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The Herpetology of Mount Desert Island, Maine

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The Herpetology of Mount Desert Island, Maine THE HERPETOLOGY OF MOUNT DESERT ISLAND, MAINE. Research Report of R. H. Manville, Ranger-llaturalist Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine * * * During July and August, 1938, investigations were made of the Amphibians and Reptiles native to Mount Desert Island, Maine. Eight field trips were taken, and various other observations made from time to time. These reoords have been incorporated with reports of other persons acquainted with the island, with the few scattered references in the literature, and with the specimens in the collection of the Nature Department of Acadia National Park. The Amphibiansaand Reptiles whose ranges include Mount Desert Island number 32 ~pecies. Only 21 species, however, have been recorded, and a few of these are doub~ul. Probably the isolated nature of the island and its climate, conditioned by the proximity to the ocean, are important factors in limiting this fauna. The following check-list is intended ton~erve merely as an indication of what might be expected. Those species marked with an asterisk (*) have so far not been recorded from the island. Caudata (Salamanders) Pleurodelidae - Newts. Triturus v. viridescens (Rafinesque), Newt or Red Eft. Ambystomidae - Mole Salamanders. Ambystoma. maculatum (Shaw), Spotted Salamander. * Ambystoma jeffersonianum (Green), Jefferson's Salamander. Plethodontidae - Lungless Salamanders. Desmognathus f. fuscus (Rafinesque), Dusky Sal~~nder. Plethodon cinereus (Green), Red-backed Salamander. * Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus (Green), Purple Salamander. Eurycea b. bislineata (Green), Two-lined Salamander. Salientia (Frogs and Toads) Bufonidae - Toads. Bufo americanus Holbrook, Cammon or American Toad. * Bufo ~owleri Garman, Fowler's or Little Toad. Ranidae - Frogs. Rana pipiens Schreber, Leopard or Common Frog. Rana palustris LeConte, Pickerel Frog. Rana sylvatica LeConte, Wood Frog. Rana clamitans Latreille, Green or Spring Frog. * Rana septentrionalis Baird, Mink Frog. Rana catesbiana shaw, Bullfrog. 2. Salientia (oontinued) Hylidae - Tree Frogs. Hyla oruoifer Wied, Spring Peeper. Hyla ~. versioolor (LeConte), Tree or Rain Toad. Testudinata (Turtles) Dermoohelidae - Leathery Turtles. Dermoohells ooriaoea (Linne), Leather-back Turtle. Chelydridae - Snapping Turtles. Chelydra serpentina(Linne), Snapping Turtle. Kinosternidae - Musk Turtles. Sternotherus odoratus (Latreille), Musk Turtle. Testudinidae - Pond and Land Turtles. * Terrapene o. oarolina (Linne), Box Tortoise. * Chrysemys p. piota (Schneider), Painted Turt:Le. * Clemmys guttata (Schneider), Spotted Turtle. * Clemmys insoulpta (LeConte), Wood Tortoise. Serpentes (Snakes) Colubridae. Diadophis punctatus edwardsii (Merrem), Ring-neok Snake. Liopeltis vernalis (Harlan), Smooth Green Snake. * Coluber o. oonstriotor (Linne), Blaok Snake. Le.mpropeltis t. triangulum (Lacepede), Milk Snake. * Storeria dekayi (Holbrook), DeKay's Snake. Storeria oocipito-maoulato (Storer), Red-bellied Snake. * Thamnophis s. sauritus (Linne), Ribbon Snake. Thamnophis 5, sirtalis (Linne), Garter Snake. It is hoped that the following key, adapted largely from MaoCoy (1931), will serve to separate the speoies of adult Amphibians and Reptiles so far reoorded from Mount Desert Island. 3 • .i I ! KEY FOR TEE IDENTIFICATION OF ADULT AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF MOUNT DESERT ISLA.ND" MATh1E (after MacCoy, 1931) 1. Scales absent; claws absent; skin smooth or warty, usually moist •••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• .AIn.phib ia. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2. -1. Scales or shell present; limbs present or absent; claws present on digits ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Reptilia ••••••••••••••••• 14. 2. Tail present; fore and hind limbs about same size; no external gills; 5 toes on all feet ••••••••••••••••••• Caudata •••••••••••••••••• 3. 2. Tail absent; hind limbs much larger than fore limbs ••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Salientia •••••••••••••••• 7. 3. Naso-labial groove present •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4. 3. Nasa-labial groove absent ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 6. 4. Tongue free in front, attached only by central stalk; tail longer than head and body; costal grooves 14 or 15 •••••••• Eurycea b. bislineata. 4. Tongue attached in front ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••7 ......... 5. 5. A light line from eye to angle of jaw; lower jaw immovable, mouth opened by lifting head •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Desmognathus f. fuscus. 5. No light line from eye to angle of jaw; lower jaw movable; costal grooves 19 to 20 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Plethodon cinereus. 