BULLETIN No. 82 VIRGINIA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY
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VIRGINIA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN No. 82 Ifeirch-April 1977 DISTRIBUTION NOTES ON THE YONAHLOSSEE SALAMANDER IN _ S OUTIFWES TERN_ VIRGINIA _ by (Dr.) Douglas W. Ogle** Virginia Highlands Commun A range extension for the ity College, Abingdon,VA der Rhododendron along an Yonahloss.ee salamander old logging road at an (Plethodon yonahlossee) E. elevation of 2,760 ’ (650m), of the New River drainage I often turned over rocks and, as Hoffman (1967) in PULASKI County, VA, is and logs to look for stated, no other species cited. This locality is salamanders. In several were seen at this time. the northernmost for the places along the top of species and adds a new the escarpment, from The fo llo w in g day I found county to the Virginia Fisher’s Peak northeast a specimen at 1,720 ft. records. The collection to Fancy Gap, I found the (530 m), on an old access and dispersal of this slimy salamander (P. glu- road below Rich Mountain salamander along the tinosus) and an occasion and an extremely large southern Elue Ridge al red-spotted newt (Not- adult just northeast of escarpment in CARROLL Co. ophthalmus viridescens), lambsburg, VA, near the VA, is described and b u t nothing e ls e . However, base of the escarpment. related to earlier texts. as I started going to These results would seem lower elevations, I began to indicate that further to find specimens of P. collection along the es The d is tr ib u tio n o f the yonahlossee. At the base carpment in CARROLL and Yonahlossee salamander of the escarpment, in PATRICK Counties should (P. yonahlossee),general- identical habitats, produce more specimens. ly considered somewhat s e v e ra l sp ecies of Desmo- restricted in range, has gnathus were . found. On October 3, 1976, on a been summarized for Vir collecting trip with C.E. ginia by Hoffman (1967), During the last week of Stevens, I again found and discussed in detail July, on a damp foggy yonahlossee under a log by HIghton (1971). Two night between 10 and 11, In colluvial soil (con new lo c a l i t i e s w ill p ro I collected two adult and sisting of washout, rock, vide additional infor four juvenile specimens and cliff debris, —the mation about the range of yonahlossee below Rich material of avalanches) and natural history of Mountain near the end of at the base of Brannon’s this organism. County Rfce. J l6 . The Knob, PULASKI County, VA, specimens were given to at 2,570 feet (792 m.) In summer 1975> w hile Dr. Eugene Gourley* at (lack’s Mountain Quadr collecting plants in the Radford College, VA. At a angle, USGS 15' series, Fisher’s Peak area of later date, typical speci 1965)• This locality, CARROLL County, VA (Lambs- mens were c o lle c te d and 1.3 mi. (3 km.) NE of the burg Quadrangle, U.S.G.S. sent to the National CARROLL County station 7.5’ series, 1965), Museum of Natural History reported by Hoffman (1967) (Smithsonian Institution) is important in several * VaHS member Washington, D.C. (USNM- respects. Adding a new 202,724-725). All the county to the Virginia **VaHS D ire c to r specimens were taken un- records, the site is the - 1 - VaHS BULLETIN No. 82 M arch-A pril 1977 Yonahlossee Salamander in Southwestern Virginia (continued) northernmost for the there does seem to be a References; species, and establishes correlation between popu yonahlossee northeast of lation density and Conant, R ., 1975* A F ie ld Big Reed Island Creek elevation; i.e., above Guide to Reptiles and Am into the lack's Mountain sea le v e l. phibians of Eastern and area. The topography is Central North America, 2d such that further collec It would be very inter edition. Houghton M ifflin tion around lack's Creek esting to learn what Company, Boston, MA. or Big Laurel Creek might effects the environment f u r th e r extend th e known and competition have on Highton, R., 1971. Dis range of this lovely limiting the distribution tributional Interactions anim al. of P. yonahlossee, espe Among Eastern North Amer cially in the fringe ican Salamanders of the When compared to pub habitats of the Blue Genus Plethodon, pp. 139- lished information on the Ridge Mountains. 