NORTHWESTERN NATURALIST 87:195–202 WINTER 2006

CURRENT DISTRIBUTION AND STATUS OF SHARP-TAILED (CONTIA TENUIS) IN OREGON

RICHARD FHOYER 2121 NW Mulkey Avenue, Corvallis, Oregon 97330

RYAN P O’DONNELL Department of Biology and Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hall, Logan, Utah 84321; [email protected]

ROBERT TMASON Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, 3029 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331

ABSTRACT—Many species are rarely encountered and are thus assumed to be rare in the absence of evidence to the contrary. The sharp-tailed (Contia tenuis) is a species about which little is known due to its secretive behavior. This species has been classified as ‘‘Vulner- able’’ in Oregon based on scant data about its distribution and status. We searched extensively for published and unpublished records of its occurrence and conducted field searches for the species to clarify its current distribution and status in Oregon. The information reported here expands the known range and increases the number of reported sightings of this species by almost a factor of ten. We conclude that, contrary to some reports, C. tenuis is not rare in Oregon. The secretive behavior of C. tenuis may have resulted in the species being unnecessarily listed as ‘‘vulnerable’’ as it appears to be more widespread than previously thought.

Key words: sharp-tailed snake, Contia tenuis, distribution, range, management, Oregon

Species rarity and secrecy can complicate the ited to parts of California, Oregon, Washing- proper management of populations. Both rarity ton, and extreme southwestern British Colum- and secrecy can lead to a shortage of observa- bia. tions and to a paucity of basic distribution and C. tenuis in Oregon has never been the subject life history information. Rare species that are of systematic research, and up through the considered secretive can be overlooked during 1960s, only a small number of notes and re- conservation efforts, and secretive that ports included Oregon specimens (Fitch 1936; are considered rare can become unnecessary Gordon 1939; Darling 1947; Storm 1948; Cook targets for conservation resources at the ex- 1960; Brattstrom 1965; Storm 1966; Brodie and pense of species in greater need. In these ways, others 1969). As recently as 1966, the species the confounding effects of rarity and secrecy was known from only 3 Oregon counties can directly result in management decisions (Storm 1966). In 1971, the Oregon Game Com- that are based on a lack of information (Gib- mission classified C. tenuis as ‘‘endangered’’ bons and others 1997). Management of rare or and listed it as ‘‘protected’’ (Mace 1971). In secretive species is further complicated be- 1997, this species was classified by the Oregon cause it is difficult to conduct additional re- Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) as search on such species to improve management ‘‘Vulnerable’’ (ODFW 1997). It has recently strategies. been removed from listing in the state (ONHIC The sharp-tailed snake, Contia tenuis, is a 2004). small, obscure species about which little is In the 1980s, ODFW commissioned herpeto- known. Hence, it has been assumed to be rare fauna surveys in western Oregon, which re- over much of its distribution. Its range is lim- sulted in documentation of approximately 59

