Lott VICE PRESIDENT Todd Hughes RANGE MAP COMMITTEE Tom Lott SECRETARY Diego Ortiz AWARDS AND GRANTS COMMITTEE (vacant) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Gerald Keown WEB DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Gerald Keown BOARD MEMBERS Toby Brock ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS COMMITTEE Riley Campbell Diego Ortiz Hans Koenig NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE EDITORIAL STAFF Gerald Keown EDITOR EDUCATION COMMITTEE Chris McMartin (vacant)

TECHNICAL EDITOR MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Linda Butler (vacant) ABOUT SWCHR

Originally founded by Gerald Keown in 2007, SWCHR is a Texas non-profit association created under the provisions of the Texas Uniform Unincorporated Non-Profit Association Act, Chapter 252 of the Texas Business Organizations Code, governed by a board of directors and dedicated to promoting education of the Association’s members and the general public relating to the natural history, biology, taxonomy, conservation and preservation needs, field studies, and captive propagation of the herpetofauna indigenous to the American Southwest. SWCHR BULLETIN 1 Summer 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS

New Members ...... 2

Texas Legislative Update, Gerald Keown ...... 3

2011 Annual Field Meet, Gerald Keown ...... 5

Captive Care of Fringe-toed Lizards, Uma spp. (Lacertilia: Phrynosomatidae), Lou Hamby ...... 10

The Imperiled Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, Sceloporus arenicolus (Lacertilia: Phrynosomatidae), Mark Salvo ...... 17

2011 Second Quarter Photographs of the Month ...... 20

In Memory of William E. “Bill” Haast, 1910 - 2011 ...... 23

A CALL FOR PAPERS ...... 24

A Saddled Leaf-nosed Snake (Phyllorhynchus brownii), from Maricopa County, AZ. Photograph by William Wells.

THE SWCHR LOGO There are several versions of the SWCHR logo, all featuring the Gray-Banded Kingsnake, Lampropeltis alterna, a widely recognized reptile native to the Trans-Pecos region of Texas as well as adjacent Mexico and New Mexico.

JOINING SWCHR For information on becoming a member of SWCHR please visit the SWCHR Membership Page of the SWCHR web site at http://www.southwesternherp.com/join.html. ON THE COVER: Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard, Uma inornata, Riverside County, CA (Mike Rochford) BACKGROUND IMAGE: Elephant Tusk, Big Bend National Park, TX (Chris McMartin) SWCHR BULLETIN 2 Summer 2011

New Members This Quarter

SWCHR welcomes the following new members who joined during the second quarter of 2011:

Brad Chambers, Boerne, Texas Luther W. “Lou” Hamby, Castroville, Texas Ron Tremper, Boerne, Texas (Life Member) William “Will” Wells, Surprise, Arizona Todd LaPittus, Austin, Texas Terry A. Johnson, Clifton, Arizona Dan Krull, Shawnee, Kansas Tim Cole and Deb Sydney, Georgetown, Texas (Family Membership) Russell “Russ” Walker, Trinity, Texas

Memberships Expiring Soon

We have several members whose memberships will expire during the third quarter of 2011. Please renew your membership prior to your expiration date. You may download a membership applica- tion/renewal form at http://www.southwesternherp.com/join.html . You may also pay your dues by PayPal from this same link if you desire. Regardless of your method of payment, please be sure to complete the membership application/renewal form and mail it in promptly. SWCHR BULLETIN 3 Summer 2011

Texas Legislative Update

by Gerald Keown, June 26, 2011

During the recent 82nd Texas Legislative Session two bills were introduced that, if passed, would directly affect the Texas herpetological community.

Prior to the start of the legislative session, State Senator Carlos Uresti pre-filed Senate Bill 275 that would have basically repealed the 4-year-old ban on road collecting in Texas, by providing an exemption for those persons collecting reptiles and amphibians from Texas roadways and rights- of-way in the same manner falconers have been exempted. Senate Bill 275, strongly supported by the majority of the Texas herping community, was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Unfortunately, this bill died in committee without ever being heard by the committee, which was ironic considering that its author (Senator Carlos Uresti) was the Vice Chairman of that committee.

