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B RAR I E$ SfV p ^ ^ ^ ° CO ^ ^ \. ^ ^'""'"^'"'V'"' SS N0SHJ.HMS^S3 lava SI^LIBRAR I ESwSMITHSONIAN~INSTITUTIONm NOIJ.fUIJLSNI~N\! ^ -*rf" ~s^-tnv>^ ^ '“x yx <*g rHSONIAN_ INSTITUTI0N^N0U.nillSNI^NVIN0SHlllAISt°S3 I ava a nZ LI B RAR I ES°SIV ?r ^msoa^v nt 2! vx- w _ ^ IOSHilWSzS3 I ava 8 11^ LI B RAR I ES^SMITHSONW^INSTITUTION^NOlifUllSNI J\IV m '^vos»^ 4 m 'Cjm^y <£ m — !/)„(/) X - , _ HSONIAN INSTITUTION NOIXfUllSNl NVINOSHilWS S3 I HVa a 11 ~LI B RAR 1 ES SIV < X S ^ i ^ < 'X. £ w ...-.- > 5 xam5«S^ >' 2 ''XF > losHiiws^sa i ava a n_u brar i es^smithsonian ^institution “’noiiiuusni^m ^ O Xfoos*£X “ ' O x^osv^x “ NviVA^>' o HSONIAN INSTITUTION NOIlfUUSNI NVINQSH1IWS S3 I 8V8 8 ll™*L I B R AR I ES Sl\ * 2H r- r— ~r ® /mm\ § co .4KU 2 5 4g£&x 2 % XI lol > 73 ^ I— \vo^uga«^c- c/> ^ rn E . grabhamij E. deooratus 3 and Eleutherodaetylus sp. of Ecuador) are, according to current thinking, non- auriculatus group members; while among those species having a single-pointed egg tooth there occur two members of the auriculatus group ( martinicensis and urichi) . Page 6 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number 1 March 1984 Schwartz (1969) regarded Eleutherodaoty lus jamaioensis as a ■possible member of the aurioulatus group, although this group is not otherwise known to occur in Jamaica except through introduction. Crombie (1977)? on the other hand, elected to place jamaioensis in a distinct, mono-typic species group (the jamaioensis group) in spite of its apparent similarity to members of the aurioulatus group as noted by Schwartz . While it is possible to explain away the bifurcate egg tooth of Eleutherodacty lus jamaioensis on the basis of the close similarity of this species to members of the aurioulatus group, there is no simple explanation, hypothetical or otherwise, for the occurrence of the bifurcate egg tooth in E, grabhami of Jamaica, E. deooratus of Mexico, and Eleutherodacty lus sp. of Ecuador, other than to accept the quite obvious fact that the bifurcate egg tooth is not exclusively limited to members of the aurioulatus species group. The occurrence of the bifurcate egg tooth in an apparently wide diversity of non -aurioulatus group species will remain problematic until a considerable amount of new data is available. The occurrence of a single- pointed egg tooth in martinioensis and urichi (both aurioulatus members) is, on the other hand, more interesting than problematic. Research currently underway suggests that, in certain respects, Eleutherodacty lus martinioensis is closely related to E . johnstonei, E, pinohonij and E. barlagnei. These four species, all of which occur in the southeastern Caribbean, may, in fact, form a discrete subgroup within the genus. Eleutherodacty lus johnstonei probably originated in the southeastern Caribbean, but has since been widely introduced on various Caribbean islands, and in northern South America (Hardy and Harris, 1979). The three remaining members of this group occur only on the islands of Guadeloupe (martinioensis 3 pinohoni and barlagnei ), Anti¬ gua, Dominica, Martinique, and several small islands in the vicinity of Guadeloupe ( martinioensis ). With the exception of E. urichi (as presently characterized), E. martinioensis may, in fact, reach the southernmost latitudes of any assumed member of the aurioulatus group. Another frog, erroneously attributed to Eleutherodacty lus uriohi by Barbour (1914, 1930), occurs south of Martinique on the islands of St. Vincnet and Grenada. The possible relationship of this frog to the aurioulatus species group, and the nature of its egg tooth, are, unfortunately, unknown pieces in an increasingly fascinating puzzle. Lynch (1976) described an assemblage of primarily South American (mainland) species of Eleutherodaotylus which he called the unistrigatus group, but pointed out that this group "may not prove separable from the Antillean aurioulatus group." These two groups were separated on the basis of the fact that, in the aurioulatus group, the frontoparietal bone is always fused to the prootic, and the median ramus of the pterogoid never overlaps the parasphenoid ala; whereas, in the unistrigatus group, the frontoparietal bone is rarely fused to the Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 7 Volume 20 Number 1 March 1984 prootic, and the median ramus of the pterogoid usually overlaps the parasphenoid ala. Although Schwartz (196?) clearly regarded E. uriohi as a member of the aurioulatus group, Lynch (1976), in the absence of available skeletal preparations, listed it only as a putative member of the group. I have examined a single, recently-stained skeleton of Eleutherodaotylus uriohi. In this specimen the frontoparietal bone is fused to the prootic, and the median ramus of the pterogoid appears not to overlap the parasphenoid ala. On this basis E. uriohi clearly fits Lynch's definition of the aurioulatus group. On biogeographi cal grounds, however, the occurrence of a member of a typically West Indian species group member on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago is odd. Lack (1976), working with birds, postulated a faunal barrier between the islands of Grenada and Tobago which he called "Bond's line". This "1 i ne" . var ies in effectiveness from group to group. It is least effective in limiting the distribution of South American (continental) species northward, and most effective in limiting the distribution of West Indian species (or species groups) southward. Eleutherodaotylus uriohi is consequently unique in being the only representative of a strictly West Indian anuran species group to have crossed "Bond's line". The problem of E. uriohi is further complicated by the fact that it appears to be endemic to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and does not reach the South American mainland as has previously been supposed (Hardy, 1970, 1982). To briefly review, the bifurcate egg tooth has been, observed in a number of species of Eleutherodaotylus representing several different sub-groups within the genus. It seems to occur with significant frequency in members of the West Indian aurioulatus group. In thirteen of the fifteen members of this group for which the egg tooth is known, the egg tooth is bifurcate. It is perhaps significant that the two exceptions (martinioensis and uriohi) occur at or near the southern limits of the assumed range of the aurioulatus group (Figure 5). Page 8 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number 1 March 1984 antillensis (B) cooki (B) coqui (B) gryllus (B) hedricki (B) jasperi (B) flavescens' (B) locustus s. ST ^ ST * I > - I * a oo a Os to 1- 3 cs rc Co'D g. « sr :> rt It E-^ § 5* £L « s' 3 g 2. § 3 2 5* o « > § I? C P 3 8 8 5 Os K 5“ rt g* S* si » a? o o -y 3 3 2. ~ 2 o c s 3 5- os 3 c« 'S 3 ro a ES 5«1 cr 3 t» y (l Q c» ^ 5' ° S. g " ° - § S' g o M CL w s<- o> „ 3 to to ’2 5 8 & a b 8 o | I* §5 •1| 1 s-p g o 3 ^ CD n> ^ c/> o I g I 3 5. ■§. g* 5 « “* S n O *3 * M' o g. » CT* CL 5'2 » (D H- D SL “ W CL to fts ^ cr 3 5- ” § ^3 to -S» •§ » to n> 2 S o 3. * n n j o O ^ g 3 Ha « to ?r« 3 2. a B Q ^ x 3. SL " n - cr 5 cl 3 S' £Lw S' to £* r* to o s| to rt ”3 rt n 2 cr S' 2. m 3 n> . n> < B B.S. § r § 2 8 g 3 to i ° 3 2 l^5 I to 2, 5' S' S' > S 2 3 >0 „ CL 1° O' o* C« >-1 B 2 c 3 £ 3“ to 1? g.3- 5 - S 3 3’ rt g a- sr 2 is 3 • 2 3 5* CL 8 3 3 3 fi¬ ns CL to C S S;3 8* B* 5f g- » 3 clc 3 gj 2 (S s' ° 3“ 3 CL rt to ^“3 3 i S. ^ 8^2 j3 o' n g O H, rt BT 3 P* <8 O ~ 5 w to 3 ^ to 'C — « 3 » a to jjf 3 3 3 cr ns « « to ”9 H Jo 3 rt o' m »g ^ c/s o' " H - § S’? 3 „ « « “• b. 5 « « S' a 2- rt K O 3»E S(f IS It S3 f & W S O &3 cr I Page 28 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number 1 • Herpetolog ical Society P,„ 2, Society Publ ications Back issues of the Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetolog ical Society, where available, may be obtained by wri ting the Executive Editor. A list of available issues will be sent upon request. Individual numbers in stock are $2.00 each, un¬ less otherwise noted. The Society also publ ishes a Newsletter on a somewhat irregular basis. These are distributed to the membershi p free of charge. Also published are Maryland Herpetofauna Leaflets and these are available at $. 25/page. Information for Authors All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Editor. Manuscripts being sub¬ mitted for publication should be typewritten (double spaced) on good quality 8^x11 inch paper, with adequate margins. Submit original and first carbon, retaining the second carbon. Indicate where illustrations or photographs are to appear in text. Cite all literature used at end in alphabetical order by author. Major papers are those over 5 pages (double spaced, elite type)andmust i ncl ude an abstract . The authors name should be centered under the title, and the address is to fol low the L i terature Cited. Minor papers are those papers with fewer than 5 pages. Author's name is to be placed at end of paper (see recent issue). For addi tional information see Style Manual for Biological Journals (1964) , American Insti tute of Biological Sciences, 3900 Wi scons in Avenue, N.W. , Washington, D.C. 20016. Price is $6.00. Reprints are available at $.03 a page and shoul d be ordered when manuscripts are submitted or when proofs are returned. Minimum order is 100 reprints. Either edited manuscri pt or proof will be returned to author for approval or correct ion. The author will be responsible for al 1 corrections to proof, and must return proof preferably wi thin 7 days. The Maryland Herpetologioal Society Department of Herpetology Natural History Society of Maryland 3 Inc . 2643 North Charles Street Baltimore 3 Maryland 21218 BULLETIN OF THE US JSSN; 0025-4231 fftacylonb ^jss^f'lErpetologitnl OCT 22 1985 J ©odety ^UBRAmg^ Department of Herpetology The Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. t HdHS . A FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE Eastern Seaboard Herpetological League JUNE 1984 VOLUME 20 NUMBER 2 Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 CONTENTS THE LIZARD PARIETAL EYE: A ROLE IN TEHRMOREGULAT I ON . . Kristin Lopez 31 DISTRIBUTIONAL RECORDS FOR MARYLAND HERPETOFAUNA, III . . Robert W. Miller 38 NOTES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF Eurycea longicauda IN MARYLAND. . . . . Robert W. M i 1 1 er 46 RANDOM ROTATION OF Elaphe EGGS DURING ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION. . . . . . . Frederick B. Antonio 51 A SIMPLE METHOD FOR TRANSMITTER ATTACHMENT IN CHELON IANS . . Martin A. Larson 5h NEWS AND NOTES: NEW BOOK RELEASES - CATALOGUE OF NEW WORLD AMPHIBIANS. ... 58 - THE BACTERIAL DISEASES OF REPTILES ... 60 - TORTOISES, TERRAPINS AND TURTLES .... 6l NEWS AND NOTES: NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM COLLECTION ANNOUNCEMENT . 62 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY ANNOUNCEMENT . The Maryland Herpetological Society department of Herpetology Hatural History Society of Mary lands Inc, 2643 north Chanles Street Baltimore s Maryland 21218 BULLETI N OF THE Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 The Mary 1 and Herpetolog ica 1 Society Department of Herpetology, Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Bulletin Staff Executive Editor Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Steering Committee Donald Boyer Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Frank Groves Jerry D. Hardy, Jr. Jeff Thomas President . . Off i cers V i ce-Pres i dent . Secretary . . Treasurer . . Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 7 6-93^*58 Membership Rates Full membership in the Maryland Herpetol ogi cal Society is $12.50 per year, subscribing membership (outside a 20 mile radius of Baltimore City) $10.00 /year. Foreign $12.00/yr. Make all checks payable to the Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Meet i ngs The. third Wednesday of each month, 8:15 p.m. at the Natural History Society of Maryland (except May-August, third Saturday of each month, 8:00 a.m.). The Department of Herpetology meets informally on all other Wednesday evenings at the NHSM at 8:00 p.m. Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 30 June 1984 Number 2 The Lizard Parietal Eye: A Role in Thermoregulation Kristin Lopez Abstract The parietal eye, a parapineal functional photoreceptor found in fifty-nine percent of lizard genera, appears to be involved in behavioral thermoregulation. Its occurrence is positively correlated with habitat/ latitude. Removal or shielding of the eye results in increased exposure to bright sunlight and higher ambient and body temperature selection. It may function as a dosimeter of light, thus providing an estimate of the radiant heat available for thermoregulation. Excessive stimulation of the parietal eye appears to lead to behaviors limiting photothermal exposure, thus preventing overacceleration of metabolic processes. Lizards, like other ectotherms, are dependent on the environment for their source of heat. However, in general they do not passively assume a body temperature equal to that of their surroundings. In fact, their body temperature is very often different from the ambient tempera¬ ture. This ability to take an active role in controlling body tempera¬ ture, thermoregulation, is important in maintaining homeostasis. Metabolism is highly influenced by body temperature - each 10°C increase approximately doubles metabolic rate - and many physiological processes including growth and reproduction are temperature-dependent. Most lizards have a "preferred temperature" or range of temperatures which they will maintain within certain environmental limits; in general, physiological processes are optimally maintained at each species' preferred temperature. Most reptilian thermoregulation is accomplished by species- specific behaviors. Thermoregulators can be divided into two major groups, differing by the method used to obtain environmental heat. Thigmotherms conduct heat from the substrate. They are burrowing, aquatic or nocturnal forms which avoid temperature extremes and, particularly, have little contact with direct sunlight. Heliotherms gain radiant heat from basking in the sun. They maintain their pre¬ ferred temperature by selecting a particular micro-habitat (a sunny rock, sand or shade), depending on heat requirement, and by posturing or orienting with respect to the sun's position. When the ambient tempera¬ ture drops too low to allow thermoregulation, heliotherms will burrow underg round . Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 31 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Control of thermoregulation involves the hypothalamus and, in some species, the pineal (epiphyseal) complex. This discussion reviews evidence for an epiphyseal role in lizard behavioral thermoregulation. The pineal develops as an evagination of the roof of the brain in the d iencephal on . In the adult, it is attached by a stalk to the brain roof. The pineal is found throughout vertebrates, from cyclostomes to mammals, although it is absent in some groups. It tends to be more complex in lower vertebrates. In most ectotherms, it is composed of two distinct structures - an epiphysis cerebri or pineal proper inside the cranium, and an extracranial parapineal component. Epiphyseal morphology is variable; the pineals of lower vertebrates may contain mostly photoreceptive cells, whereas more advanced forms tend to have glandular pineals. Most lizards have glandular pineals secreting various peptides and indoles, including melatonin. Approximately 59% of lizard genera possess a wel 1 -devel oped para¬ pineal structure, the parietal or "third" eye. It is located in a foramen (small hole) between the parietal bones of the skull. In most species it can be seen by the unaided eye as a small light-colored spot, about 0.2 millimeters in diameter, on the middle of the skull posterior to the lateral eyes. Dissection reveals that it is composed of a cornea, lens, retina and fluid-filled cavity. Thus the organization of the third eye is similar to that of the lateral eyes, except that it is not involuted and does not include ocular muscles or an eyelid. The retina contains sensory receptor cells which have some rod-like and some cone¬ like characteristics (Eakin, 1973). The parietal eye responds to the presence of light and can discriminate wavelength. Retinal photorecep¬ tive cells send messages to the pineal body and other parts of the brain via the parietal nerve. Students of the epiphyseal complex have offered several theories of parietal eye function. Some have considered it merely a vestige of an image-forming eye. Other theories include modulation of circadian or seasonal rhythmicity, inhibition of sexual function, production of Vitamin D, thermoreception, and photoreception; it was once suggested that the third eye was a lookout for the devil! A large body of evidence supports the role of the parietal eye as photoreceptor, sending informa¬ tion to the pineal to influence rhythmicity and reproduction (for review see Ralph et al., 1979). This report focuses on evidence that the parietal eye is used by lizards to sense thermal information from the env i ronment . The ability to thermoregul ate is most advantageous in environments with wide temperature fluctuations. Thus, equatorial species are not as likely to rely on thermoregulation as are those species living at higher latitudes. If the parietal eye functions in thermoregulation, one would expect to find it most frequently in high latitude groups. Indeed, this appears to be the case. Gundy and coworkers (1975) examined the rela- Page 32 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 tionship between occurrence of parietal eyes and center of abundance of four large successful families of lizards. He found that teiids and geckos, both of which lack parietal eyes in nearly all species, are most abundant within 10° of the equator. In two other families, Iguanidae and Agamidae, most genera have parietal eyes. Both of these families are centered between 20° and 30° north or south of the equator. Further¬ more, the single iguanid genus which lacks a parietal eye and all five parietal eyeless agamid genera are centered on the equator. Thus there is a distinct geographical correlation with presence of a parietal eye in these four major families. This correlation indicates that the parietal eye may be important in environmental adaptations at high latitudes involving thermoregulation, reproductive timing, or some other aspect of rhythmicity cued by light or temperature fluctations. In order for the parietal eye to affect behavioral thermoregula¬ tion, its presence must, first, alter the lizard's exposure behavior and, secondly, the difference in exposure must be effective in changing the animal's body temperature. A number of experiments have investi¬ gated the effect of removing or shielding the parietal eye on thermal exposure and body temperature. The first major finding on the effect of the parietal eye on exposure was reported by Stebbins and Eakin in 1958. They performed a field experiment with 373 free-living Soeloporus occidentalis (western fence lizard). Half of the animals were parietalectomized (parietal eye surgically removed) and half sham-operated. During a two-week period, sixty-three observations were made of the study area. The numbers of parietalectomized and sham-operated lizards exposed to sun¬ light were counted, and time of day noted. The total ratio of exposed experimental to exposed control animals was greater than 4:3, a highly significant deviation from the 1:1 expected ratio. Both groups basked with equal frequency at mid-day, but parietalectomized lizards appeared earlier and retired later than the control group, thus extending their daily exposure time. There was, however, no significant difference in cloacal temperature between the two groups in this study. Subsequent studies lent support to the idea that the parietal eye affects basking behavior. In a laboratory setting, Stebbins and Wilhoft (1966) studied the effect of parietal eye shielding (by aluminum paint) on Soeloporus virgatus (striped plateau lizard). They observed increased exposure of the eye-shielded group in the brightly lit portion of their cage. Packard and Packard (1972) found increased exposure to bright sunlight of parietal eye-shielded male, but not female Callisaurus draoonoides (zebra-ta i 1 ed lizard). Parietalectomized Xantusia vigilis (desert night lizards) spent more time in bright sunlight than did controls (Stebbins, 1970). Although other experiments reported similar results, in no case did lizards with shielded or ablated parietal eyes demonstrate less exposure to sunlight than control groups. Thus it appears that the parietal eye is effective in limiting exposure to bright light. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 33 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Further investigations revealed that the difference in exposure of par ietal ectomized and sham-operated lizards resulted in a difference in body temperature. Roth and Ralph (1976) found that a par ietal ectomized group of Anolis occrotinensis (American chameleon) had significantly higher body temperatures than did sham-operated controls. A similar finding was obtained with Soeloporus magister (desert spiny lizard) (Engbretson and Hutchinson, 1976). Out of these experiments emerged a theory that the parietal eye functions as a dosimeter of solar radiation. The basic arguments for the theory are as follows. Most temperate lizards have daily and seasonal cycles of activity, and seasonal reproductive cycles which are critical to their survival. These rhythms are dependent on the environ¬ mental parameters of heat and light in two important ways. Light and/or heat may be cues for the onset of physiological changes involved in rhythmicity. Temperature can alter metabolism and affect the rate of processes such as gonadal growth, which can accelerate or decelerate seasonal cyclic phenomena. Thus, exposure to heat and light must be narrowly controlled for species in which they influence the timing of seasonal events. Exposure must also be limited in lizards whose preferred temperature is near the lethal limit. It is believed that the parietal eye gauges the amount of light, and the consequent radiant heat, in the environment. This information is conveyed to the pineal and other parts of the brain, which initiate behaviors regulating exposure. Specifically, excessive stimulation of the parietal eye results in decreased photothermal exposure. This prevents overacceleration of metabolic processes on unseasonably warm, bright days. To fully understand the role of the parietal eye in behavioral thermoregulation, it is critical to know if it uses photic information as an estimator of heat content in the environment, or if it is a direct thermal receptor. Two lines of experimentation have attempted to separate the effects of heat and light - physiological responses of the parietal eye to the stimuli, and behavioral responses of the organism. A number of studies have shown conclusively that the parietal eye is sensitive to light. Electrical recordings (el ectroret inograms) from the retina of the third eye show characteristic activity upon illumina¬ tion (Dodt and Scherer, 1968). The response changes when the eye is presented with a different wavelength; the parietal eye is color- sensitive. No such evidence exists to support a direct thermorecept i ve role. The eye has a very low sensitivity to infrared light (Hamasaki, 1969). Furthermore, it contains no pigment granules, which presumably are required for heat absorption. Behavioral studies appear to contradict the idea that the parietal eye is exclusively a dosimeter of light. Hutchinson and Kosh (197*0 first demonstrated a direct role in thermal selection. They placed adult Page 3** Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Anolis carolinensis in a chamber with a thermal gradient, with heat supplied from the floor, and under constant cool illumination. The animals were divided into par ietal ectomized and sham-operated groups. Temperature selection and body temperature were recorded. At all times of the day and night except for the period from 8:00 a.m. until noon, parietalectomized animals showed a significantly higher temperature selection, with accompanying higher body temperature, than the control group. A similar experiment using Sceloporus magister (Engbretson and Hutchinson, 1976) supported the idea of a direct thermoreceptor role of the parietal eye; parietalectomized S. magister also chose s ign i f i cant 1 y higher body temperatures than controls on a thermal gradient when light was held constant. To determine the relative importance of heat and light stimuli to the parietal eye, Roth and Ralph (1977) presented parietalectomized and sham-operated Anolis carolinensis with choices of light or heat stimuli, presented singly or in a combination photothermal gradient. Parietal- ectomy increased exposure of the lizards to both heat and light stimuli. However, the increase in thermophilic behavior was greater than that of photophilic behavior. Parietalectomized lizards select higher temperatures than controls under constant lighting conditions. Par i etal ectomy increases thermal exposure more than it increases photic exposure. The theory of the parietal eye as a 1 ight dos imeter does not explain these findings. The eye may contain thermoreceptors; the lack of physiological or anatomical evidence does not disprove their existence. However, the parietal eye could serve another function in thermoregulation. It may act in some manner to set the hypothalamic thermostat, limiting its setpoint. Destruction of the parietal eye would then raise the setpoint, causing the animal to attempt to maintain a higher temperature. The parietal eye has been convincingly shown to have an effect on temperature selection in lizards. The eye uses light information as an estimator of environmental heat, and probably can also sense thermal stimuli directly. The function of the eye appears to be to limit heat¬ seeking behaviors. This prevents lethal overheating of the animal, and unseasonal growth of organs involved in cyclic activities. Pari etal ectomy has been shown to increase thyroid and gonadal activity in Sceloporus occidentalis (Stebbins and Cohen, 1973). The adaptive significance of the structure has not been fully investigated, however. No studies have looked at longevity or reproductive output in parietalectomized lizards. The effect of the parietal eye on the pineal and on the hypothalamus is not clear. The question of thermoreceptor function still remains. The role of the parietal eye in thigmotherms needs clarification. These and other investigations could aid in further understanding this sensitive structure once thought to be degenerate. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 35 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 L i tera ture C i ted Dodt, E. and E. Scherer. 1968. Photic responses from the parietal eye of the lizard Lacerta sicula campestris (De Betta) . Vision Res. 8 : 6 1 . Eakin, R. M. 1973. The Third Eye. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley. Engbretson, G. A. and V. H. Hutchinson. 1976. Par ietal ectomy and thermal selection in the lizard, Sceloporus magister. J. Exp. Zool . 198:29. Gundy, G. C., C. L. Ralph and G. Z. Wurst. 1975. Parietal eyes in lizards: zoogeographical correlates. Sci. 190:671. Hamasak i , D . 1 1969. Spectral sensitivity of the parietal eye of green iguanas. Vision Res . 9:515. Hutchinson, V. H. and R. J. Kosh. 1974. Thermoregulatory function of the parietal eye in the Packard, G. C. 1972. 1 izard Anolis carolinensis, Oecologia 16:173. and M. J. Packard. Photic exposure of the lizard Callisaurus draconoides following shielding of the parietal eye. Copeia 1972:695. Ralph, C. L., B. T. Firth and J. S. Turner. 1979. The role of the pineal body in ectotherm thermoregulation. Am. Zool . 19:273- Roth, J. J. and C. L. Ralph. 1978. Body temperature of the lizard ( Anolis carolinensis): effect of par ietal ectomy . J. Exp. Zool. 198:17. Roth, J. J. and C. L. Ralph. 1977. Thermal and photic preferences in intact and parietalec- tomized Anolis carolinensis. Behav. Biol. 19:341. Stebbins, R. C. 1970. The effect of pa r i eta 1 ectomy on testicular activity and exposure to light in the desert night lizard ( Xantusia vigilis) . Copeia 1970:261. and N. W. Cohen. 1973. The effect of par i eta 1 ectomy on the thyroid and gonads in free-living western fence lizards {Sceloporus occidentalis ) Copeia 1973:662. Page 36 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Stebbins, R. C. and R. M. Eaki n. 1958. The role of the "third eye" in reptilian behavior. Amer. Mus. Nov. 1 870 : 1 . and D. C. Wilhoft. 1966. Influences of the parietal eye on activity in lizards In R. 1. Bowman (ed.) , The Galapagos, Proc. Symp. Galapagos Int. Sci. Project. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkel ey . EPO Biology Campus Box 334 University of Colorado Boulder , Colorado 80309 Received: 7 February 1984 Accepted: 27 February 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 37 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 DISTRIBUTIONAL RECORDS FOR MARYLAND HERPETOFAUNA , III The specimens mentioned below are deposited in the following collections: Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANSP) , Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CM), Natural History Society of Maryland (NHSM) , Richard T. Highton (RTH) (housed at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland), Towson State University (TSU) , U.S. Biological Survey (USBS) (housed at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland). CM material was verified by CM personnel; RTH specimens were not seen and bear lot numbers. Unsupported distri¬ butional statements are based on Harris (1975). Notophthalmus viridescens (RTH 61-84) Eastern Shore records for the red-spotted newt are few. This specimen is from 1.75 km NNE Lakesville, Dorchester County, and is the first for the county. Amby stoma opacum (TSU 5950) A brooding female was collected by the writer near Bird Hill, Carroll County on 26 September 1983, providing the first locality for the county. Desmognathus fusous (RTH 64-353) Eastern Shore records for the dusky salamander are also few. This specimen is from 1.65 km WSW Matthews and adds a second locality for Tal bot County . Euryoea bislineata (RTH 6 1 - 2 5 A [2]) This is another salamander with a spotty Eastern Shore distribu¬ tion. These two specimens provide a second station for Queen Anne's County. They were collected 2.7 km NW Wye Mills. Hemidactylium scutatum The four-toed salamander has been recorded from one locality in both Caroline and Dorchester Counties. Additional sites are provided by RTH 65-478 from 2.4 km E Goldsboro, Caroline County, and RTH 61-84 from 1.75 km NNE Lakesville, Dorchester County. The species has not been reported from Frederick County. Two brooding females (TSU 5662-5663) were collected near Unionville by the writer on 31 May 1983. The eggs of TSU 5662 were hatching, whereas those of TSU 5663 had not. Page 38 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 In Harford County this species has been plotted from two localities, neither of which appear to be based on preserved specimens or published records. The following stations have been acquired by the writer; all but two individuals were nesting females: Jerusalem, 7 April 1980 (TSU 3455“3456) ; near Carea, 8 April 1980 (TSU 3466-3468); three localities near Norr i svi 1 1 e, 30 March, 21 April, 23 April 1982 (TSU 4685-4687, 4861, 4868); near Kalmia, 22 April 1982 (TSU 4862); near Singer, 18 April 1983 (TSU 5364); near Reckord, 21 April 1 983 (TSU 5365-5366); near Houck's Mill, 21 April 1 983 (TSU 5368); near Vale, 25 April 1983 (TSU 5384-5385); near Cooper, 17 May 1 983 (TSU 5572-5573). In Howard County the four-toed salamander is known only from Avalon (NHSM/HSH-RSS 26, 127). Fourteen localities, all represented by brooders, were obtained by the writer during 1983: near Dayton, 28 March (TSU 5255); two localities near Mayfield, 1 April (TSU 5248, 5269-5270); near El ioak, 7 April (TSU 5295); near Alpha, 11 April (TSU 5304); Roxbury Mills, 12 April (TSU 5316); Annapolis Rock, 22 April (TSU 5371-5372); near Hipsley's Mill, 26 April (TSU 5386-5387); two localities at Mullinix, 2 May, 4 May (TSU 5444, 5479); near Highland, 9 May (TSU 5509); near West Friendship, 10 May (TSU 5521); near Roxbury Mills, 11 May (TSU 5532-5533); near Watersville, 27 May (TSU 5652-5653). This species has not been recorded from Queen Anne's County. RTH 61-28A is from 2.2 km NW Starr. Plethodon glutinosus The slimy salamander has been reported in Howard County only from Avalon, where it was found in July 1950 by H. W. Campbell, but from which locality no specimens exist (Harris 1966; Campbell, pers. comm.). On 2 May 1 983 one individual (TSU 5421) was collected by the writer near Mullinix, and another (TSU 5477) was taken on 4 May 1983 at Mullinix. Bufo woodhousei (CM 1 3885-13886) These valley and ridge specimens are from Black Oak, Allegany County, and are 18 km SW of material reported by Miller (1982), thus making them the westernmost known locality in Maryland and placing them essentially at the base of the Allegheny Plateau. They were collected on 21 July 1937. Clemmys muhlerihergi (CM 87469) This specimen was collected in the vicinity of Cecilton, Cecil County on 9 June 1975 and appears to be the only unequivocal coastal plain locality for this turtle in Maryland. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 39 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Eretmochelys imbricata An uncatalogued hawksbill in the collection of the Natural History Society of Maryland bears a label, fashioned for exhibition purposes, stating: "A Marine Reptile Found Occasionally In Chesapeake Bay And The Maryland Coast. It May Reach 3 Feet, And Is Harmless." Hardy's (1972) inaccurate quotation of this label has also led Musick (1972, 1979a, 1979b) and White (1982) to state that the specimen came from the Chesa¬ peake Bay. The provenance of this turtle is unknown. E'umeoes anthracinus (ANSP 9433"9434) This species is known from Allegany County only from the above specimens, which bear the locality "Allegheny Co., Maryland." Taylor (1935) was the first to publish on these specimens, and several subse¬ quent authors have mentioned or uncritically accepted the record: McC 1 el 1 an Smith and Smith (1952); Reed (1956); Cooper (i960, 1965); Harris (1969, 1975); Committee ... (1973). Other entries in the ANSP catalogue, however, strongly indicate that these coal skinks were collected in present-day Garrett County. In Maryland E. anthracinus is known to definitely occur only in extreme west-central Garrett County, well removed from Allegany County. Two Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (ANSP 53 7~ 538 ; not located) are catalogued "Allegheny Co., Md.," although this salamander does not occur in Allegany County and is restricted in western Maryland to streams in Garrett County that drain to the Ohio River (Fowler 1947; Committee ... 1973; Harris 1975). Two lots of Notophthalmus viridescens (ANSP 1 6 1 3“ 1626, 4110-4116; 161 3" 1618 located) bear, respectively, the localities "Oakland, Alleghany Co., Md." and "Oakland, Allegh. Co., Md.," although Oakland is in Garrett County. The Cryptobranchus and E. anthracinus were apparently collected by the same individual; the collector(s) of the Notophthalmus is not recorded. These seeming contradictions can be explained by considering when the specimens were collected. Although no dates of collection are given in the ANSP catalogue, the above material is among the oldest in the collection and it is probable that it was taken prior to 1 8 72 . Before 1 8 72 Garrett County did not exist and the present-day Garrett County was part of Allegany County (Clark 1900, 1902). It should be noted, however, that Eumeces anthracinus has been collected in Hampshire County, West Virginia (Smith and Smith 1952), a county that borders Allegany County, Maryland. There is no reason to doubt the validity of this record, which is based on CM 18358 (C. J. McCoy, pers. comm.) Cemophora coccinea This snake has not been recorded from Charles County. USBS 10434 was found at the edge of a wheat field adjacent to a marsh along a tidal section of Nanjemoy Creek. It was collected on 1 May 1949. Two other Page 40 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Eumeces anthracinus (ANSP 9^33-9^3*0 This species is known from Allegany County only from the above specimens, which bear the locality "Allegheny Co., Maryland." Taylor (1935) was the first to publish on these specimens, and several subse¬ quent authors have mentioned or uncritically accepted the record: McClellan et al . (19**3); McCauley (19**5); Lemay and Marsiglia (1952); Smith and Smith (1952); Reed (1956); Cooper (i960, 1965); Harris (1969, 1975); Committee ... (1973). Other entries in the ANSP catalogue, however, strongly indicate that these coal skinks were collected in present-day Garrett County. In Maryland E. anthracinus is known to definitely occur only in extreme west-central Garrett County, well removed from Allegany County. Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 localities for this rare Maryland species have been recently obtained. TSU 5293 is from Woodland Beach, Anne Arundel County, taken on 12 June 1980, and NHSM 2717 is from Appeal, Calvert County, found dead in a powerline cut on 9 September 1982. Diadophis punatatus (CM 27022-27023, 31384, 37723, 37851) Miller (1979) noted the first record for this species in Wicomico County, although older, unreported catalogued material was available at the time. The above specimens are from Quantico and were collected between 1946 and 1961. Lampropeltis oalligaster (USBS 10623) This species is known from two localities in Howard County (Miller 1982), the northern limit of its range in the eastern United States. The above specimen represents a third locality for Howard County and was taken at 78 Patuxent Drive, near Whiskey Bottom Road, opposite Laurel (Prince George's County), on 26 August 1959. Regina septemoittata The queen snake has been reported from three localities in southern Maryland (Hardy and Mansueti 1962; Lee 1973), all in Calvert County. The former authors stated that J. A. Fowler collected the species at Camp Washington. No such locality appears to exist and Fowler has informed the writer that he cannot account for the Hardy- Mansueti statement. Hardy and Mansueti 's Camp Boy Haven record from along the Chesapeake Bay is not easily explained and may represent an introduction. Lee's specimen (NHSM 1799) is from a tributary (probably Cocktown Creek) to the Patuxent River, near "Huntington" (= Hunt i ngtown) . This snake is also from a nature camp, but the locality is zoogeograph i ca 1 ly plausible in that R. septemoittata has been taken along and near the Patuxent River well upstream in the piedmont (TSU 5433; two records plotted in Harris 1975) and on the coastal plain near the Fall Line (USBS 9752, 10300, 10368, 10639). USBS 10596, from 1.0 km S Nottingham, Prince George's County, lends credibility to the Huntingtown station and provides a second reliable locality for southern Maryland. Catalogue data state that it was collected "Hundreds of yards out in tidal marsh of Patuxent River. About 0.5 mile [0.8 km] from nearest high land or fresh stream. First Maryland record for this part of state and for this habitat." The locality is approximately 10 km upstream from the Huntingtown site. It was collected on 18 October 1951. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 41 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Storevia occipitomaculata (USBS 9789, 10356, 10357, 10444, 10626) Following Harris (1975), Miller (1982) claimed to report the first records of this species in Prince George's County. S. occipito- maoulata , however, was earl ier recorded from the Patuxent Research Refuge (now the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center), located between Bowie and Laurel (Anonymous 1957; Patuxent ... 1979). Of the above specimens, the latter four are from the Center and were collected between 1948 and 1962. The first is from the National Agricultural Research Center, on property adjacent the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and was taken on 27 September 1942. Acknowl edgments I thank Russell J. Hall and Francis M. Uhler for making the USBS collection available, Richard T. Highton for access to personal records, James F. Lynch for donating the TSU Cemophoray Clarence J. McCoy for information on specimens in the CM collection, and Charles L. Smart, Jr. for access to the ANSP collection. Literature Cited Anonymous . 1957. Amphibians and reptiles of the Patuxent Research Refuge [,] Prince Georges County, Maryland. Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel, Maryland. 1 p. Clark, W. B. 1900. The physical features of Allegany County. Introduction. Pp. 23-25 in: Maryland Geological Survey. Allegany County. Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, Maryland. 323 pp. 1902. The physical features of Garrett County. Introduction. Pp. 23-25 in: Maryland Geological Survey. Garrett County. Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, Maryland. 340 pp. Committee on Rare and Endangered Amphibians and Reptiles of Maryland. 1973. Endangered amphibians and reptiles of Maryland. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 9(3) : 42 - 100. Cooper, J. E. I960. Distributional survey V: Maryland and the District of Columbia. Bull. Philadelphia Herp. Soc. 8(3) - 1 8-24 . II 1965. Distributional survey: Maryland and the District of Columbia. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 1(1):3“14. Revised by H. S. Harris, Jr. Page 42 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1 984 Fowler, J. A. 1 94? . The hellbender ( Cryptobranohus alleganiensis) in Maryland. Maryland J. Nat. Hist. 1 7(1 ) : 1 4-1 7. Hardy, J. D., Jr. 1972. Reptiles of the Chesapeake Bay region. Pp. SI 28-SI 34 in: A. J. McErlean, C. Kerby and M. L. Wass (eds.). Biota of the Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Sci. 13(supplement) : S1-S197. _ _ and R. J. Mansueti. 1962. Checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Calvert County, Maryland. Nat. Res. Inst. Univ. Maryland Chesapeake Biol. Lab. (62-34) : 1 -1 2. Harris, H. S., Jr. 1966. A checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Patapsco State Park, Baltimore and Howard Counties, Maryland. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 2(1): 4— 7 • 1969 . Distributional survey: Maryland and the District of Columbia. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 5(4):97“l6l. 1975. Distributional survey (Amph i bia/Rept i 1 ia) : Maryland and the District of Columbia. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 11(3): 73-167. Lee, D. S. 1973. Another record for the queen snake in southern Maryland. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 9(4) : 1 07 - Lemay, L. and A. G. Marsiglia. 1952. The coal skink, Evoneces anthracinus (Baird), in Maryland. Copeia 1952(3) :193. McCauley, R. H. , Jr. 1945. The reptiles of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Published by the author, Hagerstown, Maryland. 194 pp. McClellan, W. H., R. Mansueti and F. Groves. 1943. The lizards of central and southern Maryland. Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Maryland (8) : 1 -42 . Miller, R. 1979. Miscellaneous distributional records for Maryland amphibians and reptiles. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 15(2): 56-58. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 43 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Miller, R. W 1982. Mu sick, J. A 1972. 1979a 1979b Patuxent W i 1 1979. Reed, C. F. 1956. Smith, P. W. 1952. Taylor, E. H 1935. Distributional records for Maryland herpetofauna , II. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 1 8 (3) : 1 61 -1 64 . Herptiles of the Maryland and Virginia coastal plain. Pp. 213-242 in: M. L. Wass (ed.). A check list of the biota of lower Chesapeake Bay with inclusions from the upper Bay and the Virginian Sea. Spec. Sc;. Rep. Virginia Inst. Mar. Sci. (65) : 1 - 290 . Hawksbill. Eretomchelys imbricata (Linnaeus). Pp. 404- 405 in: D. W. Linzey (ed.). Proceedings of the symposium on endangered and threatened plants and animals of Virginia. Virginia Poly. Inst. State Univ., Blacksburg, Virginia. 665 pp. The marine turtles of V i rg i n i a [ , ] families Chelonidae [sic] and Dermochel y i dae [ , ] with notes on identification and natural history. Virginia Inst. Mar. Sci. Educ. Ser. (24) :1-15. ife Research Center. Vegetation and vertebrates of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center: outline of ecology and annotated lists. A reprint, with new supplements, of "Vegetation of the Patuxent Research Refuge, Maryland" by Neil Hotchkiss and Robert E. Stewart. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland. 120 pp. Contributions to the herpetology of Maryland and Delmarva: 6. An annotated check list of the lizards of Maryland and Delmarva. Published by the author, Baltimore, Maryland. 6 pp. and H. M. Smith. Geographic variation in the lizard Eumeces anthvacinus . Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 34(1 1) : 679-694 . A taxonomic study of the cosmopolitan scincoid lizards of the genus Eumeces with an account of the distribution and relationships of its species. Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 23(1) : 1-643- Page 44 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 White, C. P. 1982. Endangered and threatened wildlife of the Chesapeake Bay region. Cornell Maritime Press, Centreville, Maryland. 160 pp. - — ’Robert W. Miller, Museum of Zoology 3 Towson State University 3 Towson3 Maryland 21204. Received: 15 February 1984 Accepted: 28 February 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 45 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 NOTES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF Eurycea longicauda IN MARYLAND In his distributional surveys of the herpetofauna of Maryland, Harris (1969, 1975) stated that the long-tailed salamander, Eurycea longicauda , was absent from the coastal plain. Miller (1979) reported what he believed to be the first record of E. longicauda from the coastal plain of Maryland, based on TSU i860 (5) from Race Road, Anne Arundel County. A subsequent conversation with one of the collectors has shown that the specimens were actually collected on the Howard County portion of Race Road, thus making it moot as to whether this is a truly coastal plain locality. Apparently the first reported occurrence of the long-tailed salamander on the Maryland coastal plain appeared in a mimeographed list (Anonymous 1957) of the amphibians and reptiles of the Patuxent Research Refuge (= Patuxent Wildlife Research Center), located along the Patuxent River between Bowie and Laurel, Prince George's County. This record was slightly expanded upon in a revised list (Patuxent ... 1979). Specimens supporting the locality are USBS 9747, 9775, 10102, 10343, 10354, taken between 1942 and 1945 by Patuxent personnel. An older but hitherto unreported coastal plain station is UMMZ 65446 (2), from along the Patuxent River, 24 miles (38.4 km) E District of Columbia, Prince George's County, collected on 28 August 1927 by C. L. Hubbs et al . The specimens were taken incidental to a fish collection; additional data in Hubbs' field notes place the collection site 2.5 miles (4.0 km) N Defense Highway (= Md. Route 450). The USBS specimens are approximately 8.0 km (straight-line distance) below the Fall Line, the UMMZ specimens about 17 km. Figure 1 presents an updated distributional map of Eurycea longicauda in Maryland, including the first plotted localities for the District of Columbia. Literature records have not been included. This species is known in Cecil County only from the report of Fowler (1925), who listed it from Conowingo. Page 46 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 47 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Acknowl edgments Russell J. Hall and Francis M. Uhl er allowed access to the U.S. Biological Survey (USBS) collection (housed at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland); Dennis M. Harris verified identities and provided information on specimens in the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (UMMZ) ; Richard T. Highton made available his records at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland (RTH material was not seen and bears lot numbers); Clarence J. McCoy verified identities and provided information on specimens in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CM); the staff of the National Museum of Natural History (USNM) allowed access to its collection. The base map was provided by Arnold W. Norden; David S. Lee gave permission to publish it. Literature Cited Anonymous. 