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Summer Movements of the Common Five-Lined Skink (Plestiodon Fasciatus) in the Northern Portion of Its Range

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Summer Movements of the Common Five-Lined Skink (Plestiodon Fasciatus) in the Northern Portion of Its Range Herpetological Conservation and Biology 13(3):743–752. Submitted: 3 July 2018; Accepted: 25 November 2018; Published: 16 December 2018. SUMMER MOVEMENTS OF THE COMMON FIVE-LINED SKINK (PLESTIODON FASCIATUS) IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF ITS RANGE DANIEL J. BRAZEAU1 AND STEPHEN J. HECNAR1,2 1Department of Biology, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 5E1, Canada 2Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] Abstract.—Common Five-lined Skinks (Plestiodon [formerly Eumeces] fasciatus) are difficult to study due to their small size, secretive habits, and semi-fossorial natural history. Habitat selection and dispersal have been studied at several locations across the range of the species, but few details of movements are known. Our objectives were to use radio-telemetry to gain more insight into skink movements and to test the efficacy of small, lightweight transmitters that we externally attached. We fitted 31 skinks with transmitters that provided up to 16 consecutive days of dispersal information. Movements varied greatly among individuals with some staying close to initial capture sites while most moved tens to hundreds of meters over a short period of observation. We located most of the tracked individuals under cover of woody debris but found they were much more mobile than previous mark- recapture studies suggested. Our tracking supported the idea that traditional home ranges were not occupied, but instead most individuals made regular linear movements while returning to the same locations occasionally. Individuals spent on average just over 30% of their time underground, in grass tussocks, and inside standing trees near the end of the active season. This may partly explain why recapture rates are so low in traditional mark- recapture studies. We developed a correction factor that accounts for this observed bias in microhabitat use that may help in future monitoring efforts. Small, lightweight radio transmitters that we externally mounted worked well for studying Five-lined Skink movements and the method may be useful with other similar sized reptiles. Key Words.—dispersal; habitat; lizards; radio tracking; skinks; summer activities; telemetry INTRODUCTION cover (Fitch 1954; Fitch and von Achen 1977; Hecnar 1991; Seburn 1993) and they tend to use a succession of Knowledge of animal movements is fundamentally cover objects rather than fixed home ranges (Fitch 1954; important to understand spatial ecology and for more Seburn 1990, 1993). These characteristics make studies effective conservation. Two common methods used of movements challenging and few mark-recapture to study movements are mark-recapture (Ferner and studies of the species have been published (Fitch 1954; Plummer 2016) and radio telemetry (Kingsbury and Seburn 1990, 1993). Traditional marking methods such Robinson 2016). Both methods have their advantages as toe-clipping (Fitch 1954; Seburn 1990, 1993) may and tradeoffs, and the biology and behavior of the species not be as efficacious with P. fasciatus relative to other concerned can challenge effectiveness. Telemetry can lizard species based on pain response to clipping and offer more efficient and less-invasive relocation of subsequent bleeding (pers. obs.). Ethical concerns also individuals than mark-recapture techniques, but it is exist with some animal care committees being unlikely important to use devices that will not negatively impact to approve of invasive methods such as toe clipping behavior and movement patterns (McMahon et al. 2011). or use of radioactive tracers (e.g. Fitch and von Achen Typically, transmitters are surgically implanted in larger 1977). We did not use PIT tags or elastomer tags because lizards, but the method is more invasive than external we wanted more details on movements than a mark- mounts (Kingsbury and Robinson 2016). Alternatively, recapture method provides. Coelomic implantation of transmitter backpacks can be externally mounted on PIT tags or radio transmitters also seem impractical lizards (Warner et al. 2006; Goodman et al. 2009) but considering the slender form and small size of P. becoming snagged on objects in the environment is a fasciatus. Size of implants and surgery often preclude potential issue (Kingsbury and Robinson 2016). their use in small reptiles (Ferner and Plummer 2016; Despite having one of the widest distributions of Kingsbury and Robinson 2016). Surgery also involves any lizard in North America (Environment Canada increased risk of infection and implanted devices can 2014; Powell et al. 2016), few details of Common impair movements (Weatherhead and Blouin-Demers Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon [formerly Eumeces] 2004; Lentini et al. 2011). Semi-fossorial habits and use fasciatus) movements are known. Plestiodon fasciatus of hollows and cracks in cover objects by P. fasciatus is a seasonally active, small-bodied, secretive, semi- have also made external mounting of relatively large fossorial species that spends most of its time under transmitters impractical in the past (pers. obs.). Copyright © 2018. Daniel J. Brazeau 743 All Rights Reserved. Brazeau and Hecnar.