195 196 NORTHWESTERN NATURALIST 87(3) locality records of C. tenuis in the previously and therefore should be considered approxi- known counties and in 5 additional counties mate. (St. John 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987). Despite this substantial increase in locality data, it has re- Field Searches cently been suggested that C. tenuis may no We conducted field searches from 6 March to longer occur in counties where originally 30 December 1998. Most searches were made in found, that it is rare and declining in the Wil- open grassland or at the edge of brush and lamette Valley, and that only isolated popula- grassy habitats in association with deciduous tions occur in the southern part of the state tree stands. We searched by lifting cover in the (Marshall and others 1996). form of woody debris, rocks, leaf litter, or an- We conducted a 2-part study to assist in the thropogenic cover such as roofing tin and ply- determination of the current status and distri- wood (Hoyer 1974; Fitch 1975, 1992; Engelstoft bution of C. tenuis in Oregon. First, we com- and Ovaska 2000; Hoyer and Stewart 2000). piled updated sight records of C. tenuis in Data from these 1st-hand searches were com- Oregon from published and unpublished rec- bined with those from the 2nd-hand sources ords and from personal communications. We above for analysis to provide as complete a rely heavily on 2nd-hand reports until a more summary as possible. comprehensive survey can be performed, be- Sex, weight, tail and total lengths, and age- cause no systematic study of C. tenuis has been size class were recorded for each sharp-tailed conducted in Oregon. Second, we searched for snake captured. Specimens were individually C. tenuis in appropriate habitats to document marked by clipping ventral scales to identify additional localities within Oregon. We com- recaptured specimens and to avoid inflating es- pared current and historically known distri- timates of abundance. However, 2 problems butions of C. tenuis in an effort to detect trends with this method surfaced in the course of this in distribution patterns and known popula- study. First, although snakes marked in March tions. We also provide the first detailed distri- could still be identified in October, we found bution data for a proposed new species of Con- that regrowth of the ventral scales made iden- tia, which is believed to exist in Oregon and tification impossible in time (Hoyer, unpubl. California (Hoyer 2001; Feldman and Spicer data). Thus, the method is suitable only for the 2002). We refer to this proposed new species short term, probably Ͻ2 y. Secondly, juvenile here as ’’Contia sp. A’’. snakes are too small to be accurately and safely clipped numerically. We clipped 2 left-side METHODS ventral scales below the neck for each juvenile snake. These juveniles could only be identified Compilation of Sight Records as having been previously captured. To aid From late December 1997 to late January identification of individual snakes, we devised 1999, we solicited locality records and sight- a method that relied on a combination of head ings of Contia in Oregon from various state and and body scalation unique to each snake, sim- federal agencies, museums, universities, and ilar to the method used for Ͼ40 y in field stud- individuals familiar with the species. We ob- ies of the rubber boa, Charina bottae (Nussbaum tained 1) written records in the form of field and Hoyer 1974; Hoyer and Storm 1992; Hoyer notes, published accounts, governmental re- and Stewart 2000). Features used were the ports, and museum and university collection number, relative size, and arrangement of catalogues, and 2) recalled observations. In cas- scales bordering the perimeter of the left and es where the number of individual snakes ob- right parietals, relative lengths of left and right served could not be determined due to missing upper and lower chin shields, configuration detail in verbal or written reports, we assumed and the number and fraction of scales border- only a single snake was observed. We defined ing the infralabials, black spotting or blotches a locality as a site where Ն1 Contia was found on infralabials and chin shields, number and that was Ն1 km from the nearest known local- size of less-than-full-length ventrals at the ity. We report the latitude and longitude of lo- neck, anomalous upper and lower labials or calities to the nearest second, but some coor- other head plates, and any anomalous ventral dinates are generated from imprecise records and-or caudal scales. This identification system WINTER 2006 HOYER AND OTHERS: CONTIA STATUS IN OREGON 197 was used for juveniles and as a backup for the scale-clipped adults. In analyzing the majority of these data we have considered Contia sp. A together with C. tenuis. We have, however, determined the rela- tive contribution of each species to the present study by reviewing all locality records and sightings in conjunction with associated habi- tat and with body measurements and scalation, if available.

RESULTS Locality Records We identified 625 unique observations of Contia from 282 localities in Oregon from mu- seum records (Appendix), our field surveys, and 2nd-hand reports (sight records that were deemed reliable). Of these 282 localities, 12 come from our field searches. For the 585 en- tries in which the year of discovery was speci- fied, there was a significant increase in the number of new sightings each year from the 1st records in the 1920s to 1998 (linear regression 2 ϭ Ͻ of log10-transformed data; R 0.80, P 0.0001).