On February 24, 2011 Texas State Representative Joe Farias introduced House Bill 1788. While this bill was supported by some factions of the Texas herping community, other factions did not support it due to various concerns about its wording. After being amended several times in the House and again in the Senate, House Bill 1788 was finally passed and will become effective on September 1, 2011 (not immediately as some persons seem to believe).

It is important to understand just exactly what House Bill 1788 does and what it does not do. The new law partially (but not completely) repeals the 4-year-old ban on road collecting and adds a number of new requirements for the herping community.

House Bill 1788 provides for the issuance of a reptile and amphibian stamp by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for a cost of $10.00 per year. This stamp, when possessed in addition to a Texas Hunting License, will permit a person to collect reptiles and amphibians from the shoulders and unpaved portions of the rights-of-way in Texas. The use of traps is not permit- ted. The way House Bill 1788 reads, the reptile and amphibian stamp is not required to collect on private lands, but only along the shoulders and rights-of way. One must wear reflective clothing with at least 144 square inches of reflective material on both the front and back while collecting under the provisions of the reptile and amphibian stamp. This reflective clothing requirement ap- pears to apply to both nighttime and daytime herping activities, regardless of visibility or weather. While a person may collect specimens from the shoulder of a road or in the unpaved portion of the right-of-way, the reptile and amphibian stamp will not allow a person to collect an animal from the paved traffic lanes of any road. In addition, a person may not use artificial light from a motor vehicle to aid in locating or collecting a specimen. Based on the way the wording regarding artificial light was amended during the hearing process, we are of the opinion that TPWD will interpret it to SWCHR BULLETIN 4 Summer 2011 include seeing a snake in the headlights of one’s car and stopping to collect it. Shining a spotlight or a flashlight from a vehicle is also prohibited.

Basically, possessing a reptile and amphibian stamp in addition to a Texas hunting license will entitle a person to legally park their motor vehicle off the road and, while wearing the prescribed reflective clothing, to search for reptiles and amphibians along the shoulders of the road to include rock cuts located within the rights-of-way. Unfortunately, for the most part this type of collecting is only practical in certain area of west Texas. In many other areas of the state walking the rights- of-way, especially at night in areas where tall grass and weeds are prevalent, is neither a safe nor practical means of collecting.

Keep in mind that while this new law becomes effective on September 1, 2011, the law also gives the TPWD until March 1, 2011 to develop specific rules for enforcing this new law and for making the required stamp available. Since a person is required to possess the reptile and amphib- ian stamp along with a Texas hunting license, this seems to mean that technically it will still be illegal to collect along the shoulder of the road and in the unpaved right-of-way until TPWD makes such reptile and amphibian stamp available. As far as we have been able to determine there has not yet been any decision made by TPWD as to how the agency intends to deal with this new law in the interim. Our best advice for those who are so inclined to begin collecting along the shoulders and rights-of-way prior to the stamp becoming available is to contact the local game warden in the area and ask prior to engaging in such activity.

While House Bill 1788, as it was finally passed, is not an ideal or perfect piece of legislation, we do see it as being a starting point from which we can hopefully build during the next regular session of the Texas Legislature in 2013. We need to use this as an opportunity for improving and building a better relationship between the Texas herping community and the TPWD. SWCHR BULLETIN 5 Summer 2011

2011 Annual Field Meet

by Gerald Keown, June 20, 2011

Despite the extreme drought, massive wildfires and numerous cancellations, a handful of SWCHR members persevered and took part in this year’s annual field meet at the Gries Ranch located in northwestern Val Verde County Texas, June 4-7, 2011. While Gries Ranch itself suffered no direct fire damage, the Deaton-Cole wildfire burned approximately 180,000 acres of ranch land surrounding the Gries Ranch just a couple of weeks prior to our arrival. Drought conditions were extreme with the ranch receiving less than 1/2 inch of rain during the prior six months. Daytime temperatures at the ranch reached 100˚ F daily, with nighttime lows of approximately 80˚ F.

Gries Ranch Field Meet participants (L to R): Toby Brock, John Lassiter, Gerald Keown, Kevin Porteck, Alex Porteck. SWCHR BULLETIN 6 Summer 2011

Upon our arrival at the Ranch, other than the dead grass and the abundance of dying prickly pear cactus, one of our initial observations was the lack of any diurnal lizard activity, which had always been abundant during prior visits. While song birds and mammals were observed with some degree of regularity, there would only be a few reptile and amphibians observed during our four days at the Ranch.