1957. Amphibians and reptiles of the Patuxent Research Refuge [,] Prince Georges County, Maryland. Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel, Maryland. 1 p. Fowler, H. W. 1925. Records of amphibians and reptiles for Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. II. Maryland. Copeia 1925(1 45) : 6 1 -64. Harris, H. S., Jr. 1969. Distributional survey: Maryland and the District of Columbia. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 5(4): 97" 1 61 . 1975. Distributional survey (Amph i bia/Rept i 1 ia) : Maryland and the District of Columbia. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 11(3) 73-167. Ireland, P. H. 1979. Euryoea longioauda. Cat. Amer. Amphib. Rept. (221) : 1 -4. Miller, R. 1979. Miscellaneous distributional records for Maryland amphib¬ ians and reptiles. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 15(2) : 56-58 . 1980. Distributional records for Maryland herpetofauna . Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc. 16(3) - 99“ 105. Page 48 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. 1979. Vegetation and vertebrates of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center: outline of ecology and annotated lists. A reprint, with new supplements, of "Vegetation of the Patuxent Research Refuge, Maryland" by Neil Hotchkiss and Robert E. Stewart. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland. 120 pp. Specimens Examined In addition to the collection abbreviations indicated above, NHSM refers to the Natural History Society of Maryland, TSU to Towson State University. Allegany County: CM 58734-58735; NHSM 2899-2900, 3205, 4789-4795; TSU 1113-1116, 1313-1314, 1591, 1911, 1918-1919, 1928, 1957-1959, 1968, 5931; UMMZ 97366; USNM 1 04409- 1 0441 0, 1 4l 31 5 . Baltimore City: NHSM 3227. Baltimore County: NHSM 171, 173, 176, 434, 559-561, 562, 725-727, 760, 765, 844, 1201, 1221, 1223, 1534, 1786-1792, 1794-1798, 1975-1977, 2241, 2577, 2578, 2619, 2644, 3225, 3226, 4418-4422, 4535, 4729-4730, 4745, 4787-4788, 4799-4802, 4803, 4811, 4812-4813; NHSM/HSH-RSS 87, 123- 124, 153, 155-156, 170, 368, "5032," "5083-5086"; TSU 63, 144-147, 1472, 2160, 2265-2267, 2327-2329, 2408, 24 1 8 , 2445-2448, 2452, 2485-2492, 2511, 2788-2790, 2815, 2846, 2927, 3069-3070, 3172-3174, 3243, 3681, 3736, 3761 ; USNM 144294-144295. Carroll County: NHSM 4732-4733; TSU 1745 (7), 4091-4093, 4200- 4203, 4209-4210, 4227-4230, 4246-4249, 4915-4916, 4991-4996, 5008-5013. District of Columbia: USNM 75940, 103330. Frederick County: CM 24837; NHSM 1463, 2660; RTH 58-66, 58-81 , 59-86, 59-91; TSU 1112, 3776-3783. Garrett County: CM 4l 84 , 30656 (9), 58736; NHSM 2051, 3206-3224, 4750, 4798, 4804, 4805, 4807-4808, 4809-4810; TSU 5077; USNM 33653, 101891, 101916-101919, 101920, 102112-102113, 102189. Harford County: NHSM 1057, 1762; TSU 3008, 3030-3031, 4971-4973, 5582-5583; USNM 144296. Howard County: NHSM/HSH-RSS 4-5; TSU i860 (5), 5422, 5476, 5508, 5561-5562, 5626-5637, 5659; USNM 123588. Montgomery County: NHSM/HSH-RSS 463, 466; TSU 1111, 1 1 1 7 (17), 5535; USNM 73358, 141316, 141940. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 49 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Prince George's County: UMMZ 65446 (2); USBS 9747, 9775, 10102, 10343, 10354. Washington County: NHSM 3228-3229, 4760, 4797, 4806; NHSH/HSH-RSS 143; RTH 60-93, 65-439, 70-210; USNM 101435, 192388 (2). — Robert W. Hiller, Museum of Zoology, Towson State University, Towson, Maryland 21204 . Received: 15 February 1984 Accepted: 28 February 1984 Page 50 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 RANDOM ROTATION OF Etaphe EGGS DURING ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION On 27 June 1977 a clutch of 16 Yellow Rat Snake ( Etaphe obsoteta quadrivittata) eggs was laid by a 1 M female as a result of a captive breeding at the Central Florida Zoological Park, Sanford, Florida. The clutch was divided into two groups and set up in two plastic shoe boxes for incubation. The 13 eggs in Group A were individually placed in a crumpled portion of paper towel and marked with a top dead center line to prevent future rotation. The 3 eggs which comprised Group B were distributed on a flat paper towel substrate and were "tumbled" around the container in a random fashion once every two days. Both containers were exposed to the same temperature regime and the eggs were misted with water as needed. All eggs in both groups proved viable. Following 28 days of incubation one egg from Group B was opened and contained a live embryo that appeared normal. On the 50th day of incubation all eggs in Group A exhibited egg tooth slits and one neonate had emerged. The two remaining eggs in Group B were slit on the 51st day and by this time all Group A neonates had emerged except one. At 1200 hours on the 51st day the last three neonates were manually enticed out of their eggs. All 15 neonates appeared normal. No difference of statistical significance was found between Group A and Group B neonates. To further test the effects of random rotation of Etaphe eggs a pair of Corn Snakes [Etaphe g. guttata) was captured in the spring of 1983 in Alachua County, Florida. Breeding occurred during the second day of captivity and a clutch of 17 eggs was laid on 26 June 1983. The eggs were set up in the same manner as previously described with Group A consisting of 7 non-rotated eggs and Group B consisting of 10 eggs which were randomly tumbled one time per day. All eggs were viable and emer¬ gence times for the neonates in both groups were as follows: day 65 - Group A (2), Group B (3); day 66 - Group A (2), Group B (2); day 67 - Group A (2), Group B (4). One egg in each group failed to hatch and on the 69th day of incubation these eggs were opened revealing a dead full term embryo in each. No significant difference in neonate mass was found between the two groups and all snakes appeared normal. Non-random rotation of some reptile eggs has been tested. Ma reel - Uni and Davis ( 1 982) rotated Etaphe guttata 3 Python moturus3 Eubtepharis macutarius3 and Geoehetone earbonaria once a week leaving the same side up or opposite side up. They conclude that "it appears that lizard and snake eggs can be handled without a deleterious effect on hatching success". Feldman (1983) tested rotation of turtle eggs [Matactemys t. terrapin 3 Chrysemys p. picta3 Chetydra s. serpentina ) at specific time intervals and found that "eggs rotated under the stated conditions hatch with about the same success as undisturbed eggs". Drajeske (1974) turned Chrysemys seripta3 Chrysemys picta 3 and Terrapene carotina eggs one to Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i ca 1 Society Page 51 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 five times during their incubation period and concluded "that the turning schedule used did not adversely affect the hatching of these eggs". Pawley (1962) also states that "daily rotation of some Natrix natrix eggs was not harmful to the developing embryo". In reference to Bull snake eggs, Kauffeld (1969) writes "I turned these eggs frequently - every other day or two" which did not appear to affect the hatchlings. Barnett (1 980) describes manipulation of ruptured python egg ( Liasis childreni) which included stitching the egg shell to suspend the open egg and to facilitate his observations "the embryo was probed and moved with a sterilized seeker" These manipulations did not adversely effect the developing embryo. Riches (1976) refers to a clutch of Natrix n. natrix eggs sent through the mail which "must have been rotated many hundreds of times" and concludes rota¬ tion "need not have a deleterious effect". Egg manipulation, shifting, or rotation can occur in some species under natural conditions. Squamates which are known to brood and or guard their eggs (Fitch 1970, p. 219-220) present opportunity for changes in egg orientation. Ovi ducal eggs which in some taxa exhibit early stages of embryonic development certainly shift in orientation as a gravid female progresses through a three dimensional environment. Egg rotation in rare cases may also be intentional as Bel lairs (i960) notes The female Ewneces obsoletus turns and rolls her eggs daily." In this study the random "tumbling" of Elaphe eggs during incuba¬ tion presents the most radical departure from the traditional view that turning reptile eggs results in deleterious effects. Unlike the eggs of birds, reptile eggs generally are not rotated in a consistent fashion during incubation. Internal egg anatomy in some taxa may not have evolved far enough to compensate for changes in orientation which could result in stress orT internal structures and functions. Bellairs (1970) states the chalazae "appear to be absent in all reptile eggs and it is perhaps because of that disturbance of the eggs during incubation may lead to damage and death of the embryos". This may certainly be true for many reptilian species but differing characteristics within the class represents capabilities in transition which can have the ability to compensate for successive changes in egg orientation. Acknowl edgements For various courtesies pertaining to the 1977 clutch at Central Florida Zoological Park, I thank T. Bates, E. Posey, and A. Rozon. Literature Cited Barnett, B. 1980. Captive breeding and a novel egg incubation technique of the Childrens Python ( Liasis childreni). Herpetofauna , 1 1 (2) : 1 5“1 8. Page 52 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Bel la i rs, A. d 'A. I960. Reptiles: life history, evolution, and structure. Harper and Brothers, New York. 192 pp. 1970. The life of reptiles. 2 volumes. Universe Books, New York. 590 pp. Drajeske, P. 197*1. Movement sensitivity in incubating turtle eggs. Bull. Chicago Herpetol. Soc., 9:2-5. Feldman, M. L. 1983. Effects of rotation on the viability of turtle eggs. Herpetol . Rev. , 1 4(3) : 76-77. Fitch, H. S. 1970. Reproductive cycles in lizards and snakes. Univ. Kansas Publ . Mus. Nat. His., No. 52, 247 pp. Kauffeld, C. 1969. Snakes, the keeper and the kept. Doubleday and Co. Garden City, New York. Marcel 1 i n i , D. L. and S. W. Davis. 1982. Effects of handling on reptile egg hatching. Herpetol. Rev., 12(2) : 43-44. Pawley, R. 1962. Propagating reptiles. International Zoo Yearb., 4 : 9 5“9 7 - Riches, R. J. 1976. Breeding snakes in captivity. Palmetto Publ. Co., St. Petersburg, Florida. 90 pp. —-Frederick B. Antonio, Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo, Gainesville, Florida 32601 . Received: 22 February 1984 Accepted: 28 February 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ical Society Page 53 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 A SIMPLE METHOD FOR TRANSMITTER ATTACHMENT IN CHELON IANS Radio-telemetry has been successfully employed for the tracking of reptiles in ecological research. Various techniques for securing trans¬ mitter packages (transmitter, battery and antenna) have been used by authors. In designing such a system it is important that the transmitter package is, l) attached securely, 2) waterproof, 3) able to produce a strong signal, 4) not interfering with normal movements or behavior of the animal, 5) able to allow ease of access for periodic battery change. Ingestion and intraper i toneal placement in snakes (Reinert and Cundall, 1982) and exterior attachment in turtles (Plummer and Shirer, 1975) demonstrate some of the recent techniques found in the literature. In general the technique used reflects the particular body design, habitat and ecological status of the animal under study. In endangered species of aquatic turtles it is desirable to attach the transmitter package externally without any permanent damage to the carapace (Graham, 1 98 1 ) . Previous papers have described attachment of packages in turtles by making holes in the carapace through which the components are securely attached (Plummer and Shirer, 1975; Shubauer, 1981). Legler, 1979 makes reference to silicon rubber (Silastic) as a means of adhesion. Following is a reliable method for transmitter package attachment in turtles without permanent damage to the carapace. A pre-assembl ed SM 1 transmitter (AVM Instrument Co., 6575 Trinity Ct., Dublin, CA 94566), 1.35 volt Hg battery and antenna (copper or sil¬ ver stranded wire 0.24 gauge or less) are soldered together to form the transmitter package prior to the external attachment to the carapace of the turtle. The transmitter and battery are positioned at an angle corre¬ sponding to the site of attachment on the turtle's carapace. These two components are then secured to each other by a small amount of epoxy adhesive. This adhesion is designed to strengthen the package while allowing ease of access for later replacement of battery. The components can be easily separated by snapping the epoxy bond. The transmitter itself is coated with a thin, protective layer of epoxy and allowed to dry. Using the antenna wire as a handle, the package is next immersed into a 1:1 beeswax and paraffin mixture. This procedure is repeated three times or until a sufficient covering is obtained. Page 54 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ica 1 Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 After the wax hardens, the package is coated in a layer of clear silicone rubber sealant (Dow Corning Corp., Midland, Ml 48640) or some other suitable material to waterseal and prevent physical abrasion to the transmitter (Jansen, 1982). The free end of the antenna is sealed with plastic or epoxy to prevent moisture from entering it. Attachment of the package is accomplished using the silicone sealant once again. A generous amount is placed on the side of the package. The device is then firmly planted onto the rear edge of the turtle's carapace. It is important that the surface of the shell is clean and dry. If the attachment site is worn smooth, roughing up the surface with sandpaper will improve adhesion. Silicone sealant is then used to fill in the sharp angles between the carapace and the package to produce an overall fusiform shape. This reduces the shearing stress across the surface thereby insuring package attachment to the turtle. The antenna is secured, with sealant, along the line formed by the marginal and costal scutes (Figure 1). The above method was used on seven individuals of Clerrmys muhlen- bergi . One turtle was tracked to its hibernaculum where the transmitter continued to function until the following spring when the specimen was removed from a mud and ice slurry. Only one package was dislodged from the turtle. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 55 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Figure 1. Transmitter package (battery, transmitter, antenna) are attached to the carapace using silicone rubber sealant. Page 56 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 Acknowl edgment s I sincerely wish to thank Howard Reinert for his expertise and advice for this project. I also vj\gh to thank Ken Friedman and Marty Berg, Bob Johnson and Dick Carey at Pennsylvania Power & Light and Clark Shiffer from the Pennsylvania Fish Commission for their commitment to this project. Special thanks to Janice Larson for her review of the manuscr i pt . Literature Cited Graham, T. E. 1981. New approaches to endangered turtle research. Bios 52(3) 121-126. Jansen, D. K. 1982. A new potting material for radio-telemetry packages. Copeia 1982(1) : 1 89 - Legler, W. K. 1979. Telemetry. In: M. Harless and H. Morlock (eds.) Turtles: perspectives and research. John Wiley and Sons N.Y. pp. 61-72. Plummer, M. V. and H. W. Shirer. 1975. Movement patterns in a river population of the sof tshel 1 turtle, Trionyx mutious . Occ. Pap. Nat. Hist. Univ. Kansas, 43:1-26. Reinert, H. K. and D. Cundall. 1982. An improved surgical implantation method for radio¬ tracking snakes. Copeia 1982(3) : 702-705. Schubauer, J. 1981 . P. A reliable rad io- tel emet ry tracking system suitable for studies of chelonians. J. Herpetol . 15:11 7“ 120. —Martin A. Larson, Department of Biology, Williams Hall, #31, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015. Received: 28 March 1984 Accepted: 28 March 1984 Present Address: Flint Hill Rd. Box 756, RD #1 Coopersburg, PA 18036 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 57 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: PERGAMON book CATALOGUE OF NEW WORLD AMPHIBIANS KEITH A HARDING, Gunnislake, Cornwall, UK This is the first complete catalogue of the amphibians known to occur in the Americas. It covers the whole of the continent including the Galapagos Islands and the West Indies. The primary aim of the book is to provide a source of basic, but rapidly retrievable information on nomenculture and distribution, of use to the taxonomist, conservationist and dedicated amateur alike;. In order to make the catalogue more useful to field workers, Harding has given references to field guides and papers which can be used to identify species in particular areas. Throughout the book, the latest available authority has been followed and no arbitrary taxonomic decisions have been 1 taken. Presented in two sections, the CATALOGUE OF NEW WORLD AMPHIBIANS provides a variety of «indespensible information for the reader, and should prove to be a vital book for all zoologists and taxonomists. The first section consists of a checklist of currently recognized taxa. This is arranged phylogenetically to family level and alphabetically thereafter. The second part of the book contains faunal lists arranged by country. Comprehensive author and species indexes are included together with an alphabetical synonymy. Contents: Checklist: Order Gymnophiona ( caecilians) . Order Caudata (newts and salamanders). Order Meantes (sirens). Order Anura (frogs and toads). Addenda. Faunal Lists: North America. Mexico and Central America. South America. Oceanic Islands. Unknown distribution. Alphabetical synonymy. References. Author index. Subject index. 420pp 1209 lit refs October 1983 ISBN (H) 0 08 028899 5 £44 . 00/US$80 . 00 Related Titles: ALLIGATOR METABOLISM: Studies on Chemical Reactions in vivo Published as a special issue of Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part B, volume 74 number 1, and supplied to subscribers as part of their subscription. R A Coulson, T Hernandez, Louisiana State University Gives a constructive overview of alligator metabolism. It includes a section on the natural history of alligators, and has been written in such a way as to make it understandable, not only to researchers, but wild life experts, alligator farmers, zoo keepers, etc. Contents: Natural history; Metabolic rate; Anaerobic glycolysis; Digestion- growth- protein synthesis; Carbohydrate metabolism; Amino acid metabolism; Respiration and acid-base balance; Kidney. Page 58 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: ♦TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 1984 JOURNALS HELD AT 1983 PRICES* ACTA ZOOLOGICA International Journal for Zoology Chief Editor: R Olsson. Acta Zoologica is an international Journal for Zoology, publishing original research reports on all aspects of animal structure. It includes articles on functional cytology, histology and gross morphology as well as papers describing techniques of use in zoological investigation. Subscription Information: Published Quarterly Annual Rate 1984 US$80.00 Two-Year Rate 1984/85 US$152.00 ORDER FORM Please complete the details below and return this form to the address shown. Please send on firm account: Catalogue of New World Amphibians Keith A Harding: ISBN (Hardcover) 0 03 028899 5 Price £44 .00/US$80 .0U _ Copy/s Alligator Metabolism: Studies on Chemical Reactions in vivo: R A Coulson & T Hernandez ISBN (Hardcover) 0 08 029776 5 Price £30.00/US$60.00 _ _ Cooy/s Total Cost _ _ Please Enter My subscription to: 1 Year 2 Years ACTA ZOOLOGICA International Journal for zoology _ _ Annual Rate 1984 US$80.00 Two-Year Rate 1984/85 US$152.00 Name _ _ _ Organisation Address _ Specimen Copy Invoice my Pergamon Account No. _ _ _ _ Cheque or Money order enclosed _ Total Cost _ Credit Card If paying by credit card please give your home address. Pergamon accept VISA/Barclaycard, Access/Mastercharge , Diners Club and American Express Please charge my _ _ _ _ Credit Card No _ _ _ _ _ Expiry Date Prices are subject to change without notice. JOURNALS: US Dollar prices quoted are valid for all countries except Germany ( BRD ) , Switzerland, France and Japan. Sterling prices for the UK and Eire customers only will be sent on request. BOOKS: US$ Prices quoted are valid for all countries except Australia, Austria, Canada, Central & South America, Germany (BRD), & New Zealand. (Prices for these countries are available from the appropiate Pergamon Office) . Sterling prices apply to the UK and Eire customers only. Return to: Sibyl L Brown (Miss), Manager, Sales Development Dept. Pergamon Press Ltd., Headington Hill Hall, Oxford 0X3 OBW HZB3 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 59 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: RICHARD A. ROSS. M.D.. M.F.H. DIRECTOR INSTITUTE FOR HERPETOLOGICAL RESEARCH POST OFFICE BOX 2227. STANFORD, CALIFORNIA, 94305 BRETT C. STEARNS. LL.B. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR THOMAS A. HUFF ASSOCIATE OIRECTOR RONALD J. LARMAN SECRETARY-TREASURER THE BACTERIAL DISEASES OF REPTILES The Institute for Herpetological Research is pleased to announce that its new publication, The Bacterial Diseases of Reptiles, will be available in May 1984. Over 100 pages in length, thi's book contains the most advanced and up to date information on the epidemiology, identification, diagnosis and ■ treatment of these diseases. Information on the newest antibiotics including proper antibiotic selection and drug dosages is included. Identification of simple and resistant forms of the common diseases of reptiles, as well as detailed techniques of treatment of each disease are covered by this book. There are also descriptions of the fundamental husbandry techniques for treating reptile diseases, including preparation and calculation of antibiotics. A section of full color photographs of all of the diseases is also present. The Bacterial Diseases of Reptiles is available for $20.00, book rate postage included. Please add $1.25 for first class postage. Copies may be obtained by writing to the Institute at P.O. Box 2227, Stanford, California 94305. Page 60 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: Sowerby & Lears TORTOISES, TERRAPINS AND TURTLES This book is generally regarded as the finest atlas of turtle illustrations ever produced, drawn by the famous nineteenth century artists James de Carle Sowerby and Edward Lear. The short text is by John Edward Gray. Originally published in London in 1872, the book was reprinted by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles in 1970 but this edition was sold out some years ago. The reprint includes an extensive introduction by Ernest E. Williams, of Harvard University, detailing the history of the book and its authors and artists, and equating the scientific names to current nomenclature. The atlas includes 61 black-and-white plates of turtles, depicting species from all parts of the world. The book measures 8% by 11 inches (about 22 by 28 cm) and is clothbound. Copies can be purchased for $20.00 from the SSAR Publications Secretary, Douglas H. Taylor, Department of Zoology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, U.S.A. The price includes postage in the U.S.A. ; only the additional surface mailing costs will be charged for non-U. S. A. shipments. Payments from overseas should be made in U.S.A. funds, by International Money Order, or may be charged to MasterCard or VISA (include account number and expiration date of credit card). SSAR also publishes Journal of Herpetology, Herpetological Review, Facsimile Reprints in Herpetology, Herpetological Circulars, Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles, Contributions to Herpetology and Recent Herpetological Literature. Inquiries about membership in the Society or purchase of back issues can be addressed to Dr. Taylor. m m m m m m a B m m d i i I H H n n i n n k Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 61 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: THE HEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM Cultural Center West State Street Trenton 08625 Department of State FOR YOUR INFORMATION For Additional Information, Please Call Bureau of Science, Ray Stein, Curator at (609) 292-6330 NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM COLLECTION The New Jersey State Museum has recently completed renovation of a new collection storage range for fishes, amphibians and reptiles. The ichthyological collection of The Wetlands Institute, made mainly by Lehigh University and Stockton State College, and the herpetological collection of the late James D. Anderson of Rutgers University have been donated to the museum and are now catalogued and incorporated into the museum's range. The collection is made up of more than 2,000 lots of fishes, amphibians and reptiles collected from across the State and its coastal waters during the 1950's, 1960 's and 1970 's. The amphibian collection is strong in series lots, particularly relating to specimens of Ambys toma adults and larvae, while the fish collection is strongest in bay and estuarine species. Computerization of the records of this collection will be undertaken this coming year. Persons interested in examining parts of this collection may do so by contacting Raymond J. Stein, Bureau of Science, New Jersey State Museum, CN-530, Trenton, New Jersey 08625. Page 62 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: Northern California Herpetological Society 706 Arnold St., Davis, CA. 95616 • Conservation 'Education ‘Rosoarch TO: All Herpetological Societies/Interested Groups FROM: The Northern California Herpetological Society SUBJECT: Preliminary Announcement of the 1985 Conference on Captive Propagation of Reptiles and Amphibians and Availability of the 1983 Conference Proceedings We would appreciate your assistance in distributing the following information to your members/associates. If you can include it in your newsletter or similar publication it would help Insure the success of this important conference. The Northern California Herpetological Society is sponsoring its second conference on the CAPTIVE PROPAGATION AND HUSBANDRY OF REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS. This two day conference will be held on January 19 and 20, 1985 in Davis, California. The conference will feature both keynote speakers and contributed papers. All papers will be published in the proceedings. All herpetologists, both amateur and professional, are invited to attend and/or present a paper at the conference. Please submit a short abstract of your paper by August 30, 1984 to Randall L. Gray, NCHS, 706 Arnold St., Davis, CA 95616. The proceedings of the 1983 conference will be available in April 1984. A prepublication sale will be in effect until April 15, 1984. You can pre-order a copy of the proceedings by sending a check or money order for $10 to the following address by April 15th; NCHS, 706 Arnold St., Davis, CA 95616. After April 15th the price of the proceedings will be $13. Thank you for your assistance. If you have any questions please contact me at the above address or phone (916) 753-0866. ! Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 63 Volume 20 Number 2 June 1984 NOTES: Page 64 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Back issues of the Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society, where available, may be obta i ned by wr i t i ng the Execut i ve Editor. A list of available issues will be sent upon request. Individual numbers in stock are $2.00 each, un¬ less otherwise noted. The Society also publ ishes a Newsletter on a somewhat irregular basis. These are distributed to the membershi p free of charge. Also published are Maryland Herpetofauna Leaflets and these are available at $. 25/page. Information for Authors All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Editor. Manuscripts being sub¬ mitted for publication should be typewritten (double spaced) on good quality 8i x 1 1 inch paper, with adequate margins. Submit original and first carbon, retaining the second carbon. Indicate where illustrations or photographs are to appear in text. Cite all literature used at end in alphabetical order by author. Major papers are those over 5 pages (double spaced, elite type)andmust i ncl ude an abstract . The authors name should be centered under the title, and the address is to fol low the Li terature Cited. Minor papers are those papers with fewer than 5 pages. Author's name is to be placed at end of paper (see recent issue). For add i t iona l information see Style Manual for Biological Journals (1 96A) , Amer i can I ns t i tute of Biological Sciences, 3900 Wiscons in Avenue, N.W. , Washington, D.C. 20016. Price is $6.00. Reprints are available at $.03 a page and shoul d be ordered when manuscripts are submitted or when proofs are returned. Minimum order is 100 reprints. Either edited manuscri pt or proof will be returned to author for approval or correct ion. The author will be responsible for al 1 corrections to proof, and must return proof preferably wi thin 7 days. The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology Natural History Society of Maryland 3 Inc . 2643 north Charles Street Baltimore 3 Maryland 21218 US ISSN: 0025-4231 OCT a 2 1985 LIBRAK'!^ f)ccpetologtcal ©oriety Department of Herpetology The Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. MdHS . . . . A FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE Eastern Seaboard Herpetological League SEPTEMBER 1984 SBP 261984 VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3 Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1 984 CONTENTS THE LIFE HISTORY AND STATUS OF THE EASTERN TIGER SALAMANDER, Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum (GREEN) IN MARYLAND . . Charles J. Stine 65 SYSTEMATIC STATUS OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN FROG "Phyllobates mandelorum'1 (AMPHIBIA, DENDROBAT I DAE) . . .Jerry D. Hardy, Jr. 109 RANGE EXTENSIONS OF Kinostemon acutum AND Rhinoclemmys areolata IN VERACRUZ, MEXICO. (TESTUDINES: CRYPTODIRA) . . . . Gonzalo Perez-H igareda 112 NEWS AND NOTES: BOOK REVIEW - THE T.F.H. BOOK OF SNAKES . Il4 NEW BOOK NEWS: POISONOUS SNAKES . 116 NEW BOOK NEWS: VERTEBRATE ECOLOGY AND SYSTEMATICS . 117 NEWS AND NOTES: SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION FOREIGN CURRENCY GRANTS PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT . 118 NEWS AND NOTES: ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC. ANNOUNCEMENT . 119 The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology Hatural History Society of Maryland3 Inc . 2643 north Charles Street Baltimore y Maryland 21218 BULLETI N OF THE Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 The M ar y 1 and Herpetolog ical Society Department of Herpetology, Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Bulletin Staff Executive Editor Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Steering Committee Donald Boyer Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Frank Groves Jerry D. Hardy, Jr. Jeff Thomas Officers President . . V i ce-Pres i dent , Secretary . . Treasurer . . Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 76-93458 Membership Rates Full membership in the Maryland Herpetol ogi cal Society is $12.50 per year, subscribing membership (outside a 20 mile radius of Baltimore City) $10.00 /year. Foreign $12.00/yr. Make all checks payable to the Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Meet I nqs The third Wednesday of each month, 8:15 p.m. at the Natural History Society of Maryland (except May-August, third Saturday of each month, 8:00 a .m. ) . The Department of Herpetology meets informally on all other Wednesday evenings at the NHSM at 8:00 p.m. . Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 30 September 1984 Number 3 The Life History and Status of the Eastern Tiger Salamander, Amby stoma tigvinum tigrinum (GREEN) IN MARYLAND Charles J. Stine Abstract An historical review is given of investigation of A. t. tigrinum in Maryland from 1938 to 1983- Tigrinum breed as early as November and as late as March. They apparently do not mass migrate. Adult salamanders grow rapidly increasing up to 21.5% in length in 10-11 months. Females lay 350-450 eggs and loose an average of 7 . 3g after deposition. Eggs take 29“ 3 3 days to hatch. Male secondary sex characters of keeled tails and swollen vents diminished 0.8 and 1.4mm respectively over an eight day period. Total egg production from 1976 to 1983 ranged from 2,693 to 14,040. Egg mortality varied with locality and year and appeared correlated with Chlamydomonas infestation. The larval period ranged from 23-28 weeks. Larval survival was 3.6%. Post breeding location of tigrinum in Maryland was not determined. Comparative differences in prey, pH, and dissolved oxygen in two breeding ponds suggest that lentic succession produces abiotic and biotic changes affecting survival of tigrinum demes. Population estimates of selected Maryland demes range up to 216. These estimates are comparable to population estimates for New Jersey but less than those for Indiana. The range of tigrinum in Maryland, has been significantly reduced, compared to the known range in the 1950's, due primarily to habitat destruction and natural succession. The result of translocation of larvae to establish a breeding deme on the Western Shore is presently unknown . Of the twenty-one species and subspecies of salamanders recorded from Maryland, four species belong to the genus Ambystoma (Harris, 1975)* All are blunt headed, fossorial, lung breathing salamanders with morphological and ethological similarities but different ecological- reproductive strategies, population densities and distributional patterns. One of these four is the eastern tiger salamander Ambystoma tigvinum tigvinum (Plate 1). Sever and D i neen (1978) state that the tiger salamander A. tigvinum is the most widely distributed species of sala¬ mander in the world and that seven subspecies are recognized (Figure 1). Ambystoma tigvinum is distributed from southern central Canada south to Florida and Mexico but is absent from New England, the Appalachians and the far west (Behler and King, 1979) (Figure 1). The eastern tiger salamander, A. t . tigvinum , the subspecies with which we are concerned, ranges roughly from Long Island to Northern Florida, Ohio to Minnesota and south to the Gulf (Conant, 1975). In Maryland, tigvinum has been found, in the geologic present, exclusively on the Coastal Plain Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 65 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Figure 1 General distribution of subspecies of the tiger salamander, Amby stoma tigvinwn in North America (After Conant , 1 975) . Page 66 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society ill Blotched ■Barred Gray [till Eastern HIM Western ssp. Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 (Figure 1). Holman (1977) has shown however, that the tiger salamander, existed in the Appalachian region of Maryland during the Pleistocene (Kansan) 600,000 years ago. In Virginia tigrinum has been recorded from the inner Coastal Plain and the Piedmont Plateau (Funderburg et a 1 . , 1974). Materials and Methods Intermittent field trips were made throughout the Maryland Coastal Plain from 1952 to 1977 to observe tiger salamander behavior and to locate breeding sites. An estimated 400 hours were spent in field activity. From 1977 to 1980 an additional 180 hours were spent in aerial reconnaissance in a distribution survey for the Department of Natural Resources. From 1980 to 1983, 200 hours were spent determining population density and quantifying ecological information. Air tempera¬ ture was determined by Lamotte thermometer 1066. Water temperature and dissolved oxygen were determined by model 512 YSI oxygen meter using probe model 3739. pH was obtained with model HA Lamotte pH meter. Chronology of Investigation This history of field activities and research concerning tigr'inum was reconstructed from the literature, the author's field notes and corroboration. The eastern tiger salamander was first recorded in Maryland from Vienna, Dorchester County near "the old water works" in February 1933 by E. E. Lamki n (Netting, 1938). That adult specimen is preserved in the United States National Museum (USNM 89904). A second specimen was collected by R. H. McCauley, Jr. (USNM 104405) from Denton, Caroline County in September 1937. Another specimen from Denton was collected by F. R. Deardorff in April 1938. This specimen is preserved at Cornell University (CU3539) . James Fowler, who has elucidated the distribution of many species of Maryland amphibians, collected eggs of tigrinum from Federal sburg and Hollingsworth Crossroads in Caroline County on March 17, 1941 and March 31, 1946 respectively. On February 22, 1952 Stine, Fowler and Simmons found approximately 30 egg masses of tigrinum in a pond at Golts, Kent County (Plate 2); 15 egg masses in a cut-over corn field pond on the west edge of the Frey Farm, 100 yards south of Massey- Del aware Line Road, Kent County (Plate 3); a single egg mass at Carson Corner, Queen Annes County and "several" egg masses at Baltimore Corner, Caroline County (Plate 4). After that field trip the author began an intermittent odyssey into the ecology of tigrinum that has persisted for 32 years. Sometime during the early 50 1 s , I found a single egg mass and an adult male in a small shallow pond in an open field south of the Frey Farm buildings. In 1957 following road construc¬ tion, a gravel pit borrow pond was created several hundred yards from Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 67 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 the Frey Farm Pond adjacent to Massey-Del aware Line Road three miles east of Massey (Plate 5). Within 12 to 18 months this pond had breeding tigrinum and later became the major reproductive site for the species in the state. Stine (1953) summarized the current knowledge of the distribution of tigrinum in Maryland. On February 24, 1953 Stine and H. Campbell located one egg mass in a gravel pit pond in Somerset County, one mile north of Westover. Stine and Fowler found tigrinum larvae in a pond near La Plata, Charles County on May 27, 1953. Three adult males were observed at this site by R. Simmons February 24, 1 96 1 and Stine and H. Harris observed adults there in February, 1962. On February 7, 1963 69 adult tigrinum were captured, marked, taken to the laboratory and later released (February 21, 1963) in the La Plata Pond by Stine and Harris. Simmons and Harris observed about 20 additional tigrinum in the La Plata Pond on February 11, 1963, suggesting a population density of 89 or more at this site. A short time later the La Plata Pond was destroyed during the construction of a golf course. At that time the United States was seven years away from the rise of environmentalism and concern for endangered species expressed in the creation of the National Environmental Protection Agency in 1970. In 1971, the Maryland General Assembly passed an Endangered Species Act, reflecting local concern for endangered non-game wildlife. In September 1962, Frank Groves, Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians of the Baltimore Zoo, received an adult tigrinum from Grace Moyle, Arnold, Anne Arundel County. This specimen had been found on a walkway (Harris, pers. comm. 1983). Harris and Simmons independently investigated the area, finding pine forest without ponds, and considered the region incompatible to the ecologic requirements of tigrinum . It was hypothe¬ sized that the specimen had been incorporated in an earth ball on shrub¬ bery shipped to the Moyle’s from the Delmarva (Simmons, pers. comm. 1983). On March 26, 1964 Stine found one egg mass in a small roadside pond on State Route 369 southwest of Bishopville, Worcester County. Cooper (I960) and Harris (See Cooper, 1965; 1966, 1975) summarized distribution records of Maryland's herpetofauna including tigrinum. On June 15, 1972 L.R. Franz and D.S. Lee (Franz, 1972) documented the presence of tigrinum at Massey, collecting 11 mature larvae. These specimens are preserved in the Florida State Museum (FSM 39087-39097) . By the late 60's efforts to further del i neate the Ma ry 1 and range of tigrinum essentially ceased and investigators began to study its ecology. Lee (1973) reported on the temporal aspects of the breeding of selected Maryland amphibians including tigrinum j and Lee and Franz (1974) studied the diversity of aquatic species preyed upon by tigrinum larvae. Cooper et al . (1973) commented briefly on endangered status, habitat requirements, survivor¬ ship and predators of tigrinum. Lee (1975) reviewed, anecdotally, the general ecology of tigrinum. In 1976-1977 Robert Johnson discovered three new breeding sites in Kent County, all within a 5 km radius of Page 68 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Massey Pond. These sites are known as Golts Garbage Pond, Fred Road Pond, and TP3 Pond (Plates 6,7). Van Deusen (1979) and Johnson and Van Deusen (1979) discussed the range, habitat preferences and limiting factors affecting the status of tigrinwn in Maryland. Several authors (Lee, 1975; Van Deusen, 1979 and Johnson, 1 980) , discussing the former range of tigrinwn in Maryland, have overlooked the Somerset County record. In 1977 a three year study on tigrinwn distribution was completed for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Administration (Stine, 1979). Much of the information contained in this report resulted from that study. In 1983 Arnold Norden and Mary Broznan of the Maryland Natural Heritage Program identified two additional breeding sites in Caroline County. These sites are known as the Mt. Zion and Bridgetown breeding localities. It is interesting to note that the type of investigation described above reflects the general trend in biological fieldwork over the 32 year period described, i.e., collecting and preserving specimens for under¬ standing of taxonomy and distribution, to more informed ecologic and behavioral studies, without preservation of specimens, but related to conservation of species. Individual Identification Identifying individual salamanders is essential for determining population density, growth, sex ratio, individual variation and movement. Many methods have been proposed. Clark (1971) proposes the use of branding, and Seale and Borass (1974) advocate subcutaneous injection of an organic dye. Radioactive Tantalum-182 has been used to determine homing behavior, orientation and home range of salamanders (Madison and Shoop, 1970). I prefer to use toe clipping, singly or in combination according to a predetermined code. In the code used, the front feet (four toes each) are numbered one to eight from right to left, the hind feet (five toes each) are numbered 20 to 110 in increments of 10. For example, to illustrate the value of individual marking No. 2,60 (RF second toe from the outside, RR fifth toe from outside) is a male (Figure 2). When first captured in Massey Pond on February 5, 1983 No. 2,60 weighed 29.4 gm and measured 206 mm in length overall. Recaptured December 8, 1983 it weighed 33.8 gm and measured 222 mm overall - an increase of 4.4 gm (7-7%) in weight and 16 mm (13*9%) in length over a 10 month period. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 69 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Figure 2 7 6 3 2 Toe clipping scheme for identifying individual eastern tiger salamanders, Amby stoma t. tigrinum. Shaded toes identifying a male, no. 2,60 captured February 5, 1983 marked, released and recaptured December 8, 1983. During the interim it had gained 1.1% in weight and 1 3 . 3% i n 1 ength . Species Description The Eastern tiger salamander A. t. tigrinum is a robust animal with a broad head and small eyes. Amby stoma t. tigrinum is the third largest species of tailed amphibian in Maryland, exceeded in size only by the hellbender, Cryp tobranohus alleganiensis alleganiensis and the mudpuppy, Necturus maoulosus maoulosus . Variations in length and weight of breeding males and females are presented in Table 1. Page 70 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Table 1 Average and range of length and weight of breeding male and female eastern tiger salamanders, Ambystoma t. tigvinum from Massey Pond and breeding males from TP3 Pond, Kent County, Maryland, December 1 982-Februa ry 1 983 - Massey Ma 1 es (N = 25) Fema 1 es (N = 13) X Range X Range Length (mm) 200.6 165-230 175.5 155-200 Weight (gm) 28.4 20.7-37.3 27.9 20.6-42.0 TP3 Ma 1 es (N = 6) X Range Length (mm) 217.6 207-240 - - Weight (gm) 27.6 24.5-32.0 - - The color and pattern of tigvinum are variable, but generally consist of a dorsal ground color of dull black to brown with light olive or yellowish blotches and lateral bars (Plate 8). The belly is dark with small olive-yellow blotches. Occasionally there are tinges of pink or red on the sides of the males during the reproductive period. G rowth In Maryland, adult tigvinum appear to have a relatively high growth rate. Changes in weight and length for adults are presented in Table 2. These data suggest that length may increase as much as 21.5% for males and 20.8% for females from one breeding season to the next. The increase in weight of individuals, as shown, may be due in part to increase in length but also to feeding prior to reproduction while in a terrestrial mode and reduced metabolism during hibernation. The weight loss of three males (5; 1,5; 8,20) in the pond during a single breeding season may be due to increased energy expenditure associated with reproductive behavior, i . e. , swimming, spermatophore deposition and perhaps agonistic behavior. Weight loss also suggests lack of feeding during the aquatic phase of adults. It is assumed that the notable increase in weight of the single female tigvinum (63-7%) is due in part to egg development. Growth rates probably differ for different age classes. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 71 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 u C -t H + + + + IX I ix o I Dfl fl 4J 4-1 3 C 4-1 3 Tj ft O C d u cd o *! •S-9 c w W | 33 5 g S?B 33 Page 72 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Sexual Dimorphism During the breeding season male tigrinum may be distinguished from the female by an enlarged vent (cloacal opening) and higher tail (Plate 9). The abdominal region of a female with eggs is more rotund than the abdomen of a male (Plate 10). These morphological features are undoubtedly under hormonal control and diminish as reproductive activity wanes. Data are presented in Table 3 showing the reduction in tail height and cloacal width over time in males captured, marked- rel eased and recaptured in Massey Pond. Reproductive colors present on some males also diminished over time. For example, a male (No. 1,8) captured January 11, 1983 had an overlay of burnt sienna on the lower half of both sides and behind the head. This color was completely gone when it was recaptured 15 days later on January 26, 1983. The function of this transient dorso- 1 ateral coloring is unknown. Table 3 Decrease in secondary sex characteristics of male eastern tiger salamanders, Ambystoma t. tigrinum in Massey Pond, Kent County, Maryland 1983 Specimen No. (Toe clip) Tail height in min (at capture) Cloacal width in mm (at capture) Time lapsed in days from capture to recapture Tail height (mm) (loss at recapture) Cloacal width (mm) (loss at recapture) 1 20 20 28 18 (2) 17 (3) 4 20 15 23 19 (1) 13 (2) 5 18 18 18 17 (1) 16 (2) 1,5 17 15 23 17 (0) 15 (1) 1,8 19 17 16 19 (0) 17 (0) 2,5 18 15 16 17 (2) 14 (1) 100 20 17 5 20 (0) 16 (1) 20,70 21 18 23 19 (2) 16 (2) 20,90 20 15 12 20 (0) 15 (0) 20,110 16 15 23 16 (0) 13 (2) Total 10 Range Range Range Range Range 17-21 15-20 X 18.7 0-2 0-3 X loss = (.8) X loss = (1.4) Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 73 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Reproductive Cycle Much of what is believed regarding tigrinym in Maryland is extra¬ polated from studies on other subspecies, or on this subspecies conducted outside the state. These data, in conjunction with observations from the author's notes and research in Maryland, have been utilized in the following summary of the ecology and ethology of tigrinym. Adults are essentially noctural although I have, on several occasions, seen one or two swimming in a pond during the day. During a late fall warm period or winter thaw, adults of both sexes appear in the breeding pond. Day¬ time temperatures for one or two days preceeding their appearance may be as high as 21°C (January 16, 1953) or as low as 4.5°C (March 1982), often they are around 10°C. Frequently the elevated temperatures are accompanied by rain, melting snow and fog. Minimal temperatures for reproductive activity are about 4.5°C. Sever and Dineen (1978) found the highest concentrations of tigrinym in a pond in Indiana when air temperature was in the 8-l6°C range. Breeding at Massey Pond began in 1978 on December 8 (R. H. Johnson, pers. comm.). In 1972 the earliest observed tigrinym was December 20 (Hertl, 1973). During the 1982-83 season the first eggs at Massey were observed December 22, 1982 indicating reproduction had commenced. The earliest I have recorded the appearance of breeding tigrinym in Maryland is November 28, 1983 at Massey Pond. The latest known record for inception of breeding is March 10 (Lee, 1973). From December 29, 1982 to January 4, 1983 only males were captured in Massey Pond. On January 8 the first female was collected there. On January 11, nine new females were taken and marked. A total of 48 tigrinym (34 males; 14 females) had been active in Massey Pond. On February 22 a previously unmarked male, the last specimen to be observed for the season, was captured. The reproductive period from beginning to end in 1982-1983 extended for 63 days. This does not mean that all breeding tigrinym were in the pond for that period, but that 63 days lapsed from the beginning to the end of reproductive activity. It is believed that male tigrinym preceed the females to the pond. Lee (1975) states that "male salamanders arrive at the ponds first, usually several days and sometimes several weeks before the females". This assumption may be questioned. Perhaps observers have not been at breeding ponds early enough to find males and females simul¬ taneously. Additionally, females are more secretive than males. For example in Massey Pond, on November 1 8 , 1983, the water was 26 cm deep, insufficient for egg deposition and no salamanders were observed. On November 29, 1983, following several days of air temperature between 10-15°C and several periods of extended rain, the water depth was 53 cm, sufficient for egg deposition. Both males (n=9) and females (n=3) were present at that time. Page 74 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ical Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Investigators have written of tigrinum migrating to breeding ponds, but no one in Maryland has recorded a mass migration as frequently occurs with the spotted salamander A. maculatum. Migration of tigrinum has been alluded to in New York (Bishop, 1941). Sever and Dineen (1978) caught 1 4 tigrinum in pit traps over a period of a month, migrating to a pond in Indiana. These migrants represented a small percentage of the total population. No mention is made by Sever and Dineer (1978) of a mass migration. Johnson (pers. comm.) captured three adults (January 8, 1978) in pit traps adjacent to a fence enclosing TP3 Pond in Kent County. One, a male, was caught outside the fence which suggests that some individuals may spend the non- reproduct ive part of the year some distance from the pond, moving to it at time of reproduction. Johnson notes that on that date he "was able to pull up large chunks of frozen ground. Underneath, the ground was very soft (completely saturated)." Considering the fossorial behavior of tigrinum , migration may occur in part beneath the surface. Duellman (1954) found 274 tigrinum in a 30 hour period in the fall, mov i ng randomly on a road following a heavy rain in southeast Michigan. Duellman (1954) did not interpret the movements as a fall migration. Bishop (1941) notes that some adult tigrinum on Long Island, New York leave breeding ponds after laying eggs, and some remain in ponds all year long. My view is that, in Maryland, some tigrinum burrow under the edges of the pond after the reproductive period. This view has recently been confirmed by Semlitsch (1983) who tracked an emigrating male with radioactive Tantalum - 1 82 from the pond to a distance of 12 m ashore. It was found an average of 12 cm below ground. In the fall, the pond periphery frequently recedes, leaving the salamanders isolated, at varying distances, from water. Later, following a cold period, thaw and precipitation extend the pond, saturating and loosening the soil, enabling tigrinum to "re-enter" the pond nocturnal ly from the bottom. In support of this hypothesis, on November 29, 1983 when tigrinum were first observed at Massey Pond, all of 11 adults captured were found along the edge of the pond where water was about 18-20 cm deep. No adults were observed at that time in the central deepest (54 cm) part of the pond. By December 2, 1983 when the first eggs were observed, the situation was reversed and salamanders were captured in the deeper part of the pond but not observed in the shallow edges. Planned radio¬ transmitter implantation will test this hypothesis. Perhaps small population density precludes a discernable mass migration. Reproductive congregations and general activity may take place under ice. Stine and Harris collected 69 tigrinum moving about in a small area under one to two inches of ice in the La Plata Pond February 7, 1963. The author observed a spent female swim by a window cut in three inches of ice, in Massey Pond January 22, 1 983 . During the reproductive period the males deposit pyramidally shaped gelatinous spermatophores having a sperm cap containing sperm, from their cloacas onto the pond bottom. Bishop ( 1 94 1 ) observed male tigrinum in New York holding their bodies rigid and extending their legs out, off the bottom during spermatophore deposition. I have observed this position in Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 75 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 several males in Massey Pond on January 26, 1983, but have not witnessed deposition. I found two spermatophores at Gol ts Pond on the 1 eafy bottom in 1953. These two, the only one I have seen, were about 8 mm high (Plate 11). Anderson (1970) collected and described 15 spermatophores of tigrinwn from a pond in New Jersey. Johnson (pers. comm.), after two years of intensive field observation, found spermatophores on April 1, 1983 in TP3 Pond in water 5.25 cm deep. The spermatophores described by Anderson (1970) were in water 15~20 cm deep. The paucity of tigrinwn spermatophores in Maryland breeding ponds may be more apparent than real. Arnold (1977) states that a single male tigrinwn deposits from 8-37 spermatophores in a night compared to 81 for a male spotted salamander, A. maculatwn. Arnold (1977) also states that tigrinwn spermatophores may be covered by spermatophores of competing males. Spermatophore covering would effectively reduce the number of spermatophores visible on the substrate. Silt activated by investigators in the pond may also cover spermatophores, hindering observation. Females may utilize spermatophores soon after deposition thus preventing observation. When weather conditions are optimal (10°C+ air temperature and light rain), and if sufficiently stimulated, male and female tigrinwn nose each other's cloacal region. I observed this behavior one rainy night (February 3, 1956) at Golts, when the air temperature was 10°C. Bishop (1941) states that a stimulated captive female tigrinwn applied her snout to the male's cloaca then passed her body and vent over the spermatophore, after deposi¬ tion. Arnold (1977) states that in all salamanders, the male contacts the female's epidermis with his snout before spermatophore deposition which suggests chemorecept ion as a mechanism for sex and species identification. Concentration of pheromones in the deeper part of a pond may also account for the general localization of reproductive behav ior, concent rat ion of males in a 1 ek and egg deposition. Female tigrinwn reportedly "pick up" sperma tophores into their cloacal, fertilizing eggs. Anderson (1970) suggests that the entire spermatophore is taken up by the female and not just the sperm cap. He also suggests eggs may be deposited within 36 hours after fertilization in New Jersey. Although I have no data for Maryland females, the time to deposition is likely to be the same. Egg Deposition When laying eggs, female tigrinwn assume a typical posture, grasping vegetation with the hind legs, arching the back upward and tail and cloaca downward. The trunk and head may be vertical, at an angle or horizontal to the substrate. Front legs are usually free (Plate 12). I observed three female tigrinwn depositing eggs on twigs in "hunched- over" positions at 11 p.m. in Golts Pond (February 9, 1958). They were sluggish and were not disturbed by my presence. Females deposit fertilized eggs on panic grass, Paniown agristoides at varying depths in the water. Old stalks of narrow-leaved cattail, Typha angusti folia and narrow fallen tree branches are also utilized. Narrow bamboo stakes used by the author to designate location of egg clusters have also been Page 76 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 used by female tigrinum, Egg deposition is usually sufficiently deep to ensure against freezing. Perturbations in weather however can affect the clutch success. On December 22, 1983 Massey Pond was shallow. The first egg masses of the season were deposited flat against the substrate, unattached to vegetation. The water did not freeze to this depth (21 cm deep) and the eggs survived. On March 4, 1977, R. Johnson (pers. comm.) found about 100 tigrinum egg masses deposited 7.8-10.5 cm below the surface. Maximum water depth was 32 cm. By March 13, 1977, following 9 days without rain the maximum water depth was 10.5 cm and 60% of the pond was dry. All eggs in the dry area were destroyed. This suggests plasticity of egg deposition behavior adjusting to water level. Johnson (unpublished data) conducted an extensive study of the depth of egg masses at Massey and TP3 Ponds in 1978. A summary of these data are presented in Table 4. Based on capture, mark and recapture studies, females average a loss of 7*3 gm after egg deposition. Data are presented in Table 5. Tab! e 4 Range and average depth of egg masses of eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma t. tigrinwn deposited in TP3 and Massey Ponds Kent County, Maryland, 1978. (R. H. Johnson, 1978, unpubl i shed data) Depth (cm) from mid Water depth (cm) egg mass to surface Locat i on N Range _ X Range _ X TP3 24 39-107 79 21 -84 62 Massey 127 70-115 66 47-97 53 Table 5 Weight loss (gm) after egg deposition in four female eastern tiger salamanders, Ambystoma t. tigrinum from Massey Pond, Kent County, Maryland 1983 Date Captured Date Recaptured Female Number Weight (gm) (with eggs) at capture Weight (gm) (after deposition) at recapture Weight loss (gm) % Loss 1/11/83 1/15/83 1,6 28.0 21.4 6.6 23.6 1/11/83 1/22/83 1,7 22.1 16.5 5.6 25.3 1/11/83 1/15/83 50 41.9 32.1 9.8 23.4 1/11/83 1/15/83 60 25.5 18.4 7.1 27.8 x = 7.3 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ical Society Page 77 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Amby stoma t. tigrinum are reported to oviposit asynchronously in Northern Indiana (Sever and Dineen, 1978; Coutre and Sever, 1979) and New Jersey (Anderson et al . , 1971). Egg deposition in Maryland also occurs asynchronously and sequentially once started, but may be inter¬ rupted if temperatures drop below freezing. Evidence of an extended temporal hiatus in egg deposition (for example, partly in December and partly in March) has not been substantiated to date but probably occurs some years. Data for 1982-83 egg deposition at Massey is presented in Table 6. Table 6 Chronology of egg mass deposition of eastern tiger salamanders, Amby stoma t. tigrinum in Massey Pond, Kent County, Maryland 1982-83 Date December 22, 1982 December 29, 1982 December 30, 1983 January 4, 1 983 January 15, 1983 TOTAL Number new egg masses observed 3 42 4 4 33 86 Egg masses of tigrinum tend to be oval, globular or oblong. Each egg is surrounded by gelatinous envelopes - the outer envelopes being fused to make up a common jelly layer. Bishop ( 1 94 1 ) states that egg masses average 55 x 70 mm. The eggs are hygroscopic, their volume increasing substantially within several hours after deposition (Plate 13) The serous nature of tigrinum eggs is useful in distinguishing them from the more compact eggs of the spotted salamander, A. maoulatum (Plates 14, 15). The number of eggs per mass varies. In New Jersey, Anderson et al . (1971) found a range of 26-127 eggs per mass and an average of 44.5. A sample of 37 egg masses at Massey in 1 983 had a range of 17 to 1 44 eggs, and averaged 52.1 eggs per mass. Anderson et al . ( 1 97 1 a) states that a single female tigrinum probably deposits about 300 eggs in 5~8 masses in New Jersey. A captive female tigrinum from Golts Pond was observed depositing 344 eggs in 12 clusters in the laboratory (Stine et al . , 1954) Another female from Massey Pond captured November 29, 1983 laid 394 eggs in the laboratory December 1, 1983. An approximation of these numbers of eggs (350) has been used in constructing population estimates for Page 78 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 198*4 several demes of tigrinum in Maryland. Investigators have been reluctant to remove eggs from breeding females and there are no published reports of numbers of eggs deposited by females in vivo , or additional laboratory observations in Maryland. Estimates for total egg production for seven years at Massey are presented in Table 7* Table 7 Estimated number of eggs of eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma t. tigrinum deposited in Massey Pond, Kent County, Maryland 1978-1983 Year Number of eggs 1976-1977* 2,693 1977-1978* 3,38*4 1978-1979* 5,750 1979-1980* 7,500 1980-1981 no eggs - drought 1981-1982 1*4,0*40 1982-1983 *4, *480 X = 5,407 *(R. H. Johnson, unpublished data) Data regarding annual fluctuation of tigrinum egg production in Maryland (Table 7) may reflect yearly differences in weather, age class survival of females, food availability for adults and larvae, quantity and type of predators, sampling error and human intervention. The abun¬ dance of 1*4,0*40 eggs deposited in 1982 following a year of drought and no egg deposition suggests an intrinsic population regulating mechanism through changes in fertility, and variation around a mean of 5,^07 eggs per year for the seven year period. It may also suggest that some females may breed biennialy so that 1982 was a "double" year. Mortality of eggs varies with breeding location and may reflect critical chemical and physical differences in sites. Data are presented in Table 8 comparing mortality for eggs at Massey and TP3. It is evident that mortality of eggs is substantially less at Massey (x = 8.0%) than at TP3 (x = 58 . 3%) : some egg masses of tigrinum contain a green alga, a species of Chlamydomonas that may influence survival. Percentage of eggs with algae in TP3 and Massey Ponds are presented in Table 9- Anderson (1971b) found a correlation between egg mortality and algae. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 79 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Stine and Eng (unpublished data) isolated (in a plastic frame covered with pantyhose) eight egg masses deposited on February 20, 1983 at Massey, translocating three masses to Golts, a pond no longer used by tigrinw n as a breeding site. Those at Massey hatched March 21 (29 days incubation). Those at Golts (a more shaded pond) hatched March 25 (33 days incubation). The hatching of eggs translocated to Golts Pond was 100% suggesting water pollution was not a factor in the loss of Golts Pond as a breeding site. Although eggs can hatch at Golts, larvae may not be able to survive for reasons to be discussed later in this paper. Table 8 Mortality of eggs of eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma t. tigrinum in TP3, Massey and Golts Ponds, Kent County, Maryland No. egg Estimated No. eggs No. eggs X Date Location masses No. eggs alive dead Morta 1 *3/18/77 TP3 7 234 68 166 70.9 *3/25/78 TP3 27 612 332 280 45.7 *3/26-27/78 Massey 87 2065 1825 240 1 1.6 *4/01-02/78 Massey 21 688 661 27 3.9 3/21/82 Massey 5 358 328 30 8.4 **3/25/82 Gol ts 3 163 163 0 0.0 * ( R . H. Johnson, unpublished data) **T ran si oca ted from Massey to Golts Table 9 Percentage of egg masses of eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma t. tigrinwn having a green alga, a species of Chlamydomonas in TP3 and Massey Ponds, Kent County, Maryland 1979 Pond Tota 1 egg masses observed Number of egg masses with algae % eggs with algae TP3 32 7 22.6 Massey 104 4 3.8 R. H. Johnson, unpubl i shed data , 1979 Page 80 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Larval Period Duration of larval stage of tigrinwn in Maryland varies from year to year and is dependent on temperature, water level and available food. Bishop (1941) reported the length of the larval period for tigrinwn in New York as 118-140 days, with metamorphosis occurring in August. Stine et al. (1954) reported a larval period of 110 days for Golts, and Hassinger et al. (1970) estimated the larval period in New Jersey at 75 days. In 1978 tigrinwn eggs were first deposited in Maryland at Massey Pond on January 8. Larvae persisted into late August (a year having a wet spring and summer). Assuming an incubation of about 30 days the larval period that year lasted as long as 205 days. Franz (1972) reported collecting mature larvae June 17, 1972. In the 1982-83 season the first eggs were deposited December 22, 1982. The last larvae were seined on July 16, 1983, following a period of over eight weeks without appreciable rain. Thus the larval period in 1 982-83 was as long as 161 days. Brandon and Bremer (1967) found tigrinwn larvae in southern Illinois that over wintered without being neotenic. Over wintering of larvae has not been recorded in Maryland. Recently hatched tigrinwn larvae are small and dark. A series of 20 larvae from one egg mass at Massey (1983) average nearly 13 mm in overall length. Young larvae appear predominately cephalic with a slender, compressed, 1 imbl ess body and slightly keeled tail. Recently hatched tigrinwn larvae lack balancers. There is a light band extending from behind the small gills along the body to the tail. As larvae mature, the tail becomes more keeled and the gills become larger and more fila¬ mentous (Plates 16, 17). The light lateral band is diagnostic and helps one to distinguish tigrinwn larvae from marbled salamander (A. opacwn) larvae that may inhabit the same pond. On hatching, tigrinwn larvae settle onto the sediment on the pond bottom, or settle head up on vegetation, presumably until the yolk is absorbed. Periodic seining with fine mesh nets during 1 982 has shown that larvae stay in the area of the pond where the bulk of the eggs were deposited for several weeks ( 1 982) . On June 21, 1978 the Massey Pond was divided into a grid of nine quadrates, each of which was systematically seined with 1.95 m sweeps. A total of 173 mature larvae were collected. Those collected were distributed accordingly: 1 6% in the deepest quadrat (where eggs are usually deposited), 43.3% in the peripheral sphagnaceous shallows and 40.7% in the peripheral non-sphagnaceous shallows. These data suggest a dispersal of larvae outward several weeks following hatching. Larvae at this time (n=89) ranged from 67“ 117 mm in length and averaged 100.1 mm. Anderson et al. (1971a) found a mortality of 98.7% in New Jersey from egg deposition (early cleavage) to metamorphosis, a survivorship of 3.3%. Transect seining in Massey Pond in 1979 suggests a similar low survivorship in this Maryland deme. Starting with 5,750 ( 1 00%) eggs in January estimated survival at Massey was as follows: April 19 " 4,000 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 81 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 (69.5%); May 19 - 1,200 (20.8%); June 17 - 830 (14.4%) ; June (9.7%) and August 14 - 210 (3.6%) (Figure 3). Massey may be exceptional breeding site with optimal environmental factors have been published for other breeding sites in Maryland for 21 - 560 an but few data compar i son . Figure 3 Percent survival from egg deposition to transforming larvae of eastern tiger salamander, Amby stoma t. tigvinum in Massey Pond, Kent County, Maryland, 1978-79. Ambystoma t. tigvinum larvae are mostly nocturnal opportunistic feeders preying upon a wide range of invertebrates. Lee and Franz (1974) examined the stomach contents of mature larvae from Massey and Golts. A summary of their data is presented in Table 10. Natural prey of adults has not been recorded in Maryland. In the laboratory adult tigvinum feed readily on earthworms. Lindquist and Bachman (1982) have found that, in the laboratory, detection and capture of earthworms by tigvinum was most efficient when visual and chemical prey stimuli were present. Page 82 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Table 10 Summary of stomach contents of mature larvae of eastern tiger salamander, Amby stoma t. tigrinum in Massey and Golts Ponds, Kent County, Maryland (after Lee and Franz, 1974) Massey Gol ts Food 1 tern (N=42) 0/ (N=9) o. Arthropoda '0 '0 1 nsecta 27.60 6.21 Crustacea 72.09 93.37 Mol 1 usca .16 .41 Amphi bia .16 TOTAL 100.0% 99-99% Examination of Table 10 shows differences in the prey of tigrinum larvae at Massey and Golts Ponds suggesting successional differences in the two ponds. The successional process may account, in part (along with an increase in predators of tigrinum larvae), for the decline in breeding sites in the state. This matter will be discussed more fully later in this paper. Predat i on Predation of adult tigrinum in Maryland has not been reported. This is not surprising when one considers that tigrinwn breed in brief, relatively warm intervals during extended cold and freezing periods. Such behavior is probably selected for avoidance of most predators such as aquatic repitles and many species of mammals that are hibernating. Stine and Fox (unpublished data, 1981) found that the red-spotted newt Notophthalmus v. viridescens and Dytiscus beetles prey on tigrinum eggs. Dalrymple (1970) reported caddisfly larvae feeding on tigrinum eggs in New Jersey. Stine et al . (1954) observed predation of small tigrinum larvae by marbled salamander larvae, A. opaoum (Plate 18). Ambystoma opacum lay eggs on the edge of ponds in early fall and larvae over-winter in ponds. Opacum larvae are larger than tigrinum larvae when the latter hatch. Stine and Fox (unpublished data, 1982) working with potential predators from Massey Pond in the laboratory, found that opacum larvae preyed upon tigrinum larvae at the rate of .3 per day. They also noted that the rate of predation was not density dependent but reflected variables such as temperature and time of most recent feeding. Predator- prey roles were exchanged when size dominance reversed. When tigrinum Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 83 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 larvae registered a mean snout-vent length of 28.3 mm, and opacum 25-3 mm, tigrinum exhibited agonistic behavior i.e., a period of stalking followed by a sudden lunge and snapping of jaws with consumption of opacum body parts. It should be noted that this reversing interspecific predation, observed in the laboratory may represent a "cage effect". Occurrence in nature may be less common since opacum and tigrinum are thought to be spatially and temporally isolated in the same ponds (Anderson and Graham, 1 967; Hassinger et al . , 1970). The author, however, observed large ^ tigrinum larvae feeding on opacum larvae in Golts Pond in the early 50 s. Lee and Franz (1974) in their study of food of tigrinum larvae did not report opacum as prey. In the laboratory, Stine and Fox (unpublished data, 1982) observed that a juvenile snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina (50 mm in length) was the most voracious predator, consuming 7-5 tigrinum larvae per day. A large snapping turtle, C. serpentina was captured in Massey Pond in July 1978, but not sacrificed to determine it if had preyed upon tigrinum larvae. The red-spotted newt, N. v . viridescens was a weak predator in the laboratory consuming .1 to .6 larvae per day during the study. Preda¬ tion was also observed in Massey Pond, when on May 9, 1982 Fox observed a 3 cm Dytiscus beetle larva with a 4 cm tigrinum larva in its jaws. Preda¬ tion by Dytiscus larvae has also been reported by Sever and Dineen (1978). Crayfish have been seen in Massey Pond and are potential predators. Pol is (1981) states that intraspecific predation is common and widespread in the animal kingdom. Cannibalism by tigrinum has been reported in Texas (Reese, 1975; Rose and Amentrout, 1976). This behavior has not been observed in the field in Maryland. Stine and Fox (unpublished data, 1982) observed one case in the laboratory. It is not known how important cannibalism may be as a density dependent regulatory mechanism for populations of tigrinum9 but it should be looked for. Other species observed at Massey Pond that are possible predators include the bull frog, Rana catesbieana\ eastern mud turtle, Kinosternon suberbrum subrubrum , ring-billed gull, Laurus detawarensis ; greater yellowlegs, Totanus melanoleucus ; Canada goose, Branta candensis ; great blue heron, Ardea herodias; green heron, Butorides virescens ; and raccoon, Procyon l. lotor. The eastern painted turtle, Chrysemys picta picta a potential predator, has been recorded from TP3 Pond. D. Loughey of the DNR (pers. comm.) who observes the Massey Pond frequently, reports that during the drought of 1981-82, when the pond was reduced to puddle size (with probable concentration of tigrinum larvae), he saw the following additional potential predators: mallard, Anas platyrhynchos ; wood duck, Aix sponsa; glossy ibis, Plegadis falcineZlus ; and common egret, Casmerodius albus . Ecologic Aspects of Breeding Sites Ambystoma tigrinum breeding sites have physical parameters and community structure representative of serai stages of lentic succession. The tiger salamander appears to be a pioneer invader in some ponds as evidenced by its presence, referred to previously, in the Massey Pond Page 84 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 shortly after the pond appeared. Deposition of single egg masses in several small shallow man-made ponds (Westover, Somerset County; Bishopville, Worcester County; Frey Farm, Kent County) also suggest pioneer behavior. Although new ponds may be visited by tigrinum breeding colonies are not always established or may be established with a low density population. As succession advances the abiotic and biotic components change and the environment becomes less habitable to the aquatic phase of the tigrinum life cycle. Eggs, larvae and ulti¬ mately adults are affected by successional changes. The substrate in a pond changes during succession, the pond becomes more shallow and fewer desirable sites and submerged vegetation are available for egg deposition. Additionally, dissolved oxygen diminishes, predators increase, and prey become less diverse. Golts and Massey Ponds may illustrate these changes and differences. From 1952 until 1974, when Lee and Franz (1974) collected larvae, and 1977 when Johnson observed approxfmatel y 10 egg masses (Johnson, pers. comm.) Golts Pond was a breeding site for tigrinum . After 1977 Golts Pond ceased to be a reproductive site. In 1952, at Golts, peripheral trees were small and few in number, the canopy was open, the water was clear and contained substantial submerged aquatic vegetation. Button bush, Cephalanthus oocidentalis was less abundant and aquatic invertebrates appeared more abundant. Today, 32 years later, the trees around Golts Pond are larger and more numerous (Plate 19), the canopy is closing, the water is dark with tannin, there are virtually no submerged aquatics, the button bush C. oocidentalis is much more abundant, the bottom is leaf and branch littered, aquatic invertebrates appear less numerous and diversified, aquatic predators are probably more numerous, the odor of hydrogen sulfide is present, and dissolved oxygen is lower than at Massey (Table 11). By contrast, at Massey Pond, there are fewer proximal trees, the canopy is open, the water is clear, there are submerged aquatics, the bottom is leaf and branch free, the invertebrates appear more numerous and diverse, and dissolved oxygen is higher than at Golts (Table 11) . Lee (pers. comm. Dec. 29, 1983) has an interesting hypothesis concerning successional changes at Golts and the demise of the tigrinum deme there. Parasitic nematodes of the genus Hedruris were found in larvae captured there (Lee and Franz, 1974). Aquatic snails, host of nematodes, require emergent vegetation on which to climb, breathe and lay eggs. Due to the abundance of shrubby emergent vegetation the population of snails and presumably nematodes is enhanced, increasing infestation of tigrinum larvae and possibly lowering recruitment numbers. Thus, over a period of 32 years, through a combination of successional changes, we may hypothesize that fewer and fewer larvae at Golts metamorphosed reducing recruitments for breeders. Surviving adults lived out their lives until eggs were no longer deposited. Sever and Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 85 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Dineen (1978) state that a high survival rate for adults and longevity (as great as 16 years) indicate a population could survive for a number of seasons without recruitment. How many years prior to 1952 that the Gol ts Pond was a breeding site one can only speculate - perhaps twenty years. 1 1 seems reasonabl e to assume that tigrinum is an active community member of select, sem i -permanent , Maryland Coastal Plain ponds between 30-50 years if succession proceeds normally and uninterrupted. Succession is proceeding at Massey Pond, but at a reduced rate due to a road on one side and a regularly plowed field on the other. Sphagnum sp. however has extended considerably inward from the pond edges from 1977 to 1983 . Nar row- 1 eaved cattail, Typha angustifolia, black willow Salix nigra , red maple_, Acer rubrum and button bush C. oocidentalis are also increasing, indicative of pond filling. Arnold Norden (pers. comm., Jan. 21, 1984) observed that a breeding pond of Jefferson salamander, A. jeffersonianum in Washington County, Maryland virtually filled within seven years following cessation of plowing of an adjacent field. In New Jersey, Anderson et al . (1971a) found a pH range in breeding ponds of 5. 6-7*0. In Indiana, Sever and Dineen (1978) found a pH of 6.8-7. 0 in breeding ponds. In Massey Pond, 1 982-83 ? the range of pH was 3 • 5“ 4.9- At Golts Pond the water is less acidic than at Massey. Data are presented in Table 12. Anderson et al . (1971a) state that low pH may have adverse effects on tigrinum larvae. Data in Table 12 does not confirm this assumption for Massey and suggest a greater tolerance of tigrinum to lower pH than previously held. Data presented in Table 11 indicates temporal differences in the dissolved oxygen in Massey and Golts Ponds. Of particular interest is the contrast in dissolved oxygen between the two ponds in June and July, the period in which larvae are frequently transforming. Diminished oxygen, resulting from leafy decomposition at Golts, may physiologically stress larvae. Mature larvae (n=9) from 1 63 eggs in three masses translocated from Massey to Golts (Stine and Eng, unpublished data, 1982) had, upon capture, gills three times the length of cohorts at Massey. These enlarged gills suggests a compensatory response to low oxygen (.6 ppm) at Golts. The translocated eggs hatched without mortality in March, 1982 when water was cold and dissolved oxygen presumed high. Page 86 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1 98 A Table 11 Water Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen in Massey and Golts Ponds, Kent County, Maryland Date H2° Temp. °C Oxygen Massey Surface Bottom ppm Golts Surface Bottom 3/06/82 4.5 11.8 11.7 11 .2 11.0 3/13/82 14.5 10.4 9.8 - - 4/06/82 5.0 11.8 11.8 11.4 11.4 4/30/82 21.5 10.5 - - - 6/11/82 20.0 6.6 - .6 .6 7/15/82 17.0 8.2 8.0 3.6 .5 11/06/83 4.5 - 8.8 - 5.4 11/18/83 7.0 - 9.2 - 3.7 11/29/83 8.5 - 9.0 - - 12/02/83 7.0 - 11.4 - - 12/04/83 7.0 - 11.0 - - 12/08/83 3.0 - 11.4 - - 12/13/83 11.0 - 11.0 - - 12/18/83 4.0 - 10.4 - - 1/01/84 4.0 13.1 14.6 3.6 4.4 Adu 1 1 spotted salamanders, A. maculatum have not been found 1 author to breed in ponds with tigrinum in Maryland. H. Harris and R. Simmons (pers. comm., July, 1984) report having seen eggs and adults of maculatum in tigrinum ponds. I doubt that maculatum larvae would survive long with larger aggressive tigrinum larvae. Species of amphi¬ bians known to breed in tigrinum ponds in Maryland are the red- spotted newt, Notophthalmus v. viridescens; the marbled salamander Ambystoma opacumj the eastern spadefoot toad, Scaphiopus holbrooki holbrooki; Fowler's toad, Bufo woodhousei fowleri; northern cricket frog, Aoris crepitans crepitans ; northern spring peeper, Eyla crucifer crucifer; gray tree frog, Hyla versicolor; New Jersey chorus frog, Pseudacris triseriata kabni; bull frog, Rana catesbeiana; green frog, Rana clamitans me lanota; southern leopard frog, Rana sphenocephala and pickerel frog, Rana palustris . Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 87 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Table 12 pH in Massey and Golts Ponds, Kent County, Maryland, 1982-1983 Date Massey Gol t! 3/13/82 4.4 - 3/21/82 4.5 5.5 4/06/82 3.6 - 4/30/82 4.9 - 6/11/82 3.8 5.0 7/15/82 4.5 5.4 11/06/83 4.3 5.5 11/18/83 4.9 4.7 11/29/83 3.6 - 12/02/83 - - 12/04/83 4.5 - 12/08/83 3.9 - 12/13/83 3.5 - 12/18/83 3.5 Popu 1 at i on Estimates From July 1, 1976 to June 30, 1979, under a grant from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the author supervised a team of investi¬ gators who worked to reassess the distribution of tigTinum in Maryland. Sections of the Maryland Delmarva have large numbers of ephemeral ponds in early spring (Plate 20). Some ponds lose water rapidly, while others retain water for longer periods. Utilizing Massey Pond as a model, aerial reconnaissance was conducted to map those ponds that appeared to have the ecologic pre-requisites for tigvinum breeding sites, i.e., isolated field ponds, field ponds adjacent to wood lots, open canopies, relative clear water, water depth not more than 3”4 feet, ponds without inlets or outlets, water retention into late May or June, in relatively early stages of vegetational succession, rich in invertebrate fauna and few predators, especially fish. Page 88 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Fourteen Maryland Coastal Plain counties were surveyed. In all, 679 ponds were selected for investigation for presence of tigrinum eggs. The ponds were investigated shortly after eggs first appeared at Massey in late winter of 1979. It was found that the previously known sites having but one egg mass and some other ponds (Frey Farm South, Frey Farm West, Bishopville, Westover) had silted in or were destroyed by construc¬ tion. Other sites were found to have been destroyed by construction (La Plata) or could not be relocated (Carson Corners, Hollingsworth, Cross Roads). Additional breeding ponds were not discovered during the search. This result however, may be falsely negative. Due to the vast number of ponds in the area some breeding sites may have been overlooked. Also, small numbers of eggs are easily missed in turbid, wind-rippled ponds. Substantiating this view, as noted previously, two reproductive sites were found in Caroline County in April and May of 1983 based on the presence of tigrinum larvae. Investigation for additional sites is encouraged so that population density may be monitored. Table 13 and Figure 4 detail past and present records of adults and/or eggs and/or larvae of tigrinum. Population fluctuations among vertebrates are common (Southwick, 1969). Variations in population density of tigrinum in Maryland depend on natality, mortality of eggs and larvae, adult survivorship in relation to changes in the abiotic and biotic conditions. These variations are expressed in the total number of eggs deposited annually over a seven year period in one pond (Massey) (see Table 7). Investigators have used different methods to calculate deme and population densities (Anderson et al., 1971a; Sever and Dineen, 1978). Anderson et al . (1971a) made assumptions regarding population estimates for tigrinum in New Jersey as follows: a female oviposits between 250-350 eggs, females oviposit biennially, male-female ratio is 1:1, and there are two immature non-breeders coming "on-line" presumably as replacements for breeders that die. They calculated 11,600 eggs found at a breeding site in New Jersey were laid by 33~45 females and estimated a maximum adult population of 540 individuals. Considering the data for Massey Pond in Maryland, assumptions for populations in this state must be somewhat different. Female tigrinum deposit approximately 350 eggs. As noted previously, a female tigrinum from Golts (1954) and more recently, one from Massey (1983), deposited 344 eggs and 394 eggs respectively in the laboratory. There is evidence (1983) from marked adults at Massey Pond, that at least some males and females breed annually. Sever and Dineen (1978) state that some, if not most, female tigrinum breed annually in Indiana. It should be noted however, that frequency of breeding may vary seasonally and geographically. Marking studies have not supported the concept of a 1:1 sex ratio. The ratio at Massey Pond fluctuates, and in 1982 was close to four males for every female. Taken over several years ( 1 980-83) it approaches 1.7:1. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 89 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Table 13 Distribution of the eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma t. tigrinum in Maryland, past and present County Local i ty Stage Adult(s) (A) Eggs (E) Larvae (L) Map Key Status Former Loca 1 i ty § Current Loca 1 ? ty a Anne Arundel* Arnol d A 0 Cha r 1 es La Plata A , E , L 0 Kent Fred Road L • Massey Frey Farm W Frey Farm S Road A,E,L A, E A, E , L 0 § • Gol t s A, E , L 0 Golts Garbage A, E , L • TP3 A, E, L • Queen Annes Carson Corners E @ Carol i ne Bal t i more Corner E • Hoi 1 i ngsworth Crossroads E 0 Denton A 0 Federa 1 sbu rg E 0 Mt. Zion L • B r i dgetown L • Dorchester** V i enna A 0 Worcester B i shopv i 1 1 e E 0 Somerset Westover E 0 *A single adult may have been introduced from the Eastern Shore. *This site was the area from which the first Maryland specimen, an adult, was recorded. Breeding ponds or adults have not been subsequently recorded there. Page 90 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Robert Shoop (pers. comm., 1984) found that the sex ratio of A. opacum at metamorphosis was 1:1 but that the extended maturation time for females (4-7 years) compared to that for males (1-5 years) results in greater mortality for females. As a consequence adult males out number adult females. Shoop also found that in "wipe out years" (drought, extended severe cold) there are few juvenile replacements for breeding adults which skews the sex ratio. These same factors undoubtedly work on tigrinum. For example, Sever and Dineen (1978) found the sex ratio of male tofemaleto be 3*2:1 in 1976 and 5*1:1 in 1977 in a pond in Indiana. In contrast to assumptions made by Anderson et al . (1971a), a norm of a single juvenile replacement for each breeding adult is con¬ sidered here for calculations of population estimates for tigrinum in Maryland. Data are presented in Table 14 comparing population estimates for selected New Jersey, Maryland and Indiana ponds and methods used to construct these estimates. Estimates for the Massey deme range from 52-216. These estimates seem appropriate in view of the number of tigrinum captured during breeding. Estimates for TP3 (10-23), Golts Garbage (21) and Baltimore Corner (6) are notably low suggesting marginal demes. Disparity between demes in New Jersey (540) and Massey (216) reflect differences in methods of calculation. Duellman (1954) found 296 non-breeding tigrinum over a five week period on land in Michigan suggesting moderate population density. Population estimates by Sever and Dineen (1978) for an Indiana deme range from 1,500-2,000 i ndi vi dual s. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 91 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Page 92 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Distribution of the eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma t. tigrinum in Maryland. Shaded circles represent former localities for eggs, adult (s) and/or larva(e). Closed circles represent current breeding colonies and closed square represents Pleistocene fossil record. Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 G G o o W 03 o o »-J Id S3 03 Sum oj o a» > BJ 'd 3H ® <-> a, a) 03 M CM PS « G 03 3-1 03 O 03 > 03 TJ 3 H 03 >-3 & 03 03 3-1 -o 03 PQ 03 "d 1-1 c ua m •o *o o> G •u cd o 0) >> 4J 01 § s *H 0) »-» (0 ^ 03 gt 5 8 o X • 3 0) G 0) G M < « H 33 IS « « S S 05 r*> • X • O 03 — * 55 Cfl w S M 03 60 pN 01 • O © m 85 CM 0 60 0) 60 fa 03 • O © m S3 —I oo O CM U 60 W 60 fa fa g g s g g g g SSSSSSS& Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 93 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Reviewing data in Table 13 and Figure 4, the following conclusions are presented: 1. The range of A. t. tigrinum in Maryland has been reduced from seven to five counties due to destruction of sites or successional changes (assuming that adults captured in Denton and Vienna indicated presence of breeding sites). At present, only one site, Massey Pond, has high egg production. 2. The eastern tiger salamander in Maryland is rare and its population density low. Endangered status is justified even though additional breeding sites may be found. Continued land disturbance, low population densities and successional changes suggest the need for prudent management. Several hypotheses may be considered regarding the historic range reduction of A, tigrinum in Maryland. 1. Direct destruction of breeding habitat. For example the pond at La Plata, Charles County was eliminated in the construction of a golf course. 2. Indirect elimination of breeding habitat by ditching and draining of wetlands to expand agricultural land with possible lowering of water table reducing the capacity of ponds to retain water. A plan to drain the headwater swamps and channelize the upper Chester River in Kent County is presently being proposed by the Soil Conservation Service. Breeding sites of tigrinum are in this region. 3. Possible toxic materials (pesticides, herbicides) introduced into ponds from agricultural run-off affecting development of eggs and/or larvae. Successful hatching of eggs translocated from Massey Pond to Golts Pond suggests water quality is adequate for egg survival at Gol ts Pond. High egg production at Massey for six years also suggest water quality is adequate for eggs and larvae there. 4. Deforestation with possible destruction of non-breeding habitat (where aestivation and hibernation of adults may occur), introduction of toxic materials to terrestrial non-breeding habitat. 5. Acidic conditions in breeding ponds or terrestrial habitat due to acid precipitation. This hypothesis does not seem tenable in light of data presented in Tables 7 and 12 showing relatively low pH at Massey and high percentages of hatching eggs there. 6. Decreased borrow pit excavation (due to reduced road construc¬ tion) and thus fewer new ponds for invasion as older ponds advance to later stages of succession. Many of the breeding sites, past and present are borrow pit ponds (Golts, Golts Garbage, Massey, Baltimore Corner). Page 94 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 7 . Successional changes in breeding ponds including the following a. Abiotic changes such as decreased dissolved oxygen, altered pH, increased hydrogen sulphide, poor water clarity, lowered water depth, increased sediment, leaf and branch littered bottoms. b. Biotic changes such as decreased submerged aquatic vegetation for egg deposition, reduced diversity and quantity of larval prey and possibly increased predatory of eggs and larvae especially fish. Combinations of these factors, varying with the locality, with empahsis on 1, 2, 6 and 7 probably have contributed substantially to the reduction of the range and population density of A. t. tigrinum in Maryland . Van Deusen (1979) postulates that tigrinum is uncommon in Maryland due to isolation, low individual variation, existence at the edge of its range and low population density. The population density of tigrinum in Maryland is low when compared to estimates given for tigrinum demes in the midwest (Sever and Dineen, 1978). The Maryland density is comparable to that of New Jersey (Anderson, 1971a). Indeed through the coastal part of its range tigrinum appears uncommon and of low density. There may be as few as 50 known breeding sites along the east coast (D. S. Lee, pers. comm., 1984), and these have been located only through intense field work by many herpetologists. Thus, it is possible that there are limiting factors on the Coastal Plain that contribute to this low population density. I submit however, that this has been compounded by habitat alteration in Maryland. Examination of former distribution of tigrinum in this state suggests there was greater proximity and density of demes in the past. These demes are now more isolated (TP3 and Baltimore Corner for example, are 25 km apart, and some previously active sites were 35-50 km apart). Low density is not the cause of but is synonymous with uncommonness. Deme isolation could indeed lead to lessened gene flow and individual variation, but there is, at present, no evidence to support this. Isolation and low density are symptoms of environmental change and not the cause of uncommonness. It is questionable whether uncommonness of tigrinum in Maryland is related to the state 1 s position at the geographic edge of the species range. Coastal populations are known from Long Island, New York to Florida. To the east tigrinum has been recorded to within 9-6 km of the limiting salinity of a subestuary of Delaware Bay (Arndt, 1983). Thus, as suggested regarding the Maryland range, tigrinum had at one time, following its post Pleistocene invasion of the Coastal Plain via the prairie corridor (Holman, 1977), a relatively more dense population than now. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 95 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 There is a broader geographic isolation of tigrinum in Maryland that is significant, that of the Ma ry 1 and-Del ma rva demes being isolated from the mainland by the Chesapeake Bay to the west and a narrow isthmus, with incising rivers and salt marshes to the north. This geographic isolation began 10,000 years ago during the genesis of the Chesapeake Bay (Schubel , 1981). As noted by Dunn (1926), isolation leads to speciation. It is important to continue ecological and behavioral studies of Delmarva tigrinum comparing it to other mid-range demes for differentiation. At least one other Delmarva amphibian, the New Jersey chorus frog, Pseudaoris triseriata kalmi has been described as subspecific (Harper, 1955). T ransl ocat i on In 1977, seven viable egg masses were transported from Golts Garbage and TP3 Ponds to a receptor pond at the U.S. Army installation at Edgewood, Maryland on the western shore of the Coastal Plain. A total of 22 to 37 larvae hatched and presumably dispersed (Johnson, 1980). Periodic monitoring has not revealed the presence of tigrinum at this site. It is believed that abundance of turtles and other possible predators at this site contributed to the failure of the translocation. The small number of egg masses and larvae that hatched were probably insufficient to insure survival of a critical number of juveniles. In August of 1979 the author recommended to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources that adequate ecologic and distributional information regarding tigrinum in Maryland was available to warrant management of the species. It was suggested that tigrinum be reintroduced to part of its former range by construction of an ecologically appropriate pond on protected state land. A pond in Charles County near the former La Plata breeding site was "seeded" with mature larvae from Massey in 1982. Monitoring will proceed for evidence of adult tigrinum. Concl us ions 1. Investigation of the eastern tiger salamander, A. t. tigrinum began in 1933 in Maryland and continues to the present. In the present tigrinum is found only on the Coastal Plain within the state but there are fossil records of tigrinum from the Appalachian Highlands dating 600,000 years ago. 2. Amby stoma tigrinum is the third largest salamander in Maryland. Males range from 165 mm to 240 mm in length, and 20.7 gm to 32.0 gm in weight. Female tigrinum range from 155 mm to 200 mm in length, and 20.6 gm to 42.0 gm in weight (Table 1). Page 96 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 3. In Maryland non-larval tigrinum appear to grow rapidly. Males have an increase in overall length ranging from 5- 1 “21 .5% in 10-11 months. A single female increased 20.8% in 328 days. Weight increases in tigrinum with increase in length but some weight is lost after individuals return to breeding ponds (Table 2). 