Distribution Information compiled for this study has ex- FIGURE 1. Locality records of Contia in Oregon. tended the range of Contia in some parts of the Black symbols are new records from our field search- state (Fig. 1). East of the Cascades in Wasco es. Grey symbols represent museum records and County, from early 1970 sightings at Rock personal communications that have not been previ- Creek Reservoir and Tygh Valley, the species’ ously published. Open symbols represent previously published records from Fitch (1936), Darling (1947), range has been extended approximately 64 km Brodie and others (1969), St. John (1982, 1984, 1985, N to The Dalles, Oregon, along the Columbia Њ Ј Љ Њ Ј Љ 1987), and Nussbaum and others (1983). Circles rep- River (45 36 26 N, 121 12 55 W).Webelieve resent C. tenuis, and triangles represent the proposed that the extent of the species’ E-W and S range new species of Contia. Observations that were within limits E of the Cascade Mountains is yet to be 1 km of each other or that were not described ade- determined. quately to distinguish from each other were com- West of the Cascade Mountains, the farthest bined for clarity. Localities represent only the loca- E and N sighting is at Lake Oswego in Clack- tions where Contia has been found and not abun- amas County (45Њ21Ј09ЉN, 122Њ38Ј20ЉW). In the dance at those locations; single symbols may repre- north half of the state, the farthest W sightings sent multiple observations over multiple years. are 24 km W of Junction City (just W of the Coast Range summit) in Lane County (44Њ12Ј58ЉN, locality is in the SE corner of Jackson County 123Њ32Ј09ЉW). Near the center of the state, the within about 8 km of Klamath County farthest E and W occurrences are slightly E of (42Њ03Ј55ЉN, 122Њ20Ј58ЉW). The most southerly the Hills Creek Reservoir Dam SE of Oakridge sighting is near the California border on the S in Lane County (43Њ40Ј40ЉN, 122Њ22Ј55ЉW) and slope of the Siskiyou Mountains (42Њ01Ј23ЉN, W of Kellogg and S of Elkton, Douglas County 122Њ35Ј48ЉW). (43Њ32Ј14ЉN, 123Њ39Ј51ЉW), respectively. In the Since the 1st published records in 1930, there south half of the state, the farthest SW sighting has been a consistent increase in the known remains 12 km E of Brookings in Curry County range of Contia in Oregon. The change in the (42Њ06Ј03ЉN, 124Њ11Ј46ЉW), and the farthest SE known distribution over time can be summa- 198 NORTHWESTERN NATURALIST 87(3) rized by reviewing the counties in which the in the 1930s. Searches are yet to be made at the snakes have been found. In the mid 1920’s, C. early sightings near Talent, Oregon. tenuis was observed near Talent in Jackson Of the 59 sites identified in ODFW herpeto- County (HS Fitch, University of Kansas, Lawr- fauna surveys and reviews of the Oregon State ence, KS; pers. comm.). The 1st published rec- University records in the 1980s (St. John 1982, ords are from the 1930s in Jackson and Benton 1984, 1985, 1987), 16 were included in the re- Counties (Fitch 1936; Gordon 1939). Through ports we gathered, and sharp-tailed snakes 1969, C. tenuis had been documented from only were found at each of these sites. We searched Benton, Douglas, and Jackson Counties (Storm 2 additional sites from among those 59 (at Rock 1966; Oregon State University collection rec- Creek Reservoir in Wasco County and Amity ords). Through 1994, confirmed sightings of Hills in Yamhill County) and found that sharp- Contia were noted from Benton, Curry, Doug- tailed snakes continue to occur at both sites. las, Jackson, Lane, Josephine, Wasco, and Yam- The other 41 historical sites were not searched hill Counties (St. John 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987; as part of this project due to financial and time Nussbaum and others 1983; Applegarth 1994). constraints. Records from Clackamas and Linn Counties DISCUSSION were reported by St. John (1987) but were not mentioned specifically by county and were Distribution subsequently overlooked (for example, Mar- The sharp-tailed snake is characterized as shall and others 1996). Polk County had been having a distribution that is ‘‘spotty’’ (Nuss- listed from two 2nd-hand sources (St. John baum and others 1983), ‘‘patchy’’ (Leonard and 1987; Marshall and others 1996). The species Ovaska 1998) in the Northwest, or ‘‘spotty’’ was first verified in Polk County during our throughout its range (Stebbins 2003). ODFW’s 1998 field searches. We have also added Coos ‘‘Species at Risk’’ document (Marshall and oth- County to the list of counties where Contia has ers 1996) mentions ‘‘isolated populations’’ and been found (UTA 27192). shows 5 widely separated populations on their Contia sp. A has a distribution that is sym- range map for the species in Oregon. These as- patric with C. tenuis in parts of SW Oregon sessments were apparently based on low num- (Fig. 1), but occupies different habitats (Hoyer bers of distribution records available at the time 2001). Of the 625 sightings reported, 73 (11.7%) for the species and relatively large distances represent Contia sp. A, 544 (87.0%) represent C. between some of the records. Instead of having tenuis, and 8 (1.3%) could not be confidently as- a distribution that is ‘‘spotty’’, we propose that signed into either species and were conserva- due to the species’ biology and the nature of ob- tively considered C. tenuis. Contia tenuis cur- servations, only the discovery of the species has rently occurs in all counties where the been spotty. Observations of C. tenuis in recent Contia is found except for Curry and Coos. years have continually closed the gaps in its Voucher specimens of Contia sp. A exist for Cur- previously known distribution. We expect this ry, Coos, and Douglas counties, and this spe- trend will continue as more localities are dis- cies is suspected to occur in Jackson, Josephine, covered. Lane, and Benton counties. Continued Occurrences We suspect that maximum elevations of Con- tia sp.AandC. tenuis differ. Elevation records The species was shown to persist in excess of for C. tenuis remain at 670 m in Wasco County 20 y at all 17 of the 59 historical localities where searches were conducted (Table 1). Thirteen of and 1220 m near the summit of Siskiyou Pass. those 17 sites occurred in the Willamette Valley, We suspect the snakes observed at about 1100 where the species has been described as ‘‘rare m on Mary’s Peak and at 1370 m or above in SE and declining’’ (Marshall and others 1996). Ad- Douglas County represent Contia sp. A. mittedly, our method of soliciting only sight- ings (and not absences) of Contia does not allow Continued Occurrences us to detect a decline in occupation of these lo- Contia tenuis is still found at all 3 Willamette calities, with the minor exception of the 2 sites Valley localities and the Jackson County local- searched by us. However, because C. tenuis per- ity where the species was originally observed sists in at least 4 of the 5 oldest localities and at WINTER 2006 HOYER AND OTHERS: CONTIA STATUS IN OREGON 199