—Summer movements of Common Five-lined Skinks. Plestiodon fasciatus occurs across much of the island of terrestrial natural habitat. The RPP skink eastern United States and enters Canada (MacCulloch population is likely the second largest of eight extant 2002; Powell et al. 2016). Habitat descriptions of P. populations in the Carolinian zone of Canada. The area fasciatus vary across its large range (Fitch 1954; Hecnar has a continental climate with cool winters and warm 1991; Seburn 1993; Quirt et al. 2006; Watson and Gough summers and is characterized by highly changeable 2012). Southern populations occur in more closed weather. For details see Brazeau (2016) or Hecnar et canopy/wooded areas, while northern populations occur al. (2018). in relatively more open habitats (Fitch 1954; Hecnar 1991; Quirt et al. 2006; Watson and Gough 2012; Fieldwork and radio tracking.—We hand captured Brazeau 2016). Essential microhabitat for this species skinks from a cover board array that was deployed in is woody or rock debris that provides critical refuge 2013 (572 untreated spruce boards 121.9 × 28.6 × 3.8 cover and oviposition sites where females guard and cm). These boards and other types of cover objects brood their eggs (Fitch 1954; Hecnar 1991, 1994; Quirt (driftwood, logs, plywood, lumber, bricks, metal roofing) et al. 2006). Five-lined skinks spend about 90% of their were subsequently used by skinks. We measured each time under cover objects and make short foraging forays individual, weighed them, and photographed them to into surrounding areas (Fitch 1954; Fitch and von Achen identify distinguishing characteristics and catalogue the 1977) where they search for arthropod prey (Judd 1962; transmitter attachment. Photographs can be useful to Hecnar et al. 2002; Brazeau et al. 2015). identify individual skinks when coupled with detailed Plestiodon fasciatus are not believed to occupy descriptions (Josh Feltham, pers. comm.). We used fixed home ranges but instead use a succession of cover only individuals of sufficient weight (> 8 g) and without objects moving to a maximum of just over 100 m in a signs of ailments or physical injuries. To avoid potential year (Fitch 1954; Seburn 1990, 1993). Mark-recapture bias associated with localized effects, we attempted to studies showed that some individuals can move up to capture individuals from multiple locations throughout 207 m from points of original capture (mean 18 m, n the park. We placed and secured selected individuals in = 323) with time between captures ranging from 1 clean cotton bags (20 × 20 cm) for transport to a clean d to 47 mo (Fitch 1954). Recapture rates in previous working environment (RPP Visitor Centre) where they studies were low, and details of movements through the were fitted with transmitter units. We used ultra-light landscape between captures remain relatively unknown. (0.4 g) VHF transmitters that had an expected battery The Carolinian population of P. fasciatus in Canada lifespan of 21 d (BD2N, Holohil Systems Ltd., Carp, is designated as Endangered (Committee on the Status Ontario, Canada). Transmitters weighed < 5% the body of Endangered Wildlife in Canada [COSEWIC] 2007; mass for all individuals used in the study, a standard Environment Canada 2014) because of historical suggested for telemetry (Kingsbury and Robinson decline resulting from habitat loss, habitat degradation, 2016). and isolation from extreme habitat fragmentation. This We did not attach transmitters on the torso to reduce population has declined from many historic locations the risk of transmitters snagging on objects as individuals to only eight highly isolated sites (COSEWIC 2007; burrow or move through hollows. We instead chose Choquette et al. 2010). Technological advancement the side of the base of the tail as the attachment site to in recent decades has reduced transmitter/battery reduce profile and risk of autotomy, because fracture package size and developed better attachment materials planes occur distal to the basal tail vertebrae (Arnold (Robinson et al. 2018) providing more options for 1984). Two researchers worked to attach transmitters studying small-bodied secretive species. Our objectives with one securing the individual by the upper abdomen were twofold: first we wanted to test the efficacy of and hind legs to prevent torsion, while the other cleaned telemetry using small lightweight externally mounted the area
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