The Red-spotted Toad (Anaxyrus punctatus) was one of three new species added to the Gries Ranch Checklist during the field meet. Photo by Gerald Keown.

Some of us had started a checklist of reptiles and amphibians found on the ranch in 2008 and despite the drought and other adverse conditions, we did manage to add three additional species to the Gries Ranch Checklist during the field meet. The new species observed this trip included the Red-spotted Toad (Anaxyrus punctatus), the non-native Mediterranean Gecko SWCHR BULLETIN 7 Summer 2011

(Hemidactylus turcicus), and a healthy population of Rio Grande Leopard Frogs (Lithobates berlandieri) inhabiting one of the Ranch’s water tanks. We were somewhat surprised to find the two amphibian species out and about in such hot and dry conditions.

Other species observed on the Ranch that we had previously recorded as being present included the Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus molossus), Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Texas Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus ornatus), and Round-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum).

This Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus molossus) found by Kevin and Alex Porteck appeared to be somewhat dehydrated and in need of a meal. Photo by Gerald Keown. SWCHR BULLETIN 8 Summer 2011

This is the only specimen of the Round-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum) that we observed. Previously they had been plentiful on the ranch. Photo by Gerald Keown.

On the last evening of our stay, Ranch owner George Gries had dinner with us at our cabin. We presented him with a Certificate of Appreciation for his cordial hospitality during our stay on the Ranch. George is herper-friendly and is always a great host.

SWCHR BULLETIN 9 Summer 2011

SWCHR Board Member Toby Brock (L) and Executive Director Gerald Keown (R) present ranch owner George Gries (center) with a Certificate of Appreciation. Photo by John Lassiter.

While this year’s field meet did not produce a great number of reptiles and amphibians, those of us who made the trip did manage to add a few new records to the Ranch’s checklist and enjoyed some great food and friendly camaraderie along with some interesting herp-related discussions.

Gries Ranch needs to be revisited once it has had an opportunity to recover from the fire damages and current drought conditions. SWCHR BULLETIN 10 Summer 2011

Captive Care of Fringe-toed Lizards, Uma spp. (Lacertilia: Phrynosomatidae)

Lou Hamby, January 25, 2008

General Information: Fringe-toed Sand Lizards are desert species that live on sand dunes primarily in California, extending into adjacent Arizona. They tolerate high heat with little rainfall. While mostly insectivorous, they also eat some vegetation. The species I have worked with are the Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard, Uma notata, and the Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard, Uma scoparia. The original parents were legally captured in the deserts of south San Diego County and the Mojave Desert.

These are medium-sized lizards, attaining a total length of approximately 9 inches for males, with females slightly shorter). They are known to be cannibalistic, and neonates or juveniles should never be mixed with adults. All lizards kept together should be the same size.

Fringe-toed lizards like to burrow into the loose sands of desert dunes, and one cannot miss the shape of the head and how it enables these lizards to literally can swim in loose sand. The fringes on the feet help with locomotion—these animals have blazing speed when warmed up—so be forewarned should one get away from you. Be ready to run full out if you wish to have any chance of recovering them if they are outside.

An attractive example of the Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard, Uma scoparia. Photograph by Lou Hamby. SWCHR BULLETIN 11 Summer 2011

Caging: For one lizard, I recommend an enclosure equivalent to a 20 long or 30 gallon tank. I prefer the height of the cage to be approximately 16 inches. Shorter cage sizes (13 inches tall) will work, but with the intensity of the UVB bulbs used today I recommend that a taller cage be used. A pair or trio should be kept in 50-gallon breeder size tank.

This nicely-colored female has autotomized her tail but had no problem producing eggs. Lou Hamby photo.

Lighting: I must impress upon you that lighting is very important to these lizards. Do not install one light bulb, such as a T-Rex or Zoomed Mercury vapor lamp for UVB and heat, and think this is going to be sufficient. The whole cage needs to be well-lit except the small area at the cool end. Failure to follow the lighting setup I outline below may negatively affect the health of your lizards.