TABLE 1. Continued occurrence of Contia at various localities in Oregon in excess of 20 y from the original observation.

Original sighting Resighting Latitude Longitude (N) (W) Year Source Year Source 44Њ33Ј47Љ 123Њ17Ј17Љ 1935 OS 282 1995 R Mason (OSU) 44Њ32Ј41Љ 123Њ23Ј51Љ 1946 OS 285–286 1997 R Kiester (OSU) 44Њ27Ј54Љ 123Њ22Ј03Љ 1948 OS 1525 1969 R Hoyer 44Њ35Ј54Љ 123Њ25Ј23Љ 1950 OS 5262 1996 R Mason (OSU) 44Њ26Ј31Љ 123Њ21Ј38Љ 1951 OS 6113, 6381 1998 P M de Laubenfels 44Њ40Ј13Љ 123Њ16Ј34Љ 1965 OS 10079 1993 D Bilsland 44Њ32Ј29Љ 123Њ17Ј41Љ late 1930’s K Gordon 1997 R & D Brokken 44Њ36Ј46Љ 123Њ19Ј52Љ late 1940’s R Storm (in St. John 1987) 1998 C Trainer (ODFW) 44Њ34Ј20Љ 123Њ25Ј12Љ 1970 CM 88728/31819 1998 R Hoyer 44Њ32Ј54Љ 123Њ23Ј43Љ 1969 R Hoyer 1997 R Hoyer 45Њ07Ј32Љ 123Њ09Ј52Љ 1976 A St. John 1998 R Hoyer 44Њ40Ј59Љ 123Њ26Ј09Љ 1951 OS 5973-5974 1998 R Hoyer 44Њ31Ј50Љ 123Њ24Ј20Љ 1939 CPS 3777 1997 R Hoyer 45Њ13Ј20Љ 121Њ23Ј21Љ 1970 R Hoyer 1998 R Hoyer 45Њ35Ј23Љ 121Њ10Ј44Љ 1975 B Castillo (ODFW) 1996 J Torland (ODFW) 42Њ20Ј28Љ 122Њ52Ј25Љ 1969 SOU 583 1995 S Wray (ODFW) 42Њ15Ј13Љ 122Њ49Ј06Љ 1936 H Fitch 1982 A St. John 1984