6. Costal grooves present; 2 rows of large yellow spots on back •••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• .AIn.bystoma maculatum. 6. Costal grooves absent; small red spots edged with black on the sides •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Triturus v. viridescens. 7. Parotid glands present; pupils horizontal; maxi11aries without teeth; usually spotted with black below •••••••••••••••••• Bufo americanus. 7. Parotid glands absent •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••:::: ••••••••• 8. 8. Adhesive disks at tips of digits; toes webbed only at base ••••••••••••• 9. 8. No adhesive disks at tips of digits; toes webbed nearly to tips ••••••• 10. 9. Skin of back smooth and with a dark X-shaped mark; no w11ite spot under eye •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Hyla cruoifer. 9. Skin of back with scattered warts and irregular dark markings; a white spot under eye •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Hyla~. versicolor. 10. Dorso-lateral fold absent or indistinct; dorsal surface of unifor.m color or with small indistinct spots; underparts white ••• Rana catesbiana. 10. A distinct dorso-lateral fold present; dorsal surface with-or- without large dark spots •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 11. 11. Back with large dark spots •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 12. 11. Back without large dark spots ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 13. 12. Spots on back roundish or ellipsoidal, usually bordered with light; concealed surfaces of thighs white •••••••••••••••••••••••••• Rana pipiens. 12. Spots on back squarish, not bordered with light; concealed sUr£aCes of thighs orange or yellow •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ~ palustris. 4. 13. A black cheek patoh; color grayish-brown or reddish-brown •••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Rana sylvatica. 13. No black cheek patch; color greenish ••••••••••••••••••• Rena cl~itans. 14. Body enclosed between bony plates; limbs present ••• Testudinata •••• 15. 14. Body covered with scales; limbs absent ••••••••••••• Serpentes •••••• 17. 15. Limbs paddle-shaped; digits flattened, elongated and bound immovably together; feet without scales; carapace with longi- tudinal ridges separated by deep grooves ••••••••• Dermochelys coriacea. 15. Limbs not paddle-sl~ped; digits capable of independent movement •••• 16. 16. Tail long and strong; plastron narrow; carapace highest in front; head large; plastron with 9 plates •••••••••••••••• Che1ydra serpentina. 16. Tail short; plastron broad; carapace highest behind the middle; plastron with 11 plates ••••••••••••••••••••••••• Sternotherus odoratus. 17. Scales keeled •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 18. 17. Soales smooth •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 19. 18. Anal plate undivided; dark brown or black above, with 3 light stripes •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Thamnophis s. sirta1is. 18. Anal plate divided; brown above, belly vivid red •••••••••••~ ••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Storeria occipito-macu1ato. 19. Anal plate undivided; brown or red, black-bordered spots above; belly checkered black and white •••••••••••• Lampropeltis t. triangulum. 19. Anal plate divided; snake not colored so •••••••••••••••••~ ••••••••• 20. 20. Green above; white or yellowish beneath •••••••••••• Liopeltis vernalis. 20. Black or dark gray above; belly orange-yellow; a light ring around neck ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Diadophis punctatus edvmrdsii. 5. Observations and oolleotions mentioned in this report were made by the follOTnng persons: ABB A. Edmund Brower, Entomologist, Maine Forest Servioe. AS Arthur Stupka, Park Naturalist, Aoadia National Park. BR Ben Hasson, C.C.C. Assistant. ES Edith Sullivan, wife of Maurice Sullivan (below). HOS Helen O. Sleigh, Teohnioian for Dr. S. J. G. Nowak. JHP John H. Pierce, Ranger-naturalist. LF Louis Fowler, Ranger. las M. L. Branin, Ranger-naturalist. W£ Maurice Sullivan, Park Naturalist, Acadia National Park. PGF Paul G. Favour, Jr., Ranger-naturalist. ED Reginald Dunham, Janitor, Y.V{.C.A. REM Richard H. Manville, Ranger-naturalist. RL Ralph Lewis, N.P.S. Field Museum Curator. TS Theodore Savich, Ranger. VL Vernon Lunt, C.C.C. Foreman. DISCUSSION OF SPECIES Triturus viridescens viridescens (Rafinesque). Common Nev~, Ebbet or Red Eft. Olive green or reddish above with lateral rows of scarlet spots, each surrounded by black ring; lemon yellow below, with small black dots. Length 3.5 inches. In ponds, from which it migrates for breeding. The Red Eft or Ebbet is the terrestrial larval stage; smaller and bright vermilion-red, with skin rougher. Found in same region but away from water, under logs and stones, and coming out after rain. Specimens: URO-3 Champlain Mountain, in woods. June 15, 1934. AS URO-IO The Tarn. October 2, 1934. VL URO-13 ~ mile south of Tarn. October 27, 1934. VL Observations:
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