Uma species come from areas with very high ambient temperatures, plus the desert dunes reflect the sun and make the dunes cook like a microwave. On a 100-degree Fahrenheit day, these lizards may be experiencing heat ranges at ground level as high as 140 degrees. I recommend the hot side of the enclosure to be 115-120 degrees (as a basking site) and the ambient air temperature SWCHR BULLETIN 12 Summer 2011 around 90 degrees, with the cool side no lower than 85 degrees. In order to achieve this gradient, I have used the following lighting set-up in a 50-gallon cage:

- A Zoomed 150-watt halogen bulb screwed into a ceramic-base brooder light holder rated at 250 watts. - Adjacent to this bulb, I include a 100-watt Zoomed incandescent standard basking bulb screwed into a ceramic based light holder, again rated at 250 watts. These holders can be purchased at home improvement stores or large department stores. I use a 10-inch holder for the halogen bulb, and an 8.5-inch holder for the incandescent bulb. - Along the front edge of the cage I also include a Zoomed 10.0 fluorescent bulb in a 24-inch, under-the-counter style light fixture for fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs have excellent UVB output and can provide proper amounts of UVB light out to 20 inches. Using caging roughly 17 inches tall, I have found these bulbs to work very well. In my experience, all egg deposition under this setup has been excellent, and all eggs hatched.

Lighting protocols for summer and winter: From March 15th to November 15th, I keep the lights on for approximately 12 hours a day. In the spring I usually keep them on for 10 hours, and in summer extend to 13 hours, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Around November 15th, I slowly start reducing the light and allowing the lizards to slow down and hibernate. Quit feeding your lizards as you reduce the lighting and let them fully digest their stomach contents as well.

During winter, I leave the 100-watt bulb on for 8 hours and leave the lizards in the garage, allowing the temperature to drop to ambient South Texas conditions. Every day the cage experiences some temperature fluctuation between night and day.

For hibernation, I recommend increasing the depth of the sand to 4-5 inches deep. Hibernating Uma can easily tolerate temperatures in the 50-degree range. I do not hibernate neonates.

Screen Top: I recommend half-inch galvanized screen top. I actually make my own, but I prefer not to use small-mesh screen because I can drop wax worms, freshly-shed meal worms, and other fare through the screen. Additionally, the artificial light permeates the wider mesh and duplicates more of a desert type sunlight effect as opposed to using finer mesh.

Water: These lizards drink very little water, I have some artificial plants in the cage to make it look more realistic, and I spray the plants liberally approximately once every two weeks so they are dripping. Occasionally the lizards will lap up the water. I have one lizard I have never seen drink. SWCHR BULLETIN 13 Summer 2011

Most of the moisture these lizards receive is from the insects and plant material they ingest.

Substrate and Cage Materials: The sand on the dunes where these lizards live is very fine, so I have been very successful in using home improvement store “play sand,” which comes in 50-pound bags. It is cheap and seems to work well. I recommend 3 to 4 inches of sand be put in the cage, washed and heat-treated to eliminate nematodes or other flora and fauna one might find in the sand aroundour y house.

In addition to the sand, I add several rocks, some flat, and some artificial plants that look like grass or desert weeds. You can use a hide box, or a few flat rocks, joined together with silicone so they make a little “home,” sunk into the sand. Even a small branch in the cage that isn’t very high— anchored in the substrate and arching across the cage—is not a bad idea. Uma seem to like to sit on a higher spot, whether that be a rock or a branch.

A pair of captive fringe-toed lizards mating. Captive specimens of Uma scoparia and U. notata do not appear to hybridize even when housed together. Photo by Randy Cordero. SWCHR BULLETIN 14 Summer 2011

Feeding: Uma are primarily insectivores and eat a variety of insects (but also eat other lizards). I have fed these lizards very successfully using wax worms, small king meal worms, 3/8”-size crickets, meal worms (especially freshly shed), moths, and roaches. I have also observed them eating kale and other greens. I have some lizards that have never eaten any vegetation for me, while my colleague has several lizards that do eat kale.... you’ll have to experiment.

As a side note, these lizards will also eat red (harvester) ants, but I don’t usually feed them ants. However, they are very good at picking them off and do seem to like them occasionally. It is best to place the ants in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so they slow down, and then put a few at a time in the cage. I don’t believe ants are necessary for a healthy lizard.