many of the Willamette Valley locations, we represent significant range extensions, if later consider evidence for a decline to be weak. Sys- verified. Two of these sightings are from Polk tematic repetition of the 1980s surveys by St. County that includes a USFWS checklist indi- John (1982; 1984; 1985; 1987), under similar en- cating the (supposed) presence of C. tenuis at vironmental conditions, would be informative. the Basket Slough National Wildlife Refuge and a 3rd-hand report for the same county men- Dubious Records tioned by St. John (1987). A sighting near Har- A few previously reported records of C. ten- lan in SE Lincoln County that was reported in uis localities are somewhat questionable and a 1979 BLM survey could not be confirmed as deserve special mention here. The earliest re- the discoverers could not be contacted. port of C. tenuis from ‘‘Oregon’’ is the paratype Finally, the single record from Clackamas of Contia mitis (C. tenuis) at the Smithsonian In- County is based on an anecdotal report from C stitute collected in the early 1840s. This speci- Rahr to AD St. John, where the county was not men was not included in our data due to the named but detailed locality information was lack of more precise collection information. given (St. John 1987). Based on both St. John’s A sharp-tailed snake in the OSU collection report and on our own conversations with C (OS 10574) was found in 1969 near the coast in Rahr, we are confident that this record is ac- Tillamook County. AD St. John (Bend, OR; curate, but no specimens are available to con- pers. comm.) investigated this sighting and be- firm this sighting. lieves the snake was inadvertently transported in a load of mulch from near Philomath in Ben- Aggregations and Disturbed Habitats ton County. The collection site is a considerable Cook (1960) mentioned that the perceived distance from the nearest known localities of C. rarity of the species was probably misleading tenuis or of other egg-laying . The spec- as there had been a number of instances where imen is included in our totals but is assigned to large numbers of C. tenuis had been found in Benton County from which we believe it orig- relatively small areas. Leonard and others inated. However, it is possible that future (1996) also reported aggregations of this spe- searches will confirm the presence of this spe- cies. Two additional accounts support the sug- cies in Tillamook County. gestion that C. tenuis may form relatively large Three sightings reported to us are not in- aggregations. In March 1998, M Fuller (Central cluded in the compiled data as they remain un- Point, OR; unpubl. data) collected 54 specimens verified, but are mentioned because they would beneath some black plastic covering a rose-lilac 200 NORTHWESTERN NATURALIST 87(3) bed in urban Central Point, Oregon. Further- FELDMAN CR, SPICER GS. 2002. Mitochondrial vari- more, Hoyer (unpubl. data) has found 238 in- ation in sharp-tailed snakes (Contia tenuis): evi- dividuals in 2 d within a 1 km stretch of gravel dence of a cryptic species. Journal of Herpetology road bordering an active tree farm near Cor- 36:648–655. vallis, Oregon. In addition to providing evi- FITCH HS. 1936. Amphibians and reptiles of the Rogue River Basin, Oregon. American Midland dence for high local abundance, these records Naturalist 17:634–652. and many other records of C. tenuis from urban FITCH HS. 1975. A demographic study of the ring- areas indicate that the species seems to tolerate neck snake (Diadophis punctatus) in Kansas. Uni- disturbed habitats. While this may seem con- versity of Kansas Museum of Natural History, trary to Marshal and others’ (1996) contention Miscellaneous Publications 62:1–53. that this species is sensitive to urban develop- FITCH HS. 1992. Methods