4. Ambystoma tigrinum breed as early as November and as late as March. Reproduction is initiated by precipitation or melting of ice and rising air temperature ranging from 4.5 to 21 °C with concomitant rise of water temperatures. 5. Duration of reproductive activity ranges from 63 to 90 days. 6. In Maryland tigrinum apparently do not mass migrate to ponds. Some individuals may burrow from the edges into the pond during the reproductive period. 7. Reproductive congregations of tigrinum males and females and spermatophores in breeding ponds have been rarely observed in Maryland. 8. Female tigrinum assume a characteristic posture during oviposition, eggs are generally deposited on submerged aquatic vegetation, and an adult female lays approximately 350-450 eggs. Eggs take 29_ 3 3 days to hatch or longer during protracted cold weather. 9. The secondary sexual characteristics of male tigrinum are the keeled tail and swollen vent. Over an average of 18 days in the pond, the tail decreases an average of 0.8 mm in height and the vent 1.4 mm in width (Tabl e 3) . 10. Depth of eggs deposited by female tigrinum is adjusted to seasonal water depth, averaging 53 cm at Massey and 62 cm at TP3 (Table 4). 11. The number of tigrinum eggs per mass averages 52. 12. Female tigrinum loose an average of 7*3 gm in wet weight after egg deposition (Table 5). 13- Total egg deposition of a deme may take place over an extended time period, being interrupted by freezing weather. This varies annually (Table 6) . 14. Total egg deposition of tigrinum per deme fluctuates annually, and has ranged, at Massey, from 0 (1980-1981) to 14,040 ( 1 98 1-1 982) (Table 7). 15. Mortality of tigrinum eggs in Maryland varies with the breeding location and the year. It has been as high as 70.9% at TP3 (1977) and as low as 3.9% at Massey (1978) (Table 8). Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 97 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 16. The number of egg masses having algae varies with the breeding location, 22.6% at TP3 and 3.8% at Massey. There appears to be a correlation between the presence of Chlamydomonas in eggs and mortal i ty (Table 9) . 17. Duration of larval period of tigrinum varies annually, ranging from 23“ 28 weeks, and appears dependent on water level. 18. On hatching, tigrinum larvae settle onto the substrate or submerged vegetation in the area of egg deposition. Later they disperse through the pond. 19* Mortality of tigrinum larvae in one Maryland pond (Massey) appears similar to that for ponds in New Jersey (Figure 3). 20. Prey of tigrinum larvae at Gol ts compared to Massey may reflect successional differences in the two ponds (Table 10). 21. Laboratory studies suggest a wide range of invertebrates and vertebrates prey upon tigrinum eggs and larvae. 22. Successional changes have occurred in tigrinum breeding ponds in Maryland over a period of 32 years. The tiger salamander is a community component in certain ponds from pioneer to mid-seral stage. 23. Differences in dissolved oxygen exist in Massey and Golts Ponds. Lowered oxygen may contribute to stress of larvae (Table 11). 24. Larvae at Massey occur in water having lower pH than that of ponds in New Jersey without apparent adverse effects (Table 12). The cause of the low pH is unknown but may be due to Sphagnum sp, invasion. 25. Population estimates for selected demes of tigrinum in Maryland appear theoretically similar to estimates in New Jersey but substantially less than those in the midwest. 26. The range of tigrinum in Maryland has been appreciably reduced the past 30 years (Table 13). 27. Population estimates for breeding tigrinum are estimated for several demes in Maryland to range from 6 to 216 individuals (Table 14). 28. A number of hypotheses are available to explain the range reduction of tigrinum in Maryland including elimination of habitat, ditching and draining, decreased pond construction and natural succession. 29. Translocation of tigrinum eggs to a pond in Baltimore County on the Western Shore of Maryland in 1977, to establish a breeding colony, was unsuccessful. Translocation of tigrinum larvae to a newly constructed pond on state land in Charles County was done in 1 980. This pond is being monitored. Page 98 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 ■o co 03 TJ ^ E S E Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 99 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Page 100 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 101 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 •?E s 0) W o K c fO £ l-?i § o« §" g i-c Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 103 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1 984 Acknowl edgements The observations and research reported on here were sometimes done alone, but frequently done in the company of others who shared my enthusiasm or who I could talk into going with me on field trips on cold, inhospitable, rainy nights. To those who indulged me, had fun with me and learned along with me, I extend my gratitude. Foremost I am indepted to Robert Simmons who initiated my interest in amphibians when we were undergraduates. He was a tireless pacesetter and companion during many miles to Massey. Also I thank James Fowler for his contagious interest and academic example. I thank too, Herbert Harris and Howard Campbell for co-operative field work and feedback in the 50's. I am indebted to David Lee and Richard Franz for sharing information regarding tigrinum in Maryland. My appreciation is also extended to all those who assisted in the aerial reconnaissance and terrestrial investi¬ gation for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources from 1976 to 1979, especially pilot Everett Schiller. Thanks is given to Robert Johnson who conducted a great deal of the field work under the DNR grant and to Kathleen Eng and Gordon Fox for field work in 1981-82 and for allowing reference to their research before publication. I especially thank the State of Maryland, Department of Natural Resources, for funding to study the distribution and population density of the eastern tiger salamander in Maryland. Grateful acknowledgement is expressed to Bernard Hal la, Wildlife Habitat Co-ordinator, Department of Natural Resources, and Gary Taylor, Non-Game and Endangered Species Manager, Forest, Parks and Wild¬ life, without whom this phase of the work would not have been initiated or accomplished. I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to Arnold Norden, for patience, encouragement and editing and to Mary Brosnan of the Maryland Natural Heritage Program who provided information on tigrinum localities located in the course of her field investigations. I also thank Ethel Poplovski for editing and typing, Elaine Kasmer for graphics and Roger Conant for use of his range map and sharing of records. Finally 1 would like to extend my warm thanks to all of those people who allowed me to search on their property, especially Carrie Frey and John Beiler at Massey who have been most generous. Figure 1 map is adapted from A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central America by Roger Conant. Copyright 1958, 1975 by Roger Conant. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mi f f 1 in Company. L i terature C ? ted Anderson, J.D. 1970. Description of the sperma tophore of Amby stoma tigrinum . Herpetol og ica 26:304-308. _ and R.E. Graham 1967. Vertical migration and stratification of larval Ambystoma. Copeia 2:371-374. Page 104 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Anderson, J.D., 1971a. D.D. Hassinger, and G.H. Da 1 rympl e Natural mortality of eggs and larvae of Amby stoma t. tigrinum. Ecology 52 (6) : 1 1 07_ 1 1 1 2 . 1971b. D.D. Hassinger, and G.H. Da 1 rympl e The egg-alga relationship in Ambystoma t. tigrinum . Herpetol. Rev. 3(4) :7&. Arndt, R.F. 1983. Geographic distribution. Herpetol. Rev. 14(3) : 83 . Arnold, S.J. 1977. The evolution of courtship behavior in new world salaman¬ ders with some comments on old world salamanders. In: The Reproductive Biology of Amphibians, D.H. Taylor and S.l. Guttman (eds) , Plenum Press, New York, p. 1 4l - 1 83 . Behler, J.L. and F.W. King 1979. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. Bishop, S.C. 1941 . The Salamanders of New York. State University of New York, Albany, 365 p. Brandon, R.A. and D.J. Bremer 1967. Overwintering of larval tiger salamanders in southern Illinois. Herpetol og i ca 23 ( 1 ) : 67~68 . Clark, D.R., Jr. 1971. Branding as a marking technique for amphibians and reptiles. Copeia 1:148-151. Conant, R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, ^29 p. Cooper, J.E. I960. Distributional survey V of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Bull. Phila. Herp. Soc. 8(3) : 1 8—24 . 1965. Distributional survey: Maryland and the District of Columbia. Reprinted from Bull. Phila. Herp. Soc. 8(3): 18-24, and revised by H.S. Harris, Jr. (Nov. 1965) Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 1 (1) : 3“l4. , L.R. Franz, F . Groves, J.D. Hardy Jr., H.S. Harris, Jr., D.S. Lee, P. Wemple, and R.G. Tuck 1973. Endangered amphibians and reptiles of Maryland (a special report). Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 9(3) : 42-1 00. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 105 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Coutre, M.R. and D.M. Sever 1979. Developmental mortality of Amby stoma tigrinwri (Amphibia: Urodela) in Northern Indiana. Proc. I nd . Acad. Sci. 88: 173-175. Dal rympl e, G . H. 1970. Caddis fly larvae feeding upon eggs of Ambystoma t. tigrinim. Herpetol og i ca 26:128-129. Duel 1 man , W. E . 1954. Observations on autumnal movements of the salamander Ambystoma tigririum tigrinum in southeastern Michigan. Copeia 2:156-157. Dunn, E.R. 1926. The Salamanders of the Fami 1 y Pi ethodont idal . Smith College, Northampton, Mass., 446 p. Franz, R. 1972. Maryland herpetology. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 8(2) : 1 00 . Funderburg, J.B., C.H. Hotchkiss, and P. Hertl 1974. First records of the eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma tiqrinum tiqvinum Green, in Virginia. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 10(2) : 57-58. Harper, F. 1955. A new chorus frog ( Pseudaoris ) from the eastern United States. Nat. Hist. Misc. Chicago Acad. Sci. 150:1-6. Harris, H.S., Jr. 1966. Additions to the distributional survey: Maryland and the District of Columbia. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 2(4) : 24-26 . 1975. Distributional survey (Amph i b i a/Rept i 1 i a) : Maryland and the District of Columbia. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 11(3): 73-167. Hassinger, D.D. 1970. Hertl, P. 1973. Holman, J.A. 1977. Page 1 06 , J.D. Anderson, and G.H. Dalrymple The early life history and ecology of Ambystoma tigvinum and Ambystoma opaewn in New Jersey. Amer. Midi . Nat. 84(2) : 474-495. Maryland herpetology. Md. Herp. Bull. 9 ( 1 ) : 1 5 . The Pleistocene (Kansan) herpetofauna of Cumberland Cave, Maryland. Ann. Carnegie Mus. 46:157-172. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ical Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Johnson, R.H. 1979. 1980. Lee, D.S. 1973. 1975. and 1974. Lindquist, S. 1982. Madison, D.M. 1970. Netting, M.G. 1938. Pol i s, G .A. 1981 . Reese, R.W. 1975. Rose, F. and 1976. and M. Van Deusen Herpetoiogic Survey of the Proposed Expansion Site for Vienna Steam-electric Station, Vienna, Dorchester County, Maryland. Chesapeake Bay Institute, Johns Hopkins University Special Report 76. Report on translocation of the tiger salamander to U.S. Army Property, Edgewood, Maryland. Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Unpublished. Seasonal breeding distribution for selected Maryland and Delaware amphibians. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 9(4): 101-106. Ambystoma. Atlantic Naturalist 30(4) : 1 64-1 71 . R. Franz Comments on the feeding behavior of larvae tiger salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 10(4) : 105-107- . and M.D. Bachmann The role of visual and olfactory cues in the prey catching behavior of the tiger salamander Ambystoma tigrinum. Copeia 1:81-89. and C.R. Shoop Homing behavior, orientation, and home range of sala¬ manders tagged with tanta 1 urn- 1 82 . Science 1 68 : 1 484-1 487. The occurrence of the eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum tigvinum in Pennsylvania and nearby states. Ann. Carnegie Mus. 27:159-166. The evolution and dynamics of intraspecific predation. Ann. Rev. Ecol . Syst. 12:225-251. The cannibals of the tiger salamander. Bull. Md . Herp. Soc. 11 (4) : 1 80-184. . Armentrout Adaptive strategies of Ambystoma tigvinum inhabiting the Llano Estacado of west Texas, U.S. A. Anim. Ecol. 45: 713-29. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 107 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Schubel , J .R. 1981. The Living Chesapeake. The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 113 P. Seale, D. and M. Boraas 1971!. A permanent mark for amphibian larvae. Herpetol og i ca 30(2) : 1 60-162. Sennl i tsch, R. D. 1983. Terrestrial movements of an eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum. Herp. Review 1 4(4) : 1 1 2-1 1 3 . Sever, D.M. and C.F. Dineen 1978. Reproductive ecology of the tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum , in Northern Indiana. Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci. 87: 189-203. Southwick, C.H. 1969. Fluctuations of vertebrate populations. In: Biology of Populations. B.K. Sladen and F.B. Bang (eds) American Elsevier Publ . Co., New York, p. 101-115- Stine, C.J. 1953. Maryland salamanders of the Genus Ambystoma (Part 1) Distribution. Maryland Naturalist 23 ( 1 , 2) : 75“ 78 . , J.A. Fowler, and R.S. Simmons 1954. Occurrence of the eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum (Green) in Maryland, with notes on its history. Ann. Carnegie Mus. 33 : 1 45-1 48 . 1979. Performance report on Project No. E-1. Translocation of endangered amphibians of Maryland. Distribution and life history of eastern tiger salamander population in Maryland. Department of Natural Resources, Maryland, Annapolis. Unpubl i shed . Van Deusen, M. 1979. A summary of the endangered status of the tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum , in Maryland. Chesapeake Bay Institute, Johns Hopkins University, M.P.P.S.P. Detailed Site Evaluation Program, Occasional Report No. 3. Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205 Received: 2 May 1984 Accepted: 21 July 1984 Page 108 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 SYSTEMATIC STATUS OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN FROG " Phyllobates mandelorum" (AMPHIBIA, DENDROBAT I DAE) Schmidt (1932), in his description of "Phyllobates mandelorum ", compared this species to Phyllobates [=Colostethus] trinitatis , pointing out that, in mandelorum , the dark pectoral bar (characteristic of trinitatis) was completely absent. Rivero (1961, 1964) regarded mandelorum as a subspecies of Prostherapis [^Colostethus] trinitatis , basing his conclusion on the fact that in some of the cotypes of Prostherapis trinitatis the intensity of the pectoral bar was greatly reduced, thus approaching the condition seen in mandelorum. Edwards (1971) placed mandelorum in the genus Colostethus , but added no new information on its taxonomic status. There are two morphological characters and one pigmentary character (in addition to the absence of a pectoral bar) which separate Colostethus trinitatis mandelorum ( fide Rivero, 1961) from typical Colostethus trinitatis. In Colostethus trinitatis there are no dermal fringes on the toes, and webbing is absent between the first and second toes (Hardy, 1983); whereas, in Colostethus mandelorum webbing is present between all of the toes, and dermal fringes are wel 1 -devel oped (Figure la, b) . In typical trinitatis the edge of the upper jaw is immaculate or randomly variegated, while in mandelorum there is a wel 1 -devel oped dark stripe along the upper jaw which terminates posteriorily in a conspicuous pigment blotch extending upward toward the eye (Figure 1c, d) . On the basis of these characters, and in spite of the fact that on Trinidad (to which the range of trinitatis may be limited) Colostethus trinitatis sometimes has the pectoral bar greatly reduced, it is evident that Colostethus mandelorum is a distinct species. It's relationship to other members of the genus Colostethus will not be well understood, however, until additional specimens are collected. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 109 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Figure 1 . Toe morphology and jaw pigment in Colostethus tvinitatis and Colostethus mandelovum. A. Foot of C. tvinitatis ; B. Foot of C. mandelovum; C. Side view of head, C . tvinitatis ; D. Side view of head, C . mandelovum. Literature Cited Edwards, Stephen R. 1971. Taxonomic notes on the South American Colostethus with descriptions of two new species (Amphibia, Dendrobat i dae) . Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 84(18) : 1 47“ 162. Hardy, Jerry D. , Jr. 1983. A new frog of the genus Colostethus from the Island of Tobago, West Indies (Anura, Dend roba t i dae) . Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 19(2) :47“57- Rivero, Juan A. 1961 . Salientia of Venezuela. 1-207. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool . 126(1): Page 110 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Rivero, Juan A. 1964. The distribution of Venezuelan frogs. IV. The Coastal Range. Carib. J. Sci. 4(1): 307“ 19- Schmidt, Karl P. 1932. Reptiles and amphibians of the Mandel Venezuelan expendition. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Zool . Series 1 8 ( 7) : 159-63. — Jerry D. Hardy, Jr., Natural History Society of Maryland, 2643 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 Received: 14 July 1984 Accepted: 18 July 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 111 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 RANGE EXTENSIONS OF Kinostemon acutwn AND Rhinoolemmys areolata IN VERACRUZ, MEXICO. (TESTUDINES: CRYPTODIRA) In a previous account (checklist) dealing with some aspects on the distribution of the freshwater turtles of Veracruz (Perez-H iga reda , 1978), information was given for the species Kinostemon acutwn and Rhinoolemmys areolata. In 1979, Smith and Smith, provided more detailed information on the distribution of these species. New records of the di stribution of these two species are reported here, to provide a more accurate distributional account of them. Kinostemon aoutum Gray Even though the distribution is widely known from central Veracruz southward in lowlands to northern Guatemala, through the States of Tabasco, Campeche, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Quintana Roo, not including Yucatan (Smith and Smith, loo. cit.) , this is a rare species of fresh¬ water turtle and, few specimens exist in collections. The most southern known locality in Veracruz corresponds to the region of Los Tuxtlas (Laguna Escondida) in the Mun i c i pa 1 1 i ty of San Andres Tuxtla, Veracruz (Perez-H igareda , loo. cit.). In December, 1983, one specimen was collected by myself in the west bank of the Tonala River, border between Veracruz and Tabasco, in the locality named "Los Soldados", Munici pal 1 i ty of Agua Dulce, Veracruz, in the extreme southern portion of the State, specimen 1945 (field 83400) in the herpetol og i ca 1 collection of the Estacion de BiologTa "Los Tuxtlas", U.N.A.M. Rhinoolemmys areolata (Dumeril and Bibron) This terrestrial species is known from central Veracruz to northern Guatemala, including the States of Tabasco, Campeche, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Quintana Roo and Yucatan (Smith and Smith, loo. cit.). Five specimens were collected in the -- previously mentioned locality. The specimens were found not on land, but swimming under water; this is not at all unusual in these terrestrial species. The occurrence of this species on the west bank of the Tonala River, represents the northern¬ most known locality in Tabasco. Live specimens (field 83402-83405). Both of these records are important range extensions for the freshwater turtle fauna of the state of Veracruz. Page 112 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 Literature Cited Perez-H igareda , G. 1978. Checklist of freshwater turtles of Veracruz, Mexico. 1. Southeastern portion of the State. Bull. Md . Herp. Soc. 14(4) : 21 5-222 . Smith, H.M. and R.B. Smith 1979. Synopsis of the herpetofauna of Mexico, VI, Guide to mexican turtles bibliographic addendum III. John Johns on , North Bennington, VT , 1044 pp. — Gonzalo Perez-H i ga reda , Estacion de Biologia Tropical "Los Tuxtlas ", Instituto - de Biologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apartado Postal 51, Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico Received: 6 June 1984 Accepted: 21 July 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 113 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: BOOK REVIEW: THE T.F.H. BOOK OF SNAKES. By Thomas Leetz. T.F.H. Publications, 211 West Sylvania Avenue, Neptune City, New Jersey, 07753* 77 PP*, 95 figs (all in color), 8i x 11 in., hardbound. $7.98. 1983* The unusually large page size of this book serves the laudable purpose of displaying to maximum advantage the excellence of the color photography--certa i nl y some of the best ever published of snakes. Especially notable is the superb technical and aesthetic mastery evident in Ken Lucas' 28 photographs, most of which are reproduced at the large size that they deserve. They document perhaps the finest snake photography produced in this country, with sharp focus throughout the subject, appealing pose and background, rich color, luminosity, bright illumination and maximum close-up view. The portrayals are far better than "reality," as seen with one's own eyes. They firmly establish Lucas among the very top snake photographers of the world. Many of the other illustrations, from numerous sources, are very good, some excellent. In conjunction with the high quality paper, large format, the sound, readable and informative text, and bold type, they combine to constitute a professional masterpiece without equal, of its genre. Because the book is about snakes in general, species from all over the world, both poisonous and non-poi sonous, are illustrated, although most are native to North America. Photos of exotic species are adroitly integrated with the text. The discussion is directed toward beginners, starting with "Serpent Politics," an excellent discourse on proper attitudes toward snakes at every level: before obtaining any, acquiring them, and caring for them. The characteristics and specializations of snakes, the criteria for selection of a captive, and the hazards of poisonous species are reviewed. Various essentials of care, feeding, breeding and illnesses are discussed, then the family classification of snakes. The boas, pythons and their relatives are treated in some detail, and colubrid snakes are given somewhat less space. No other groups are discussed in deta i 1 . The role of this book is that of an eye-opener. It presents the subject of snakes in the most broadly appealing way, visually and con¬ ceptually. Those who are intrigued by that appeal will have to satisfy their desire for further information with any of several semi -techn i ca 1 Page 114 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 books; most other popular "introductions" to snakes, of which there are many, cover much the same ground, although Leetz provides a uniquely sensible, mature philosophy of ophidian husbandry for the amateur. A truly popular modern Encyclopedia of Snakes, comparable in scope and depth to Pritchard's Encyclopedia of Turtles, is yet to appear. But for an introduction to the subject, this book has no peer despite the abundance of competition. —Hobart M. Smith, Department of Environmental, Population and Organismic Biology , University of Colorado, Box 234, Boulder, Colorado 80309 Received: 30 June 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 115 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 NEW BOOK NEWS: Smithsonian Institution Foreign Currency Grants Program ANNOUNCEMENT The Smithsonian Foreign Currency Program, a national research grants program, offers opportunities for support of RESEARCH IN BURMA, GUINEA, INDIA, AND PAKISTAN IN THE FOLLOWING DISCIPLINES: Anthropology, Archeology and related disciplines. Systematic and Environmental Biology Astrophysics and Earth Sciences, and Museum Programs. Grants in the local currencies of the above listed countries are AWARDED TO AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS FOR THE RESEARCH OF SENIOR scientists. Collaborative programs involving host country INSTITUTIONS ARE WELCOME. AWARDS ARE DETERMINED ON THE BASIS OF COMPETITIVE SCHOLARLY REVIEW. THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS November I annually. For further information write the Foreign Currency Program, Office of Fellowships and Grants, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. 20560, or call (202) 287-3321. Page 116 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1 984 NEW BOOK NEWS: r MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY The University of Kansas ANNOUNCES A new book of major importance to ECOLOGISTS © SYSTEMATISTS @ HERPETOLOGISTS ICHTHYOLOGISTS © MAMMALOGISTS © CONSERVATIONISTS © UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS VERTEBRATE ECOLOGY AND SYSTEMATICS ... A TRIBUTE TO HENRY S. FITCH Twenty-four international authorities provide a comprehensive tribute to the natural historian whose outstanding studies have provided the foundation for much of modern ecology. Edited by RICHARO A. SEIGEL, LAWRENCE E. HUNT, JAMES L. KNIGHT, LUIS MALARET and NANCY L. ZUSCHLAG 277 pages, with 79 figures, 86 tables, and 2 appendices plus index. One color plate. ISBN 0-89338-019-0. 7X10 inches. Paperbound. Special Publication No. 10 •CONTENTS* ©PART i. Introduction DUELLMAN Henry S. Fitch in perspective. V. FITCH A bibliography of Henry S. Fitch. © PART II. Reproductive Biology and Population Dynamics BROWN G PARKER Growth, reproduction and demo¬ graphy of the racer, Coluber constrictor mormon, in northern Utah. PLATT Growth of bullsnakes (Pituophis melano- leucus) on a sand prairie in south central Kansas. GREGORY Communal denning in snakes. SEIGEL Parameters of two populations of diamond- back terrapins (Malaclemvs terrapin) on the Atlantic Coast of Florida. BURKETT An ecological study of the cricket frog, Acris crepitans. PLUMMER Female reproduction in an Arkansas population of rough green snakes (Opheodrvs aestlvus) . RAND Clutch size in Iguana i guana in central Panama. HALL & M.ULKERN Are anuran amphibians heavy metal collectors? © Part III. Feeding and Behavior ANDREWS Energetics of sit-and-wait and widely- searching lizard predators. GREENE Feeding behavior and diet of the eastern coral snake, Micrurus fulvius. VON ACHEN & RAKESTRAW The role of chemo- reception in the prey selection of neo¬ nate reptiles. SHINE Ecology of small fossorial Australian snakes of the genera Neelaps and Simos- elans (Serpentes, Elapidae) . HENDERSON Scaphiodontophis (Serpentes: Colu- bridae): A natural history and a test of a mimicry-related hypothesis. CARPENTER Dominance in snakes. J. FITCH An experimental study of the varia¬ tion in habitat selection and occurrence of the deermouse, Peromyscus maniculatus gracilis. @ Part IV. Systematics and Biogeography WEBB Hernetogeography in the Mazatlan-Durango region of the Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico. ECHELLE et al . Systematic review of the percid fish, Etheostoma lepidum. WILLIAMS & DUELLMAN Anolis fitch i , a new species of the AnoTi s aequatorlalis group from Ecuador and Colombia. ® INDEX TO ORDER: _ copies Special Publication No. 10 . 3 S30.00 oer copy . S Make checks payable to: Pub' i cations Kansas residents add 3.5N sales tax. , Museum of Natural History. Please add ION for handling and shipping. ORDER FROM: TO: Publications Secretary Museum of Natural History ~he University cf Kansas Lawrence, Kansas 650^5 Name Address C pi CIO/! -I I J'w-* -r Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 1 1 7 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: total lack of understanding of snakes, and many. — including harmless species -- are needlessly killed every year. In fact, the term poison¬ ous snake is not necessarily synonymous with dangerous snake. With 16 pages in brilliant full color, plus numerous black-and-white photographs and line illustrations, the author i tative and very readable book POISONOUS SNAKES (published Dy BLundford and distributed by Sterling, $9-95) now availaole in paperback for the first time, offers much needed insight into tnese creatures, and dispoLs many of the myths anu tall stories, ail too often associated with them. Tony Phelps captured his first adder at age d. ile has since studied snakes in England, Africa, Southeast Asia, Soutn America and tiie U.S.A. Library Journal selected this title as "One of the 60 best sci-tech books of the year, and went on to call it, "A good choice for most science libraries. It explores the behavior, habitats, and life cycles of the diverse world of poisonous snakes ...( arid gives) practical rletaiJ s on antivenom sources and emergency procedures .... uood il¬ lustrations, bath black-and-wn ite and color." it was also recommended by Science Books of the American Association for tne Advancsment of Science. Title: POISONOUS SNAKES Author: Tony Phelps 0-7 1^7-14 j3-6 Paperback $9-95 ( $ 1 2 . 9b in Canada) Page 118 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: ms Zoological Research Institute, Inc. 210 Washington Street, Sherbom, Massachusetts 01770 • Telephone (617) 655-1461 BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Frederick J. Dodd Jr. Donald A. Winans Karin I Van Helden John Kricher. PhD. Michael Slattery Patricia Rubin Dan Nyboc ADVISORY COUNCIL: Richard Carey Pauli Turtle Trust Jane Andrus. PhD. Barrington College Phillip McLaren. PhD Eastern Nazarene College Warren Tomkiewicz Boston University Myron Borysenko, PhD. Tufts University Frank Bonaccorso. PhD. Universiry of Miami James Serach Universiry of New Mexico Walter Kilroy M. S.P.C.A. Dora Weyer Belize Audohon Society Steve Tilley. PhD. Smith College David Brandstein. PhD. New School Social Research Julia Miles Lawrence Academy Charles Levy. PhD. Boston University Andrew Reich N. A.U.I Dive Master Edward LaRow, PhD. Siena College Roland Lesseps, PhD. Loyola University Henry Bowman Belize Gov. Dept, of Tourism Larry Neal, PhD. Tennesse Tech. University James Parker. PhD. Uniivrsity of Maine Gerald Wasmer, PhD. Atlantic Union College Dan Bisaccio Lawrence Academy Ren Lohoclener, PhD. Mississippi State Research Center Arnold Greissle Tan Airlines William Curtsinger National Geographic Society Dr. Dave Richards Rollins College James Walker Bentley College Lynn Lohmeier, PhD. Colley College VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for CARIBBEAN HERPETOLOGICAL STUDY Fourteen miles off the coast of Belize (British Honduras) along the coral barrier reef lies a small uninhabited 1-2 acre island known as Wee Wee Caye. Buttonwood, mangroves and coconuts are the principle vegetation types on this tiny island. As far as we know there are no manuals and very few transient birds on the island. The island is however covered with boa constrictors of all sizes. We would like sane volunteers to help us this simmer collect, mark, release, photograph and study this large population of boas. It is not uncarmon to locate 10 or more snakes within 20 minutes. ZRI is interested in finding out hew such a small island can support such a large population of snakes. Also in the southern part of Belize lies a belt of very dense trop¬ ical rain forest, which herpetologically speaking is virtually un¬ known. Every time we have visited this area we have turned up new species and range extensions. ZRI is interested in cataloginh and photographing herps frcm this area for future publication and we need your help. Conservation is of prime importance and no large collections are to be made. International Zoological Expeditions will be conducting this study for the Zoological Research Institute. Prerequisites - anyone in good physical helth who has and interest in the study of reptiles and amphibians. Costs - Approximate costs for vehicles, boats, lodges, hotels, gas meals, etc. will be about $ 550.00 per volunteer. Since space will be limited a $200.00 non refundable deposit is necessary. We will coordinate your flight arrangements . Dates - There will be two sessions - Aug. 7th - Aug. 16 and Aug lb - Aug. 27. It will be possible to join both sessions. If interested please contact IZE, 210 Washington Street, Sherbom, MA 01770 - (617)655-1461. as soon as possible A Non-Profit Educational Institution Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 119 Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: AUTUMN ESHL MEETING AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY The Eastern Seaboard Herpetological League (ESHL) will hold its autumn biannual meeting on Saturday, 20 October, at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. The ESHL is a consortium of 13 regional herpeto¬ logical societies (Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Western Massachusetts, Maryland, Association for the Con¬ servation of Turtles and Tortoises, NOAH, Georgia, Lehigh Valley, Vir¬ ginia, and Turtle Trust); twice a year (March and October) meetings are held during which lectures on a variety of herpetological topics are presented. All members of any of the constituent societies are invited to attend the meetings. There is no registration fee. Three speakers have been confirmed for the Rutgers meeting, spon¬ sored by the New York Herpetological Society and Dan Wilhoft. These are: Dr. William S. Brown, Department of Biology, Skidmore College. “The Timber Rattlesnake: Natural History of a Threatened Species in New York.1' Dr. Herndon Dowling, Department of Biology, New York Uni¬ versity. "New Ideas on Snake Phylogeny." Dr. Paul Maderson, Department of Biology, Brooklyn College. "The Squama te Epidermis." In addition to these (and perhaps one or two more) presentations, there will be a "panel discussion" on a herpetological topic (to be decided on) . The meeting will be held in Room lOO of Boyden Hall, Rutgers Uni¬ versity. The University is in Newark; the exit from 1-280 (go west from the New Jersey Turnpike or east from the Garden State Parkway) is clearly marked and the university is just a few blocks from 1-280. There are many motels and restaurants within walking distance of the university; people planning to stay overnight may be able to find accomodations in the homes of local NJ or NY ESHL members; call the meeting coordinator for further information on this (Dave Hulmes, 201/427-0768). Registration will begin about 11:00 on Saturday morning, 20 Octo¬ ber and the first paper will begin at noon. The meeting will conclude about 6:00 PM. Page 120 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 Number 3 September 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: ANNOUNCING THE INVENTORY OF LIVE REPTILES AMD AMPHIBIANS IN CAPTIVITY CURRENT JANUARY lp 1984 BY FRANK La SLAVENS THIS INVENTORY IS A COMBINED INVENTORY OF 212 REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN COLLECTIONS <71 PUBLIC AND 141 PRIVATE) FROM 12 COUNTRIES. INFORMATION IS CURRENT AS OF JANUARY 1,1984 WITH 429 GENERA, 1,127 SPECIES, AND 1,632 FORMS REPRESENTED. THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AS TO LOCATION, NUMBER, AND REPRODUCTIVE HISTORIES OF LIVING REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS. INCLUDED WITH THE INVENTORY IS A SECTION ON BREEDING. THIS SECTION LISTS ALL TAXA WHICH WERE REPORTED AS HAVING BRED DURING 1983. INFORMATION LIKE DATES OF COPULATION, EGG LAYING, HATCHING, INCUBATION TEMPERATURES, SIZE OF EGGS OR YOUNG AT HATCHING, ETC., IF REPORTED WAS INCLUDED. ALSO INCLUDED IS A LARGE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF TITLES PERTAINING TO HUSBANDRY, DIET, TEMPERATURE, LIGHT CYCLES, ETC. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, P.O. BOX 30744, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, 98103. 1984. 314 PP. * 25.00 HARDBOUND, * 20.00 PAPERBOUND, PLUS * 2.00 POSTAGE, $ 3.00 POSTAGE OVERSEAS ■■mnissaiBECMesasrsLasssOPDER FORM""*******-"*****""******"*"*** INVENTORY OF LIVE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS IN CAPTIVITY, 1984 A FEW COPIES OF PREVIOUS EDITIONS ARE AVAILABLE (ALL ARE THE SAME PRICE) 1976 OP, 1977 OP, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983. CURRENT ISSUE: #_ _ 1984 HARDBOUND * 25.00 # 1984 SOFTBOUND * 20.00 POSTAGE < EACH BOOK) * 2.00 POSTAGE OVERSEAS (EACH) * 3.00 PREVIOUS ISSUES: HARD OR SOFT COVER TOTAL PURCHASE ORDER FROM: DATE FRANK L. SLAVENS P.O, BOX 3074* NAME SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98103 ADDRESS Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 121 * Society Publications Back issues of the Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society, where available, may be obtained by wri ting the Executive Editor. A list of available issues will be sent upon request. Individual numbers in stock are $2.00 each, un¬ less otherwise noted. The Society also publ ishes a Newsletter on a somewhat irregular basis. These are distributed to the membershi p free of charge. Also published are Maryland Herpetofauna Leaf lets and these are available at $. 25/page. information for Authors All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Editor. Manuscripts being sub¬ mitted for publication should be typewritten (double spaced) on good quality 8i x 1 1 inch paper, with adequate margins. Submit original and first carbon, retaining the second carbon. Indicate where illustrations or photographs are to appear in text. Cite all literature used at end in alphabetical order by author. Major papers are those over 5 pages (double spaced, elite type)andmust i ncl ude an abstract . The authors name should be centered under the title, and the address is to fol low the L i terature Cited. Minor papers are those papers with fewer than 5 pages. Author's name is to be placed at end of paper (see recent issue). For addi tional information see Style Manual for Biological Journals (196*0 , American Insti tute of Biological Sciences, 3900 Wi scons in Avenue, N.W. , Washington, D.C. 20016. Price is $6.00. Reprints are available at $.03 a page and shoul d be ordered when manuscripts are submitted or when proofs are returned. Minimum order is 100 reprints. Either edited manuscri pt or proof will be returned to author for approval or correct ion. The author will be responsible for al 1 corrections to proof, and must return proof preferably wi thin 7 days. The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology Natural History Society of Mary land , Inc . 2643 North Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21218 US ISSN: 0025-1123] BULLETIN OF THE THatylanb • : T i 1985 I , uBmm^ Oocicty Department of Herpetology The Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. FIdHS . A FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE Eastern Seaboard Herpetological League DECEMBER 1984 VOLUME 20 NUMBER 4 Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1 984 CONTENTS ON SOME ASPECTS OF THE HISTOCHEMISTRY OF THE ALIMENTARY CANAL OF THE TERRAPIN, Mauremys caspica (GMELIN) (REPTILIA, Testudines, Emydidae) . Noory T. Taib 123 EFFECTS OF RATTLESNAKE {Crotalus viridis oreganus) ENVENOMAT ION UPON MOBILITY OF MALE WILD AND LABORATORY MICE ( Mus musculus) . William K. Hayes and Joseph G. Galusha 135 EFFECT OF MALE COURTSHIP ON STR I KE- I NDUCED CHEMOSENSORY SEARCHING IN A FEMALE URACOAN RATTLESNAKE ( Crotalus vegrandis) AT NATIONAL ZOO . . . . David Chiszar, Joan Chiszar, Trooper Walsh, Bela Demeter and Hobart M. Smith 145 NOTES ON THE ENIGMATIC Barisia imbricata OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM, AND ON ITS COLLECTION OF REPTILES FROM AMULA, GUERRO, MEXICO . Hobart M. Smith 152 REPTILIAN PARTHENOGENESIS . Cliff H. Summers 159 A NEW SUBSPECIES OF Centrolenella orientalis (ANURA: CENTROLEN I DAE) FROM TOBAGO, WEST INDIES . Jerry D. Hardy, Jr. 1 65 NEWS AND NOTES: THE HERPETOLOGICAL WORKS OF JACOB KLEIN. WITH EMPHASIS ON THEIR PERTINENCE TO MEXICAN HERPETOLOGY . John Johnson, Malvin L. Skaroff, Hobart M. Smith and Rozella B. Smith 174 SMITHOSIAN INSTITUTION - OFFICE OF FELLOWSHIPS AND GRANTS ANNOUNCEMENT . 190 NEW BOOK NEWS: PHYLLIS, PHALLUS, GENGHIS COHEN, & OTHER CREATURES I HAVE KNOWN . 191 THE TURTLES OF VENEZUELA . 192 HERPETOLOGY OF ARABIA . 193 NEWS AND NOTES: LITERATURE: FAUNA CLASSIFIEDS . 194 The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology Hatural History Society of Maryland , Inc. 2643 North Charles Street Baltimore , Maryland 21218 BULLETIN OF THE mbt)8 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 The Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Department of Herpetology, Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Bulletin Staff Executive Editor Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Steering Committee Donald Boyer Herbert S, Harris, Jr. Frank Groves Jerry D. Hardy, Jr. Jeff Thomas Off i cers President . V i ce-Pres i dent Secretary . Treasurer . Richard Czarnowsky Beth E . Cline Les Chaikin Les Chaikin Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 76-93458 Membership Rates Full membership in the Maryland Herpetol ogi cal Society is $12.50 per year, subscribing membership (outside a 20 mile radius of Baltimore City) $10.00 /year. Foreign $12.00/yr. Make all checks payable to the Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Meet ? ngs The third Wednesday of each month, 8:15 p.m. at the Natural History Society of Maryland (except May-August, third Saturday of each month, 8:00 a.m.). The Department of Herpetology meets informally on all other Wednesday evenings at the NHSM at 8:00 p.m. . Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 31 December 1984 Number 4 On Some Aspects of the Histochemistry of the Alimentary Canal of the Terrapin, Mauremys caspica (GMELIN) (Reptilia, Testudines , Emydidae ) Noo ry T . Ta i b Abstract The distribution and localization of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, proteins and nine digestive enzymes in the epithelium of the al imentary canal of Mauremys caspica were studied. The histochemical reactions revealed the occurrence with variation of numerous active secretions of mucoscubstances and digestive enzymes. These findings are discussed in the context of its feeding habits. I ntroduct ion Mauremys caspica (Gmelin), the strip-necked terrapin i nhabi ts both fresh and bracki sh water and occurs in northeast Saud i Arabia and several other countries of the Arabian Gulf (Loveridge, 1955) • A survey of the literature revealed that little h i stochemical work has so far been carried out on the al imentary canal of reptiles (Wright et al . , 1 957; Anwar and Mahmoud, 1975; Chou, 1977; Taib, 1981; Suganuma et al., 1981; Taib and Jarrar, 1983) and no hi stochemical work had been undertaken on the alimentary canal of Mauremys caspica . The morphology and h i stol ogy of the al imentary canal of Mauremys caspica were described in an earl ier paper (Taib and Jarrar, 1 982) . The present study is an attempt at understand i ng the d i gest i ve physiology of thi s species in relation to the epi thel i urn secretions of i ts al imentary canal . Material s and Methods Ten adult Mauremys caspica were used in the present study. Each animal was anaesthetized with chloroform and the following parts of the al imentary canal were identified, f 1 ushed of and i solated, namely, upper oesophagus, lower oesophagus, stomach (cardia and pylorus) , smal 1 Bui letin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 123 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 intestine, colon, and rectum. Paraffin as well as unfixed fresh cryostat sections (5-12 ym at -25°C) were routinely used. A tabulated outline of the hi stochemi cal methods employed is given in Table I. The control in each case consisted of parallel incubation of sections in media lacking a specific substance or using heat- i ncubat i ng sections. Visual estima¬ tion of the dye deposited in different regions using light microscopy examination was used as a measure of the relative activity of the enzymes and presence of other compounds (Figures 1-12). Table I List of H i stochemical Tests Undertaken Test or Technique Reference 1. Best's carmine Best (1906) 2. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) Gurr (1962) 3. Diastase treatment McManus and Mowry (one hour at 37°C, Subsequently stained with PAS) (1964) 4. A1 cian blue pH 2.5 Mowry (1956) 5. A1 c ian blue pH 1.0 Mowry (1956) 6. Alcian blue pH 2.5/PAS Mowry and Winkler (1956) 7. Alcian blue pH 1.0/PAS Mowry and Winkler (1956) 8. Osmium tetroxide Mallory (1961) 9. Sudan Black B Chiffelle & Putt (1951) 10. N i nhydr i n- sch i f f Yasuma and Ichikama (195 11. Mercuric Bromphenol blue Pearse (1972) 12. Tol u i d i ne blue Pearse (1972) 13. Acid phosphatase Pearse (1972) 14. Alkaline phosphatase Gomori (1952) 15. Lipase Gomori (1952) 16. Nonspecific esterases Gomori (1952) 17. Exopept i dase McCobe and Chayen (1965) 18. Endopept i dase Yamada and Ofugi (1968) 19. Beta-gl ucuron i dase Hyashi et al . (1964) 20. Carbonic anhydrase Hausler (1958) Page 124 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Figure 3 - Oesophagus. Toluidine blue, X120. Figure A - Stomach. Mercuric bromophenol blue, X90. Figure 5 - Stomach. Osmium tetroxide method for lipids, XI 20. Figure 6 - Stomach. Sudan Black B, X90. - A , Figure 7 - Stomach. Lead nitrate method for acid phosphatase, X90. Figure 8 - Duodenum. Calcium-cobalt method for alka¬ line phosphatase, X90. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 125 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Figure 9 - Stomach. The a-naphthot acetate method for fionspecific esterase, X90. Figure 10 - Duodenum. McCobe and Chayen method for amlnopept idase, X90. Figure 11 - Stomach. Hausler method for carbonic anhydrase, X90. Figure 12 - Stomach. Naphthol AS-BI Glucuronide method for 6-g)ucuronidase, X120. RESULTS The histological structure of the alimentary canal of Mauremys oaspica has been described by Taib and Jarrar (1982). Accordingly, the oesophagus is lined with ciliated columnar and goblet cells and is without oesophageal glands. The surface epithelium of the stomach is of a single layer of columnar mucous cells with occasional goblet cells. The lining of the gastric glands consists of epithelial cells interspersed by mucous cells. The lining of the intestine is made up of both striated columnar and goblet cells. Throughout the intestines, goblet cells pre¬ dominate posteriorly. The result of these h i stochemi cal experiments carried out in this study are given in Table II. Carbohydrates: The lining epithelium of the oesophagus reacted strongly with carbohydrate-staining sequences. The results indicated the presence of neutral polysaccharides as well as sialomucins and sulfomucins. The lower oesophagus showed a prominent of sulfomucins while in the upper oesophagus, the amount of sulfomucins and sialomucins were almost equal. The apical surface of the ciliated columnar cells also stained for sialomucins. The covering epithelium of the stomach displayed abundant polysaccharides and little sialomucins and sulfomucins. Gastric glands were stained brightly with PAS. On treatment with diastase, a certain amount of PAS-positive material was removed from the gastric glands but the stomach lining remained unaffected. Page 126 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 cu . W <3 00*^ C CU •H CO C S3 CO 3 ^ x: £ ■w c5 3 4-4 o o O 3 3 3 *-» (+i a 3 • Pi ON T3 3 U O O O U 3 (U 00 3 cO *H X 4-> cl, co O 3 CO u 0) 3 O -H U i— I +*ll 3 cu 1 4-1 rH 3 3 o • 4-1 O 3 3 3 3 r- • • •H .3 O 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 -3 O • • 3 4J U 3 3 o O y *H CM — H 4-1 X 3 3 3 3 U 3 3 *H CO 4-» 4-1 CU 3) 3 X 4-> T3 XJ M 3 4-» 1 CO N *H 3 -H a -a (U 3 cu cu X3 6 3 pa X 4-1 3 3 3 3 -d 3 CU 4-4 3 •H 00 •H CJ o rH o 3 O 3 3 O CU 3 3 y •H B cu cu u XI Mi X3 X O "O 3 3 Ui 35 3 M co 33 3 3 l pa u 4J CU cu *H •H T3 3 3 4-4 cO r— 1 rH 3 3 3 3 3 4-1 4-1 •H 1 o • 3 4H y CU a X5 X> •H CJ 3 rH ui O 3 •H CU 4J y 3 rH -H O •H CO U •rl *H pa x 3 a 3 3 CU *H rH T3 CO co 3 3 H3 U TJ Cu •H 3 3 cu 3 3 00 3 o 4J 3 3 fn 3 •H 3 i rH cu 3 o cu O 1 • • X) •H CO 4-> •H •H JB CJ 3 3 t 1 'V 3 3 3 3 O X) 3 >> O J-i CO CO y O 3 M rH 33 1 -H M 3 cu •H M 4-1 3 CJ CU *H i * CM O co < < 25 a H C/0 o < C 25 ►j CJ pa * * Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 127 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 In the intestine, the striated border of columnar cells and their basement membrane stained positively for neutral polysaccharides and sulfomucins. Goblet cells throughout the intestine contained neutral and acidic polysaccharides. However, unlike the goblet cells in the small intestine, those in the large intestine showed more intensive stain for sulfomucins. A predominant pattern of sial omucins in the goblet cells of the crypts of the intestine epithalium was also observed. Prote ins: The lining epithelium of all regions of the alimentary canal gave positive reactions for proteins. The apical cytoplasm of the ciliated columnar cells of the oesophagus demonstrated the most pronounced staining. Gastric glands reacted strongly indicating the presence of a considerable amount of stored or enzymatic proteins. Globules of goblet cells showed faint 3-metach romas i a with toluidine blue, while their cytoplosmic granules gave strong 3-metach romas i a reaction, indicating that the proteins were either glyco- or muco-protei ns. The nuclei of all cells lining the alimentary canal were positively stained for proteins. Lipids: Most of the lipids were found in the cells lining the stomach, the gastric glands and the large intestine. Lesser quantities were detected in the oesophagus and in the large intestine. In the epithelial cells, lipid globules appeared to be concentrated in the basal region of the cytoplasm while their basal border as well as cells coat were densely packed with heavily staining globules. Goblet cells throughout the entire alimentary canal displayed a negative reaction for lipids. Phosphatases: A pronounced but diffuse cytoplasmic reaction of acid phosphatase was obtained in most of the cells lining the gastric glands. On the other hand, the cells lining the stomach showed only weak activity while a slighter reaction of acid phosphatase activity was noticed in the striated borders of the columnar cells lining the small intestine. Here, the reaction occasionally extended well into the distal half of the cell. Alkaline phosphatase demonstrated a moderately positive reaction in the gastric glands and the columnar cells lining the small intest i ne, but only slight activity of this enzyme was observed in the lining of the lower oesophagus and the anterior portion of the large intestine. However, the activity of alkaline phosphatase was less than that of acid phosphatase. Phosphatases are enzymes of lysosomal origin (Bowen, 1988) and are found in high concentration in the cells which are active in secretion (Reid, 1966). It is recognized that phosphatases are involved in supplying the energy required for the active process of secretion (Taib, 1976), and the Page 123 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 absorption in the duodenum in various rodents (Hugon and Borgers , 1968). The activity of alkaline phosphatase in the lining of the small intestine indicates a role in absorption of material from the lumen of the gut. L i pol yt Ic act iv i ty : Nonspecific esterases activity was detected in the lining of all regions of the alimentary canal. The most pronounced reaction was also observed in the gastric glands. A pronounced reaction was also observed in the lining epithelium of the intestines with a gradual diminution of activity posteriorly. A low level of activity was recorded in the oesophageal lining. The goblet cells as well as the mucous-secret i ng portion of the cells lining the stomach showed no evidence of any esterase activity. Esterase activity has been demonstrated in both lysosomes and microsomes by biochemical and cytochemical techniques (Holt, 1963; Tappel, 1969). Gomori's Tween method failed to reveal any lipase activity any¬ where in the alimentary canal, although the validity of the method was successfully tested with sections of the pancreas. The failure to locate any lipase activity is probably due to its weakness or complete absence. It is probable that the unsaturated substrate (Tween 80) is attacked only by pancreatic lipase and not by other esterases. However, the Tween method for demonstration of lipases has not generally proved to be sufficiently sensitive unless the animals are maintained on a high fat-content diet (Jennings, 1962). Proteolytic activity: The lining epithelium of the small intestine gave an extremely strong and vivid reaction for ami nopeptidase with gradual diminution posteriorly. Considerable activity was also recorded in the gastric glands. The lining of the lower oesophagus, however, showed a faint positive reaction. The activity was almost absent in the large intes¬ tinal epi thel ium. Endopept i dase activity was moderately positive in the lining epithelium of the small intestine while a low activity was observed in the lining of the oesophagus, stomach, and gastric glands. In the large intestine the activity bacame noticeably almost negligible. It may be that these enzymes are probably concerned with the later stages of digestion and absorption of material from the gut lumen (Ta i b, 1976). Proteolytic enzymes have been recognized to be always present in the cells lining the gut. These enzymes when intracellular, are normally in an active state, often requiring partial digestion for activation (Smith, I960). Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 129 Volume 20 Number A December 198A Carbonic anhydrase: Intensive activity of carbonic anhydrase appeared in some cells lining the gastric glands. Considerable activity was observed in the lining of the lower oesophagus and the anterior part of the small intes¬ tine, but was found to be weak in the lining of the large intestine. Carbonic anhydrase is so far known to occur in an active condition and that it was associated with production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach (Jennings, 1962; Taib, 1 98 1 ) . This may perhaps explain the appearance of the intense reaction in the gastric glands which are known to be the source of gastric hydrochloric acid. 3-glucuronidase: Strong activity of 3-glucuronidase was indicated in the lining epithelium of the small intestine and it was localized in the distal parts of the cells. Some cells lining the gastric glands demonstrated moderate activity. A low level of 3-glucuronidase activity was detected in the apical surface of the ciliated columnar cells of the lower oesophagus. The activity in the lining of the large intestine was almost negligible. 3-glucuronidase is important in hydrolysing oligosaccharides and is known to occur in lysosomes (Novikoff, 1961), and in other parts of certain cells (Rosenbaum and Ditzion, 1963). Discussion The result of this study showed that neutral mucosubstances are evident in the stomach while acidic mucosubstances occur in the oesophagus and the intestine. Sialomucins were most prominent in the lower oesophagus and sulfomucins in the large intestine. I may, therefore, postulate that acid mucosubstances may play some protective role against gastric reflux and aid in feacal discharge. The abundance of acid mucosubstances in the oesophagus of this species is, however, little understood since this terrapin usually feeds under water and it may take a large quantity of water to facilitate swallowing and no need of muco¬ substances secretion to be involved in this function. This pattern of mucosubstances distribution in the alimentary canal resembles that which occurs in several other reptiles such as the skink, Eumeces latisoutatus , the turtle, Glernmys japonioa , the gecko, Gehyra multilata , and the snake Elaphe alimaaophora (Chou, 1977; Suganuma et al., 1981). Epithelial mucosubstances occur both as intracellular components as well as extra cellular luminal secretions. Mucosubstances are believed to occur as glycoproteins when secreted into the gastrointestinal lumen (Kent, 1971). The diet of Mauremys easpica is varied (Mahmoud and Klicka, 1979), containing plant material, insects, small invertebrates and amphipods. The feeding habits of this terrapin vary with the age of the animal and the seasons. The change in the dietary requirements with age being Page 130 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 partially related to their physiological demands. Juvenile terrapins have been observed to feed on small insects with a high calcium content which is necessary for shell growth (Mahmoud and Klicka, 1979) . This terrapin feeds mainly on insects during early summer and with the decline in the insect population in late summer, it feeds more on plants. The result of this study shows that Mauremys oaspica possesses an enzyme complement capable of breaking down a varied diet. The results also suggest that the considerable amounts of various enzymes in its stomach and the small intestine help to ensure the maximum utilization of the food ingested. Acknowl edgements I wish to express my appreciation to Mr. B. Jarrar for his assistance during the course of this study. I am indebted to Dr. P.H.D.H. De Silva for his helpful criticisms in the preparation of the manuscript. I am very grateful to the staff of the Photography unit in the College of Science for their assistance with the photographic work. I wish to thank Mr. M. Issa for technical assistance and to Mr. Z. E. Osman for typing the manuscript. Literature Cited Anwar, I.M. and A.B. Mahmoud 1975. "Histological and h i stochemi cal studies on the intestine of two egyptian lizards". Bui. Fac. So. Assiut. Univ. , 4(1) : 101-108. Best, F. 1906. "Uber Karmi nfarburg des Glykogens and der Kerne". Z. Wise. Mikr. , 23:319-22. Bowen , I . D. 1968. "Electron cytochemical localization of acid phosphatase activity in the digestive caeca of the desert locust". J. Roy.Micr. Soc. , 88:279-89. Chiffelle, T.l. and F.A. Putt 1951. "Stain Technique" William and Wilkinco., 26:51. Chou, M.L. 1977. "Anatomy, histology and histochemistry of the alimentary canal of Ghyra mutilata" . J. Herpetol. , 11 (3) : 399- 57 • Gomori, G. 1952. "Microscopic Histochemistry". University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 131 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Gurr, E. 1962. "Staining Animal Tissue: Practical and Theoretical". Leonard Hill, London. Hausler, G. 1958. "Zur Technik und spezifitat des h i stochemi schem Carbanhydrasenachwei ses im Model 1 versuch und in Gewebsschn i tten von Rattenn ieren . Histochemie. 1:29-47. Hayashi, M. , Y. 1964. Nakujima and W.H. Fishman "The cytologic demonstration of (3-gl ucuron i dase employing naphthol AS-BI glucuronide and hexazonium pa ra rosan i 1 i n ; a preliminary report". J. Histochem. Cytochem. , 12:293~97. Holt, S.J. 1963. "Some observation of the occurrence and nature of esterases in lysosomes". Ciba Found. Symposium , J.A. Churchill, London . Hugon, J. and M. Borgers 1968. "Fine structural localization of acid and alkaline phosphatase activities in the absorbing cells of the duodenum of rodents". Histochemie. 12:42-66. Jennings, J.B. 1962. "Further studies on feeding and digestion in triclad Turbellaria" . Biol . Bull . , 123-8. 1962. "H i stochemica 1 study of digestion and digestive enzymes in the rhynchocoel an Lineus ruber". Biol. Bull. 122(1): 63-72. Kent, P.W. 1971. "Biosynthesis of intestinal glycoproteins in animals and man". Gut 12:417. Loveridge, A. 1955. "Reptiles and amphibians from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia". American Documentation Institute No. 4612. Library of Congress, Washington. Mahmound, I.Y. and T. Klicka 1979. "Turtles, Perspectives and Research". Ch. 12, A Wiley- Interscience publication, New York. Mallory, F.B. 1961 . "Pathological Technique". Hafner Publishing Co., New York. Page 132 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 McCobe, M. and J. Chayen 1965. "The demonstration of laten particular ami nopept i dase activity". J. Roy. Micr . Soe. , 84:361-71. MacManus, J.F.A. and R.W.L. Mowry 1964. "Staining methods". Harper and Row, New York. Mowry, R.W. 1956. "Alcian blue techniques for the h i s tochemi cal study and acidic carbohydrates". J. Histochem. Cytochem . 4:407. _ and C.H. Winkler 1956. "The corolation of acidic carbohydrates of bacteria and fungi in tissue sections with special references to capsules of Cryptococcus neof ormans and Staphlococcus . Am. J. Path., 32:628-29. Novikoff, A.B. 1961 . Pearse, A.G.E. 1972. "The Cel 1". Academic Press, New York. "Histochemistry: Theoretical and Applied". Third edition J. S A. Churchill, London. Reid, R.G.B. 1966. "Digestive tract enzymes in the bivalves Lima hians and My a arenaria ". Comp. Biochem . Physiol. 17:41 7“ 33 . Rosenbaum, R.M. and B. Ditzion 1963. "Enzymic histochemistry of granular components in digestive gland cells of the Roman snail, Helix pomatia11. Biol. Bull. Mar. Biol. Lab . 124:21 1-24. Smi th , E.L. i960. "The enzymes". Academic Press, New York. Suganuma, T. , T. Katsuyama, M. Tsukahara, M. Tatematsu, Y. Sakakura and F. Murata 1981. "Comparative hi stochemical study of alimentary tracts with special references to the mucous neck cells of the stomach". Am. J. Anat. 1 61:214-33. Taib, N.T. 1976. "Anatomy, histology and histochemistry of the alimentary canal of Dentalium entalis L. with some observations on living animals". A thesis submitted to University of Glasgow, U.K., in the candidature for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 133 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1 984 Taib, N.T . 1981 . "A h i stochemi cal study of digestion and some digestive enzymes in the lizard Uromastyx aegyptla ". J. Coll. Sol. Unlv. Riyadh 1 2 ( 1 ) : 1 63-73 . and B. Jarrar 1983. "Morphology and histology of the alimentary canal of Mauremys oaspica Reptilia, Emydidae". Ind. J. Zool. 1 1 ( 1 ) : 1 - 1 2 . 1983. "Observations on the histochemistry of the alimentary canal of Chaloides levltonl (Reptilia, scincidae)". Arab Gulf J. Sclent. Res. 1 (1 ): 187-202. Tappel , A.L. 1969. "Lysosomes in biology and pathology". North Holland Publ . Co. , London. Wright, R.D., H.W. Florey and A.G. Sanders 1957. "Observations on the gastric mucosa of reptilia". Q. J . Exp . Physiol. Cong. Med. Sol. 42:1-14. Yamada, M. and S. Ofugi 1968. "Silver proteinate method for endopept i dases". J. Invest. Derrnat. 50:231. Yasuma, A. and T. Ichikawa 1953. "N i nhydr i n-sch i f f and al loxan-schiff staining, a new hi stochemical staining method for protein". J. Lab. Clin. Med. 41:196-99. Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Received: 4 April 1984 Accepted: 17 May 1984 iPage 134 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 EFFECTS OF RATTLESNAKE ENVENOMAT ION UPON AND LABORATORY (Cro talus viridis oreganus) MOBILITY OF MALE WILD MICE (Mus mus cuius) Abstract After envenomat ion by adult rattlesnakes (Cro talus viridis oreganus), male wild mice (Mus musculus ) were found to travel significantly farther than male laboratory mice ( M . musculus) in an open field prior to immo¬ bilization (x = 462 and 206 cm, respectively; range - 0-940 cm). The inequality was attributed to differences in mobility since wild control mice traveled farther during three minutes in an open field than labora¬ tory control mice (x = 1702 and 975 cm, respectively), and latency to immobilization was the same (x » 56 sec). Because wild Mus are probably representative of natural prey items, further assessment of rattlesnake prey trailing ability should include trails of at least 480-500 cm to have ecological validity. Rattlesnakes often rely on an ambush strategy for feeding on rodent prey (Chiszar et a 1 . , 1981; K1 auber, 1972). Prior to a strike potential prey are detected mostly by visual and thermal cues (Chiszar & Radcliffe, 1976; Klauber, 1972). After striking, adult rodent prey are usually released to prevent damage from rodent teeth and claws, but smaller, less dangerous prey are often not released (Kardong, 1982; O'Connell et al . , 1982; Radcliffe et al., 1980). Furthermore, rattlesnake typically do not begin to search for rodent prey until several minutes after a successful strike (Chiszar et al., 1977), apparently to avoid encountering wounded prey still capable of defensive actions (Estep et al . 1981). In an escape response the rodent often wanders several meters before immobilization and death. The snake then locates its dead prey by strike- induced chemosensory searching (SICS), characterized by a sustained high tongue-flick rate (see Chiszar & Scudder, 1980, and Chiszar et al., 1982, for reviews). Associated with lateral head movements, SICS allows the snake to contact and follow the chemical trail of the envenom- ated rodent (Dull eme i j er , 1961; Golan et al., 1982) which, when located, may be distinguished from a nonenvenomated carcass (Chiszar et al . , 1980; Duvall et al . , 1978, 1980) . Previous studies have demonstrated rattlesnake ability to locate envenomated prey (Dul 1 eme i jer , 1961; Golan et al . , 1 982) , but all experi¬ ments involving this trailing phenomenon have used the laboratory mouse [Mus musculus ). Adequate models of the natural situation would be desirable so that experimental results would better reflect natural predatory behavior. Information concerning prey travel distance after envenomat ion, necessary for assessing rattlesnake trailing ability, has been provided for the laboratory mouse (Estep et al . , 1 98 1 ) , but not for Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 135 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 natural prey items. Assuming wild mice (M. musoulus ) are representative of natural prey, the objectives of this study were 1) to determine travel distance of wild mice after envenomat ion, and 2) to compare travel distance following envenomation of wild mice in this study with laboratory mice and data from previous studies. Since wild mice appear to run faster than laboratory mice, it was hypothesized that wild mice travel substan¬ tially farther than laboratory mice after a successful strike. If so, this investigation would indicate that the trailing task confronted by rattlesnakes under natural conditions is greater than previously believed (Estep et al., 1981). Materials and Methods Eight adult northern Pacific rattlesnakes ( Crotalus viridis oreganus) captured during April 1983 in Walla Walla County, Washington, were maintained collectively in a large (165 x 87 x 86 cm) indoor pen with paper floor coverings, several rocks, and a glass vessel filled with water. All had refused food during semi h i bernat ion (16-20°C) for three months at an LD 12:12 photoregime. One week prior to start of experimentation the temperature was increased by an electric heater to 25-30°C to induce feeding (Klauber, 1972). Only adult male mice were used in this study to avoid potential sexual differences in mobility (Estep et al . , 1981) and venom resistance (Russell, 1980). Male laboratory mice exhibit a greater capacity for each of these measures. Wild mice ( Mus musoulus) were captured from a local barn. Experimental procedures were patterned after a similar study by Estep et al., ( 1 98 1 ) and conducted during January and February, 1984. Snakes were individually placed within a 38-liter aquarium and allowed at least 30 min. adjustment prior to experimentation. Control mice (11 laboratory and 7 wild) were lowered by tongs into the aquarium for 3~10 sec., but held just out of striking range. Each mouse was then immediately transferred to a 100 x 100 x 25 cm open field with 100 10-cm squares. Experimental mice (12 laboratory and 13 wild) were treated similarly except the snake was allowed to strike the mouse after the presentation. The following variables of open field performance were recorded with hand counters and stopwatch: 1) number of squares traversed during each of 12 successive 15~sec. periods (3 min.), 2) latency to immobilization of experimental mice (in seconds), and 3) latency to death (cessation of visible respiration). The open field was wiped clean with a wet towel between trials. Each rattlesnake was allowed to strike and consume at will only one mouse per each of five weeks (6-8 days between tests). Wild and laboratory mice were presented to each snake in a random order. Although predatory and defensive strikes elicit similar effects of envenomation in mice (O'Connell et al., 1982), caution was taken to avoid arousal of defensive behavior in the snakes. Page 136 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Resul ts Wild control mice traveled significantly farther than laboratory control mice during the 3 min. in the open field [x = 1702 and 975 cm, respectively; t (11) - 2.54, P < .05; see Figure 1], Control groups did not differ significantly in weight (x s 20.8 and 22.0 g , respectively). As expected, nonenvenomated mice traveled significantly farther after 3 min. than envenomated mice [F (1,39) = 66.47, P < .001], and the effects of envenomatlon were realized during the fifth 1 5~sec. period in the open field (Table 1). More importantly, wild experimental mice traveled significantly farther than laboratory experimental mice [x = 462 and 206 cm, respectively; t (12) = 2.18, P < .05]. Although differences in weight between these two groups were s ign i f i cant [x = 19-6 and 22.5 g, respectively; t (19) = 2.1, P < .053, there was no correlation between mouse weight and distance traveled within either group [wild: R (12) = .26, P ~ .398; lab: R (11) = -.072, P = .824] or both groups combined [R (24) = -.13, P = .538]. Furthermore, the wild experimental mice in this study appeared to travel farther than laboratory mice of previous studies involving Cro talus v. viridis (Estep et al . , 1 98 1 ; O'Connell et al., 1982; see Figure 2). That potential interaction involving envenomatlon vs. nonenvenomat ion and mouse strain was significant in the final 1 5“ sec. period recorded [F (1,39) = 4.25, P = .046; Table 1] does not imply differential susceptabi 1 i ty to envenomation since nearly all envenomated mice were by then immobilized. Variability of the data was substantial . Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 137 200 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 (l/MO) 30NV1SIQ 3AllVinwnO X o o o o o i 0 o o Ob £0 o sf (saavnos #) aDNVisia 3Aiiv-inv\ino x Figure 1 . The cumulative distance traveled by each group in the open field, expressed as number of 10-cm squares entered and centimeters, is shown for each 15-sec. period. Experimental mice were envenomated by a rattlesnake ( Crotalus viridis oreganus) . Page 138 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ical Society SUCCESSIVE 15-SEC PERIODS Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 csi M 0) Po Pm CM O CM CO 0) • • • 0) • • • • • •H C cu *4- co r>. co o o CM CM o o «H *H ■u Pd (— i u r— 4 O NO a o 0) m 9* 9 a) Pm Pm r-M * is. 00 sr CM m o CM o 00 CM co t—4 CM O o • • • • • • • • ON o o 00 o o f-M vO oo CO CM CM rs rs ON o vO O is is vO co m CM NO O • • • • • • • • rs O CM vO o CM co st r-M CM S xi o *H O y'l e pj G e PJ rO + *H o a •H o p O CO •H o CO •H o mm a U ■U •H >M 4J •H o 1 u CO 4J JM CO •u CM M CO B O c/3 S u C/3 4J o CO o CO fi e u 4J p > •U V O a C o G G O . 05 P>. 05 P<. 05 P< . 01 P<. 01 On post-strike min. 29 the male wrapped his tail tightly around the base of the female's tail, but the female simply continued with SICS and the male was dislodged after 4 min. by the female's movements. He stayed near her, directing many tongue flicks to her dorsal surface and rubbing his chin over her neck and head. He again wrapped his tail around her's on post-strike min. 40, this time achieving a strong grip which was not broken for 26 min. The female, however, did not respond to the male's courtship by remaining still. Instead, she persisted with SICS, dragging the male about as she moved. The male achieved several more tail wraps later, arid several times he used his tail loop to rub the base of the female's tail (Chiszar et al . , 1976). After post-strike min. 30 the female's rate of tongue flicking during trial 1 (with courtship) was significantly reduced relative to her rate during trial 2 (without courtship; see Table 1). Although her level of SICS during trial 1 did not return to baseline until post-strike min. 138, her behavior between min. 31 and min. 138 was clearly subdued during the courtship trial. Furthermore, SICS during the second trial did not return to baseline until post-strike min. 190. Therefore, it can be suggested that the male's courtship behavior during trial 1 eventually disrupted the female's searching and hastened its termination. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 147 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Pi scussion Courtship by male rattlesnakes has been summarized by Klauber (1956); and Chiszar et al. (1976) reported a peculiar form of tail rubbing that a male massasauga {Sistrurus catenatus tevgeminus) used when a female conspecific did not respond to his initial advances. The present male C. vegrandis also exhibited this tail rubbing (first seen on post-strike min. 40) . That the female's level of SICS then dropped sharply may be taken as evidence for a calming effect of this aspect of male courtship. Since the female had mated two weeks prior to trial 1, she was probably in a sexually refractory state during that trial, suggesting that the effectiveness of male behavior in reducing female activity was not dependent upon sexual motivation in the female. Perhaps the main contribution of tail rubbing by the male was simply to mechanically curtail further movement by the female rather than to induce a calm psychological state; but, It is possible that both effects occurred. In any case, SICS was reduced and more quickly eliminated during the courtship trial than during the second trial. Yet it seems remarkable that the female persisted at all beyond post-strike min. 11. The male never discontinued his efforts from this moment through the end of the observation period (min. 138), and he had his tail wrapped around her's for much of this time. Indeed, male courtship continued 90 min. past the termination of SICS by the female, but copulation did not occur. In view of this strong interference by the male, the female's persistence with SICS seems to testify to the obligate nature of this behavior and to its long duration. The purpose of the present observation was to assess the degree of SICS persistence shown by long-term zoo captives, and to compare this with similar measures already taken on wild-caught specimens (Chiszar et al., 1982b). Since most zoos feed dead rodent prey to rattlesnakes, it is generally the case that zoo snakes have lived for long periods without any need or opportunity to execute some aspects of their innate predatory repetoires, especially persistent searching and trail following. Accord- ingly, it is possible that predatory behavior may be degraded as a consequence of captive maintenance, and that long-term zoo captives would be at a disadvantage if they were to be released into suitable natural habitat. So far, however, our observations indicate that zoo-maintained rattlesnakes exhibit SICS (O'Connell et al . , 1982), and that SICS persists as long in zoo snakes (including second and third generation captive-born rattlesnakes at San Diego Zoo) as it does in wild-caught specimens that fed exclusively upon live prey in captivity (Chiszar et al., 1982b). The behavior of the present captive-born specimen is consistent with this accumulating data base. Page 148 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Acknowl edgement We wish to thank James Bacon and Robin Greenlee (San Diego Zoo), Katy Horan (Audubon Park and Zoological Garden), and Dale Marcell ini (National Zoo) for their support of this work. Data on duration of SICS have been gathered at each of these zoos and will be included in a sub¬ sequent publication. Financial support from the M.M. Schmidt Foundation is gratefully acknowledged. Li terature Ci ted Burghardt, G.M. 1970. Chemical perception in reptiles. In J.W. Johnson, Jr., D.G. Moulton and A. Turk (Eds.). Communi cation by chemical signals , pp. 241-308. Appleton-Century-Crof ts, New York. Burghardt, G.M. and C.H. Pruitt 1975* Role of the tongue and senses in feeding of naive and experienced garter snakes. Physiol . Behav. 1 4 : 1 85~ 1 94 . Carr, J., R. Maxion, M. Sharps, D. Weiss, B. O'Connell and D. Chiszar 1982. Predatory behavior in a congenitally alingual russell's viper ( Vipera russelli) . 1. St r i ke- i nduced chemo- sensory searching. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc . 18: 196-204. Chiszar, D., C. Andren, G. Nilson, B. O'Connell, J. S. Mestas, Jr., H.M. Smith and C.W. Radcliffe 1982a. Stri ke- i nduced chemosensory searching in old world vipers and new world pit vipers. Anim. Learn. Behav. 10:121-125. Chiszar, D., C.W. Radcliffe, B. O'Connell and H.M. Smith 1982b. Analysis of the behavioral sequence emitted by rattlesnakes during feeding episodes II. Duration of stri ke- i nduced chemosensory searching in rattlesnakes ( Crotalus viridis 3 C. enyo) . Behav. Neural Biol. 34:261-270. Chiszar, D., C.W. Radcliffe and K.M. Scudder 1977. Analysis of the behavioral sequence emitted by rattlesnakes during feeding episodes. I. Striking and chemosensory searching. Behav. Biol . 21 : 418-425. Chiszar, D., C.W. Radcliffe, K.M. Scudder and D. Duvall 1983. St ri ke- i nduced chemosensory searching by rattlesnakes: The role of envenomat ion- rel a ted chemical cues in the post-strike environment. In D. Mu 1 1 er-Schwa rze and R.M. Silverstein (Eds.). Chemical signals in vertebrates Illy pp. 1-23. Plenum Press, New York. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 1 49 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Chiszar, D., K.M. Scudder, H.M. Smith and C.W. Radcliffe 1976. An unusual component of courtship behavior in the western massasauga, Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus. Herpetologica 32^337~338. Chiszar, D., T. Walsh, B. Demeter, M. Davenport, J. Chiszar and H.M. Smith 1984. No social induction of chemosensory searching in rattle¬ snakes at National Zoo. Abstract of a paper presented at meeting of the Animal Behavior Society, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, Wa. Dullemeijer, P. 1961. Some remarks on the feeding behavior of rattlesnakes. Kon. Ned. Akad. Wetensch. Proc . Ser. C. 64:383-396. Estep, K., T. Poole, C.W. Radcliffe, B. O'Connell and D. Chiszar 1981. Distance traveled by mice after envenomation by a rattle¬ snake ( C . viridis). Bull. Psychon. Soc. 18:1 08-1 10. Gans, C. 1966. The biting behavior of solenoglyph snakes-- i t s bearing on the pattern of envenomation. Proc. Internet . Syrrrp . Venom. Anim. Institute Butantan, Sao Paulo, Brazil. G i 1 1 i ngham, J 1981 . .C. and R.R. Baker Evidence of scavenging behavior rattlesnake ( Crotalus atrox) . 217-227. in the western diamondback Zeitschr. Tierphychol. _55: G i 1 1 i ngham, J .C . 1981a. Gill ingham, J.C. 1981b. Golan, L., C.W. 1982. Halpern, M. and 1979. Halpern, M. and 1980. and D.L. Clark An analysis of prey searching behavior in the western diamondback rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox. Behan. Neural Biol. 32:235-240. and D.L. Clark Snake tongue-flicking: Transfer mechanics to Jacobson's organs. Can. J. Zool. 59: 1 651-1 657 » Radcliffe, T. Miller, B. O'Connell and D. Chiszar Trailing behavior in prairie rattlesnakes ( Crotalus viridis). J. Rerpetol. 16:287-293- N. Frumin Roles of the vomeronasal and olfactory systems in prey attack and feeding in adult garter snakes. Physiol. Behav. 22:1183-1189. J . L . Ku b i e Chemical access to the vomeronasal organs of garter snakes. Physiol. Behav. 24:367-371 . Page 150 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number *4 December 198*4 Klauber, L.M. 1956. Rattlesnakes — thel r habl ts, life hi stories, and influence on mankind. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley. Kubie, J.L. and M. Halpern 1979. Chemical senses involved in garter snake prey trailing. J. Comp . Physiol . Psychol, 93 « 6*48-667. O'Connell, B. , R. Greenlee, J. Bacon and D. Chiszar 1982. Strike- induced chemosensory searching in old world vipers and new world pit vipers at San Diego Zoo. Zoo Biol . J_: 287-29*4. Radcl i ffe, C.W., D. Chiszar and B. O'Connell 1981. Effects of prey size on poststrike behavior in rattlesnakes (Cro talus durissus, C. enyo , and C, viridis) . Bull. Psyohon . Soo. 1 6: *4*49-450. Wilde, W.S. 1938. The role of Jacobson's organs in the feeding reaction of the common garter snake, Thccmnophis sirtalis sirtalis (Linn.). J. Exp. Zool. 11 : 445-^65 « — David Chiszar, Psychobiology Program , National Science Foundation , Washington , D.C. 20550 , and Dept, of Psychology , University of Colorado , Boulder , CO 80309; Joan Chiszar, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, D.C. 20306; Trooper Walsh and Bela Demeter, Dept, of Herpetology , National Zoo, Washington, D.C. 20008; Hobart M. Smith, Dept, of E.P.O. Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309. Received: 12 July 198*4 Accepted: 21 July 198*4 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 1 51 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 NOTES ON THE ENIGMATIC Barisia imbricate OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM, AND ON ITS COLLECTION OF REPTILES FROM AMULA, GUERRERO, MEXICO The small collections of reptiles from "Amula" (= Almolonga, fide Davis and Dixon, 1959:80), Guerrero, Mexico, obtained by H. H. Smith in 1889, for the British Museum, have long been a source of concern because of the report of Sceloporus variabilis , an Atlantic slope (and trans¬ isthmian Pacific slope) species, and 5. acanthinus , a t rans- i sthmian Pacific slope species, from there. In order to provide a definitive identification of the enigmatic specimens, and to determine whether locality or previous identification were in error, the entire series was borrowed for study through the courtesy of A. F. Stimson and the authori¬ ties of the British Museum (Natural History). At the same time three enigmatic specimens of Bccrisia were borrowed to determine whether any might represent species other than B. imbricata , to which taxon they had long been assigned. The collection purportedly from Amula gives no basis for question¬ ing the veracity of locality data; part of the material had been mi s i dent i f i ed , and part has never been recorded previously. The examples of Barisia likewise proved to be correctly assigned to B. imbricata, although two of them exhibit unusual variations. Hence the entire lot of borrowed specimens is reported here to correct and augment the record. Abronia deppei (Wiegmann). The single specimen (1913*7.19.102) is an adult 103 mm s-v, tail 119 mm. It is more or less typical of the species, except that the two lower anterior temporals contact the postoculars, rather than the lower only, and the anterior superciliary contacts the canthol oreal . Otherwise the specimen agrees with descrip¬ tions, having among other characters 26 scales nuchal s to base of tail, six minimum nuchal scale rows, three postocc i p i ta 1 scale rows on head, penultimate labial contacting orbital scales, three temporals contacting labials, 3"4 anterior nuchal rows with osteoderms, a small supranasal , a loreal, divided postmental, 119 caudal whorls. The color is excep¬ tionally light although the specimen does not seem to be faded, as the dark crossbars are very distinct. There are six dark crossbars on neck and trunk, nine on tail excluding dark tip. The crossbars are narrow but irregular and broken, separated from each other by spaces almost twice as long as the crossbars. This is the only specimen recorded from regions east of Chilpan- cingo, although Amula is only a short distance (35 km) from the city (see Davis and Dixon, 1959:80, Fig. 1, for localities and vegetational map). Davis and Dixon (1961:82) reported specimens only from the Omiltemi area. Although the specimen has apparently not been recorded previously, it actually must have been available to Boulenger, who in 1913 described Gerrhonotus gadovii from Omiltemi, on the basis of specimens catalogued at the same time as the present example of A. deppei. Page 152 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number h December 1 984 Barista imbricata imbrioata (Wiegmann). Three specimens are of special interest: 71 .2.7. ^ from "Tehuantepec, " Oaxaca, and 1903.9*30.118- 119 from "above Xometla," on Mt. Orizaba, 10,000-11,000 ft., Veracruz. The specimen supposedly from Tehuantepec, a female about Sh mm s-v, tail regenerated, has 12 longitudinal dorsal and ventral scale rows, 39 transverse dorsal scale rows, 10-10 supra 1 ab ia 1 s , 7“8 infralabials, an unpaired postmental, and the mode for all other characters reviewed for the subspecies by Guillette and Smith (1982:19). The pattern is unusual, with dark sides transversed by about 9“ 1 0 narrow vertical light bars; dorsum light tan, sharply delimited from the dark sides along the keels of the 3rd scale row (from midline); a dark brown line down the adjacent halves of the paravertebral scale rows, from occiput onto tail, continuous only on neck, elsewhere broken into sections 2-3 scales long by gaps 0.5”1 scales long; ventral surfaces unmarked. Apparently this specimen is unique among all recorded of the imbricata group, in both pattern (normally unicolor or crossbarred on dorsum as well as sides, never with a median stripe) and the unpaired postmental (always paired). Indeed, these features are characteristic of members of the moreleti group. Nevertheless the aberrant individual is here regarded as simply an anomalous example of B. i . imbricata , with which it agrees in all details of scutellation and body size, whereas it differs in many respects from B. viridiflava , the member of the moreleti group that agrees most closely with the imbricata group. It is not likely a hybrid between B. imbricata and B. viridiflava , since it has fewer dorsal scale rows (12) than either the former species in Oaxaca (16) or the latter (lA). Obviously the locality data are incorrect, but no clue to actual provenience is apparent; presumably the specimen came from somewhere in the southern part of the main plateau of Mexico, definitely not from the Tehuantepec area. One of the two specimens from "above Xometla" (1903.9*30.118) is a typical adult, unicolor male 107 mm s-v, with 14 dorsal scale rows. The other specimen, however, a juvenile 62 mm s-v, has 14, 15 or 16 dorsal scale rows at different points on the trunk - the only one with more than 14 recorded since the 1982 review of the species (Guillette and Smith, 1982:19). It also has hi transverse rows of dorsals, i nterpa r i eta 1 to base of tail - the maximum recorded for the subspecies (loc. cit.). Presumably these aberrant or unusual character-states have no significance, except as anomalies, since otherwise the specimen is typical of its subspecies . The two specimens demonstrate that B. i . imbricata exists on Mt. Orizaba at altitudes (10,000-11,000 ft.) at least close to if not over¬ lapping with that of the very high altitude B. antauges (12,500 ft. the only reliable record, in Gadow, 1 908 : 6 1 ) . The altitude itself is not exceptional, since numerous examples have been recorded elsewhere at altitudes above 10,000 ft. (Guillette and Smith, 1982:30-3), even up to 13,000 ft. on Volcan Popocatepetl (loc. cit.). A more important question, as yet unanswered, is the vertical range of B. antauges (fi. modestus a jr. synonym)on Mt. Orizaba. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ical Society Page 153 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Gerrhonotus liooephalus liooephalus Wiegmann. A single example (1913.7.19.103), also catalogued at the. same time as the preceding specimen of Abronia deppei and the types of Bar is ia gadovii (Boulenger), has never been reported in the literature but undoubtedly was a major factor in discovery by Boulenger that his earlier identification of two specimens from Omiltemi of the latter species, reported by Gadow (1905: 195, 233; 1908:380) as Gerrhonotus liooephalus , was in error, particularly since additional specimens of B. gadovii were included in the 1913 collection from Omiltemi. This appears to be a far less common species than B. gadovii in Guerrero; only two reported by Davis and Dixon ( 1-961 : 53) from Acahuizotla, in addition to the present, are known from the state, whereas dozens of B. gadovii and even numerous Abronia deppei have been reported from the same general area. None has as yet been taken in the Omiltemi area. The Amula specimen is an adult, 142 mm s-v, with a regenerated tail; 14 midbody scale rows, 10 on nape; 60 dorsals, interparietal to level of rear margins of thighs; 12 longitudinal rows of ventrals; anterior internasals contacting rostral, separated medially by an irregular-shaped postrostral contacting right posterior internasal but separated from left by an azygous scale; supranasals large but widely separated medially by postrostral; two superimposed postnasals, followed by a loreal superimposed by a canthal ; a large cantholoreal narrowly contacting frontonasal; one preocular, entire, contacting anterior superciliary; 2-3 suboculars; 8-8 supralabials to rear edge of subocular, 9th much enlarged, reaching orbit on one side (no postocular separating it); postoculars 1-3; 11-11 supralabials; prefrontals in medial contact; 5“5 inner, 3*3 outer supraoculars, 2nd inner broadly contacting prefrontal; frontoparietal s 1-1, separated by f ronta 1- i nterpar ietal contact; parietals 1-1, separated posterior to interparietal by a median occipital; anterior and posterior temporals 4-4; 9“9 infralabials; postmental asymmetrically divided. Dorsum nearly uniform tan, crossbands very faint; venter unmarked. Although the geographic races of the species are in need of review, it appears that the number of longitudinal rows of dorsals is diagnostic of the nominate subspecies; that character has not been noted in previous comparative accounts (e.g., Tihen, 1948, 1954; Smith and Taylor, 1950). A revised key to the subspecies, with their approximate ranges, follows. It seems likely that at least one subspecies has not been named; none has been adequately studied, hence no key can now be regarded as definitive. Key to Subspecies of Gerrhonotus liooephalus 1. Fourteen longitudinal rows of dorsals; a total of three loreals, canthal s or 1 oreocanthal s on each side; the southern central plateau and Sierra Madre del Sur, Guanajuato, Hidalgo and Queretaro to Guerrero, Oaxaca and western Chiapas - - liooephalus Page 154 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Sixteen or more longitudinal rows of dorsals; loreal -canthal scales 3 or 4 - - - - - - - - - 2 2. No supranasals; loreal -canthal scales three on each side; extreme southwestern Chiapas and presumably adjacent Guatemal e---austrinus Supranasals present; loreal -canthal scales four on each side ----- — 3 3. Longitudinal scale rows 18 dorsal ly, 14 ventral ly, and transverse rows of dorsals 55 or more; western Chihuahua - - taylori Longitudinal scale rows 16 dorsally o£ 12 ventrally, or transverse rows of dorsals fewer than 55 - - - -- - -4 4. Second primary temporal usually contacting 5th medial supraocular; southeastern San Luis Potosf - - - •--- - - - loweryi Second primary temporal usually separated from 5th medial supra¬ ocular - - - - - - - - - - - --■ - 5 5. Usually 18 longitudinal dorsal scale rows; southern Sinaloa and adjacent Durango - - - — — - ---nomen vacuum Usually 1 6 longitudinal dorsal scale rows - - * - 6 6. Caudal whorls 116-137; tail shorter, 1.75-2.1 times body length; Texas southward to central San Luis Potosf - - - infevnalis Caudal whorls more numerous, 140 or more; tail longer, 2.3 times body length; eastern foothills of the Sierra Madre in Veracruz and Puebla - - - - - - - - - ophiurus Phrynosoma taurus Duges. Three examples (89.11.13.94-96) are typical of the species; two are adult males, 55~59 mm s-v, one a half- grown male 35 mm s-v. All have the ventral scales keeled; femoral pores 12-13, 10-10, 9“ 1 0 respectively. The temporal horns diverge outward in the two smallest specimens, but in the largest curve medially so that they parallel each other toward their tips. Gunther (1890:79) correctly reported these specimens. Only one was taken in the collections reported by Davis and Dixon (1961:43); the species may have become less abundant in recent years. Sceloporus formosus scitulus Smith. A single adult female (89.11.13.93), 63 mm s-v, contains large eggs (10 mm) in the oviducts; 1 5~1 5 femoral pores; 31 dorsals; pattern of irregular, small dark spots covering 1-3 scales on back and sides; a pair of dorsolateral light lines on neck, extending posteriorly from orbit, bordered on both sides by a dark line, the lateral one terminating in continuity with a vertical dark line in front of arm insertion; ventral surfaces immaculate. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 155 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 This specimen was reported as S. acanthinus by Boulenger (1897: 497), who noted that Gunther ( 1 890 : 64) had referred the same specimen to S. spinosus. The taxon has also been recorded from nearby Davis and Dixon (1961:43-44), at 2.5 mi. S. Almolonga (56OO-58OO ft.). The area of intergradation between this and the nominate subspecies remains to be determined. Specimens from Cerro Yucuyagua, 8 km SSE Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca (CUM), represent the nominate subspecies., hence the area of contact with S. f. soitulus must lie somewhere between there and Amula. Soeloporus oohoterenai Smith. Five juveniles (89 . 1 1 . 1 3 .83-87) , 1 9” 24 mm s-v, are readily identifiable with this species by the absence of postrostral scales (resulting in contact of nasals and internasals with the rostral), the absence of a postfemoral dermal pocket, and the presence of preanal keels in females. Only two other species of the genus possess the first character, and neither occurs on Pacific slopes of Mex i co. Gunther (1890:75) referred these specimens to S. variabilis , but Boulenger (1897) did not attempt to allocate them, presumably because of their extremely small size. Davis and Dixon (1961:47) reported the species from nearby, at 2.5 mi. S. Almolonga, 5600 ft. Soeloporus spinosus horridus Wiegmann. Five juveniles (89.11.13. 88-92), the largest 38 mm s-v, the smallest 28 mm s-v, have 3“3(2), 3“ 4 ( 1 ) , 4-4(2) femoral pores; prefrontal s in contact in three, separated by an azygous scale in one, by contact of frontal with frontonasal in one; and preocular divided in three. These specimens have not previously been reported, although they certainly were available both to Gunther and Boulenger, having been catalogued at the same time as the specimen of S. formosus soitulus. Presumably their small size discouraged any attempt to identify them. They actually are somewhat intermediate between S. s. horridus and S. s. oligoporus, with a higher percentage having fewer than seven femoral pores (40%) than normally expected in S. s . horridus (19% over-all, fide Smith, 1939:105). The prefrontal s likewise are more frequently in contact (60%) than expected (31%). The preocular character (80% entire on one or both sides) is about as expected, however, for S. s. horridus (82%). The significance of the skewness of variation toward norms for S. s. oligoporus apparently lies in the expected geographic range of the latter subspecies a considerable distance up the valley of the Balsas river, to which Amula is fairly close (see map in Davis and Dixon, 1959:80, Fig. 1). A fine series of 15 specimens was reported by Davis and Dixon (1961:45) from Amula, as well as from other localities nearby but on coastal drainages rather than the Balsas drainage. A detailed analysis of variation in these specimens and in other material would clarify the i nterd ig i tat ion of the ranges of S. s. horridus and S . s. oligoporus . It is to be expected that the coastal populations would exhibit little or no influ¬ ence of S, s, oligoporus. Page 1 56 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 The concept of conspec i f i c i ty of S. horridus and S. spinosus proposed by Boyer et al . (1982) is here accepted, although evidence to the contrary is in press (Darrell Frost, pers. comm.). Literature Cited Boyer, Thomas J., Hobart M. Smith and Gustavo Casas-Andreu 1982. The taxonomic relationships of the Mexican lizard species Soeloporus horridus . Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc., 18(4): 189-191. Boulenger, George A. 1897. A revision of the lizards of the genus Soeloporus. Proc. Zool . Soc. London, 1897:474-522, pi. 33. 1913. Descriptions of new lizards in the collection of the British Museum. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (8) 12:563-586. Davi s, Will iam 1959. B. and James R. Dixon Snakes of the Chilpancingo region, Mexico. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 74:79-92, figs. 1-2. and 1961 . Reptiles (exclusive of snakes) of the Chilpancingo region Mexico. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 74 : 37“ 56 , figs. 1-2 Gadow, Hans 1905. The distribution of Mexican amphibians and reptiles. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1905(5) : 191-245, figs. 29-32. 1908. Through southern Mexico, being an account of the travels of a naturalist. London, Witherby. xvi, 527 pp., map, ill. Guillette, Louis J., Jr. and Hobart M. Smith 1982. A review of the Mexican lizard Bccrisia imbricata , and the description of a new subspecies. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 85(1) : 13-33, figs. 1-4. Gunther, Albert C.L.G. 1890. Parts 8-10, pp. 57-80, pis. 26-30, in 1885-1902. Biologi central i-americana . London, Porter, xx, 326 pp., 76 pis Smith, Hobart M. 1939. The Mexican and Central American lizards of the genus Soeloporus. Zool. Ser. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., 26:1-397, figs. 1-59, pis. 1-31. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 157 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Smith, Hobart M. and Edward H. Taylor 1950. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of Mexico exclusive of the snakes. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., (199): i-iv, 1-253. Tihen, Joseph 1948. A new Gerrhonotus from San Luis PotosT. Acad. Sci., 51 (3) : 302-305. Trans. Kansas ~1 954. Gerrhonotine lizards recently added to the American Museum collection, with further revisions of the genus. Am. Mus. Novit., (1687) : 1-26, figs. 1-7. — -Hobart M. Smith, Department of Environmental , Population and Organismic Biology, University of Colorado 334, Boulder , Colorado 80309 U.S. A. Received: 20 July 1984 Accepted: 1 August 1984 Page 158 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1 984 REPTILIAN PARTHENOGENESIS Abstract Parthenogenet i c species are found in the fishes, amphibians, and in seven families of reptiles. Six parthenogenet i c lizard families are found worldwide in temperate and tropical regions. Parthenogenesis may have arisen separately several times in these families spontaneously or by hybridization. Complete chromosome number may be maintained by pre- meiotic inhibition of mitotic cytokinesis. Invariability of the genetic pool in these species may regulate the habitats they are capable of occupying. In some populations of lizards — in fact, in some entire species of 1 izards-- there are no males. Females produce offspring without any male input. All of the young are females, genetically identical (except for random mutation) to the mother. They in turn are able to produce young without any contribution from male lizards. This account reviews the mechanisms behind, the significance of, and the frequency with which this phenomenon, known as parthenogenesis, occurs. Many invertebrates may reproduce parthenogenet ical 1 y, but among vertebrates reproduction without fertilization by a spermatozoon is known to occur naturally only in a very few reptiles, amphibians, and teleost fishes. Turkeys can be artificially induced to reproduce pa rthenogene- tically. Fishes with a parthenogenet ic strategy include some perches, darters, and basses. Parthenogenet i c reproduction in amphibians is of a special type known as gynogenesis in which females mate with males and the spermatozoon penetrates but does not fertilize the egg (Cuellar, 1976a). In many vertebrates an- ovum or zygote may be induced to cleave and divide by some physical manipulation such as a pin prick. More interesting is reptilian parthenogenesis in which there is no real mating. In fact, there are no males of the same species with which to mate. Sometimes two females engage in pseudo-copulation; one female having already ovulated acts exactly like a male (except for intromission) and mounts a female with large yolking eggs still in the ovary (Crews and Fitzgerald, 1980). But ovulated eggs develop without any external provocation. Although this type of reproduction does not follow the major trend of reproductive evolution in vertebrates and is different from the classic classroom descriptions of vertebrate reproduction, parthenogenesis is neither all that rare nor isolated. One snake and six families of lizards include species which are parthenogenet i c. They occur on all continents in which reptiles are found. The lone species of snake in which parthenogenesis has been dis¬ covered is the Braminy Blind Snake ( Ramphotyphlops braminus) . It is a small snake of less than 8 inches which burrows among the roots of plants. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 159 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Its distribution is old world including Madagascar, southeastern Asia, East Indies, and many Pacific islands, but it has also been introduced into suitable new world habitats in southern Mexico and Hawaii. Many more lizards are parthenogenet i c , including representatives of the agamids, chameleons, gekkos, lacertids, teiids, and xantusiids (Cole, 1975). On this continent perhaps the most parthenogenet i cal 1 y prolific family, the Teiidae, occurs. Most of these species are found in the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Included are the Cozumel whiptail ( Cnemidophorus cozumela) , the gray checkered whiptail ( C . dixoni) , Chihuahuan spotted whiptail ( C . ex s anguis) , Gila whiptail (C. flagellicaudus) , Laredo striped whiptail (C. laredoen- sis) , New Mexican whiptail ( C . neomexicanus) , Sonoran whiptail ( C . opatae) , Yucatan whiptail (C. rodecki) , Sonoran spotted whiptail ( C . sonorae) , checkered whiptail (C. tesselatus) , desert-grassland whiptail (C. uniparens) and the plateau striped whiptail ( C . velox) . All of these North American and Mexican parthenogens have arisen in one genus, Cnemidophorus. In South America, teiids which are parthenogenet i c include the spectacled lizard ( Gymnophthdlmus underwoodi) , the dwarf teiid (Leposoma percarinatum) , the keeled whiptail ( Kentropyx borckianus) and one species that is facultatively parthenogenet i c (that is, it is only parthenogenet i c under certain environmental conditions), the South American whiptail (C. lenmiscatus) . The lacertid lizards were the first reptiles discovered to be parthenogenet ic (Darevsky, 1958). They are European and occur in the Caucasus Mountains from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. They include four species of Wall lizards ( Laeevta armeniaca, L. dahlia L. vostombekovi, and L. unisexualis) . The parthenogenet ic geckos are found on many islands of the Pacific and in southeastern Asia. They are the Indo-Pacific gecko ( Hemidactylus garnotii) and the mourning gecko ( Lepidodaetytus Zugubvis) . All lizards so far investigated with three sets of chromosomes are parthenogenet i c. Therefore it is suspected that the triploid gecko ( Gehyra variegata ogasawarisimae) is also parthenogenet i c. The parthenogenet i c chameleon ( Brookesia spectrum af finis) is found in Africa. In Malaya there is a parthenogenet i c agamid ( Leiolepis triploida) . A facultative parthenogen in Central America is a xantusiid ( Lepidophyma flavimaculatum) (Cole, 1978). It's obvious from the world wide distribution of parthenogenetic lizards and their occurrence in several families that parthenogenesis has arisen separately several times and that we likely have not discovered all of the parthenogenetic lizard species. It is also possible that, evolving in different taxonomic groups, parthenogenesis came about via different pathways or mechanisms. The mechanism of parthenogenesis, however, must somehow include a form of meiotic restitution. That is, the chromosome number in a haploid egg must at least be restored to the Page 160 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 full diploid complement equal to that which would have been supplied by both the male and the female (Cuellar, 1971). There are five places during meiosis when this could happen. The first is just before meiosis when the cells in the germinal bed are still dividing mi tot ical 1 y . If during the last mitotic cell division the splitting of the cell membrane and contents (cytokinesis) is inhibited then the divisions of meiosis, which reduce the chromosome number by half, will 1 eave a full complement of chromosomes in the ovum. The second possibility is that during the first chromosome split of meiosis, when homologous pairs (father's matching mother's) line up and separate, this division is aborted. Again there will be twice the chromosome number when the tetrads line up singly and are split at the centromere, during the second meiotic division which reduces the chromosome number by half. Of course, if the second meiotic division is inhibited, and not the first, the ovum will still end up with the diploid (adult) number of chromosomes. The fourth and fifth mechanisms for restoring full chromosome number to an ovum of a parthenogenet i c lizard involves fusion of two nuclei which house the genetic material. During normal meiosis the reduction divisions produce one ovum and 3 inviable polar bodies from one primary oocyte (first stage after germinal bed). Fusion of the nucleus of a polar body with that of the ovum would restore full chromosome number to the ovum. Also if the ovum undergoes cleavage (mitotic division) without fertilization then fusion of the nuclei of the first two cells would result in one cell with a complete chromosome set, which would continue to divide, and one cell with no genetic material. Only one of these mechanisms has any evidence collected in support of it. In the desert-grassland whiptail observations of the chromosomes at the first division revealed a doubled set of chromosomes (Cuellar, 1971). This indicates that this chromosome doubling occurred prior to meiosis. Different investigators argue whether this chromosome restitu¬ tion can occur spontaneously in offspring of bisexual lizards or only in hybrid offspring from a mating of two different bisexual lizard species. The evidence is inconclusive but rather convincing for both hypotheses. In many areas a parthenogenet i c species (e.g., checkered whiptail) is found geographically distributed between two bisexual lizard species (e.g., Western whiptail ( C . tigvis) and the plateau spotted whiptail (C. gularis septemvittatus)) . The parthenogenet ic lizards are intermediate in ecology and morphology as well as distribution between their bisexual neighbors. The New Mexican whiptail has been found to be cytolog ical 1 y and biochemically intermediate between the Western whiptail and the little striped whiptail (C. inornatus) (Brown and Wright, 1979). All of these factors point toward hybridization as the trigger for the unusual chromo¬ some restitution. But there are cases in which the lizard is facultatively parthenogenet i c and/or there are no similar (congeneric) bisexual lizards living in habitats adjacent to the parthenogenet i c species (e.g., C. lemniscatus and L. ftavimaculatum) . In these cases there would be no stock from which to derive a parthenogenet ic hybrid. Even more convincing support for the idea of spontaneous chromosome restitution is the evidence Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 1 6 1 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 from intraclonal histocompatibility studies. !f a piece of skin is grafted from one lizard to another it should only be accepted by the second lizard if it is essentially genetically identical to the first. There appears to be remarkable genetic integrity between individuals of a parthenogene- tic species (Cuellar, 1978b). The degree of genetic homogeneity suggests that an entire species may have evolved from one individual lizard. It is likely that hybridization would occur infrequently but often enough to contribute more heterogeneity to the gene pool of the parthenogenetic speci es. Whatever the mechanisms responsible, the fact that parthenogenetic species do exist represents an unusual opportunity to look into the advantages associated with sexual reproduction and nonsexual reproduction. The parthenogenetic lizards obviously have the advantage of complete reproductive capacity in every animal rather than reproductive capacity being attained only through union of two animals. More simply, all parthenogenetic lizards are females so they can all produce eggs. Normal sexual lizards have populations which are only half female, therefore only half the population can produce eggs. If you assume that the partheno¬ genetic lizards must be ecologically very similar to the sexual lizards from which they sprang then it is very difficult to understand why there are any similar sexual lizards left. Imagine a population of 12 sexual lizards and one newly derived parthenogenetic lizard. For simplicity, let's assume that the clutch size of these animals is two and that the adults die when the young are hatched — even replacement. In the next generation there would remain 12 sexual lizards (2 from each of six females) but there would now be 2 partheno¬ genetic 1 izards, aga in both females. The succeeding generations would see populations with 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 parthenogenetic lizards in the 7th generation, but there would always be only 12 sexual lizards. Remembering that the parthenogenetic lizards have the same genes as the sexual 1 izards from which they came, they are subject to the same ecological limitations as the sexual lizards. If a natural event decimated the population or if many of the lizards died because carrying capacity of the habitat had been surpassed, a proportionate number of sexual and parthenogenetic lizards would die. If a natural event in the seventh generation reduced the population size back to twelve, eleven of the lizards would now be parthenogenetic. Since it takes two sexual lizards to produce any offspring it's obvious that the following genera¬ tion would contain only parthenogenetic lizards. But this does not occur. Sexual lizards remain dominant in their habitats and parthenogenetic lizards often are found only on the periphery of the habitat, or in habitats which are not stable, such as river washes (Cuellar, 1977; Wright and Lowe, 1968). This may suggest that the variability between sexual individuals allows each animal to exploit resources different enough from those of his neighbor that these animals don't always have to compete. Since parthenogenetic 1 izards are clones Page 162 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 with no variability (except that due to random mutation), competition between individuals may be very much greater. This competition may reduce the energy stores needed for reproduction, establish stress- i nduced hormonal inhibition of reproduction, or both. Parthenogenet ic lizards represent a natural experiment of the evolutionary trend toward greater genetic recombination. Discovering and exposing new parthenogenet i c species and their habitats may help give some insight into the conditions which favor sexual differentiation by looking at those which do not. Paradoxically they may help us understand the basic principles common to most vertebrate species, that is sexual species. Acknowl edgment I would like to thank Hobart M. Smith for suggestions on and critique of this manuscript. L i terature C i ted Brown, W.M. and J.W. Wright 1979* Mitochondrial DNA analyses and the origin and relative age of parthenogenet i c lizards (genus Cnemidophorus) . Science 203:1247-1249. Cole, C.J. 1975. Evolution of parthenogenet i c species of reptiles. In "Symposium on Intersexuality in the Animal Kingdom" R. Reinboth, ed., Spr i nger-Verl ag pp. 340-353. 1 978. The value of virgin birth. Nat. Hist. 87:58-63. Crews, D. and K.T. Fitzgerald 1980. "Sexual" behavior in parthenogenetic lizards (Cnemido¬ phorus). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77:499-502. Cuellar, 0. 1971. Reproduction and the mechanism of meiotic restitution in the parthenogenetic lizard (Cnemidophorus uniparens) . J. Morph. 133:139-166. 1976a. Cytology of meiosis in the triploid gynogenetic salamander Amby stoma tremblayi. Chromosoma 58:355-364. 1976b. Intraclonal histocompatibility in a parthenogenetic lizard. Evidence of genetic homogeneity. Science 193: 150-153. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 1 63 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Cuellar, 0. 1977. Animal parthenogenesis. A new evolutionary-ecological model is needed. Science 197:837-843. Da rev sky , I . S . 1958. Natural parthenogenesis in certain subspecies of rock lizards, Lacerta saxicola. Dok. Akad. Nauk. S.S.S.R. 122:730-732. (English trans. publ . by Am. Inst. Biol. Sci., 877-879). Wright, J.W. and C.H. Lowe 1968. Weeds, polyploids, parthenogenesis, and the geographical and ecological distribution of all-female species of Cnemidophorus . Cope i a 1968:128-138. — Cliff H. Summers, Laboratory of Comparative Reproduction , Department of Environmental 3 Population and Organismic Biology 3 Box 3343 University of Colorado3 Boulder3 CO 80309 Received: 9 June 1984 Accepted: 21 July 1984 Page 1 64 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 A NEW SUBSPECIES OF Centrolenella orientalis (ANURA: CENTROLEN I DAE) FROM TOBAGO, WEST INDIES Rivero (1968) described Centrolenella ovientalis on the basis of a single specimen collected on Mt. Turumiquire, Venezuela, June 24, 1967 (MCZ 72497). A strikingly similar frog (Fig. 1) was recently discovered on the island of Tobago, West Indies (Hardy, 1977). Duel Iman (1977), working without benefit of specimens or field experience, assumed that the Tobago Centrolenella was identical to Centrolenella ovientalis of Venezuela and published the rather remarkable statement that Centrolenella ovientalis occurs in "the mountains of northeastern Venezuela" (thus implying a broader geographic range than was previously known) and on the island of Tobago. Zweifel (1977) noted that the distance between Tobago and Mt. Turumiquire is 370 kilometers, and pointed out that Duellman's comments should have been documented. In 1982 I listed the Tobago frog as Centrolenella cf ovientalis , primarily because I had been unable to collect additional specimens of Centrolenella ovientalis in Venezuela. At the present time Centrolenella ovientalis remains known only from the holotype. Recent work in Tobago, however, coupled with a detailed study of morphometric data from both populations, suggest that the Tobago frog is, indeed, conspecific with Centrolenella orientalis of Venezuela, but is subspeci f ical 1 y distinct. The Tobago population shall be known as: Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis subsp. nov. Holotype. USNM 195045, collectedon August 31, 1972, along the Roxborough-Partatuv ier Road in the vicinity of Bloody Bay, St. John Parish, Tobago (Fig . 2) . Paratypes. Twenty-nine specimens from Tobago as follows: USNM 192745, Windward Road, vicinity of mile marker 22^ near Lambeau Hill Crown Trace, St. Paul Parish, 11 July 1971; USNM 194999~5000, Windward Road, vicinity of mile marker 22^, near Lambeau Hill Crown Trace, St. Paul Parish, 28 August 1972; USNM 195031-34, Windward Road, vicinity of mile marker 22^, near Lambeau Hill Crown Trace, St. Paul Parish, 30 August 1972; USNM 195039, Chari ottev i 1 1 e-Bl oody Bay Road, near Hermitage, vicinity of mile marker 30, St. John Parish, 30 August 1972; USNM 195040, Charlottevi 1 1 e-Bl oody Bay Road, near Hermitage, vicinity of mile marker 27i, St. John Parish, 30 August 1972; USNM 195044, Roxborough-Partatuv ier Road, vicinity of Bloody Bay, St. John Parish, 31 August 1972; USNM 195152-55, Windward Road, vicinity of mile marker 22^, near Lambeau Hill Crown Trace, St. Paul Parish, 14 September 1972; USNM 195157, Windward Road, vicinity of mile marker 22?, near Lambeau Hill Crown Trace, St. Paul Parish, 16 September 1972; USNM 227732, 3.75 mile WSW of Charlottevi 1 1 e, Northside (Bloody Bay) Road, mile Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 1 65 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Figure 1 . The Tobago Centrolenella photographed alive. A. Dorso- 1 atera 1 view. B. Ventral view. Page 166 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 marker 27i, St. John Parish, 17 November 1971; USNM 227733-40, 3.75 miles WSW of Charlottev i 1 1 e, Northside (Bloody Bay) Road, mile marker 27i , St John Parish, 1 6 November 1971; USNM 227741 -42, Windward Road, vicinity of mile marker 25 i, near Lambeau Hill Crown Trace, St. Paul Parish, 16 November 1971; USNM 227743, 2 miles WSW of Chari ottev i 1 1 e, Northside (Bloody Bay) Road, Hermitage, at mile marker 29.5, St. John Parish, 16 December 1978; USNM 227744-45, 2 miles WSW of Charlottevi 1 1 e, Hermitage Bridge, along Northside (Bloody Bay) Road, at mile marker 29i, 23 December 1978. Range. Known only from mountainous areas on the island of Tobago, West Indies (Fig. 3) . D iagnos ? s . Maximum length 22.9 mm; tympanum hidden; vomerine teeth and humeral spines absent; first finger equal to or longer than second; toes three-fourths webbed; dorsal surfaces green, with or without black or yel low punctations; belly granular; dorsal surfaces smooth. Description of the holotype. A male; snout-vent length, 21.7 mm; head width, 7*9 mm; tibia length, 10.8 mm. In preservation, dorsum light straw-colored and with about twelve conspicuous black dots scattered randomly among a pattern of evenly-spaced, small mel anophores . Similar small melanophores in a narrow band along the top of the femur, and continuing down the leg to the bases of the toes. Upper arm unpigmented throughout. Lower arm with scattered melanophores. Ventral surfaces flesh-colored, un-p igmented . Color in life (based on recent field observations). Body pale leaf-green above, with or without scattered small black melanophores, larger black spots, and lemon-yellow punctations. Upper jaw flesh-colored, unpigmented. Limbs, except upper arm, green dorsal ly, with or without punctations. Upper arm flesh-colored, entirely unpigmented. Femur with a narrow line of green dorsal ly, otherwise flesh-colored. Toes and toe pads pale to deep lemon yellow. Belly transparent centrally, whitish or pale green and somewhat opaque toward the edges. Throat flesh-colored, or extremely pale green. Eye bright canary yellow with scattered, large melanophores which tend to form a ring around the pupil. Variations in the paratypes. The paratypes vary from 20.2 to 22.9 mm in snout-vent length, and from 10.5 to 12.2 mm in tibia length. In the preserved series, large dorsal pigment spots may be present or absent (Fig. 4); otherwise the paratypes are remarkably similar to one another. Compar i sons. Centvolenella ovientalis tobagoensis may be distin¬ guished from Centro tenet la ovientalis orientalis on the basis of relative tibia length (shorter in Tobago), and, presumedly, less intense pigmenta¬ tion. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 167 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Figure 2. Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis , the holotype (USNM 195045). A. Dorsal view. B, Ventral view. Page 1 68 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 0 TOLAGO Figure 3. Distribution of Centrolenella orientalis orientalis and Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis in northeastern Venezuela and the southeastern Caribbean. Rivero (1968) gives a snout-vent length of 21.2 mm, and a tibia length of 12.2 mm for the holotype of Centrolenella orientalis orientalis. These figures result in a snout-vent/tibia length ratio of 1.74. I have examined the holotype of Centrolenella orientalis orientalis and agree with Rivero's original measurements. In Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis snout-vent/tibia length ratios vary from 1.84 to 2.04 with a mean of 1.93 (Fig . 5) . Results of statistical analysis done on these ratios indicate that Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis is morphometrically distinct from Centrolenella orientalis orientalis . The standard deviation of the Tobago population is 0.056. The 1.74 snout-vent/tibia length ratio of the single specimen of Centrolenella orientalis orientalis is 3.4 standard deviations less than the mean value of this ratio for Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis . Assuming that these ratios are normally distributed in Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis , the probability of observing a value as low as 1.74 in this population is 0.0003 or 1 in 3,333. Application of a statistical test for comparing a single observation to a sample mean (Sokal and Rohlf, 1969) resulted in a "t" value of -3.338 which is significant at the a = 0.01 level. Rivero (1968) stated that Centrolenella orientalis orientalis is green below, tending toward blue on the throat and chest, and that the discs of the toes are somewhat orange. In recently collected specimens from Tobago, the ventral surfaces of the body are extremely transparent, Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 1 69 Volume 20 Number A December 1 984 Figure 4. Paratypes of Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis showing variation in dorsal pigment. A. USNM 227737. Large dorsal spots entirely absent. B,C. USNM 227736, USNM 195152. Moderately developed dorsal spots (typical of approximately 90% of the paratypes). D. USNM 195155. Maximum development of dorsal spots. This single specimen approaches the condition seen in the hoi o type of Centrolenella orientalis orientalis. Page 170 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 C* orientali* tobagoensis C • orientalis oriental!* .1. , _ I I _ __J _ _J _ _ L _ 1 _ I _ I _ 1 _ I - —I - - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - L 1.72 1.76 1.80 1 84 1.88 192 1-96 2 00 2 04 Figure 5. Statistical analysis of the snout-vent/tibia length ratios of the two populations of Centrolenella orientalis. The broad band represents one standard deviation on each side of the mean. becoming somewhat opaque toward the sides, and may be pale flesh-colored, whitish, or very pale light green. The throat and chest regions are flesh-colored or pale transparent green, and there is no suggestion of blue pigment. The toes and toe discs are yellow throughout. Tiny yellow punctations occur on the dorsal surfaces of at least some specimens of Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis. Similar punctations were not mentioned in the type description of Centrolenella orientalis orientalis. The ho lo type of Centrolenella orientalis orientalis has numerous large, black spots over most of the head and body. Only one specimen of Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis approaches this pattern (USNM 195155, see Fig. 4). If the holotype of Centrolenella orientalis orientalis is assumed to be an average specimen, then Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis is probably a less well -spotted frog. As Rivero (1968) pointed out, it is unfortunate that the eye pigment of Centrolenella orientalis orientalis has not been described. D i scuss i on . The northeastern limits of the range of the family Cent rol en i dae in Venezuela is not well known. Rivero (1980) indicates the northeastern edge of range as the vicinity of Mt . Turumiquire. Juan Leon (personal communication) states, on the other hand, that the genus Centrolenella occurs on the Paria Peninsula. Regardless of the range of Centrolenella in Venezuela, there is good evidence to show that this genus does not occur on the island of Trinidad (Kenny 1969, 1977). The Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Page 171 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Tobago Centrolenella is, in fact, one of a number of vertebrate animals (4 frogs, 1 lizard, 1 snake, 11 birds, and 2 mammals) which occur on Tobago but not in Trinidad and are strikingly similar or identical to species occurring in Venezuela (Hardy 1977, 1982, 1983). The biogeogra- phical implications of these distributions, and the exact relationship of Centrolenella orientalis tobagoensis to Centrolenella orientalis orientalis will not be understood until more material is available from Venezuela and until biochemical differences (or similarities) between these various disjunct populations have been documented and critically analyzed. Acknowl edgments Work on this project was initially supported by a grant from the American Philosophical Society, and subsequent field work was supported by a fellowship from the Organization of American States, and a grant from the Center for Field Research (Earthwatch) . Dr. George Drewry, of the Office of Endangered Species, U.S. Department of Interior; Mr. Robert Tuck, Jr., of Cero Cosa Community College, California; and Janet Olmon, formerly of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, provided useful assistance in the field. Dr. Kenneth Turgeon, NESDIS, National Oceano¬ graphic and Atmospheric Admi n i st rat ion, ass i sted with the statistical analysis, and Sherry Picciolo provided a precise translation of the type description of Centrolenella orientalis orientalis. Literature Cited Duel 1 man , William E . 1977* Das Tierreich. Lieferung 95. Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien, Hylidae, Centrolenidae, Pseudidae. Wal ter de Gruyter , Ber 1 i n , xix + 225p. Hardy, Jerry D. , Jr. 1977. Frogs, islands and evolution (abstract), p. 5, I N Eastern Seaboard Herpetol og i ca 1 League. Program and Abstracts of Papers. 10th Biannual Meeting, 5 March 1977, 1 2p . "" T982T Biogeography of Tobago, West Indies, with special reference to amphibians and reptiles: A review. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. J_8 (2) : 37“ 1 42 . 1 983 . A new frog of the genus Colostethus from the island of Tobago, West Indies (Anura: Dendrobat i dae) . Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 19(2) : 47-57. Page 172 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Kenny, Jul ian S. 1989. The amphibians of Trinidad. Studies on the Fauna of Curacao and Other Caribbean 1 si ahds 29TlM]T: T~7ff 15 plates. 1977. The amphibia of Trinidad: An addendum. Stud i es on the Fauna of Curacao and Other Caribbean 1 slands 51 ( 1*69) : 92- 95. Los Cent rol en idos de Venezuela. Memoria de la Sociedad de Ciencias Naturales La Salle de Venezuela. Caribbean ■J. Science 4(1 ) : 397-405 . 1980. Anfibios neotropical es: Origen y D i st r i buc ion , _[_N Salinas Pedro J. [editor]. Zool . Trop. Actas, Congreso Latin. Zool . 2:91-123. Sokal, Robert R. and F. James Rohlf 1969. Biometry. The principles and practice of statistics in biological research. W. _H . Freeman and Co., San Francisco xx i + 776p. Rivero, Juan 1968. Zweifel , Richard G. 1977. Liste der rezenten amphibien und reptilien - Hylidae, Cent rol en i dae, Pseudidae, by William E. Duellman, 1977. Das Tierreich, Lief. 95, xix + 225p. 280 DM (book review). Herpetol og i cal Reviews 8(3) : 8 1 -83 . — Jerry D. Hardy, Jr., Department of Herpetology , Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc., 2643 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 . Received: 27 August 1984 Accepted: 12 September 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 173 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 NEWS AND NOTES: THE HERPETOLOG 1 CAL WORKS OF JACOB KLEIN, WITH EMPHASIS ON THEIR PERTINENCE TO MEXICAN HERPETOLOGY Abstract The works of Jacob Theodore Klein are reviewed with attention to their contribution to the field of herpetology in general and Mexican herpetology in particular. With the exception of coinage of the word herpetology (although defined differently from at present), his labors now seem an exercise in futility, although they undoubtedly served a useful purpose in their own era in channelling the efforts of others in more fruitful directions. Jacob Theodore Klein ( 1 685“ 1 7 59) i in the Americas, yet was one of the most He wrote at least 24 different books on d a total of at least 31 different editions were published on botany, echinoderms, ma brate fossils, geology, fishes, birds, li and reviews of Linnaean works, most of th knowledge. It was an amazing output for pursuit, for as Secretary of the State of time. s today little known, at least profific naturalists of his era. iverse organisms, appearing in and printings. Separate books rine worms, molluscs, inverte- mbless tetrapods, quadrupeds em synoptic of then current his time and for leisure-hour Danzig he had little spare The seven works pertaining to amphibians and reptiles appeared between 1743 and 1760 (see Literature Cited). They were taxonomic in nature, listing species then known, or their classification, or both, with brief characterization. Two works of 1760 are post 1 i nnaean , yet not a single name is now attributed to Klein, and his works served in no way as a source for others. The primary reasons for the total lack of nomenclatural impact of his publications are (1) the almost exclusively compilatory nature of his writings, summarizing and to a certain extent analyzing the works of others, lacking any "primary" contribution what¬ ever, and making only "secondary" innovations in arrangement and group names for species recognized by others (although he apparently did have a museum of his own, as indicated by the portrait serving as a frontis¬ piece for his Systeme Naturel of 1754, showing specimens, including some bottled snakes and other herps, of various sorts); (2) the misfortune of being prelinnaean except for two posthumous works of 1760; (3) the failure to adopt consistently the principles of binomial nomenclature (required for any work officially admissible in biological nomenclature); and (4) the inconsistency of cl ass i f i catory schemes adopted in his several works. Page 174 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Indeed, perhaps at present Klein's greatest claim to fame in herpetology is his creation of that very word in his 1755 work, even though his "herpeta" (i.e., herpetozoans) embraced all limbless animals then known that have an elongate body and move sinuously (1755:1). That definition limited the coverage to snakes, "amph i sbaen i ds" (including caecilians) and worms - the extremes of "creeping and crawling things," as implied etymologically. He thus thought of "herpeta" as the antithesis of "quadrupeda" or four-limbed animals, which he interpreted quite literally, not in the present "tetrapod" sense including all members of the classes Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia. With the one exception, then, of creation of the word "herpetology," Klein's contributions are now lamentably of historical interest only. They are nevertheless a monument to industry and human frailty, and in their time undoubtedly served a useful purpose in exploring a trail whose destiny could not be anticipated but which in its dead end showed that the goal had to be reached some other way. Trial and error has always been the rule when the goal is clear but the route to it is unclear. Those who choose blind alleys often deserve as much homage as those who guess aright, for neither knows how their efforts will succeed; failures are often as important as successes, when learning results. An over-all view of Klein's publications, from the earliest to the latest, gives a clear picture of the heroic struggle early workers endured in striving for the most "natural," meaningful classification of organisms. Klein in the end was convinced that superficial appearance and habitat were proper criteria for assumption of relationship - a perfectly reason¬ able conclusion on the premise of special creation that was then prevalent. Relationship through evolution and phylogeny was then dimly comprehended, or not at all; our present classification could stand on no other basis. Linnaeus suffered from the same misconception, but came closer to a true "natural" classification than Klein because of greater attention to details of structural similarity. Klein's struggle in grappling with classification is evident also in the extensive inconsistency in application of names in various cate¬ gories, from the highest to the lowest. Indeed, often names as such were not used, placing reliance instead upon a description. Generic names were not used throughout given genera, or different ones were used for the name in some cases. Species were not always given specific names, or even a brief polynomial, and sometimes were not even given the generic name. The idea of binomial nomenclature had not yet been adopted, and indeed all names and ranks seemed to be rather nebulous. (Thus the assignment of Klein's names to given ranks in the following accounts takes some liberties with his actual usages). Despite these shortcomings in Klein's work, as seen in retrospect, we here seek belatedly to promote some of the attention that Klein's nobl e efforts deserve, by briefly reviewing all of his herpetolog ical works of which we are aware, noting in the process their pertinence to Mexican herpetology. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 175 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 1743 The earliest work pertaining to herpetology appeared in 1743 and was a tentative review, in Latin, of the higher categories of quadruped (the term being used in its literal sense, in reference strictly to four- footed animals) classification. The "Class Amphibia," embracing all amphibians and reptiles (pp. 2 5” 30) , was diagnosed, and two orders, Reptilia (with three "genera:" Testudo 3 Rana and Laeerta) and Serpentia (with one genus, Anguis) , were all briefly discussed with passing mention of a few species and pertinent literature. 1751 The second work (1751:96-123) also is limited to quadrupeds, but with greater detail, listing all known species-group taxa. Again, "quadruped" is used in its literal sense, hence excluding snakes and other limbless tetrapods. The "Order Depilata" contained three divisions (rank not specified): Testudinata, Cataphracta and Nuda. All turtles (Testud inata) were placed in Testudo , a group presumably equivalent to a genus although the rank was not specified. The species of Testudo were placed in two groups-one with fused digits ("pedibus anomalis"), containing the sea turtles (three species), the other with digits distinct ("digitis discretis"), containing eleven species. One of the latter was presumably Mexican: llTestudo ex nova Hispania, sourced from "Seba, p. 129, pi. 80, fig. 5." The crocodilians were subsumed under the "Cataphracta," and perhaps under one genus, "Croeodilus but the species were poorly de¬ limited; a Croeodilus americanus was recognized, another stated to be the alligator, and " caimanos " of diverse origins (Ceylon, Africa, America). The "Nuda" embraced nine genera. Laeerta , by far the largest, contained 88 species, arranged in three groups (crestless, crested, salamander-like). At least twelve may be Mexican: (1) Laeerta major, supposedly the same as Hernandez' (1648) "ti lquetzpal 1 in," sourced from "Seba, p. 152, pi. 97, fig. 2" (Smith, 1969:9, identified Hernandez' species as Seeloporus aeneus and S. grammieus) ; (2) Laeerta texixineoyotl 3 with a name derived from Hernandez ( 1 648) , although not mentioned, but sourced from "Seba, p. 1 5 1 , pi . 96, figs. 1-3,! (Smith 1969:9, suggested that Hernandez' species might be S, jarrovi) ; (3) Laeerta de Taletec, equated with Hernandez' (1648) "tamacolin" (regarded by Smith, 1969:9, as any of several common species of anurans of the genera Eleutherodae- tyluSj Leptodaetylus, Hyla, Seaphiopus and Bufo ), sourced from "Seba, p. 151, pi. 97, fig. 1; (4) Laeerta Brazil , included here only because it is given an Aztec name (quetzpaleo, not mentioned by Smith, 1969; perhaps a misspelling of "cuetzpal 1 i n," see no. 5), although without reference to Hernandez, sourced from "Seba, p. 152, pi. 97, fig. 4;" (5) Laeerta Mexieana Cutezpallin (-cuetzpal 1 i n of Hernandez, 1648, but not mentioned; regarded as some species of Seeloporus by Smith, 1969:9) , Page 176 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 sourced from "Seba, p. 152, pi. 97, fig. 5;" (6) Laoerta Mexicana, sourced from "Seba, p. 31, pi . 30, fig. 2:" (7) Laoertus Amerioanus, noted as one of the "iguanas," may be a Mexican species, sourced from "Seba, p. 1 49, pi. 95, fig. 1," (8) Laoerta Mexicana, sourced from "Seba, p. 1 40, pi. 89, fig. I;11 (9) Laoerta Mexicana, called "tecoixin" (= tecuixin of Hernandez, 1648, not mentioned, but regarded by Smith, 1969: 9, as any of several small species of Soeloporus or as Urosaurus bicarinatus) , sourced from "Seba, p. 1 4 1 , pi. 89, fig. 2;" (10) Laoerta heliaoa, Americana , peotinata, may be Mexican (no indication of locality), sourced from "Seba, vo 1 . 2 , p . 169, pi. 106, fig. 2 ; " (11) Laoerta Salamandrina , Salamandra Mexicana, sourced from "Seba, p. 21, pi. 20, fig. 4;" and (12) Laoerta Tapayakin, or Laoerta orbicularis (= tapayaxin of Hernandez, 1648, not mentioned; Phrynosoma orbioulare as long accepted, and as reiterated by Smith, 1969: 10), sourced from "Seba, vol . 2, p. 10, pi. 8, fig. 7." Other genera recognized among Klein's "Nuda" were Salamandra, Gekko, Cordylus , Soincus, Seps, Chamaeleo, Rana and Bufo, among which only three species are possibly Mexican: (l) Cordylus cauda bifuroata, Salamandra Americana, sourced from "Seba, vol. 1, p. 173, pi • 109, fig. 5;" (2) Chamaeleo Mexicanus, or "Cuapapal catl " (= quapapal catl of Hernandez, 1648, not mentioned; usually regarded as Corytophanes hemandezi fide Smith, 1969: 6, 13), sourced from "Seba, p. 132, pi. 82, fig. 1;" and (3) Rana marina., Americana, perhaps from Mexico (locality not indicated), but almost certainly the species commonly regarded as Bufo marinus (alternatively, in Mexico, as Bufo horribilis) , sourced from "Seba, p. 120, pi. 76, fig. 1." 1754a This work is a translation into French of the 1743 book. The section on amphibians and reptiles (pp. 47” 56) contains virtually the same material as the earlier work; the names are mostly in the French vernacular, however -- the "generic" names of Testudo, Rana and Laoerta do not occur. 1754b The greatest of Klein's works is his "Systeme Naturel du Regne Animal" which was put forth as the equivalent of Linnaeus' "Systema Naturae," as suggested by his subtitle for the first of the two volumes: "Containing the Classes of Quadrupeds, Birds, Amphibians, according to the method of M. Klein; with a notice of that of M. Linnaeus for the same animals; and the Order of Fishes according to the arrangement of Artedi." The frontispiece is a stylized portrait of Klein in his imposing study- museum (Fig. 1) . The organization of amphibians and reptiles (as now understood) does not, however, follow the pattern implied by the volume's subtitle; only two orders were recognized: (l) the Reptilia, including turtles, anurans, crocod i 1 ians, salamanders and lizards, and (2) the Serpens, Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Page 177 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 including caecilians, amph i sbaen i ds and snakes. Ten genera were recognized in the Order Kept ilia: Testudo 3 Rana3 Bufo3 Crooodilus3 Laoerta3 Salamandra3 Cordylus3 Scinous3 Seps and Cameleo3 five with species of probable Mexican origin. However, the frequent early French practice of eschewing Latin names for animals, in favor of vernaculars, was followed more or less consistently throughout; their use appears to have been incidental. The genus Testudo was divided into two groups of species, much as in his 1751 work, but none was attributed specifically to Mexico. The only species mentioned that do occur there are the sea turtles; their accounts are, however, difficult to assign to species, especially since the seven (or eight) accounts are in part just references to figures or descriptions in the literature without assignment to species (e.g., no. 6 states "Seba, p. 127, pi. 79, figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, gives a figure of three small sea turtles.") . Under the genus Rana only R, marina Americana was mentioned, with the same source given in his 1751 work, but with only "American sea" as a local i ty . In Bufo3 however, two species, "B. Brasiliensis" and B. B . orbiou- latusn (nos. 2 and 8 respectively) were treated, both stated to be from Brazil, but given the vernaculars of "aquaqua" and "aquaquaquan ," respectively. Those are names derived from Hernandez (1648), although not so stated. The first was identified by Smith (1969: 5) as B. marinus3 but the second name was not found in Hernandez' work and may therefore be a variant created by Klein. They were sourced from "Seba, p. 1 1 4 , pi. 71, figs. 6, 7" and "Seba, p. 116, pi. 73, fig* 1," respectively. Hence the same species, Bufo marinus3 was entered under at least two different names, in different genera, in this work - a not surprising error in view of the rather crude drawings Klein attempted to deal with. The third genus, of "lizards," was divided into two sections, one including crocodi 1 ians, the other true lizards. The first section included three American species, all occurring in Mexico although that country was not mentioned. One, referred to as Crooodilus Amerioanus (Seba, p. I67, pi. 106, fig. 1) is presumably Crooodylus acutusj the "Crocodile des Indes Occidentales," or nA 1 ligator3 " sourced from Catesby, is certainly Alligator mississippiensis; and his " Caimans 3" from "Ceylon, Africa and America" (Seba, vo 1 . 1, pis. 103-105, fig. 3) presumably included the genus Caiman as now known. The second division of "lizards" contains the same fourteen species from Mexico, or possibly from there, as noted in his 1751 work in the genera Lacerta3 Cordylus and Cameleo3 although Latin names were not used for most of them in the 1754 work. In the Order Serpens, six "genera" are treated, but none is given an explicit name. The kinds of animals recorded in the literature that are assignable to each genus are listed, and names used by the cited authors Page 1 78 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ica 1 Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 are usually given, but one is left in the dark to know what Klein would call them. The first genus consisted of two species of ichthyophiid caecilians, for which other authors used the name Cecilia. The same ten species of the second genus, defined as having grooves around the body, also consisted of caecilians, of families other than the I chthyoph i i dae, and of some amph i sbaen ians, none clearly from Mexico. The third genus consisted of some seven species with small scales on the abdomen, but no grooves around the body. Species referred by others to Cecilia, , Amphisbaena and Scytale are included; one of the latter name is listed for "New Spain" (= Mexico), sourced from "Seba, vol . 