Additionally, I have dropped parakeet birdseed into the enclosure and had several lizards eat the seeds. I did this as an experiment, as other desert lizards have been known to eat seeds. I give the lizards just a little dime-size amount of seeds about once a month or so. Many times they ignore it; other times they eat it and seem to relish it. You can give it a try, but just be sure it is bird seed intended for parakeets, and doesn’t have any other seeds in it such as sunflower seeds.

Supplementation: I use vitamin D-3 powder for adults once a week; twice a week for neonates.

Sexual Identification: Sex can be easily determined by the male’s enlarged postanal scales, as well as the pronounced femoral pores. Females do not have postanal scales, and femoral pore secretion in females is seemingly absent.

Breeding: These lizards are prolific breeders compared to other desert species. Females lay eggs throughout the spring and summer, and into the fall. They usually lay 3 to 4 at a time, spaced out at about 15-20 days between clutches. This means as many as 4 or more clutches may be obtained from healthy lizards each season; this is normal for these lizards. While in my care, I have observed sexual activity and egg deposition at 5 months of age. I believe this to be unhealthy; I would wait to breed them until they have reached full maturity. Be careful if this is a concern and do not mix young adults that are still somewhat immature. Uma notata and Uma scoparia see each other as separate and distinct from one another and will not hybridize.

Egg Deposition: Gravid females develop a reddish or orange hue and of course grow wider and put on weight. I select an area of the enclosure close to the edge of the 100-watt light’s coverage and pile SWCHR BULLETIN 15 Summer 2011

up the soil and dampen it so it is moist (but not soupy or wet), and cover it with a large flat rock. The female digs under it and lays her eggs there.

My colleague and I have experienced younger females laying their eggs on the top of the soil and not digging a burrow and depositing the eggs, so you must be careful and keep an eye on young females, or they will lay near or under the light and the eggs will dry up and not be viable.

Incubation Protocol: The eggs are rather large for such a small lizard. After eggs are laid, they are removed from the cage very delicately with a spoon, keeping the same orientation as the egg was laid (same side up) as best as possible. A mixture of vermiculite to water is used, 175 grams to 175 grams (1:1 ratio) and put into a plastic container. I line the bottom of the container with a 1/4-inch layer of red crushed volcanic rock—very damp and patted dry with a paper towel—and then the vermiculite mixture is added over this. The preferred vermiculite grade is medium-coarse or coarse.

Freshly-hatched fringe-toed lizards. Neonates may not eat for several days but will then readily accept appropriately- sized crickets and waxworms. Photo by Lou Hamby. SWCHR BULLETIN 16 Summer 2011

The container is then put into an incubator set at 86 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit (I prefer 88 degrees). The lid is uncapped every day for a few minutes, the eggs are fanned, and the top is then reapplied. At 56 to 60 days, you should get hatchlings. Often the eggs will start sweating just before hatching. This is commonly seen in my collared lizard eggs and other species as well.

From the moment the eggs hatch the lizards are ready to go. They usually do not eat for 2 to 4 days, so don’t be concerned if they don’t eat right away. Use 1/8” crickets and small wax worms for neonates.

[Editor’s Note: the species depicted on the cover, Uma inornata, is a California protected species. Please research applicable laws before collecting or purchasing Uma spp.]

Uma hatching after incubating 50-60 days. Photo by Lou Hamby. SWCHR BULLETIN 17 Summer 2011

The Imperiled Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, Sceloporus arenicolus (Lacertilia: Phrynosomatidae)

by Mark Salvo, June 3, 2011

The Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) is a small, light brown, diurnal, terrestrial reptile endemic to active and semi-stable shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) sand dunes in southeastern New Mexico and adjacent areas in western Texas. The lizard, formerly known as the “sand dune lizard,” was originally identified as a subspecies of Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus) (Painter et al. 1999). It was subsequently recognized as a full species in 1992 (Smith et al. 1992) based on distinctive genetic and morphological characteristics (Wiens and Reeder 1997).

The Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, Sceloporus arenicolus. Photo courtesy WildEarth Guardians; used with permission. SWCHR BULLETIN 18 Summer 2011

This lizard has specific habitat requirements, right down to the size of the sand grains in its shinnery oak dune environs (medium-sized, not too coarse or too fine) (Fitzgerald et al. 1997). The species uses dune blowouts with vegetated edges for foraging, thermoregulation and cover from predators (Painter et al. 1999). The lizard is active between March and October, and is dormant underground during colder winter months (75 Fed. Reg. 77803). It consumes ants, small beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, and spiders. Females lay 1-2 clutches of eggs, with 3-6 eggs per clutch. Hatchlings appear between July and September (75 Fed. Reg. 77803). The species lives 1-2 years.

