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Herpetological Diversity of Stemler Cave Nature Preserve, St. Clair County, Illinois

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Herpetological Diversity of Stemler Cave Nature Preserve, St. Clair County, Illinois Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science received 1/9/16 (2016) Volume 109, pp. 19-23 accepted 2/19/16 Herpetological Diversity of Stemler Cave Nature Preserve, St. Clair County, Illinois Robert G. Weck Southwestern Illinois College, 2500 Carlyle Ave, Belleville IL 62221 [email protected] ABSTRACT Stemler Cave is a biologically diverse ecosystem located in southwestern St. Clair County, IL. The primary entrance to the cave and the surrounding wooded sinkhole is a dedicated Illinois nature preserve. Here I report the results of ten years of observations on the herpeto- logical diversity of Stemler Cave Nature Preserve, which include 26 species of amphibians and reptiles. Seventeen species were recorded from the entrance or interior of the cave. The most diverse group were frogs and toads with 11 documented species. Two salamander species, four turtle species, one lizard species, and eight species of snakes were recorded in Stemler Cave Nature Preserve. INTRODUCTION Figure 1. Topographic map showing Stemler Cave Nature Preserve (SCNP) is a the Stemler Karst Natural Area (black privately-owned, dedicated Illinois nature boundary), which is defined by the wa- preserve in southwestern St. Clair County. tershed boundary of Stemler Cave. The Located in the larger Stemler Karst Illinois location of Stemler Cave Nature Preserve Natural Areas Inventory site (Figure 1) of is indicated by the black square. Inset southwestern Illinois, the preserve consists aerial photo shows the preserve bound- of an approximately 0.35 ha steep-sided ary in black. The wooded area south of wooded sinkhole that includes the prima- SCNP is Stemler Cave Woods Nature ry entrance to Stemler Cave and a short Preserve. The lower left inset map of Il- section of the cave passage (Figure 2). The linois indicates the location of the region cave passage sumps immediately upstream with a star. Base map by ESRI. of the entrance but air-filled passage con- tinues downstream (north) for about 2 km before it again becomes impassable to hu- mans. Several biological surveys of Stem- ler Cave have been conducted, primarily focused on the invertebrate fauna (Peck and Lewis 1978; Webb et al. 1993; Lewis et al. 2003; Soto-Adames and Taylor 2010). Approximately 50 invertebrate species are known from the cave, including the state endangered Enigmatic Cavesnail (Fonti- gens antroecetes) and the federally endan- gered Illinois Cave Amphipod (Gammarus acherondytes). The herpetological record for Stemler Cave includes only two taxa of amphibians, Eurycea sp. and Rana (Litho- bates) sp. (Webb et al. 1993), and no records are known for the sinkhole portion of the preserve. The purpose of this study is to present a more complete list of amphibians and reptiles from both the surface and sub- Figure 2. Cross section of Stemler Cave Nature Preserve, facing west. Surveyed by Derik terranean portions of SCNP based on 10 Holtmann, Dan Lamping and Joe Sikorski, Illinois Speleological Survey. Drawn by Dan years of observations. Lamping. METHODS An informal visual survey of the amphib- jacent to the site, thus I had the potential were recorded on 41 different dates during ians and reptiles of SCNP was conducted to actively search for and opportunistically the study period. Observations on 20 dates between 10 April 2004 and 28 September observe organisms on an almost daily basis were made during the process of entering 2013. I am the owner of SCNP and live ad- for 10 years. Herpetological observations or leaving the property or on short excur- Herpetological Diversity of Stemler Cave Nature Preserve, St. Clair County, Illinois 20 Robert G. Weck sions while engaged in unrelated outdoor activities on site. Subterranean observa- tions were made on 21 dates, mostly during Table 1. Amphibian and reptile species observed in Stemler Cave Nature Preserve, St. field work to study the Enigmatic Cavesnail Clair County, IL between 10 April 2004 and 28 September 2013. in Stemler Cave, and during survey work Species Cave Entrance Cave Interior Wooded Sinkhole Perimeter Area with the Illinois Speleological Survey to Blanchard’s Cricket Frog X X X American Toad X X X X map Stemler Cave. Specimens observed Fowler’s Toad X within an approximately 10 meter wide Gray Treefrog complex X X X area outside of the preserve (perimeter) and Plains Leopard Frog X X X X in-cave sections downstream of the sub- American Bullfrog X X X X terranean portions of the nature preserve Pickerel Frog X X X X Southern Leopard Frog X X X boundary were included. Common and Spring Peeper X X X X scientific names of amphibians and reptiles Western Chorus Frog X X follow Crother (2012). Voucher specimens Eastern Spadefoot X X X for select species are housed in the Illinois Long-tailed Salamander X X X Northern Slimy Salamander X X Natural History Survey (INHS) collection. Copperhead X X North American Racer