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Occurrences of the Western Skink (Eumeces Skiltonianus)

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Occurrences of the Western Skink (Eumeces Skiltonianus) WINTER 2001 GENERAL NOTES 125 PEACOCK RL, NUSSBAUM RA. 1973. Reproductive bi­ USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research ology and population structure of the western Station, 3625 93rd Ave SW, Olympia, Washington red-backed salamander, Plethodon vehiculum 98512 USA (LLCJ, MGR); Biolinx Environmental (Cooper). Journal of Herpetology 7:215-224. Research Lt., 4180 Clinton Place, Victoria, British PETRANKA JW. 1998. Salamanders of the United Columbia V8Z 6M1 Canada, and Department of States and Canada. Washington DC: Smithsonian Forest Sciences, University of British Columbia, Institution. 587 p. ROLLMANN SM, HOUCK LD, FELDHOFF RC. 1999. Pro­ Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4 Canada teinaceous pheromone affecting female receptivity (KO). Submitted 19 March 2001, accepted 10 July in a terrestrial salamander. Science 1999:1907-1909. 2001. Corresponding Editor: M. Adams. NORTHWESTERN NATURALIST 82:125-126 WINTER 2001 OCCURRENCES OF THE WESTERN SKINK (EUMECES SKILTON/ANUS) IN GRASSLANDS OF WESTERN MONTANA YVETTE K. ORTEGA AND DEAN E. PEARSON Key Words: Eumeces skiltonianus, western US Geological Survey, Missoula, MT, pers. skink, Montana, Lolo National Forest, Calf comm.). These records represent a significant Creek Wildlife Management Area, distribution, addition to information on the western skink in records Montana, confirming their presence in Missou­ la County, documenting their occurrence in The western skink (Eumeces skiltonianus) was Mineral County, adding locations to Ravalli recently classified as a Montana Species of Spe­ County, and providing evidence of local abun­ cial Concern due to its restricted range in the dance within some grasslands. state (D. P. Hendricks, Montana Natural Heri­ During 116,480 trap nights tallied May tage Program, Helena, MT, pers. comm.). Re­ through September in 1999 and 2000, we cap­ cords of the western skink in Montana are lim­ tured 59 skinks at 6 of 8 study sites located ited to a few, scattered locations on the western within the Lolo National Forest. Each site con­ edge of the state (Tanner 1988; Reichel and sisted of four 250-m transects, 50 m apart, with Flath 1995). Skinks have been documented in a total of 52 pitfall traps spaced at 20-m inter­ the Bitterroot Valley in Ravalli County (Rodg­ vals. We caught 8 skinks at a site approximately ers and Jellison 1942) and on the Kootenai Na­ 4.8 km SW of Clinton in Missoula County tional Forest in Lincoln County (Werner and (Tl2N R17W S19SE) which represents the east­ others 1998). In addition, there have been un­ ern-most record reported for the state. At 3 confirmed reports of their presence on islands sites approximately 6.4 km SE of Alberton in of Flathead Lake in Lake County (Franz 1971), Missoula County, we caught 48 skinks (1, 19, and Werner and others (1998) discuss uncon­ and 28 skinks, respectively, from T14N R22W firmed records from the Flathead Indian Res­ S16NE, S20NW, and S30NE). In Mineral Coun­ ervation within Lake and Missoula counties. ty approximately 4 km NE of Alberton, we cap­ We caught 65 skinks in pitfall traps at 8 grass­ tured 3 skinks at 2 sites (1 and 2 skinks, re­ land sites within Missoula, Mineral, and Ra­ spectively, at Tl5N R22W S31SE and S31SW). valli counties in west-central Montana during a The above study sites are classified as Agropy­ study of arthropod and small mammal com­ ron spicatum-Faa sandbergii grasslands (Mueg­ munities. Except for 2 individuals, skinks died gler and Stewart 1980) and occurred on south­ in traps and were collected, and species iden­ west aspects at elevations between 1310 and tification was confirmed in the lab (P. S. Corn, 1707 m. These were steep, rocky slopes (aver- This file was created by scanning the printed publication. Errors identified by the software have been corrected; however, some errors may remain. 