188. IN P.C. Holt (Ed.) species, these results The D istrib u tio n al H isto ry provide interesting data. (Dr.) Douglas W. Ogle ** of the Biota of the South All specimens were taken Biology Department ern Appalachians, Part III more than 100 ft. (30 m.) Virginia Highlands Com Division Monograph #4,VPI from streams as mentioned munity College & SU, Blacksburg, VA. in Pope (1950)• Although P.0. Box # 828 the species has been re Abingdon, VA 24210 Hoffman, R.L., 1967* Dis ported from elevations tributional Records for varying from 1,500 ft. or Three Species of Pletho 457 8u (Newman 1954 )> to don in V irg in ia . The 5,700 ft. (1,737 m.) Radford Review, Vol.21, (Conant, 1975), the In- No. 3 } PP- 206-209. dividuals collected and observed were taken from Newman, W. B ., 1954. A lower elevations (none New Plethodontid Salaman above 2,800 ft. (854 m.) der from Southwestern Vir and no hybrid material ginia . Herpetologica, was detected. This seems Vol. 10, ~ppT 9-l4. to substantiate Highton (1971) in that the popu Pope, C.H., 1950. A Sta lations at the fringe of tistical and Ecological the range seem to occur Study of the Salamander at lower elevations than Plethodon yonahlossee. those toward the center. Bulletin of the Chicago The c o lle c tio n s are Academy of S cience, unusual in some a sp e c ts, Vol. 9, pp. 79-106. too. More yonahlossee were taken than glutino- sus, and although on Rich Mountain the range of the two species overlap, '------- - 2 - t VaHS BULLETIN No. 82 March-April 1977 MANY COLLECTION RECORDS OF VIRGINIA HERPETILES IN During 1978-1977> VaHS response from many major production of the VaHS received a large number scientific institutions BULLETIN. This is more a of records of amphibian in the eastern and cen tribute to the volume of and reptilian specimens tral United States. These material than to the time collected in VA over the include natural history spent on the map posting. past 100 years. Much museums sponsored by a of the credit should gp to municipality or a sizable Individual contributions Joseph C. Mitchell^ VaHS university. Placing all of data with VaHS collec member; and coordinator of these data on the VaHS ting data slips completed of the nev phenology pro Survey maps is taking all for specimens w ill be put gram. He has succeeded in of the spare time of the on the large VaHS Survey soliciting a magnificent editor not devoted to the maps during th e o p e ra tio n . NOTICE OF- PUBLICATION During 1977, VaHS w ill be "adopt-a-county" programs if the species is a rare publishing a completely for clearing up some of one for which there are revised compilation of the zoogeographic puzzles few records. Take safety maps. These w ill be less of which we have more precautions on the road than 8^" X 11" versions than our share in VA. during such salvage oper o f th e VA. HERPETOLOGICAL ations . If in Federal SURVEY maps, but based on REPTILES and AMPHIBIANS parks, such as the Sky those permanent records. are not limited by strict line Drive or Blue Ridge political boundaries, but Parkway, collecting isn’t These maps w ill show what we find it convenient tc permitted under ANY cir records exist; species by inch up on the tremendous cumstances without a NPS species, for all of Vir size of the state through Collecting Permit. Bring ginia. All records will a county-by-county survey. such salvagable specimens be based (l) on actual to the attention of a NPS specimens in major col Distribution of species ranger or Park Naturalist. lections across the U.S. is controlled more by the and (2) by photographic availability of suitable Use the VaHS C o llectin g record (usually 2" X 2" h a b i t a t . Data Slips. A specimen color slides of captured without adequate data is' and released specimens.) SALVAGE PROGRAM: also without value. Data The latter are largely a should be f i l l e d out when way o f " f i l l i n g in " la rg e fthny specimens, particu still in the field—don’t gaps in distribution with larly reptiles, can be depend upon your memory.’ in th e known range o f th e collected as road kills. For specimens reported Virginian (indigenous or If the specimen was not through the VaHS system native)- varieties . (See destroyed (i.e., if the the collector(s) will be VaHS BULLETIN No. 8o) species is recognizable), credited by notes in the the specimen should find VaHS BULLETIN and e n try We hope this w ill give a its way into a suitable in the records of the VA boost to the "adopt-a- scientific collection. It Herpetological Survey vol species" and revive the is especially recommended umes-- a permanent record. - 3 - I VaHS BULLETIN No. 82 March-April 1977 VaHS LENDS ENCOURAGEMENT GAP IN VA RANGE OF SMOOTH TO NATURAL HISTORY OBSER (See Camp M itc h ell, YCC, EARTH SNAKE TO BE FILLED? VATIONS AT VA YCC CAMPS Report — on page five.) A specimen of the eastern smooth earth snake (Vir Some excellent environ an unexpected reptilian ginia valeriae valeriae), mental programs were con or amphibian variety does has been recorded for ducted at the Youth Con o ccu r.