of sampling snake popu- ment, doing well near and in urban areas is not lations and their relative success. Herpetological equivalent to being capable of tolerating total Review 23:17–19. loss of habitat. GIBBONS JW, BURKE VJ, LOVICH JE, SEMLITSCH RD, For species with relatively stable distribu- TUBERVILLE TD, BODIE JR, GREENE JL, NIEWIA- tions, we would expect an increase in reported ROWSKI PH, WHITEMAN HH, SCOTT DE, PECH- sightings filling in distribution gaps or even an MANN JHK, HARRISON CR, BENNETT SH, KRENZ enlargement in known distribution over time JD, MILLS MS, BUHLMANN KA, LEE JR, SEIGEL RA, TUCKER AD, MILLS TM, LAMB T, D ORCAS ME, as knowledge of the species increases and more CONGDON JD, SMITH MH, NELSON DH, DIETSCH localities are discovered (Gibbons and others MB, HANLIN HG, OTT JA, K ARAPATAKIS DJ. 1997. 1997). Given the extent of continuous, suitable Perceptions of species abundance, distribution, habitat in western Oregon, the continued ex- and diversity: lessons from four decades of sam- pansion of the known range of Contia in pling on a government-managed reserve. Envi- Oregon, and the steady increase in the number ronmental Management 21:259–268. of observations per year, we conclude that Con- GORDON K. 1939. The amphibia and reptilia of tia is more widely distributed in Oregon than Oregon. Oregon State Monographs, Studies in previously thought. We hope that the results Zoology 1:1–82. from this study will encourage more system- HOYER RF. 1974. Description of a rubber boa (Char- atic surveys to ascertain the distribution and ina bottae) population from western Oregon. Her- abundance of Contia. petologica 30:275–283. HOYER RF. 2001. Discovery of a probable new species ACKNOWLEDGMENTS in the genus Contia. Northwestern Naturalist 82: 116–122. MJ Green, IT Moore, and HL Waye contributed to HOYER RF, STEWART GR. 2000. Biology of the rubber this paper. SJ Arnold provided use of equipment. boa (Charina bottae), with emphasis on C. b. um- This research was conducted under ODFW collecting bratica. Part I: capture, size, sexual dimorphism, permit #011-98. and reproduction. Journal of Herpetology 34:348– LITERATURE CITED 354. HOYER RF, STORM RM. 1992. Reproductive biology of APPLEGARTH JS. 1994. Special status amphibians and the rubber boa (Charina bottae). In: Uricheck MJ, reptiles of the Eugene district: a guide for their editor. Proceedings of a symposium 20 to 23 June conservation. Eugene, OR: US Department of the 1991; Seattle, Washington. 15th International Her- Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 51 p. petological Symposium on Captive Propagation BRATTSTROM BH. 1965. Body temperatures of rep- tiles. American Midland Naturalist 73:376–422. and Husbandry. p 109–118. BRODIE ED JR,NUSSBAUM RA, STORM RM. 1969. An LEONARD WP, DARDA DM, MCALLISTER KR. 1996. egg-laying aggregation of five species of Oregon Aggregations of sharptail snakes (Contia tenuis) reptiles. Herpetologica 25:223–227. on the east slope of the Cascade range in Wash- COOK SF JR. 1960. On the occurrence and life history ington state. Northwestern Naturalist 77:47–49. of Contia tenuis. Herpetologica 16:163–173. LEONARD WP, OVASKA K. 1998. Contia and Contia ten- DARLING D. 1947. Northwestern herpetology contri- uis. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Rep- butions. Herpetologica 4:28. tiles 677:1–7. ENGELSTOFT C, OVASKA KE. 2000. Artificial cover ob- MACE RU. 1971. A new look at non-game. Oregon jects as a method for sampling snakes (Contia ten- State Game Commission Bulletin 26:3–12. uis and Thamnophis spp.) in British Columbia. MARSHALL DB, CHILCOTE MW, WEEKS H. 1996. Spe- Northwestern Naturalist 81:35–43. cies at risk: sensitive, threatened and endangered WINTER 2006 HOYER AND OTHERS: CONTIA STATUS IN OREGON 201