2, p. 4, pi. 2, figs. 3, 4" (see no. 23 in the following account of the Tentamen Herpetologiae) . The fourth genus consisted of 27 numbered species, as well as some 25 merely listed from Seba. The genus was characterized as having strap¬ like ventral scales, and judging from the names used by other authors included species of the families, as now understood, Colubridae, Elapidae and those Viperidae with large head scales. Genera cited from other authors include Coluber 3 Paia3 Sibon> Ahaetulla, Petola, , Malpolon and Vipera. Nine "species," to judge by name or locality citation, were from Mexico: (1) a "cencoatel" (= cencoatl), whose name originated with Hernandez (1648), not mentioned, interpreted by Smith (1989: 5, 6, 7) as three different species ( Spilotes pullatus^ Pituophis deppei and perhaps some species of Leptodeira) , but sourced from Linnaeus' Systema Naturae and from Seba, vol. 2, p. 1 8 , pi. 16, figs. 2, 3; (2) an "apachy- koatl" bearing an Aztec name, but not cited in Hernandez; we assume it is a Mexican species, sourced from four different works, including Seba, vol. 2, p. 21, pi. 20, fig. 1; (3) a spectacled snake from New Spain, sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 97, fig. 4; (4) another "cencoalt" (= cencoatl), sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 26, fig. 1; (5) a "tetzauch- coalt" (= tetzauhcoatl ) , stated to be from Brazil, but bearing an Aztec name, hence probably from Mexico; Hernandez (1648) used the name for only one snake, apparently a Geophis (Smith, 1969: 9), although the same name was applied to skinks and Bipes3 neither of which could figure in Klein's "Serpens;" sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 77, figs. 2, 3, pi • 79, fig. 12, and pi. 80, fig. 1; (6) a "tlehua," which name Hernandez (1648, not mentioned) applied to a rattlesnake, perhaps Crotalus polystictus (Smith, 1969: 8), but certainly not so intended by Klein, who put rattlesnakes in another (the sixth) genus; sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 59, fig. 1; (7) another "tlehua," from New Spain, sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 84, fig. 1 (assigned to a "Petzcoal" also in the incertae sedis; see no. 7 of that list, following); (8) a "xalxalhua" (= xaxalhua) from Mexico, regarded as Pseustes poecilonotus by Smith (1969: 9), as the name was used by Hernandez (1648) (not mentioned), but sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 77, figs. 4, 5; and (9) a "depone" (= dopone of Hernandez, 1648, not mentioned), from Mexico, regarded as Oxybelis fulgidus by Smith (1969: 11), but sourced from Seba, vol . 2, pi . 61 . Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ical Society Page 179 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Klein's fifth genus of "Serpens" was characterized as having large ventral s, small head scales and no rattles. Some fourteen "species" were included, mostly viperids (as now understood), but apparently also the boids. One snake from Mexico was cited, sourced from Seba, vol . 2, p. 104, pi. 98, fig. 1. The sixth genus contained the rattlesnakes, of perhaps seven species, among which Hernandez 1 ( 1 648) "teuhtlacet-zauhqui" (= teuht 1 acozauhqu i) from Mexico was cited. That name was interpreted by Smith ( 1 969 * 8) as referring to Crotalus basilisous and C. durissus. No other source was cited by Klein for that species (although in the Tentamen of 1755 this name was sourced from Seba, pi. 95, fig. 2, referred in 1754b to " Serpens crotalophora" of America). Following the accounts of these six genera, Klein listed 91 figures from Seba of snakes he could not place in his "system;" they were incertae sedis, and among them are at least eight from Mexico: (l) the "ataligato" of Mexico, characterized in Hernandez (1648) by "a totally implausible fable" (Smith, 1969:10), sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 77, fig. 6; (2) "chiametla," from "America," sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 61, fig. 4, which serves as the type for Coluber chiametla Shaw, 1802, a senior synonym of Drymobius margaritiferus (Schlegel, 1837), but suppressed by the international Commission on Zoological Nomenclature in Opinion 1246 (1983) (see also Smith, 1 965 and 1967, and Smith and Smith, 1979); (3) an "emperor of Guadalajara," from Mexico, revered for foretelling the future, sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 1, fig. 1; (4) the "macacoatl ," from "America," using Hernandez 1 ( 1 648 , not mentioned) name which (Smith, 1969: 7) applied to Boa constrictorf but sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 79, fig. 3; (5) a "macoatl," which probably refers to the "second" "macacoatl" of Hernandez (1648, not mentioned), from Mexico, sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 73, fig. 1; (6) a "ninboo-quanque cholla," from Mexico, sourced from Seba, vol. 2 pi. 77; (7) a "petzcoal" (= petzcoatl) from Mexico, using Hernandez1 (1648, not mentioned) name, which Smith (1969:8) regarded as possibly Dermophis mexicanus , but sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 84, fig. 1, and certainly there not a caecilian; and (8) the "tamacai 1 la-hui 1 ia" from Mexico (= temacu i 1 cahu i 1 ia of Hernandez, 1648, not mentioned, which Smith, 1969:10 regarded as strictly a fable), but sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 98, fig. 1 (the same source that was used for the Mexican species of his 5th genus; see preceding). 1755 The "Tentamen Herpetol og iae" is written entirely in Latin, and is of special interest as the first published, strictly herpetol og i ca 1 synopsis, although Klein's interpretation of the word differs extensively from its current meaning. It is thus a landmark of sorts in the field, yet is quite a rarity: of the over 750 U.S. institutions cooperating in compilation of the National Union Catalog of Pre-1956 Imprints, only six reported having a copy (Amherst, Boston Public, Cornell, Library of Congress, University of California at Berkeley, Yale). Another copy is in the personal library of Kraig Adler, and we possess two. Page 180 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Special attention should be directed to the strangest inclusion of the Tentamen: the only figure of a reptile occurring in it: a fantastic, mythical lizard on pi . 1, shown with a cylindrical body, two powerful, 4-toed hind legs, no forelegs, a stout tail little longer than body, a somewhat skinklike head and wel 1 -devel oped eyes (Fig. 2). It is like no known animal. The only reference to it (p. 50) indicates that it was sourced from a book, "Thesaurus animal ium vivis coloribus egregie pictorum," formerly possessed by "Jobus Lodolphus" (= Hiob Ludolf, 1 624- 1704) , and that he was uncertain of its proper classification. The animal was not described or illustrated in any of Ludolf ‘s works, all of which listed in the National Union Catalog we have checked; the book referred to in Ludolf1 s library was certainly by some other author, and its identify we have not been able to determine. That the animal (mythical, certainly) was an exasperating incertae sed i s for a system of classification recognizing only quadrupeds and limbless "herpeta" is readily understandable. Klein placed his "herpeta" (i.e., herpetozoons , as he interpreted them) in two orders: reptiles in the Order Anguis, worms in the Order Vermis, thus differing markedly from his "system" of the previous year. Little space was allotted to the Order Vermis - only pp. 58-72. Only a little more than one page ( 55“ 56) was devoted to "amph i sbaen i ds" (which included some caecilians), hence the bulk of the text concerns snakes. The treatment of Vermis is also strange. There is a brief account of three "classes" (given a lower rank than Order) - Lumbricus, Taenia and Hirudo - with the account ending on p. 66, followed by the two plates and an article (pp. 67“ 72) by J. A. Unzer on "Observat io. . . de Taeniis." All figures (8) on pi. 2, and all but one of the figures (4) on pi . 1 represent the anatomy of parasitic worms (nematodes), accompanying Unzer's article (see his obscure references to those figures on p. 70). Klein's "Order" Anguis was credited with two "classes," neither designated un inomi nal ly . The first class, by far the larger, was described as having a distinct head and tapering tail, the second class an indis¬ tinct head and blunt tail. The latter class contained two genera - Soytale and Amphisbaena , with 17 and 15 species respectively. The first class was regarded as containing three genera: Vipera , with in effect four subgenera (one the equivalent of v i per i ds as now known, excluding rattlesnakes; one for the rattlesnakes; one for elapids as now known; and one for "vipers" lacking enlarged teeth, hence actually a mixture of non- poisonous snakes), totalling 78 species; Coluber , with 1 65 species arranged in eight groups of seemingly lesser rank - perhaps similar to species-groups - than those of Vipera; and Anodon , a supposedly edentu¬ lous genus of five species. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Page 181 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 The account for the first class terminates with a listing of 1 4 species of snakes described by Catesby and 33 by Linck. These 47 were regarded by Klein as essentially incertae sedis, along with the two-legged monstrous lizard illustrated on pi . 1. The species accounts are numbered consecutively in each genus or subgenus. They are brief, of but a few lines, but usually include some sort of characterization, often a locality, and always a source citation from the literature - usually Seba but occasionally some other " and authority. Many of the species accounts have a marginal rubric giving the species name, in much the same style as Linnaeus' Systema Naturae, although nowhere is that work mentioned in the account of members of his Order Anguis, although frequent references occur in the accounts of members of his Order Vermis. Each of the higher categories is provided with a characterization, and sequentially lettered footnotes (from a to Zzz) at the end of each section give additional information widely representative of the literature. Twenty-four species presumably or certainly from Mexico are treated. (1) Vipera depone , p. 9, no. 13, was sourced from "Seba, pi. 92," hence is not the same as the "depone" of his 1754(b) work (see Coluber pullatus , no. 13 of the following accounts), nor is it Hernandez' (1648, not mentioned) "dopone," from which the name was derived, as interpreted by Smith (1969:11), to wit Oxybelis fulgidus. (2) Vipera orotalophora , p. 16, no. 4, was designated "teutlacot- zouphi," also cited in his 1754(b) work, but in the Tentamen the source was specified as "Seba, pi. 95, fig. 2." The name was clearly derived from Hernandez' (1648, not mentioned) "teuht 1 acozauhqu i , " identified by both Duges (1889) and Smith (1969) as Crotalus basilisous or C . durissus . (3) Vipera conspicillaris altera , p. 18, no. 12, from New Spain, sourced from Seba, pi. 97, fig. 4, is the same as the "spectacled snake" listed in the 1754(b) work, mentioned in the preceding account as the 3rd species in the 4th genus. (4) Ecacoatl , p. 17- A footnote referring to an account on p. 16 of the rattlesnake "subgenus" ("Caudisona, Amer i cana1) of Vipera describes in considerable detail the Ecacoatl, from several sources, none of them Seba or Hernandez. The latter author is, however, presumably the ultimate source for the name. His ecacoatl was described as a large, 7~striped snake of several colors, interpreted by Smith (1969) as Masticophis taeniatus . Obviously Klein had as much difficulty distinguishing venomous from non-venomous species as Hernandez did. (5) Vipera riotu canino , p . 19, no. 3, was named the "tetzauhcoat 1 ," but was sourced from a single plate in Seba (80, fig. 1) rather than the three cited for the same name in his 1754(b) work. In the latter work the species was cited for Brazil, but in the Tentamen another Brazilian Page 182 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 species, "V. thalassina is given the same name (spelled "tet rauchoat 1 , 11 but sourced from a plate in Seba (96, fig. 2) still different from any of the three cited for the species in his 1754(b) work. See preceding di scussion. (6) Vipera oculea, p. 20, no. 8, was called "tamacuilla huilia," which name was sourced from Hernandez1 ( 1 648 , so specified) "temacuilca- hu i 1 ia, 11 interpreted by Smith (1969) as strictly fictitious. As in Klein's 1754(b) work, the species was sourced from Seba, pi. 98, but cited in both the 5th genus and in the incertae sed i s (no. 8 of that list in the preceding account). (7) Vipera divinatrix and imperatrix regni Mexicaniy p. 20, no. 11, is the same snake referred to in the 1754(b) work as the "emperor of Guadalajara (misspelled Quadalajara in both works). See preceding dis¬ cussion. Interestingly, the names imperator (of Daudin, 1803) and diviniloquax (diviniloquus Laurenti, 1768) have long been recognized as junior synonyms of Boa constrictor , a subspecies of which, occurring in Mexico, is still known as imperator. (8) Coluber apachykoatl y p. 25, no. 3, is the same as the snake bearing the same specific name in the 1754(b) work. See preceding dis¬ cussion, to which nothing can be added from the Tentamen. (9) Coluber mexicanus , p. 26, no. 13, was sourced from Seba, pi. 30, fig. 1. Its identify is uncertain. (10) Coluber xaxalhuay p. 31, no. 56, is identical with the "xaxalhua" of the 1754(b) work; see preceding discussion. (11) Coluber tlehua, p. 31, no. 57, is the same as the second "tlehua" of the 1754(b) work, sourced from Seba, vol . 2, pi. 84, fig. 1 (which was in 1754b also the source for the "petzcoal" of the incertae sedis). The footnote (tt) on p. 32 merely states that Vipera flammea of the literature is not the same. See preceding discussion. (12) ColuJber margariticus , p. 33, no. 68, was not included in the 1754(b) work, but although lacking any locality citation, is here included since it apparently is Drymobius margaritiferus (Schlegel, 1837), a species widespread in Mexico. It was sourced from "Seba, pi. 22, fig. 2." (13) Coluber cencoatl , p. 34, no. 70, has the same source as the second "cencoatl" of the 1754(b) work. As noted previously, the name was used by Hernandez (1648) for at least three species; very likely Pituophis deppei is the one to which this account refers. ( 1 4) Coluber chiametlay p. 38, no. 121, is the same as the "ch iametla" of the 1754(b) work; see preceding discussion. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ica 1 Society Page 1 83 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 (15) Coluber pullatus, p. 38, no. 122, is the "depone" of the 1754(b) work, being based on Seba's vol . 2, pi. 61 , fig. 2. The name presumably pertains to the species now known as Spilotes pullatus . ( 1 6) Coluber petlaeoatl , p. 38, no. 123, sourced from Seba, pi. 63, fig. 1, was not mentioned under that name in Hernandez ( 1 648) , nor in the 1754(b) work, although a "petzcoal" was listed there (see preceding discussion), sourced from Seba, vol. 2, pi. 84, fig. 1, which in the Tentamen was assigned to Coluber tlehua (no. 11 above), and in the 1754(b) work to the second tlehua (no. 7 of that account, under the 4th genus) . (17) Coluber ataligato , p. 40, no. 1 38, is the same as the "atal igato" of the 1754(b) work (see discussion above of the incertae sedis, no. 1, of that work). (18) Coluber maoacoatl , p. 40, no. 139, is the same as the "macacoatl" of the 1754(b) work (see discussion above of the incertae sedis, no. 4, of that work). (19) Coluber cccpitali fascia latiore , p. 40, no. 139, sourced from Seba, pi. 80, fig. 2, from "New Spain," may be Coniophanes imperialis. The 1754(b) work lists this figure as the source for an incertae sedis, "Bayhapua," an African snake. (20) Coluber petzcoatl , p. 40, no. 143, sourced from Seba, pi. 84, fig. 2, is not the same as the "petzcoal" of the 1754(b) work (Seba, pi. 84, fig. 1). The Tentamen species is arboreal, perhaps Oxybelis aeneus. (21) Coluber cencoatl , p. 41 , no. 158, was perhaps intended to be the same as the first "cencoatl" of the 1754(b) work (see no. 1 of the 4th genus in account for that work), but it actually is sourced from Seba, pi. 16, fig. 1, rather than from figs. 2 and 3. - (22) Coluber tetzauhcoatl , p. 42, no. I65, was sourced from Seba, pi. 77, figs. 2, 3, one of three sources given in the 1754(b) work for the "tetzauhcoatl" of the 4th genus (see no. 5 under that genus in preceding account). Why this snake, bearing a name derived from Hernandez (1648, not mentioned), was stated to be from Brazil is uncertain. (23) Scytale ex nova Hispania > p. 53, no. 5, sourced from Seba, pi. 2, figs. 3, 4, is of uncertain identity. (24) Scytale nixboa quanquecholla3 p. 54, no. 14, sourced from Seba, pi. 77, fig. 1, is the same as the "n i nboo-quanque cholla" of the incertae sedis (no. 6 in the preceding account) of the 1754(b) work. Hernandez1 ( 1 648) "nexoa" was undoubtedl y the source of Klein's names "nixboa" and "n i nboo. " Smith (1969: 10) interpreted Hernandez1 species as Masticophis flagellum 3 known to occur in the vicinity of Huauquechula (whence presumably Klein's "Quanquechol 1 a") , Puebla. Page 1 8 4 Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og i ca 1 Society Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Numerous discrepancies exist between the 1754(b) and 1755 works, in the areas of overlap, as might well be expected since the latter is much more detailed. A number of differences have been noted in the preceding discussion, but others should be noted. Four "species" of the 1754(b) work are not dealt with in the later review, and seven of the latter are not noted in the former. Omitted in 1755 are: (1) an allocation of the Seba, pi. 16, fig. 3, one of the two sources for the 1754(b) "cencoatel" (4th genus, 1st species of account herewith); two Coluber eencoatl species were included in the Tentamen, but neither sourced from Seba, pi. 16, figs. 2 and 3 that were the basis for the 1754(b) "cencoatel;" the fig. 3 of pi. 16 in Seba was in 1755 used as the source for Coluber coyuta of Brazil; (2) the "tlehua" based on Seba, pi. 59, fig. 1 (the Coluber tlehua of 1755 was sourced differently); (3) the "macoatl" based on Seba, pi. 73, fig. 1; and (4) an allocation of Seba, pi. 79, fig. 12, which in 1754(b) served as one of the three sources for the second "cencoalt" (the other two were allocated to Vipera rictu eanino and Coluber tetzauhcoatl) . The species of the Tentamen not represented in the System are (1) Vipera depone of Seba, pi. 92 (the 1754(b) "depone" has a different source); (2) Coluber petlacoatl of Seba, pi. 63, fig. 1 (the 1754(b) "petzcoal" has a different source, allocated in 1755 to Coluber tlehua and in 1754(b) used as the source also for the second "tlehua"); (3) Coluber eapitali fascia latiore of Seba, pi. 80, fig. 2; (4) Coluber petzcoatl of Seba, pi. 84, fig. 2 (that figure served in the 1754(b) work as the source for an African snake, "bayhapua;" the "petzcoal" of 1754(b) was based on Seba, pi. 84, fig. 1, which served as source also for the second "tlehua" of that work, and for Coluber tlehua of 1755; (5) Coluber eencoatl of Seba, pi. 16, fig. 1 (two "eencoatl" species were included in the 1754(b) work, but neither was based on this figure); (6) Coluber margariticus of Seba, pi. 22, fig. 2; and (7) Coluber mexicanus of Seba, pl. 30, fig. 1. 1760a This book is a translation into German of the 1751 volume, hence with the same content. The herpetol og i cal pages extend from 285 to 381. 1760b This work likewise is a translation into German of the 1751 Latin discourse, and is not binomial in its nomenclature. A few annotations not in the original Latin have been added, but the organization and taxa are the same. The herpetolog ical pages extend from 105 to 131. Bulletin Maryland Herpetol og ical Society Page 1 8 5 Volume 20 Number 4 December 1984 Summa ry The seven works by Jacob Theodore Klein that pertain to herpetology have no taxonomic importance, most of them being prelinnaean and the two postlinnaean works being non-binomial and therefore not acceptable, according to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, for use in nomenclature. The herpetol og i ca 1 accounts were drawn from the litera¬ ture, with greatest reliance upon volumes one and two of Seba (1734-1735), but including also early editions of Linnaeus' Systema Naturae and several other prelinnaean works. His survey of the literature was thorough, and his classification at higher category levels was to a considerable extent original and unique. It was however handicapped by predication on superficial similarities gleaned from descriptions, without the benefit of insights resulting from study of the animals themselves. His analyses did however lead to creation of the word "herpetology," although with a distorted understanding that combined snakes, legless lizards, amph i sbaen i ds , caecilians and worms as related groups on the superficial bases of common possession of an elongate body, absence of limbs, and movement by sinuous undulation. Herpetozoons were thus thought of by Klein as the counterpart of quadrupeds, among which he recognized turtles, anurans, salamanders, lizards and mammals. Klein's "system" of classification was, therefore, spurious - a blind alley in the evolution of understanding of the animal kingdom. Having been devised, however, it served to direct the efforts of others into more fruitful channels. Considerable variation in higher-category terminology existed in comparison of early and late works, and even greater confusion is evident in the lower categories. An examination in some detail of the 45~50 "species" noted for Mexico reveals very nebulous concepts tied to often crude or imaginary descriptions and figures in the literature. Klein's works added nothing to an understanding of the Mexican herpetof auna , and indeed clouded the picture. No reason exists to think that the treatment of other herpetofaunae was any better. Hence Klein's herpetol og i ca 1 contributions remain strictly of historical interest, even though his obviously prodigious struggle to discern realities of classification deserve admiration. At least herpetologists of today and the future properly should be conscious of the fact that Jacob Theodore Klein was the "father" of the name for their discipline, and they can be grateful for that detailed unique illustration of the bizarre, mythical, "duobus pedibus 1 acert inis." Acknowl edgment s We are greatly indebted to Dr. Kraig Adler for counsel and for xeroxes of the herpetol og ical sections of Klein's works of 1751 and 1754. Dr. Michael Preston kindly helped with translation of Latin passages of critical importance. Page 1 86 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 20 Number k December 1 984 SYSTEME NATUREL D U REG NE ANIMAL , P A R CLASSES , FAM1LLES OU ORDRES, GENRES ET ESPECES. A V EC UNE NOTICE DE TO US LES ANIMAUX; Les noms Grccs, Larins, & vul^aircs ,quelej Naturafiftei leur one donnes; L« citations dcs Auteuxs qui eo om fat it j L'nc Tal>!* j*oj» cha«juc Clirtir , quidriigae la famiUe ouTOrdrc, U C«*u k VLiftce , de <>a . ' . ■■■ ■ ■■ : Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 21 31 March 1985 Number 1 Cryptic Species in the Mexican Lizard Complex, Sceloporus aeneus Louis J. Gulllette, Jr. and Hobart M. Smith Abstract The taxonomy .of the reproduct I vely b {modal lizard Sceloporus aeneus Is examined. Morphology, karyotype, distribution, habitat and reproductive cycle data are used to clarify the phylogenetic relationship between the two taxa formerly referred to as S. aeneus aeneus and S. aeneus bicanthalis. These data show that the taxa are distinct In canthal number, reproductive mode, and reproductive cyclicity, and can be partially distinguished by ventral coloration. Some overlap In distribution may occur, but no hybrids were found. We conclude that these populations represent at least two separate, distinct, cryptic species, properly designated as Sceloporus aeneus and Sceloporus bicanthalis. Extrapolation leads us also to the tentative proposal that S. eubniger Is also a full species, subject to confirmation by future studies. Sceloporus aeneus Wlegmann, 1828, Is a small, terrestrial lizard found primarily at high elevations In southern Mexico (Smith, 1939). It Inhabits the bunch grasses ( Muhlenbergia , Festuca ) associated with pine and pine/oak forests. Smith (1937) distinguished two subspecies based on consistent morphological differences In canthal number and coloration. Sceloporus a . bicanthalis was regarded as Inhabiting primarily the eastern end of the Mexican transvolcanlc mountains, S. a. aeneus the central part. However, Thomas and Dixon (1976) concluded that the putative subspecies are untenable, as they did not find consistent morphological differences. Little was known of the life history of this lizard until recently. The species had been assumed to be viviparous since 1939 (Smith, 1939: 356), the evidence for S. a. bicanthalis being conclusive although none existed for S . a. aeneus. With elimination of subspecific differentiation In 1976, viviparity for the species as a whole seemed Incontrovert Ible. Recently, however. It was discovered (Gulllette, 1981a) that the then supposedly monotyplc S. aeneus exhibits reproductive b I modality. That Is, the more eastern populations are viviparous, the more western ones oviparous. In addition to parity bimodality, distinct morphological differences In the reproductive anatomy exist as well as a difference in the timing of reproductive activity (Gulllette, 1981b, 1982). Definitive confirmation of parity blmodallty and apparent temporal reproductive isolation raises again the question of existence of two taxa In the supposedly single, monotyplc species. Key Words: Reptilia, Iguanidae, taxonomy, reproductive biology, Sceloporus , S. aeneus , S. bicanthalis , S . subniger . Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 1 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 The following study was undertaken to resolve that problem, utilizing distributional, morphological, and karyologlcal data, as well as Information In other studies, especially those concerning reproductive cyclicity (Gulllette, 1981b, 1982). In the following discussion, we refer to the viviparous populations as f,blcanthal Is," the oviparous ones as "aeneus,” without Implication of taxonomic status - as subspecies, species or nontaxonomlc - hence deferring that decision to the conclusion. Materials and Methods Study material was obtained from a nurtoer of areas surrounding the Valley of Mexico. Viviparous populations were found at (Figure 1) (1) Parque Naclonal de Zoqulapan, Mexico (3000 m); (2) San Rafael, Mexico (3000 m)i (3) Paso de Cort&s, Volc&n Popocatepetl, Mexico (3500 m); and (4) Nevado de Toluca, Mexico (3850 m). Oviparous populations were sampled from (5) 15 kilometers south of Mil pa Alta, Distrito Federal (2700 m); (6) Lagunas de Zempoala, Morelos (2900 m); (7) Tres Cumbres, Morelos (2900 m); (8) El Capulfn, Distrito Federal (3000 m); and (9) Villa del Carb6n, Mexico (2600 m). Additional specimens were obtained on loan from the following museums : AMNH, USNM, MCZ, TCWC, UIMNH, UMMZ, KU, UCM, IBUNAM (acronyms from list compiled by SSAR Museum Acronym Committee, 1980). Figure 1. Sites used during the study of the lizard complex, Saeloporus aeneus . Numbers correspond to those In text. Shaded areas represent those regions having an elevation of 2500 m or higher. Page 2 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Volune 21 Number 1 March 1985 The following data were obtained from each museum or live specimen: CD location of capture, (2) nunber of cant ha Is, and (3) ventral coloration. Live specimens also were examined for coloration, scaled after Smlthe (1975). Each color reported was a focal point of a range around that score. Temperature, precipitation and ground cover density were recorded for field samples. Temperature and precipitation data were obtained from official records of the DIrecci6n de Cl Imatologla, Secretaria de Recursos H!drai!il icos, Mexico (Garcia, 1981). Ground cover density was estimated by a transect method. The center of each study site was located, and four transects were made from this point, running 25 m In each of the four cardinal directions. Ground cover was defined as anything providing cover from ground level to 15 cm. An average was obtained for each site, and then the means from all sites having the same parity type Inhabitant were averaged. Percentage scores then were obtained by dividing the mean cover value by 25 m. A Student !s T-test was performed to determine differences in cover density. Karyotypes were obtained from five adult males of each parity type. Animals were collected in the field during May, 1980, and testicular material was treated using the methods of Cole and Leavens (1971). Cells were stained using Gelmsa, and the karyotype of five cells from each specimen was examined. Resul ts 1. Canthal Morphology. All specimens of both sexes of "aeneus" had a single canthal on each side (n = 375), whereas all specimens referable to "b l canthal is" had two canthals (n = 200). 2. Color Patterns in "aeneus." Female dorsal surface. Female "aeneus" exhibit a number of dorsal color patterns. In the normal pattern, a dorsolateral line of buff yellow to cream (Color Index = 2.5Y8.0/6.0-3.5Y8.5/4.0) runs from the rear of the head, level with the supratympanic area, to the tall, usually continuous along the 3rd and 4th scale rows (from midline). It Is approximately one scale row wide, and may widen at midtrunk to two scales; widening, if present. Is in a medial direction. The line crosses the sacral region onto the tail where it becomes darker and broader. It also may extend forward from eye to tip of snout. A second less distinct lateral line passes from the supralabial region through upper part of the external auditory meatus, over arm and along side of body to the groin; it is usually broken, follows the 8th and 9th scale rows at mid-body, covers half of each row and Is one scale row wide. A vertebral grey line (Cl = 7.5Y5.0/3.0) begins at nape of neck and usually occupies adjacent halves of the 1st pair of vertebral scale rows; It also may cover both rows completely, forming a line two scales wide. The region between the dorsolateral and vertebral lines is occupied by narrow, dark, dorsolateral cross bars. The background coloration Is brown (Cl = 7.5Y3.5/3.0), the cross bars dark brown (Cl = 4.0R2.5/0.7), occupying 1-2 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 3 Volune 21 Number 1 March 1985 transverse scale rows, and sharply defined on posterior edge. Anteriorly the dark bars blend with Intervening brown zones. The latter are 1.5 to 2.0 times the width of the dark brown bars; In some females the bars are edged posteriorly by white or cream; 11-14 bars occur between occiput and base of tail (mode = 12). Between the lateral and dorsolateral line similar lateral bars are present; they are not correlated with the dorsolateral bars. The lateral bars extend from one line to the other, and continue in series across the sac run and onto the tail. In addition, a ventrolateral series of short bars, 1/2 to 1/3 the size of those In the other two series, borders the lateral 1 ine ventral ly. A light yellow (Cl = 6.0Y8.5/12.0) suffusion extends from axillary region to mid-trunk; a black spot is present on the shoulder between the lateral line and white ventral surface. Centered in the black spot is a blue spot (Cl = 10. 0B3. 8/11.0). The black shoulder spot is bordered on Its anterior margin by a narrow, nearly vertical white line extending onto upper arm. A lateral gular light line extends from the lower labial region and under the auditory meatus to the shoulder patch. Limbs exhibit a barring similar to the dorsal trunk surface, with transverse light lines most noticeable on the posterior limbs. Although in most females the dorsolateral and lateral bars are bordered posteriorly by white edging, in some it Is reduced or absent. In some the background color is a grey brown (Cl - 7.5YR4.5/5.0) instead of the normal light brown. About 20% of all the females obtained were nearly uniform dull tan (Cl = 2.5Y6.0/2.4) or grey (Cl = 6.0Y6.0/1.0), with little evidence of the usual pattern; the dorsolateral line Is dimly evident in certain individuals, as are the vertebral line and dorsal barring. Notably, 58% of the females obtained from the Milpa Alta site exhibited the latter pattern. Here the animals live In a very sandy area with the lowest cover density value (34.8% cover) of any study site. Female ventral surface. Melanophores are scattered over much of the ventral surface, with the throat and anterior thorax darker than the abdomen (Figure 2). The abdomen may have a bronze (Cl = 5 . 0YR5 . 0/7 . 0), yellow (Cl = 6. 0Y8. 5/12.0) or light blue (Cl = 2.5PB7.0/7.0) color. In some cases, distinct lateral blue patches were observed and in some of the larger females the entire ventral surface was dark to black. Dorsally uni col or females were similar ventral ly to patterned females. There appears to be no ontogenetic change in coloration of females. | Male dorsal surface. The lateral and lateral gular lines are prominent on the face of adult males. All body lines are less well defined than in females; in many they are virtually indistinguishable. Transverse dark bars are poorly defined and not edged posteriorly by white. The largest males appear very melanistlc. The shoulder patch is prominent in all males; the blue center spot may be absent, and the ventral edge of the patch is bordered by a white line. The dorsolateral line is present between eye and tip of snout, but indistinct behind the eye; usually it is interrupted in the supratympanic area. Very distinct lateral patches of yellow (Cl = 10.0YR8.0/ 14.0) or red (Cl = 8. 75R4. 5/16. 5) occur In some adult males; they may reach Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 4 Volume 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 as high as the dorsolateral line. Some exhibit no suffusion of such color, but no correlation of It with size, locality or reproductive activity Is evident. Male ventral surface. The throat Is black or. In some, blue-black, up to the sides of the head and the lateral gular line (see Figure 2). Much variation is observed In the degree of white flecking, although it is always scattered and not arranged in bars. Males always exhibit denser pigmentation of the ventral surface than females. The dark abdominal pigmentation Is bordered laterally by red, yellow or brown patches extending from axilla to thigh region, but not onto thigh or tall. Ventrolateral blue patches are evident Is all Individuals, but are hard to distinguish in those males having completely melanistic ventral surfaces. In extreme cases, the whole ventral surface from chin to thighs Is black. 3. Color Patterns in "bicanthal Is." Female dorsal surface. The lateral, lateral gular and dorsolateral lines are present and similar to those observed in female "aeneus." The barring is similar except that the lateral series of bars does not extend to tail. In most Individuals, the shoulder patch Is not developed. The vertebral line Is wider (3.4 scales wide) than in "aeneus.” Unicolor females were not observed in any "bicanthal I s" populations. In the Zoquiapan populations, a cinnamon (Cl = 2.5YR5.0/8.0) background color was observed in approximately 5% of the females examined, replacing the light brown background usually evident. This color morph was not observed in any population of "aeneus," and was limited to associations in pine forests with little grass present but a thick carpet of dry pine needles. Female ventral surface. Most females had a light blue (Cl = 2.5PB7.0/ 7.0) abdomen; In some the blue was darker ventrolateral ly (Figure 3). The throat In some females was barred lightly In black. Male dorsal surface. The dorsal pattern Is very similar to that of females of both subspecies. Very little sexual dimorphism occurs. In a few large males the pattern Is reduced. In no male were the red or yellow lateral patches observed as seen In the "aeneus" males. The shoulder patches of "bicanthal is" are similar to those described for "aeneus" males. Ma 1 e vent r a 1 su r f ace . The ventral pigmentation is less developed than In "aeneus" males (see Figure 3). Distinct ventrolateral blue patches (Cl = 10. 0B3. 8/11.0) are present and the throat is diagonally barred In black and white (50:50); these bars may cover the thorax, abdomen and thighs. 4. Karyotype No difference was observed In the karyotype of the two taxa. Both subspecies have a diploid chromosome number of 24 (2N = 24). The chromosomes are similar In size and shape. Additionally, both have a terminal satellite on the long arm of chromosome number two. These findings are similar to those reported by Cole (1978) for S . aeneus. Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 5 Vo lure 21 Number 1 March 1985 Figure 2. Ventral color pattern of female (A) and male (B) Soeloporus aerieus . Page 6 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Vo 1 ume 21 Number 1 March 1985 Figure 5. Ventral color pattern of female (A) and male (B) Sceloporus bicanthalis . Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 7 Vol ime 21 Number 1 March 1985 5. Distribution and Habitat The distribution of the two parity types Is indicated in Figure 4. Temperature and precipitation do not differ at sample sites (Figure 5). The "blcanthal is” parity type ranges from the eastern perimeter of the valley of Mexico east to the Sierra Madre Oriental of the state of Veracruz, from 2900 to 4400 m. It habitats open pine forests, with average cover densities of 12.8 ± 0.64 m of ground cover per 25 m (51.2% coverage). The "aeneus" type occurs from the western ridge of the valley of Mexico westward into the state of Michoac&n as far as the mountains surrounding the city of Uruapan, from 2350 to 3050 m. As in "blcanthal i s," it inhabits open pine forests, although the ground cover density is less than in the "blcanthal Is" sites (8.95 - 0.49 m of ground cover per 25 m, 35.8% cover; t = 2.77; df = 30; P < .01). In addition, ’’aeneus" occurs In d I sturbed areas such as corn fields and around houses in small vi 1 1 ages, whereas "blcanthal i s" was never obtained from similar disturbed areas. The two parity types are dichopatr ic in distribution; that Is, the two populations have no area of contact although they do come within 10-15 kl lometers of one another. There I s one reported d I spar i ty In the 1 i terature: Smith and Brandon (1976) reported specimens of "S, a. aeneus" from the area of Huauchinango, Puebl a. In the reg i on inhabited by S. a. bioanthalis auct . We have re-examined these specimens and they are definitely "aeneus" as are two series of specimens ( I BHUNAM 4447-4449) from Cmi 1 tepee, Hidalgo, and Piedras Encimadas, Puebla, northwest and southeast of the Brandon and Smith location, respectively. However, add i t ional specimens in the Museum de Zoolog la, Facul tad de Cl encl as, UNAM, from the same reg i on surrounding Huauchinango, are "blcanthal is." A thorough field study of this reg i on could clarify this problem quite simply. A siml lar problem ex i sts in the reg i on of Nevado de Tol uca, Mex i co. In the terr itory inhabited by the "aeneus" complex. Recently, it was noted that females from high elevations (3500 m and higher) exhibit viviparity (this study and G. Lara, personal communication). These females are seemingly referable to the nom i na 1 subspecies "5. aeneus subnig er" of Poglayen and Smith (1958). All specimens col lected have one cant ha 1 and dark ventral surfaces with barred chins. Morphological ly, they are indistinguishable from "aeneus" specimens except for ventral coloration. A thorough Investigation of the reproduct i ve biology and taxonomy of this population is current ly underway. 6 . Reproductive cycles. The reproduct I ve cycles of "aeneus" and "blcanthal is" have recently been rev I ewed in detai 1 (Gull lette, 1981a, b). The "aeneus" type is character ined not only by ovi par I ty, but also by spring (Apr 1 1 , May) courtship and mat tng, and summer (May, June) ovulation. In contrast, the "blcanthal Is" type exhibits fal 1 -winter courtship and mat I ng (October, November, December) as well as ovulation (January, February) (Guf 1 lette, 1982). Other aspects of reproduct I ve activity are simi larly d 1 sparate. Including the period of peak test icul ar activity, vitel logenesis, presence of ovi ductal ova, and development of corpora lutea and fol 1 icles (GuI 1 lette, 1982). The oviparous "aeneus" type lacks a pi acenta, of course, whereas the "blcanthal Is" type possesses both chor iovitel 1 ine and chorioal lantoic pi acentae (loc. cit.). The former type may produce two clutches per year, and I ts eggs are relatively smal 1 and numerous at ovulation; the latter type Page 8 Bui let in Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 produces one clutch per year and Its eggs are relatively large and less numerous at ovulation (Guillette, 1982). Discussion The color morphs observed In the females of the two population types suggest that differential predation may be a determining factor. Female "aeneus" exhibiting the unicolor morph were always obtained in areas of low ground cover density and sandy soil. Major predators of these organisms are birds. Cryptic coloration is useful In protection from predation (Clarke, 1954; Gibbons and Lillywhite, 1981) and in some cases may lead to speciatlon (Gibbons and Lillywhite, 1981). An example from the "blcanthal Is" population also points to differential predation, for the corrmonly obtained females In the pine needle covered forest floor were of the cinnamon colored morph. In both cases, the only way these animals were observed was by movement. In the normal area of habitation, the brown background females with the series of bars and longitudinal lines were very well camouflaged in the tall bunch grasses whereas the cinnamon and unicolor females were conspicuous. The presence of the different color morphs may be due directly to the influence of differential predation. Figure 4. Distribution of the populations of the Mexican lizard complex, Sceloporus aeneus . Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 9 TEMPERATURE (°C) TEMPERATURE (°C) Volune 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 Figure 5. Temperature and precipitation data (means) for two locations in Mexico inhabited by See loporus aeneus (Ajusco, D. F.) and Sceloporus bicanthalis (Rfo Frio, Mexico). Page 10 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Vo 1 une 21 Number 1 March 1985 The history of the study of Sceloporus aeneus suggests that the two parity types are at least closely related If not taxonomlcal ly Identical. The extensive similarities of the two types leads us to agree, for morphological differences are slight Indeed. Karyotypic and preliminary electrophoret Ic data (Guillette, 1981b) provide no support for recognition of a taxonomic level of differentiation. Yet genetic morphology Is not an infallible clue to taxonomic differentiation, primarily because techniques do not yet exist for exhaustive analysis (Mayr, 1970; Wake, 1981). Genetic controls for the differences that do exist, given their populational constancy, must be present, however difficult they are to isolate. Additionally, the differences that do exist not only exhibit a high degree of correlation (perfect for some), but include seemingly absolute isolating mechanisms. The two population types can be distinguished at 100% level by either reproductive mode or canthal nunber (with a great correlat ion), or approximately at a 90% level using throat region pattern and color. The two population groups are, so far as known, dlchopatric although only a few kilometers (10-15) separate them in some areas. In other regions they may be parapatrlc or even sympatrlc; additional field work will be required to resolve that question. However, Gulllette carefully explored geographic approximation zones and found no evidence whatsoever of character approximation suggestive of hybridization or intergradat ion. Not a single Intermediate was found in over 500 museum specimens examined. Most critical is the obvious isolating influence of the trenchantly different reproductive cycles of the two populations. The difference In parity type alone would seem a likely barrier to interbreeding, but the difference in seasonality leaves nothing to chance. The two populations cannot interbreed in spite of their geographic and habitat proximity. The evidence now available permits no conclusion other than that the "aeneus” and "bicanthal is" populations represent separate, distinct, cryptic (sibl ing, sensu Mayr, 1970), biological species, properly designated as Sceloporus aeneus and S . bicanthalis , respectively, as proposed thirty years ago by Davis and Smith (1953: 102) on the grounds that the former is oviparous, the latter viviparous. More recently Smith and Hall (1974: 97-99) reasoned erroneously that "5. a, aeneusu is not only viviparous but reproduces in alternate years, and on the criterion of parity they distinguished an oviparous scalaris complex from a viviparous aeneus complex. On that same criterion a viviparous bicanthalis complex (containing bicanthalis , goldmani and presunably subniger ) can now be recognized, with aeneus now falling with scalaris (four subspecies) in what is least confusingly designated the scalaris complex, all members being oviparous. Whether this arrangement accurately reflects phylogeny is uncertain; viviparity may have arisen quite independently In each of the three taxa in which it occurs, and, in view of the primitively diagonal lateral scale rows of one of them Cgolcbr.ani') , parallel in all other members of the scalaris group, it very likely has at least in that species. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 11 Volune 21 Number 1 March 1985 Additional data are necessary before a definitive phylogeny of the members of the seal avis group can be admitted. Cole (1978) eliminated See loporus jalapae from the scalaris group, leaving that group now with certainly at least four species, one with four subspecies. The discovery here first reported of viviparity in subniger requires its tentative elevation to specific rank from its former allocation as a subspecies of S. aeneus , in the interest of consistency of treatment of that apparent natural pair with the docunented treatment of another oviparous-viviparous pair, namely S. aeneus and 5. bieanthalis . The validity of that tentative extrapolation, however, is subject to verification or rejection by researches now in progress. The taxa of the Seeloporus scalaris group, as understood at present, as well as the Seeloporus bieanthalis group, can thus be distinguished by the following key. Key to Species and Subspecies of the sealaris Group of the Genus Seeloporus 1. Lateral scales in distinctly oblique rows; dorsals 50-55; two canthals; gular region irregularly barred in both sexes; venter white, with very little melanin; in males a blue lateral abdominal patch; viviparous... . . . go Idmani Lateral scales in parallel rows; dorsals 36-50; canthals one or two; color as described or not; either viviparous or oviparous . 2 2 . One cantha 1 . '..... . . 9 Two canthals, the anterior occasionally forced above canthal ridge by contact of the posterior and subnasal..... . . . ..3 3. Males wi th much black in ventral coloration; tibia/head proportion usually less than 0.90; max. s-v length 56 mm; viviparous............. . . . . . bieanthalis Males without much black in ventral coloration, limited at most to bars on throat and sides of abdomen; tibia/head proportion usually more than 0.90; max. s-v length 78 mm; oviparous. . sealaris scalaris 4. Males with much black in ventral coloration................... . .5 Males with black, if present, confined to bars on throat and sides of abdomen; oviparous . . . . . . .6 5. Throat barred, viviparous . . . . subniger Throat not barred, oviparous. . . . . . . . aeneus Page 12 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Vo lime 21 Number 1 March 1985 6. Tlbla/head proportion usually more than 0.90; scales of 2nd pair of postmentals usually In contact; max. s-v length 65 rim . . scalavis unicanthalis TIbla/head proportion usually less than 0.90; scales of 2nd pair of postmentals separated; max. s-v length 61 rnn . 7 7. Gular region barred; dorsals 44 or more (100%); max. s-v length 51 nm. . . . . scalavis samcolemani Gular region not barred; dorsals 43 or fewer (84%); max. s-v length 61 rrm . scalavis slevini Ac know! edgments We are much indebted to the authorities of the museums (see Materials and Methods) from which specimens were borrowed; to our field companions in Mexico, especially Dr. Gustavo Casas-Andreu and his students; to Dr. Richard E. Jones of the University of Colorado for inspiration and support as well as space and facilities for pursuit of this study; and to our wives for their patient understanding. Part of this work was submitted to the University of Colorado in partial fulfillment for a Ph.D. degree by the primary author. This work was supported by grants from the Van Riper Fund, Colorado University Museum; a grant from the Alexander Memorial Award Foundation; and an NSF Doctoral Dissertation Award, all to LJG. Literature Cited Clarke, G. L. 1954. Elements of ecology. New York, Wiley. Cole, C. J. 1978. Karyotypes and systematics of the lizards in the vaviabilis , jalapae and scalavis species groups of the genus Scelopovus. Am er. Mus. Novit. (2653): 1-13. _ and C. R. Leavens. 