X X RESULTS Milksnake X Twenty-six species of amphibians and rep- Common Watersnake X tiles were observed in SCNP. Table 1 lists Rough Greensnake X Western Ratsnake X X X each species by common name and indi- Dekay’s Brownsnake X cates whether it was observed within the Common Gartersnake X X X cave entrance, cave interior, wooded sink- Broad-headed Skink X X hole portion of the preserve or within the Painted Turtle X X Common Snapping Turtle X perimeter area. Seventeen species were Eastern Box Turtle X X recorded from the entrance or interior of Pond Slider X the cave. Five species were observed only in Total (26) 14 11 13 24 the perimeter area. The most diverse group were frogs and toads with 11 document- ed species. Two salamander species, four occasionally seen at the bottom of the cave are associated with caves in western Illi- turtle species, one lizard species and eight entrance. Males were heard calling within nois and throughout the Ozarks ecoregion species of snakes were recorded in SCNP. the wooded sinkhole in summer and were (Schaaf and Smith, 1970). The distribution Following is a brief account of each taxon tentatively identified as H. versicolor based of Pickerel Frogs in St. Clair County is like- observed. on calls. ly restricted to the karst areas. Frogs and Toads Plains Leopard Frog (Lithobates blairi) – Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates spheno- Plains Leopard Frogs were seen occasion- cephalus) – Southern Leopard Frogs have Blanchard’s Cricket Frog (Acris blanchardi) ally in the cave interior in late summer and been found both within the entrance and – Cricket Frogs were frequently encoun- more regularly on the surface in the Stem- interior of the cave, and on the perimeter of tered in the wooded sinkhole surround- ler Cave area. the preserve. Southern Leopard Frogs were ing Stemler Cave and rarely within the encountered less frequently than the Plains entrance. The species is common around American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbe- Leopard Frog in the Stemler Cave area. sinkhole ponds in the area. ianus) – Adults were commonly encoun- tered within the cave, and on the surface. Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) – Spring American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus) – Large tadpoles with hind legs were seen Peepers were recorded once within the cave American Toads are common in the area in the cave stream on 30 August 2008 and interior (7 October 2007) and once in the and have been observed on numerous oc- newly metamorphic individuals in the cave entrance (7 October 2011). The species was casions in the wooded sinkhole, in the cave stream at the entrance on 9 October 2004. occasionally encountered in the sinkhole entrance, and occasionally in downstream Tadpoles were likely washed into the cave and perimeter areas, but was commonly regions of the cave. stream via pond or lake outlets that drain heard calling in spring from the same local Fowler’s Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri) – Fowl- into open sinkholes or by collapse of sink- sinkhole ponds utilized by Chorus Frogs. er’s Toad seems to be less common in the hole ponds within the Stemler Cave re- charge area. Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseri- Stemler Cave area than the American Toad. ata) – Adults are occasionally observed in A single specimen was observed on the pe- Pickerel Frog (Lithobates palustris) – Pick- the wooded sinkhole, but have not been ob- rimeter of the preserve on 30 July 2004. erel Frogs were observed regularly within served within the cave. Chorus frogs com- Gray Tree Frog complex (Hyla versicolor/ the cave in all seasons, and on the surface monly breed in small sinkhole ponds in the Hyla chrysoscelis) – Gray Treefrogs were during spring and summer. Pickerel Frogs Stemler Cave area. Herpetological Diversity of Stemler Cave Nature Preserve, St. Clair County, Illinois 21 Robert G. Weck Eastern Spadefoot (Scaphiopus holbrookii) Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum) – adult specimen was seen at the entrance of – The Eastern Spadefoot was first record- Milksnakes were seen regularly in the larg- a side passage, deep in the interior of the ed in the Stemler Cave area on 30 July 2004 er Stemler Karst Natural Area. Specimens cave on 12 July 2006. Painted Turtles are (Weck 2006a, INHS 19542) when eight were observed in the perimeter of SCNP common in sinkhole ponds in the area. juvenile individuals were observed in the on 21 May 2004 and 28 August 2007 (DOR perimeter area of the preserve following juvenile). Snapping Turtle (Chyledra serpentina) – An heavy rains. Juveniles were observed in the adult was observed at the bottom of the cave entrance on 9 August 2004 and 30 Oc- Common Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) – cave entrance on 7 June 2013. On 8 May 2004, a juvenile Common Wa- tober 2008. An adult was observed in Stem- Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) – A ler Cave on 12 July 2006, far downstream tersnake was observed exiting the western edge of the preserve.
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