vertebrates of Oregon. Portland, OR: Oregon De- Josephine Counties, Oregon. Technical Report 84- partment of Fish and Wildlife. 2-05. Portland, OR: ODFW Nongame Wildlife NUSSBAUM RA, BRODIE ED, JR,STORM RM. 1983. Am- Program. 78 p. phibians & reptiles of the Pacific Northwest. Mos- ST.JOHN AD. 1985. The herpetology of the interior cow, ID: University of Idaho Press. 332 p. Umpqua River drainage, Douglas County, NUSSBAUM RA, HOYER RF. 1974. Geographic varia- Oregon. Technical Report 85-2-02. Portland, OR: tion and the validity of subspecies in the rubber ODFW Nongame Wildlife Program. 69 p. boa, Charina bottae (Blainville). Northwest Science ST.JOHN AD. 1987. The herpetology of the Willam- 48:219–229. ette Valley, Oregon. Technical Report 86-1-02. [ODFW] OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILD- Portland, OR: ODFW Nongame Wildlife Program. LIFE. 1997. Sensitive species. Salem, OR: Oregon STEBBINS RC. 2003. Western reptiles and amphibians. Department of Fish and Wildlife. 9 p. New York, MY: Houghton Mifflin Company. 533 p. [ONHIC] OREGON NATURAL HERITAGE INFORMA- STORM RM. 1948. The herpetology of Benton County, TION CENTER. 2004. Rare, threatened and endan- Oregon [dissertation]. Corvallis, OR: Oregon gered species of Oregon. Portland, OR: Oregon State College (Univ.). 280 p. Natural Heritage Information Center, Oregon STORM RM. 1966. Endangered plants and animals of State University. 105 p. Available from: http:// Oregon: II. Amphibians and reptiles. Oregon oregonstate.edu/ornhic/2004࿞t&e࿞book.pdf. State University Agricultural Experiment Station, ST.JOHN AD. 1982. The herpetology of Curry Coun- Special Report 206:1–12. ty, Oregon. Technical Report 82-2-04. Portland, OR: ODFW Nongame Wildlife Program. 43 p. Submitted 15 February 2005, accepted 28 March ST.JOHN AD. 1984. The herpetology of Jackson and 2006. Corresponding Editor: K Ovaska. 202 NORTHWESTERN NATURALIST 87(3)