The Dunes Sagebrush Lizard has the second smallest range of any lizard native to North America (Painter et al. 1999). The species distribution is limited to a narrow band of habitat ex- tending from northeastern Chaves County, Roosevelt County, through eastern Eddy and southern Lea counties in New Mexico (Fitzgerald et al. 1997), and including small parts of Gaines, Ward, Winkler and Andrews counties in Texas (Laurencio et al. 2007). Most of the lizard’s range is in New Mexico, where populations are scattered across approximately 655 square miles (600,000 acres), mostly on federal and state lands (Painter et al. 1999).

Dunes Sagebrush Lizards have suffered habitat loss and degradation from oil and gas drill- ing, off-road vehicle use, removal of shinnery oak and application of herbicides (Painter et al. 1999; 75 Fed. Reg. 77805-77810). The species’ range has been reduced by at least 40 percent since 1982 (75 Fed. Reg. 77803). Oil and gas development is a primary threat to the lizard, and more than 4000 wells have been drilled in lizard habitat (WildEarth Guardians data). A single well may re- duce a population by up to 50 percent in an area extending 253 meters around the well (50,152 sq. meters/12.3 acres) (Sias and Snell 1998). Densities of 30 wells per square mile may reduce lizard populations by 50 percent, and 15 wells per square mile could reduce populations 25 percent (Sias and Snell 1998). Disturbance from exploration, drilling and operations, leaking pipelines, and high concentrations of toxic hydrogen sulfide gas around wells negatively affect the species (75 Fed. Reg. 77805-77807, 77811).

The continued loss of shinnery oak habitat has imperiled the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard. Liz- ards disappeared from 24 percent of sites surveyed between 1997-2010 in New Mexico (75 Fed. Reg. 77804). In Texas, Dunes Sagebrush Lizards no longer occupy 86 percent of historically occu- pied sites (Laurencio et al. 2007). Scientists warned 14 years ago that remaining populations of the lizard may have declined to the point that no management strategy may be able to save the species from extinction (Snell et al. 1997).

The Fish and Wildlife Service identified the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as a candidate for pro- tection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2001. The agency received a petition to list the species as “endangered” in 2002, and a second petition to emergency list the lizard in 2008. The Service finally proposed to list the lizard as “endangered” under the ESA in December 2010 (75 Fed. Reg. 77801). The agency is currently engaged in a 12-month process to determine whether SWCHR BULLETIN 19 Summer 2011 to formally list the species under the Act. New Mexico designated the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as “endangered” under the state Wildlife Conservation Act (NM ST §§ 17-2-37 – 46). The state of Texas has not protected the species under state law (75 Fed. Reg. 77811).

Literature Cited

Fitzgerald, L. A., C. W. Painter, D. S. Sias, H. L. Snell. 1997. The range, distribution and habitat of Sceloporus arenicolus in New Mexico. Final report to New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (Contract #80-516.6-01).

Laurencio, D., L. R. Laurencio, L. A. Fitzgerald. 2007. Geographic distribution and habitat suitabil- ity of the sand dune lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) in Texas. Final report, Texas Coop. Wildlife Collec- tions. Texas A&M University, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. (Sept. 30, 2007)

Painter, C. W., D. S. Sias, L. E. Fitzgerald, L. L. S. Pierce, H. L. Snell. 1999. Management plan for the sand dune lizard, Sceloporus arenicolus, in New Mexico. Project E-19-7. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. (June 15, 1999).

Sias, D. S., and H. L. Snell. 1998. The sand dune lizard Sceloporus arenicolus and oil and gas develop- ment in southeastern New Mexico. Final report of field studies 1995-1997, New Mexico Depart- ment of Game and Fish (Contract #80-516.6-01).

Smith, H. M., E. L. Bell, J. S. Applegarth, D. Chiszar. 1992. Adaptive convergence in the lizard su- perspecies, Sceloporus undulatus. Bull. Maryland Herpetol. Soc’y 28(4): 123-149.