126 NORTHWESTERN NATURALIST 82(3) age slope of 30%) that had scatterings of pon­ tions. Much research into the distribution and derosa pine (Pinus ponderosa; 60% of trees) and ecology of the western skink in Montana is Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; 40% of needed to understand their status and associ­ trees), and were located within a matrix of ated implications of knapweed invasion. montane coniferous forest. Four of 6 sites ACKNOWLEDGMENTS where skinks were captured had been invaded by the exotic forb, spotted knapweed (Centaurea We thank S. Connolly, S. Hayden, J. Roberts, and R. Palmer for their work in the field; Lolo National maculosa), which occurred in patches at low to Forest staff and M. Thompson of Montana Fish Wild­ moderate densities. The remaining sites were life and Parks for logistical assistance; and B. Maxell relatively pristine with only trace amounts of for comments on a draft of the manuscript. The Lolo knapweed. National Forest study is sponsored by the Bitterroot As part of a 2nd study, we caught an addi­ Ecosystem Management Research Project, a partner­ tional 6 skinks at 2 of 4 sites within Calf Creek ship among the Rocky Mountain Research Station, Wildlife Management Area, approximately 16 the Bitterroot National Forest, and the University of km E of Hamilton in Ravalli County (1 and 5 Montana. The Calf Creek study is financed by the Ecology Research Unit of the Rocky Moun­ skinks, respectively, at T6N R19W SSSE and Wildlife tain Research Station. SSNW). Captures resulted from 13,824 trap nights tallied between 6 April and 15 October, LITERATURE CITED 2000. Each of these study sites consisted of FORCELLA F, HARVEY SJ. 1983. Eurasian weed infes­ three 180-m transects, 50 m apart, with a total tation in western Montana in relation to vegeta­ of 18 pitfall traps spaced at 30-m intervals. Sites tion and disturbance. Madrono 30:102-109. were located within expansive Agropyron spi­ FRANZ R. 1971. Notes on the distribution and ecology catum I Poa sandbergii grasslands (Mueggler and of the herpetofauna of northwestern Montana. of the Maryland Herpetological Society Stewart 1980) with rolling topography and Bulletin 7:1-10. gentle slopes ( < 20% slope). Spotted knapweed MUEGGLER WF, STEWART WL. 1980. Grassland and was ubiquitous at Calf Creek. Sites where shrub land types of Western Montana. Ogden, UT: skinks were captured were rocky areas with USDA Forest Service. General Technical Report moderate to high densities of knapweed, INT-66. 154 p. southwest aspects, and elevations of 1400 and REICHEL JD, FLATH D. 1995. Identification of Mon­ 1450 m. tana's amphibians and reptiles. Montana Out­ Although little information is available for doors 26:15-34. the species in Montana, western skinks are be­ RODGERS TL, JELLISON WL. 1942. A collection of am­ phibians and reptiles from western Montana. lieved to inhabit open habitats as well as dry Copeia 1:10-13. sites within forested areas (Tanner 1988; Rei­ SHELEY RL, JACOBS JS, CARPINELLI MF. 1998. Distri­ chel and Flath 1995). Given that we found bution, biology, and management of diffuse skinks at 8 of 12 grassland study sites, selected knapweed and spotted knapweed. Weed Tech­ originally for study of other taxa and located nology 12:353-362. up to 96 km apart at a range of elevations with­ TANNER WW. 1988. Eumeces skiltonianus (Baird and in 2 landscape contexts, we suggest that this Girard), western skink. Catalogue of American species may be widespread and sometimes lo­ Amphibians and Reptiles. 447.1-447.4. WERNER jK, PLUMMER T, WEASELHEAD J. 1998. Am­ cally abundant within west-central Montana. phibians and reptiles of the Flathead Indian Res­ However, the eastern and southern extent of ervation. Intermountain Journal of Sciences 4:33- their range remains nebulous. Furthermore, 49. those habitat types where skinks are thought to reside are rapidly being overtaken by spotted USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research knapweed (Porcella and Harvey 1983; Sheley Station, PO Box 8089, Missoula, Montana 59807 and others 1998), and it is unclear how associ­ USA. Submitted 4 April 2001, accepted 30 May ated habitat changes may affect their popula- 2001. Corresponding Editor: M. f. Rochelle. .
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