APPENDIX. Museum specimens of Contia examined. Museum codes are: CM ϭ Carnegie Museum; CPS ϭ University of Puget Sound; DCM ϭ Douglas County Museum (Oregon); KU ϭ University of Kansas Museum of Natural History; LACM ϭ Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History; MVZ ϭ University of Cali- fornia at Berkeley Museum of Vertebrate Zoology; OS ϭ Oregon State University Museum of Natural History; POR ϭ Portland State University; SOU ϭ Southern Oregon University; UMMZ ϭ University of Michigan Museum of Zoology; USNM ϭ National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; and UTA ϭ University of Texas at Arlington, Merriam Museum.

Specimen number(s) Year(s) Latitude (N) Longitude (W) County CM 88728/31819 1970 44Њ34Ј20Љ 123Њ25Ј12Љ Benton CPS 3777 1939 44Њ31Ј50Љ 123Њ24Ј20Љ Benton DCM 1991.45 1991 43Њ07Ј15Љ 123Њ25Ј55Љ Douglas KU 153280 1973 44Њ33Ј19Љ 123Њ21Ј53Љ Benton LACM 20514-15 1956 44Њ32Ј38Љ 123Њ17Ј05Љ Benton MVZ 146142 1972 42Њ20Ј27Љ 122Њ52Ј32Љ Jackson MVZ 146141 1971 42Њ27Ј42Љ 122Њ51Ј24Љ Jackson OS 282 1935 44Њ33Ј47Љ 123Њ17Ј17Љ Benton OS 283 1941 44Њ29Ј29Љ 123Њ23Ј10Љ Benton OS 284 1942 44Њ29Ј52Љ 123Њ26Ј30Љ Benton OS 285-286 1946 44Њ32Ј41Љ 123Њ23Ј51Љ Benton OS 287 1946 44Њ31Ј40Љ 123Њ24Ј40Љ Benton OS 288, 290 1946, 1947 44Њ29Ј23Љ 123Њ24Ј19Љ Benton OS 289 1947 44Њ31Ј07Љ 123Њ23Ј10Љ Benton OS 363 1948 44Њ28Ј11Љ 123Њ14Ј59Љ Benton OS 752-753 1948 44Њ42Ј07Љ 123Њ13Ј55Љ Benton OS 1525 1949 44Њ27Ј54Љ 123Њ22Ј03Љ Benton OS 1526 1948 44Њ32Ј16Љ 123Њ18Ј21Љ Benton OS 5262 1950 44Њ35Ј54Љ 123Њ25Ј23Љ Benton OS 5263 1950 44Њ28Ј08Љ 123Њ15Ј05Љ Benton OS 5919–5921, 6560, 6568 1951 44Њ32Ј31Љ 123Њ17Ј11Љ Benton OS 5973–5974 1951 44Њ40Ј59Љ 123Њ26Ј09Љ Benton OS 6090 1951 44Њ27Ј55Љ 123Њ24Ј27Љ Benton OS 6113, 6381 1951 44Њ26Ј31Љ 123Њ21Ј38Љ Benton OS 6186–6187 1951 44Њ27Ј48Љ 123Њ23Ј37Љ Benton OS 6225 1951 44Њ35Ј47Љ 123Њ18Ј50Љ Benton OS 6245 1951 44Њ32Ј46Љ 123Њ17Ј42Љ Benton OS 6247 1951 44Њ28Ј05Љ 123Њ24Ј10Љ Benton OS 6481 1951 44Њ28Ј34Љ 123Њ22Ј34Љ Benton OS 6486 1951 44Њ34Ј42Љ 123Њ17Ј35Љ Benton OS 7159 1951 43Њ01Ј40Љ 123Њ16Ј43Љ Douglas OS 8708–8711 1953 42Њ19Ј28Љ 122Њ53Ј32Љ Jackson OS 8739 1953 43Њ12Ј57Љ 123Њ08Ј44Љ Douglas OS 9117 1953 42Њ19Ј20Љ 122Њ55Ј07Љ Jackson OS 9199 1953 44Њ37Ј32Љ 123Њ15Ј44Љ Benton OS 9220 1953 44Њ36Ј55Љ 123Њ15Ј48Љ Benton OS 9241 1953 42Њ49Ј43Љ 123Њ22Ј49Љ Douglas OS 9291 1953 44Њ35Ј44Љ 123Њ20Ј06Љ Benton OS 9869 1953 44Њ29Ј47Љ 123Њ22Ј35Љ Benton OS 10079 1965 44Њ40Ј13Љ 123Њ16Ј34Љ Benton OS 10113 1961 43Њ14Ј27Љ 123Њ25Ј21Љ Douglas OS 10574 1969 44Њ32Ј37Љ 123Њ22Ј07Љ Benton POR 2923 1953 44Њ37Ј05Љ 123Њ15Ј46Љ Benton SOU 583 1969 42Њ20Ј28Љ 122Њ52Ј25Љ Jackson SOU 1142 1973 42Њ20Ј28Љ 122Њ52Ј39Љ Jackson UMMZ 133498, 137401 1968, 1969 44Њ32Ј32Љ 123Њ17Ј16Љ Benton UMMZ 133499 1969 44Њ40Ј05Љ 123Њ13Ј47Љ Benton UMMZ 133500 1969 44Њ42Ј06Љ 123Њ13Ј34Љ Benton UMMZ 133555 1970 44Њ33Ј51Љ 123Њ25Ј27Љ Benton UMMZ 133557 1970 44Њ32Ј40Љ 123Њ17Ј19Љ Benton UMMZ 133558, 133559 1970 44Њ38Ј12Љ 123Њ17Ј47Љ Benton UMMZ 183496 1969 44Њ32Ј19Љ 123Њ17Ј25Љ Benton UMMZ 133556 1970 44Њ10Ј10Љ 123Њ26Ј22Љ Lane USNM 8075 early 1840s unknown unknown unknown UTA 17127, 17128, 17131 ϳ1966 44Њ34Ј44Љ 123Њ18Ј08Љ Benton UTA 19353 1986 42Њ42Ј26Љ 124Њ23Ј25Љ Curry UTA 24545, 24546 1988 42Њ42Ј23Љ 124Њ23Ј13Љ Curry UTA 24547, 24548 1988 42Њ42Ј21Љ 124Њ12Ј29Љ Curry UTA 27192 1990 42Њ47Ј28Љ 123Њ48Ј55Љ Coos UTA 32515 1968 44Њ35Ј48Љ 123Њ18Ј36Љ Benton