Wiens, J. J. and T. W. Reeder. 1997. Phylogeny of the spiny lizards (Sceloporus) based on molecular and morphological evidence. Herpetol. Monographs 11: 1-101. SWCHR BULLETIN 20 Summer 2011

April 2011 Photo of the Month

Matt Hollanders of Houston, Texas photographed this beautiful Speckled Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula holbrooki) while field herping in Brazoria County, Texas. SWCHR BULLETIN 21 Summer 2011

May 2011 Photo of the Month

William Wells of Surprise, Arizona photographed this atypical Regal Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus regalis) while herping in Yavapai County, Arizona. This specimen is missing the orange or yellow neck collar that normally marks this species. SWCHR BULLETIN 22 Summer 2011

June 2011 Photo of the Month

William Wells of Surprise, Arizona captured this photograph of a female Elegant Earless Lizard (Holbrookia elegans thermophila) while field herping in the Santa Rita Mountains of southeastern Arizona. SWCHR BULLETIN 23 Summer 2011

In Memory of William E. “Bill” Haast, 1910 - 2011

William E. “Bill” Haast passed away of natural causes at his home in Punta Gorda, Florida on the evening of Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at the age of 100. Bill was a legend in the herpetological community and was best known for his life-long work in collecting snake venom for toxicological research and for his experiments in self-immunization.

In recognition of his efforts, Mr. Haast was made the first Honorary Life Member of the SWCHR on the occasion of his 100th birthday on December 30th, 2010. SWCHR has been grateful and elated to count Bill as family during the brief time that we had with him. The Board of Directors and members of SWCHR extend our condolences to Bill’s wife, Nancy, other family members and his friends.

Bill Haast milking the venom from a coral snake (Micrurus fulvius). Photo courtesy of Calusa Herpetological Society of Southwest Florida; used with permission. SWCHR BULLETIN 24 Summer 2011

A CALL FOR PAPERS Are you a field herpetologist or a herpetoculturist working with species native to the American Southwest? Do you have a paper or an article you have written for which you would like to find a permanent repository? Want to be assured you will always be able to share it with the world? Submit it to the SWCHR Bulletin for possible publication. Submitted manuscripts from SWCHR members, as well as non-members, will be considered.

To be accepted for publication, submissions must deal with herpetological species native to the American Southwest. Such topics as field notes, county checklists, range extensions, taxonomy, reproduction and breeding, diseases, snake bite and venom research, captive breeding and maintenance, conservation issues, legal issues, etc. are all acceptable. For assistance with formatting manuscripts, search ‘scientific journal article format’ on the Internet and tailor the resultant guidance to suit.

Previously published articles or papers are acceptable, provided you still hold the copyright to the work and have the right to re-publish it. If we accept your paper or article for publication, you will still continue to be the copyright holder. If your submission has been previously published, please provide the name of the publication in which it appeared along with the date of publication. All submissions should be manually proofed in addition to being spell checked and should be submitted by email as either Microsoft Word or text documents. Send submissions to [email protected].

This Sonoran Whipsnake (Masticophis bilineatus) was found in Cochise County, Arizona by William Wells. Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research Code of Ethics

As a member of the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research, I subscribe to the Association’s Code of Ethics.

Field activities should limit the impact on natural habitats, replacing all cover objects, not tearing apart rocks or logs and refraining from the use of gasoline or other toxic materials.

Catch and release coupled with photography and the limited take of non-protected species for personal study or breeding use is permitted. The commercial take and sale of wild- caught animals is not acceptable.

Collecting practices should respect landowner rights, including but not limited to securing permission for land entry and the packing out of all personal trash.

Captive-breeding efforts are recognized as a valid means of potentially reducing collection pressures on wild populations and are encouraged.

The release of captive animals including captive-bred animals into the wild is discouraged except under the supervision of trained professionals and in accordance with an accepted species preservation or restocking plan.

The disclosure of exact locality information on public internet forums is discouraged in most circumstances. Locality information posted on public internet forums usually should be restricted to providing the name of the county where the animal was found. When specific locality data is provided to one in confidence, it should be kept in confidence and should not be abused or shared with others without explicit permission.

Other members of the Association are always to be treated cordially and in a respectful manner.

SWCHR PO BOX 624 SEGUIN TX 78156