1971. Chromosome preparations of amphibians and reptiles: improved technique. Herpetol . Rev. 3:T-102. Davis, W. B. and H. M. Smith. 1953. Lizards and turtles of the Mexican state of Morelos. Herpetologica 9:100-108. Garcia, E. 1981. Mod 1 f i cac i ones al sistema de clasif icaci6n clfm&tica de Koppen (para adaptarlo a las condiciones de la Repi!ibl lea Mexicana). 3rd edition. Mexico, D. F., Institute de Geografla, Unlversidad Nacional Aut6noma de Mexico. 252 pp. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 13 Volume 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 Gibbons, J. R. H. and H. B. Lillywhite. 1981. Ecological segregation, color matching, and speciation in lizards of the Amphibolurus decresii species complex (Lacert ilia: Agamidae). Ecology 62:1573-1584. Guillette, L. J. dr. 1981a. On the occurrence of oviparous and viviparous forms of the Mexican 1 izard Sceloporus aeneus . Herpetologica 37 : 11-15. 1981b. Reproductive strategies and the evolution of viviparity in two al lopatr ic populations of the Mex i can 1 izard, Sceloporus aeneus . Boulder, Colo., Unlv. Colo. Ph.D. Diss. (Diss. Abst . No. 81-22285). 1982. The evolution of viviparity and placentat Ion in the high elevation, Mex i can 1 izard Sceloporus aeneus . Herpetologica 38:94-103, figs. 1-2. Mayr, E. 1970. Populations, spec I es and evolution. Cambridge, MA. , Harvard Univ. Press. Poglayen, I. and H. M. Smith. 1958. Noteworthy herpt I les from Mexico. Herpetologica 14:11-15. Smith, H. M. 1937. A synopsis of the scalaris group of the lizard genus Sceloporus . Occ. Papers Mus . Zool . U. Mich. (361) : 1-8 . 1939. The Mexican and Central American 1 izards of the genus Sceloporus . Field Mus. Nat. Hist . Zool . Ser. 26 : 1-397. _ _ _ and R. A. Brandon. 1971. A range extension for the Mexican 1 izard Sceloporus a, aeneus . J. Herpetol . 5:60-61. _ _ and W. P. Hal 1 . 1974. Contributions to the concepts of reproductive cycles and the systemat ics of the scalar is group of the lizard genus Sceloporus . Great Basin Naturalist 34:94-104, figs. 1-2. Smi the, F. B. 1975 . Natural ist 's color guide. New York, Airier . Mus. Nat. Hist. Thomas, R. A. and J. R. Dixon. 1976. A re-evaluation of the See loporus scalaris group (Sauria, Iguanidae). S. W. Natur. 20:523-536. Page 14 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 Wake, D. B. 1981. The application of allozyme evidence to problems in the evolution of morphology. In: Scudder, G.G.E, and J. L. Reveal, Evolution today: 257-270, figs. 1-2. Wiegmann, A. F. A. 1828. Beytrage zur Amph i b i enkunde . Isis von Oken 21:364-383. Department of Biological Sciences , Wichita State University , Wichita , Kansas 67208 ; and Department of Environmental , Population and Organismic Biology , University of Colorado , Boulder , Colorado 80309. Received: 27 July 1984 Accepted: 9 September 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 15 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 REPRODUCTION IN THE MOLE KINGSNAKE, Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata The mole klngsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata, ranges from the vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland south to the Florida panhandle and westward to central Tennessee and southern Mississippi ( Conan t, 1975). It is a fossorial species most often seen at twilight. Because of Its secretive habits, little Is known of Its natural history, especially Its breeding habits. The purpose of this paper Is to present new data on eggs and hatchlings of this snake, and to compare reproductive data between the subspecies L. c. calligaster and L. c. rhombomaculata . On 2 dune 1984, an obviously gravid female mole klngsnake was captured by Lovich at Woodbridge, Prince William County, Virginia. Its measurements were as follows: total body length, 851 mm, snout-vent length, 753 mm, tail length, 98 mm (11.5% of total body length). The snake was brought to George Mason University (GMU) where it was housed in a Neodesha, 24 inch reptile cage. She shed on 24 June, and, as ecdysis has often proceeded oviposit Ion by 1- 10 days in other captive Lampropeltis we have kept, a nesting box with damp sawdust was provided the next day. Sixteen white, smooth-shelled eggs were laid on 5 July; fifteen regularly-shaped, elongated eggs and one smaller, almost round egg. This is a record clutch for L. c. rhombomaculata . The eggs were measured with dial calipers accurate to 0.1 mm (unfortunately no weights were taken), and placed in moist sawdust In a gallon Jar and Incubated at room temperature (approximately 23°C). A group of eight elongated eggs and the smaller rounded egg comprised a large adherent cluster, while two other elongated eggs were also stuck together In a separate cluster. Adherence in Lampropeltis eggs is well known (Blanchard, 1921). The female shed again on 29 July, but refused all food and was eventually preserved (GMU 2454). Hatching began on 19 September and the last hatchling emerged on the 21st, an incubation period of 76-78 days. Nine young emerged. Of the other seven eggs, five contained near term dead embryos (GMU 2538), one was destroyed early in incubation by mold, and the smaller rounded egg was infertile. Egg and hatchling parameters are presented in Tables 1-2, and Figure 1 shows a plot of weight versus total body length in the nine hatch 1 Ing L. c. rhombomaculata. The young snakes immediately showed belligerent dispositions, shaking their tails and striking when approached. Ecdysis began on 30 September with the last hatchling shedding its skin 9 October. Five hatchlings were preserved (GMU 2539-2543), and the other four were released at the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge Fairfax County, Virginia on 12 October. Page 16 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Vo lane 21 Number 1 March 1985 Tables 1-2 present comparative data on nesting dates, eggs, incubation periods, hatching success, and hatchling parameters for L. c. rhombomaeulata and the western subspecies L, a. ealligaster . Nesting occurs in both subspecies during dune and July, and there is no significant difference in mean clutch size between the two races (chi-square test, p>0.05). However, it is apparent that L. e. ealligaster, the slightly longer subspecies (Conant, 1975), lays larger, heavier eggs. Hatching occurs in August and September in both subspecies. The relatively long incubation period we report, comparable only to that reported for a Missouri L. e. ealligaster by Anderson (1965), was probably due to a lower incubation temperature. Table 2 shows that the hatchlings of L. e. ealligaster are also significantly larger and more heavy (chi-square test, p>0.05) than those of L. c. rhombomaeulata . In Figure 2, clutch size Is plotted against female total body length for the Virginia clutch and those literature clutches with correspond ing data. Generally, clutch size increases with greater female body length. Tryon and Carl (1980) determined, by hemipenal eversion, the sex ratio for their 17 hatchling L. e. rhombomaeulata to be 11 males and 6 females. Their males had tail lengths of 10.4-15.5% (X = 13.2%) of total body length, while those of their females were 11.0-13.0% (X = 12.1%). Sexes of the nine Virginia hatchlings were determined by tail length to be four males and five females. The males had tail lengths of 12.5-14.5% (X = 13.8%) and the females, 11.0-12.0% (X = 11.4%). Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 17 Vo 1 une 21 Number 1 March 1985 TABLE 1. Egg data for the snake, Lampropeltie calligaeter (measurements In irm; weights In g). Clutch Size Mean Length Mean Width Mean Weight Incubation Period (Days) Hatch 1 ng Rate (%) Source L. o. vhombomaculata: Virginia 5 July 16 27.8 (25.3-33.3) 21.1 (17.4-23.2) — 76-78 9(56) Georgia 2 June 5 39.6 (37-43) 16 (14-17) 6.4 49-54 4(80) Tryon 8 Carl, 1980 7 June 13 29.7 (27-34) 18.3 (17-19) 5.7 49-54 13(100) Tryon S Carl, 1980 Maryland 11 June 15 — — — — — Howden, 1946 L. o. oalligaeter‘. Illinois August (found) 11 — — — — _ Blanchard, 1921 17 August (found) 9 44-49 24-28 — — — Cagle, 1942 19 June 11 37.9 (34-43) 21.1 (19-22) 10.7 (10-11.4) 45-46 9(90)* Shoop, 1957 27 June 8 40.0 (38-46) 18.0 (17-19) 8.9 (8. 2-9. 6) 49-50 7(88) Shoop, 1957 5 July 9 — — — — — Smith, 1961 6 July 18 — — — 52 13(72) Miller, 1962 Indiana 22 July 11 — — — 54** — Minton, 1972 Kansas 15 July 9 44.1 (41-48.5) 21.0 (19-22) 11.6 (10.9-12.4) — — Clarke, 1954 25 June (found) 13 — — — 54-55 13(100) Fitch, 1978 19 June 7 — — — 67-68 — Fitch, 1978 10 — — — 62-63 — Fitch, 1978 Ml ssourl 13 July 6 50 20 ___ _ _ _ _ Anderson, 1965 23 June 12 47 21 — 73-75 13(100) Anderson, 1965 August (found) 13 — — — — — Anderson, 1965 22 June 17 — — — — — Dietrich, I960 Nebraska 9 June 13 — — — 53 — Iverson, 1975 Oklahoma 1 July 14 39.3 23.7 _ _ _ Carpenter, 1958 20 July 14 24.3 16.5 — — — Carpenter, 1958 Texas 17 June (dissected) 8 — — — — — Guidry, 1953 !! = One egg opened by Shoop. ** = Embryos killed Just before hatching. Page 18 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 TABLE 2. Hatchling data for the snake, Lampropeltia oalligaster (measurements In rrm, weights In g) . N. Total Length Mean Snout -Vent Length Tall Length Weight Source L. a. rhombomaoulata : Virginia 9 221.6 (200-236) 193.4 (176-210) 28.1 (24-33) 4.0 (2. 7-4. 7) Georgia 4 220.7 (193-236) — — 5.5 (5. 1-6.4) Tryon 6 Carl, 1980 13 219.5 (210-230) — — 5.8 (4. 9-6. 5) Tryon & Carl, 1980 Maryland 9 225 — — ™ Grogan S Prince, 1971 L. c. calligastev'. Illinois 9 260.5 (249-271) — 33.4 (28-37) 9.1 (7.7-10.1) Shoop, 1957 7 265.4 (250-277) — 33.5 (32-39) 7.5 (6. 9-8.0) Shoop, 1957 Indiana 3 244-255 ___ — — Minton, 1972 Kansas 26 — 272 (234-308) — 7.96 (6.9-12.2) Fitch, 1978 Nebraska 13 297 (290-305) — — — Iverson, 1975 Figure 1. The relationship of weight to total body length in hatchling Lampropeltis oalligaster rhomb omaculata (N = 9). Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 19 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 TOTAL BODY LENGTH (cm) Figure 2. The relationship of clutch size to female total body length in the snake, Lampvopeltis calligaster (N = .10). Solid circles = L. o. calligaster ; hollow circles = L. o. rhombomaculata . Literature Cited Anderson, P. 1965. The reptiles of Missouri. University of Missouri Press, Columbia, Missouri, 330 pp. Blanchard, F. 1921. N. A revision of the king snakes: Genus Lampropeltis Fitzinger. U.S. National Museum Bulletin Cl 14): vi + 260 pp. Cagle, F. R. 1942. Herpetological fauna in Jackson and Union counties, Illinois. Anerican Midland Naturalist 28:164-200. Carpenter, C. 1958. C. Reproduction, young, eggs and food of Oklahoma snakes. Herpetologica 14:113-115. Clarke, R. F. 1954. Eggs and egg-laying of Lampropeltis c. calligastev (Harlan). Herpetologica 10:15-16. Conant, R. 1975. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians of eastern and central North America. 2nd Ed. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 429 pp. Page 20 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volune 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 Dietrich, S. 1960. Fitch, H. S. 1978. Grogan, W. L 1971. Guidry, E. V 1953. Howden, H. F 1946. Iverson, J. 1975. Miller, M. 1962. Minton, S. A 1972. Shoop, C. R. 1957. Smith, P. W. 1961. Tryon, B. W. 1980. E. Record clutch of Lampropeltis eggs. Herpetologlca 16:47. A field study of the prairie kingsnake ( Lampropeltis calligaster') . Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 81:354-362. , Jr. and E. C. Prince. Notes on hatchling mole snakes, Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomacu lata Holbrook, In Maryland. Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetologlcal Society 7:42. Herpetologlcal notes from southeastern Texas. Herpetologlca 9:49-56. The brown king snake or mole snake ( Lampropeltis rhombomaoulata ) In Maryland. Maryland Journal of Natural History 16:38-40. Notes on Nebraska reptiles. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 78:51-62. New record clutch of prairie king snake eggs. Bulletin of the Philadelphia Herpetolog ical Society 10(1): 14. , Jr. Amphibians and reptiles of Indiana. Indiana Academy of Science Monograph (3): 1-346. Eggs and young of the prairie king snake, Lampropeltis c . calligaster . Copela 1957:48-49. The amphibians and reptiles of Illinois. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin, 18:1-298. and G. Carl . Reproduction in the mole king snake, Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaoulata (Serpentes, Colubrldae). Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 83:66-73. Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 21 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 — Carl H. Ernst, and Steve W. Gotte, Department of Biology , George Mason University > Fairfax 3 Virginia 22 0 30 3 and Jeffrey E. Lovich, Institute of Ecology 3 University of Georgia , Athens , Georgia 30602 . Received: 21 November 1984 Accepted: 26 December 1984 Page 22 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Vol ume 21 Number 1 March 1985 BEHAVIOR OF PNEUMONECTOMIZED CRYPTOBRANCHUS ALLEGA N TEN SIS Three acute experiments have helped elucidate respiratory functions in the hel 1 bender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis . Robin (see Hughes, 1967) demonstrated that submerged hellbenders survive (duration not stated) without lungs or patent body orifices. This is possible because underwater gas exchange is primarily transcutaneous (Guimond and Hutchison, 1973, 1976; Boutilier and Toews, 1981). When body rocking is prevented, thus skin fold ventilation decreased, however, maintenance of blood oxygen tension fails (Harlan and Wilkinson, 1981). The lungs may therefore be less respiratory than hydrostatic in this form but long-term studies of lung-deprived animals are lacking. We determined the consequences of pneLmonectomy on long-tern survival and behavior of unrestrained salamanders under conditions conducive to respiratory activity (warm tank) with those in a "minimun activity" environment (cool tank) where water currents could be interrupted to test the effect on rocking activity. Twelve hellbenders, 27-49 cm total length (X = 38 cm) and 69-430 g (X = 238 g) were caught in the Allegheny River 3 km south of Tionesta, Pennsylvania, during August. Water temperature under rocks harboring salamanders ranged from 18-25°C. Hellbenders were held at 5°C for one week and pneumonectom i zed under .05% tricaine (MS222) anesthesia. The lungs were lifted through a midventral incision behind the x i ph i sternum and returned (6 sham controls) or ligated and removed (6 experimental s) . Monofilament loops through the caudal fin and natural scars served as individual markers. Three operated and 3 control animals matched by length were placed in each of two 40 1 aquaria. Water temperature in the warm tank varied with ambient temperatures and ranged from 20-24°C (X = 21.7°C). This tank was aerated by several airstones leaking compressed air. Water temperature in the cool tank was held at 15-17°C (X = 16.1°C) by an external refr igerat ion unit. Water was circulated through the refrigerator to return to one corner near the bottom. Circulation was stopped to determine whether rocking behavior would ensue. Water temperature rose 1-1. 5°C during these tests. Salamanders in the warm tank were fed crayfish every 2 weeks but those in the cool tank were not fed. Activities were recorded for a few minutes at all hours (39 observations at 0100-0600; 78 at 0600-1200; 127 at 1200-1800; 123 at 1800-2400). Trips to the surface, air gulping, rocking (scored as a sharp lateral body tilt and return) movements, crawling, swimming, and floating incidences were tabulated. Crawling and swimming were unaltered by pneumonectomy and are not d!scussed. The clearest difference between control and experimental animals in both tanks concerned body orientation relative to the water surface when floating. Hellbenders would swim toward the surface and float just beneath it for several seconds (8-40, X = 31) often without gulping. Intact salamanders floated with the body roughly paralleling the surface but pneumonectom i zed animals floated at an angle to the surface (Figure 1). No movements suggestive of discomfort were noticed and there were no consistent differences in duration of floating between control and experimental animals. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 23 Vo 1 Line 21 Number 1 March 1985 Figure 1. Intact hellbenders typically floated just under and roughly parallel to water surface (WS) as shown at top. Pneunonectomized animals, however, floated at an angle to water surface (bottom) with trunk and tail pointing toward substrate. Air gulping did not necessarily accompany floating in either control or lung-deprived animals. In the warm tank^ one pneumonectomi zed animal surfaced on numerous occasions to gulp air (X = 11 trips/10 min), which often leaked from its mouth during resubmergence . The other gulper was a control whose overall surfacing rate averaged 3 trips/10 min interval of observation. Neither the other experimental nor control animals were observed to gulp air. A non-gulping control consistently positioned itself close to an airstone and rocked the least (X = 5 times/mi n). This was less than the mean rocking frequency (16 rocks/min) of the control gulper. The pneurionectom i zed gulper a]_so rocked fewer times (13/min) than did the pneumonectomi zed non-gulpers (X = 20 times/mi n). The non-gulping control died after 3 months but the 3 pneumonectomi zed and 2 control salamanders were vigorous when released 12 months after the experiment began. Salamanders in the cool tank behaved quite differently. They generally remained relatively quiet and piled atop each other directly beside the water inlet. One occasionally rocked feebly but never in a sustained bout. There was a preference for the bottom of the pile and an animal at the top or middle would occasionally slip out, crawl or swim about to return to burrow into the bottom of the pile. On 12 occasions water circulation was turned off for 2 hours. Within 20 min on each occasion all the animals began to rock. This generally resulted in the pile breaking up, but some times one animal would attempt to rock on top of or beneath the others. We failed to Page 24 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 distinguish any clear differences in vigor or frequency of these rocking motions regarding control versus experimental hellbenders. Rather, each seemed to have some idiosyncratic rocking pattern. This was highly variable, the most common rocking frequencies being between 15-50 min. A few instances of continuous rocking were seen while circulation was interrupted, but as often by a control as by a pneunonectomi zed animal. Similarly, small salamanders rocked as often as did larger ones. Thus neither lack of lungs nor surface: volume ratio of the animals significantly influenced rocking activity. Two controls and 2 experimental animals died after 6-7 months. The two survivors Cl control, 1 experimental) were killed In poor condition 10 months after the experiment began. Pulmonary gas exchange in hellbenders may be an auxiliary respiratory mechanism serving under hypoxic conditions, as in goldfish which gulp air (Burggren, 1982). The differences in sub-surface floating postures of experimental and control salamanders suggest, however, that the lungs may function more as hydrostatic organs mediating buoyancy. Under hypoxic conditions this could enable the animal to remain close to oxygen-rich, near-surface environments, thus facilitating transcutaneous respiration or air gulping. Our observations demonstrate that lungs are not essential for long-term survival of hellbenders under the conditions described. These results extend the significance of Robin's (see Hughes, 1967) original observation and suggest that similar surgical preparations may serve in more extensive analysis of respiratory gas transport partitioning in this form. Rocking behavior Is not exaggerated in pneimonec torn! zed hellbenders but is begun or Intensified when currents cease. Rocking by control individuals under the same conditions suggests that pulmonary gas exchanges are of relatively minor physiologic importance, as previously shown by acute gas analysis In forcibly submerged (Guimond and Hutchison, 1973) and anesthetized (Harlan and Wilkinson, 1981) hellbenders. This reemphasizes the importance of rocking as a ventilatory assist In Cryptobranohus (Beffa, 1976) and suggests yet another means of optimizing gas exchange by an aquatic organism In hypoxic environments (see Llem, 1981). Impairment of hydrostatic adjustments in this form might limit survival under natural conditions though hellbenders can survive for 2 weeks when submerged or exposed in air (Guimond and Hutchison, 1976). It would be Interesting to monitor the success of free-ranging, pneunonectomi zed hellbenders. Ac know! edgements We thank J. Chupasko, B. Halteman, M. Himchak, M. Turn, and A. Wi kramanayake for help in capturing and observing the salamanders. Also, we thank Claudia Errera for typing the manuscript. Literature Cited Beffa, D. A. 1976. Responses of Cryptobranohus alleganiensis alleganiensis to different oxygen concentrations, temperature, and photoperiod. M.A. Thesis. Southwest Missouri State University. 37 pp. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal Society Page 25 Volune 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 Boutilier, R. G., and D. P. Toews. 1981. Respiratory properties of blood in a strictly aquatic and predominantly skin-breathing urodele, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis , Resp. Physiol., 46:161-176. Burggren, W. W. 1982. ”AIr gulping" improves blood oxygen transport during aquatic hypoxia in the goldfish Carassius auratus . Physiol. Zoo 1 . , 55:327-334. Guimond, R. W., and V. H. Hutchison. 1973. Aquatic respiration: An unusual strategy In the hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis (Daudin). Science 182:1263-1265. 1976. Gas exchange of the giant salamanders of North Anerica. In: Respiration of Amphibious Vertebrates, G. M. Hughes (ed.). Academic Press, New York, pp. 313-338. Harlan, R. A., and R. F. Wilkinson 1981. The effects of progressive hypoxia and rocking activity on blood oxygen tension for hellbenders, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, J. Herp., 15:383-388. Hughes, G. M. 1967. Evolution between air and water. In: A. V. S. de Reuck and R. Porter (eds.), Development of the Lung (Ciba Foundation Symposium). Little Brown and Co., Boston, pp. 64-84. L i em, K . F . 1981. Larvae of ai r-breathing fishes as countercurrent flow devices in hypoxic environments. Science 211:1177-1179. — Eric D. Wi kramanayake, K. G. Walker, and G. L. Dryden, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Biology , University and of California, Davis, California, 9 56 16 j Clinical Laboratory, St, Francis Hospital, Hew Castle, Pennsylvania, 16101 ; and Biology Department, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, 16057, Received: 12 December 1984 Accepted: 26 December 1984 Page 26 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 FROG MOUNTAIN: PRELIMINARY COMMENTS ON THE GENUS Eleutherodactylus ON THE ISLAND OF GUADELOUPE, WEST INDIES Frog Mountain stands stark and jagged above the narrow streets and bright green banana fields In the village of St. Claude. Janet and I had driven up to St. Claude after midnight and then on toward the summit of the mountain itself. In those days the high mountain road was still being built, and at its end we suddenly found ourselves trapped between moss-covered ledges and empty space. The pungent odor of sulphur was heavy In the air, fog lay white and thick upon the mountain, and bitter winds knifed across the slopes, bringing with them solid walls of cold, wet rain. It would have been, in fact, a totally miserable place except for the singing of hundreds upon hundreds of frogs. Janet, soaked and shivering, laughed and said "They should have called this place 'Frog Mountain”1. They didn't, of course. They called It, instead, "La Soufri&re". The volcanic peak of Soufrlere stands 4,800 feet above the sea, and the mountain itself is the dominant geologic feature of Basse Terre, westernmost of the two islands which together form the single "island" of Guadeloupe (Figures 1 and 3). Figure 1. Mount Soufri&re, Guadeloupe, near the summit. Beyond the tree line on this mountain strange things begin to happen. Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 27 Volune 21 Member 1 March 1985 For a very long time, only one member of the genus Eleutherodacty lus, Eleutherodactylus martinicensis , was known to occur on Guadeloupe. Then John Lynch discovered a second species, Eleutherodactylus barlagnei, In the highlands of Basse Terre (Lynch, 1965); and two years later A1 Schwartz discovered a third, Eleutherodacty lus pinchoni, In the same general region (Schwartz, 1967). Janet and I had gone to Guadeloupe to compare these three species to frogs which we were then studying on several islands south of Guadeloupe. It would have been a simple, one-time trip; but strange things began to happen, particularly on Frog Mountain, and we found ourselves returning again and again in an effort to unravel the mysteries of the island’s Eleutherodacty lus and their significance in the overall biogeography of the Lesser Antilles. The mysteries, by and large, remain exactly as they were, mysterious and totally unresolved. The purpose of this short paper, then, is to make the data which my colleagues and I have so far collected available to other students of Caribbean biogeography. It should be noted, however, that most of the data have not yet been adequately analyzed or interpreted. Soon after our Initial trip, Janet and I returned to Guadeloupe with Dr. George Drewry. Our first discovery of any real significance was the occurrence on Guadeloupe (probably through recent Introduction) of Eleutherodactylus johnstonei , a species not recorded from the island by Schwartz in his excellent review of Eleutherodactylus In the Lesser Antilles (Schwartz, 1967). As a result, also, of that trip, and of the voice recordings which we made, we were able to expand on Schwartz's review of the auriculatus group of Eleutherodactylus , a study which was based primarily on differences and similarities in patterns of vocalization of the' various species within the group (Schwartz, 1969). Briefly stated, where Schwartz found unique differences among the voices of the four Guadeloupean species, we found the voices of three of them to be strikingly similar. Among members of the auriculatus group of the genus Eleutherodactylus (to which all of the Guadeloupean species belong) there are at least two distinctive call types. Some species, such as the Puerto Rican coqui, Eleutherodactylus portoricensis , produce a call consisting of an initial low-frequency note followed by one or more notes at a higher frequency; while others, such as Eleutherodactylus urichi of Trinidad and Tobago and Eleutherodactylus hedricki of Puerto Rico, produce calls of one or more notes, but always of the same frequency (Drewry, 1970; Wells, 1981). On Guadeloupe we found that Eleutherodactylus johnstonei , Eleutherodactylus martinicensis , and Eleutherodactylus barlagnei produce what are basically two-note (two frequency) calls, while Eleutherodactylus pinchoni, at least in the lowlands, produces a distinct, high frequency, single-note call. Above the tree line on "Frog Mountain" the call of Eleutherodactylus barlagnei Is slightly, but consistently different from the call of barlagnei lower down on the mountain; the call of Eleutherodactylus martinicensis , rapid and with the notes slurred together at sea level, is noticeably slower Page 28 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 and of lower frequency above the tree line (sounding very much like the cal 1 of Eleutherodactylus coqui In Puerto Rico); and "Eleutherodacty lus pinchoni", a single-note caller in the lowlands, produces a highly distinctive two-note call sounding very much like the call of Eleutherodactylus Johns tonei as previously described (Watkins, et al . , 1970; Lemon, 1971; Hardy and Harris, 1979)® The upland population of Eleutherodactylus pinchoni may. In fact, be a distinct and as yet un-named species. These frogs. In addition to their distinctive voices, are consistently larger than their lowland counterparts, and have, at least in some specimens, unique ventral pigment patterns and highly character 1st 1c broad, pale dorso- lateral stripes. My colleague and recent field companion, Mr. Blair Hedges, of the Department of Zoology, University of Maryland, has electrophoret ically compared the proteins of the two "pinchoni" populations, and has noted differences in the frequency of occurrence of certain protein bands in his resulting e 1 ect rophe rog rams . His work suggests that the upland frog may, indeed, be distinct, but a problem yet remains: Some of the frogs above the tree line produce the single-note call of typical lowland pinchoni , and there is the chance that our recent upland collections may have contained both forms (or species). We need to return to Guadeloupe, carefully document the call types of individual frogs, and then make new protein comparisons. George Drewry, who had previously done a considerable amount of work with the chromosomes of Eleutherodactylus in both Puerto Rico and Jamaica, made chromosome counts on all four of the named Guadeloupean species, as well as on all insular species occurring south of Guadeloupe. The four Guadeloupean species all have 28 chromosomes (Figure 2). Northward, those members of the auriculatus group for which chromosome data are available have 26 or fewer chromosomes (Bogart, 1981); while on islands south of Guadeloupe all species which are assumed to be members of this group have more than 30 chromosomes (Figure 3). Blair Hedges (personal communication), on the basis of work done by Dr. James Bogart with frogs from our recent field trip, states that, like the other Guadeloupean members of the genus, upland "Eleutherodactylus pinchoni" (or Eleutherodactylus sp.) also has 28 chromosomes. Assuming that the widely introduced Eleutherodactylus Johns tonei is of eastern Caribbean origin (Hardy and Harris, 1979), the Guadeloupean species appear to represent a discrete eastern Caribbean sub-unit of the auriculatus species group. There appears, also, to be a northward decrease in chromosome numbers among members of the auriculatus group throughout the entire Caribbean, On the basis of chromosome counts, and to a lesser extent, similarities in call structure, it would appear that the four (or five) species of Eleutherodactylus on Guadeloupe are more closely related to one another than has previously been supposed. On the other hand, two of the species exhibit unique morphological or embryo logical features; and our work on biochemistry, involving so far only leg muscle proteins, suggests significant similarities between only two of them. Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 29 Volume 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 Figure 2. Typical 2 8 -chromosome smear, upland Eleutherodactylus pinchoni Cor Eleutherodactylus sp.). Figure 3. The southeastern Caribbean, with Guadeloupe Indicated. The various species of Eleutherodactylus In Guadeloupe, all of which are members of the auriculatus group, have 28 chromosomes. Based on current knowledge, chromosome counts within this group are reduced northward to 26 or less, and Increase southward to more than 30. Page 30 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 Eleutherodaoty lus barlagnei differs from all other Guadeloupean Eleutherodaoty lus in having the toes slightly webbed rather than entirely un-webbed (Schwartz, 1967). Among those members of the aurioulatus group for which the egg tooth is known (including E. Johnstonei , E. barlagnei , E. pinohonis and E. martinicensis from Guadeloupe) only Eleutherodaoty lus martinicensis and Eleutherodaoty lus uriohi (which may not be a member of the aurioulatus group) have a single-pointed rather than bifurcate egg tooth. Hardy, 1984). Both Eleutherodaoty lus martinioensis and Eleutherodaoty lus uriohi occur at the extreme southern limits of the range of the aurioulatus group. The single-pointed egg tooth of Eleutherodaoty lus martinicensis may, therefore, prove to be of considerable evolutionary significance. Dr. Raymond Morgan and I have made comparisons of the leg muscle proteins of E, martinicensis , E. pinohoni3 E. barlagnei j and E. johnstonei (Figure 4). The muscle sample used for el ectrophores i s was taken from the muscle complex associated with the Tibia. The muscles were macerated in distilled water, and the supernatant used for polyacrylamide electrophoresis. Protein separation was done on 7% acrylamide gels using a Beckman Duostat and a Canal co model 66 bath. Runs were made at temperatures of 18 to 25°C and at a constant current of 4.2 ma/column. The buffer was a pH 8.3 0.005 M tris-0.039 M glycine system, and a b romopheno 1 -b 1 ue tracking dye was used for staining. : te n ■ ■■ I INI mnr T7 | i tl 1 11 1 MB n — 1 1 Figure 4. E 1 ect rophe rog rams of leg muscle proteins of the named species of Eleutherodaoty lus occurring in Guadeloupe. A. E. pinchoni; B. E. martinicensis ; C. E, barlagnei ; and D. E. Johns tonei . Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 31 Volu-ne 21 Number 1 March 1985 On the basis of simple visual scanning, the leg muscle electro- pherograms suggests a remarkable similarity In this character between Eleutherodactylus martinicensis and Eleutherodactylus pinchoni. Eleutherodactylus barlagnei Is closely similar to E, pinchoni and E. martinicensis, but conspicuously less like either of them then they are to each other. Eleutherodactylus dohnstonei Is noticeably distinct, showing essentially no similarities to the other three species. This, then. Is the situation as It now stands. Four or possibly five species of Eleutherodactylus occur on Guadeloupe, all of which share a common chromosome nurber (28). Four of these species (or populations) utilize two different frequencies in their calls, while one produces a distinctive, single-note, monotonal call. One is unique in having the toes slightly webbed, while another Is unique In having a single-pointed egg tooth. Muscle protein electropherograms show both striking similarities and significant differences. It is obvious, from all of this, that the Guadeloupean Eleutherodactylus will demand considerably more study before their significance in the overall biogeography of the southeastern Caribbean can be mean i ngful 1 y I nterpreted . Ac know 1 edgements Work on this project was originally supported by a grant from the American Philosophical Society. Dr. Anthony Plcciolo and Mr. Darrel 1 Knoll, of the National Oceanographic Data Center, U.S. Department of Commerce; Adria Elskus, Penelope Firth, Margaret Flowers, Linda Hudson, Linda Parrish, and Ann Symcowitz, all former studies at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland; Dr. George Drewry, Office of Endangered Species, U.S. Department of the Interior; Janet Olmon, formerly of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science; and Blair Hedges, Department of Zoology, University of Maryland, have all assisted in the field. Without the valuable assistance of these individuals, very little would have been accomplished. Dr. Jay Cole, American Museum of Natural History, has made definitive karyotypes of al 1 of the described species of Eleutherodactylus from Guadeloupe. Dr. Cole’s studies confirm our earlier chromosome counts, and will be used in subsequent work on the Guadeloupe problem. Dr. James P. Bogart, Department of Zoology, Guelph University, Ontario, provided the chromosome count for upland Eleutherodactylus pinchoni . Dr. George Drewry, in addition to his extremely valuable assistance in the field, did the original chromosome preparations and produced the sonograms upon which my comments on vocalization are based. Sonograms were made at the Division of Amphibians and Reptiles, United States National Museum, through the courtesy of Dr. Ronald Heyer. Dr. Raymond Morgan, formerly of the University of Maryland, prepared most of the leg muscle electropherograms. Dr. Richard Highton, Department of Zoology, University of Maryland, recently offered to make detailed electrophoret ic comparisons of the four (or five) Guadeloupean Eleutherodactylus for me, and allowed his graduate student, Blair Hedges, to accompany me on my most recent trip to Guadeloupe. Mr. Hedges is now in the process of making these very important comparisons. Page 32 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 Literature Cited Bogart, J. P. 1981. Chromosome studies in Sminthillus from Cuba and Eleutherodactyh from Cuba and Puerto Rico (Anura: Leptodacty 1 Idae) . Life ScI. Contrlb., Roy. Ontario Mus. (129), 21p. Drewry, G. 1970. Factors affecting activity of rain forest frog populations as measured by electrical recording of sound pressure levels, p. E-51-E-68, IN, Odun, Howard T. , and Robert F. Pigeon. 1970. A tropical rain forest: A study of irradiation and ecology at El Verde, Puerto Rico. Division of Technical Information, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. Hardy, J. D., dr. 1984. Frogs, egg teeth, and evolution: Preliminary comments on egg teeth In the genus Eleutherodactylus . Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 20(1): 1-11. , and H. S. Harris, Jr. 1979. Occurrence of the West Indian frog, Eleutherodactylus johnstonei, in South /America and on the Island of Curacao. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 15(4): 124-133. Lemon, R. E. 1971. Vocal communication by the frog Eleutherodactylus martinicensis . Canadian Jour. Zool . 49(2) : 211-217 . Lynch, J. D. 1965. A new species of Eleutherodactylus from Guadeloupe, West Indies. Breviora (220), 7p. Schwartz, A. 1967. Frogs of the genus Eleutherodactylus in the Lesser Antilles. Studies on the Fauna of Curacao and other Caribbean Islands 30(114): 99—1 15 . Watkins, W. A., E. R. Baylor, and A. T. Bowen. 1970. The call of Eleutherodactylus johnstonei, the whistling frog of Bermuda. Copeia 1970(3):558-561. Wells, K. D. 1981. Territorial behavior of the frog Eleutherodactylus urichi in Trinidad. Copeia 1981C35 : 726-728. — Jerry D. Hardy, Department of Herpetology , Natural History Society of Maryland , Inc.3 2643 N. Charles Street , Baltimore , Maryland 21218 . Received: 16 December 1984 Accepted: 26 December 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 33 Volume 21 Nuttoer 1 March 1985 NEW RECORDS FOR Chelydra serpentina rossignoni IN BELIZE While Ckelydra serpentina rossignoni was not recorded as a member of the Belize herpetofauna by Henderson and Hoevers (1975) its presence here was indicated by Pritchard (1979) and Is generally known to herpetologists who have worked in the country recently. In order to clarify the distribution pattern of this animal in Belize we provide our accumulated records of its occurrence here with notes concerning its habitat. 12 February 1975. Rio Grande River at Big Falls Village, Toledo Dist. adult, approx. 38 cm. carapace length collected under bridge on southern highway. Specimen released (F.D.) 2 January 1978. Blue Creek near Blue Creek Village, Toledo Dist. juvenile, found in small, shallow pool approx. .4 Km. e. of vi 1 lage (F.D. ) 15 January 1978. Aquacate Village, Toledo Dist. Maya family observed slaughtering large specimen purchased from another Maya in San Antonio, Toledo Dist. (F.D.) 15 March 1980. Blue Creek Village, Toledo Dist. large specimen captured by students approx. 3.2 Km e. of village (reported to, but not seen by F.D.) May 1982. Specimen crossing road between Aquacate and Blue Creek Village, Toledo, Dist. (F.D.) January 1983. Monkey Falls on Moho River, Toledo Dist. carapace hanging on wall of Indian hut. (F.D.) 6 January 1983. Blue Creek at Blue Creek Village, Toledo Dist. very large adult, approx. 46-50 cm. carapace length, est. wt. approx. 23 Kg. captured by Sylvano Cho of Wheaton College tour group in deep pool (approx. 2.4 M) with stumps and debris (F.D.) 29 June 1983. Carapace, bridge, and plastron In museum collection of Saint John's College, Belize City. 40 cm. carapace length, tag reads: "From Dry Columbia Creek at Forest Station, bought 10 July 1971 by Dora Weyer — probably collected in April" photo available (D.M.) 1 March 1984. 1 Km S.E. of Big Falls Village in Rio Grande River Toledo Dist., adult, 35 cm. carapace length, encountered at 1.5 M depth in clear, running water. Specimen released (D.M.) Page 34 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 2 March 1984. Golden Stream near Hellgate, Toledo Dist., adult, under Southern Highway Bridge in shal low water . 32 cm. carapace length. Specimen released (D.M.) 13 March 1984. juvenile 5.1 cm. carapace length, crossing road at junction of San Antonio Road and southern highway. Specimen is currently alive in captivity at the Zoological Research Institute, 210 Washington Street, Sherborn, Mass. 01770. (F.D.) 20 March 1984. Adjacent to Rio Grande River at Wilson's Landing (near Punta Gorda), Toledo Dist. juvenile 12 cm. carapace length trapped in shallow pond near the riverbank, and adult, 30 cm. carapace length crossing road. Both specimens released. (D.M.) 21 March 1984. Moho River, Toledo Dist. ("near mouth") small Juvenile 8.2 cm. carapace length. Purchased from fisherman in Punta Gorda. preserved in private collection of Don Moll (DLM 1532). Despite several years experience In conducting natural history tours in Belize by one of us (F.D.) and rather extensive search and trapping for aquatic turtles throughout Belize during 1983 and 1984 by one of us (D.M.) all of our records of C, s. rossignoni are from a rather limited area in Toledo Dist., southern Belize (Figure 1). Based upon the collection data from these specimens optimal habitat seems to be provided by a variety of lotic situations ranging from relatively shallow, high gradient streams to larger rivers. Several Individuals were encountered on land near both flowing and standing water, however, and one Juvenile was collected in a stagnant pond adjacent to a river. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 35 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 Figure 1 . Locations in Belize from which specimens from which individuals observed on land, in museum collections had probably come. 2. Rio Grande River and adjacent pond; 3 h. Aquacate Creek; 5* Blue Creek; 6. Dry were collected or in captivity, or 1 . Gol den Stream; Moho River; Columbia Creek. Page 36 Bulletin Maryland Herpeto log leal Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 L 1 terature Cfted Henderson, R. W., and L. G. Hoevers. 1975. A checklist and key to the amphibians and reptiles of Belize, Central America. Milwaukee Publ . Mus. Contrib. Biol. Geol . 5:1-63. Pritchard, P. 1979. C. H. Encyclopedia of turtles. T.F.H. Publ. Neptune, N.J. — Don Moll, Biology Departments Southwest Missouri State University , Springfield, Missouri 65804 and Frederick J. Dodd, Jr., Zoological Research Institute , Inc. , 210 Washington Street, Sherbom, Massachusetts 01770 Received: 9 January 1985 Accepted: 16 January 1985 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 37 Volune 21 Number 1 March 1985 A NEW SUBSPECIES OF THE GENUS Tantillita FROM SOUTHERN VERACRUZ, MEXICO (SERPENTES : COLUBRIDAE) Abstract Species of the genus Tantillita are restricted to Central America and extreme southern Mexico. One of them, T. lintoni, occurs In Guatemala and Honduras (Smith and Taylor, 1945; Wilson and Meyer, 1982), but has not been previously recorded In Mexico. Two specimens of this species have been found In Isolated mountains In the region of Los Tuxtlas, southern Veracruz, and they exhibit characterlst Ics, with evidence of geographic Influence, distinct from those of the Central American populations. In the present paper, the recognition of two subspecific populations Is proposed: one In Central America, and the other In the vicinity of Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico. Tantillita lintoni rozellae , subsp. nov. Type specimens. Holotype: No. 2336 (field 84152), adult male from Colonia El Bastonal, Sierra de Santa Marta, 900 m above sea level. Municipality of Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico, August 17, 1984, author coll. Paratype: No. 2337 (field 84177), adult male from the top of Cerro Egega, El Acuyal, 850 m, of the same Municipality, October 13, 1984, same coll. Both specimens In he rpeto logical collection of the Estac!6n de Biologfa Tropical "Los Tuxtlas", U.N.A.M. D i agnos i s . Similar to T, lintoni lintoni, but distinguishable by the ventral pattern and coloration. In T . lintoni rozellae, the dorsal color covers all the dorsal scale rows, and extends to a darker line at the edges of the ventrals, forming a narrow, wavy, longitudinal line on each side of the venter; a short, fine black extension follows the edge of each ventral (Figure 1). In Central American populations, the coloration extends only to the upper edge of the first scale row (see Smith, 1940). The dorsal color pattern is uniform redd ish-brown, darkest on posterior third; ventrals orange and subcaudals yellow in live specimens. Tail short, fat. Ventrals 115-118; subcaudals 47-48. Frontal obtuse posteriorly, with minor penetration between the parietal s as compared with T, l . lintoni (see figure in Smith, loc . cit .). Description of holotype. Head similar to that of T. I . lintoni, except that the frontal penetrates between the parietal s less than in the known specimens of that subspecies. One preocular; two postoculars; seven supralabial s, third and fourth entering orbit; temporals 1-1; six infralabials; posterior ch inshields smaller than anterior. Ventrals 115; anal divided; subcaudals 47. Total length 162 rrm (body 122, tail 40). Dorsal color uniform reddish-brown, posterior part of body and tail darkest, involving all rows scale, a brown dark pigmentation on edges of ventrals, forming a notched, longitudinal dark brown line on each side of venter (Figure 1). Venter cream in alcoholic solution (ventrals orange and subcaudals yellow in life), except for a fine dark line at lateral edge of anterior margin of each ventral. Supralabial s, except fourth, slightly pigmented. Page 38 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Volume 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 Habitat . The specimens were found In areas of rain forest at 800 and 900 m above sea level, with more than 4000 rrm annual rainfall and abundant fog. The holotype was collected in litter, the paratype under rocks. Both were found during the day. This habitat seems to be discrepant with the recorded, low altitude habitat of populations from Guatemala and Honduras (Smith, 1943; Wilson and Meyer, loo . cit.'). The name honors Dr. Rozella B. Smith, of the University of Colorado, for her indefatigable contributions to the knowledge of the Mexican herpetofauna. Figure 1. Ventral pattern of holotype of Tantillita lintoni rozellae , subsp. nov. See text for measurements. Ac know! edgements I am grateful to Dr. Hobart M. Smith of the University of Colorado for suggestions, bibliographic aid, and revision of the manuscript. Thanks go also to Biol. Miguel Martinez R., head of the Station, for facilities; and to Sr. Silvio Sanchez G., for his help in the field. Literature Cited Smith, H. M. 1940. Description of new lizards and snakes from Mexico and Guatemala. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 53:55-64. 1943. Summary of the collections of snakes and crocodlllans made in Mexico under the Walter Rathbone Bacon Traveling Scholarship. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 93(3169) : 393-504. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 39 Vo 1 Line 21 Number 1 March 1985 _ _ _ , and E. H. Taylor. 1945. An annotated checklist and key to the snakes of Mexico. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., 184:1-239. Wilson, L.D., and J. R. Meyer. 1982. The snakes of Honduras. Milwaukee Public Mus. Publ . Biol. Geol . , (6):( i-v), 1-159. — Gonzalo P£rez-Higareda, Estacidn de Biologia Tropical "Los Tuxtlas" , Instituto de Biologia 3 Universidad Nacional Autdnoma de Mexico, Apartado Postal 51 j Catemaco3 Veracruz , Mexico . Received: 10 January 1985 Accepted: 28 January 1985 Page 40 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society VgI ume 21 Number 1 March 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: THE JARARACA AND ITS ROLE IN COMBATING HYPERTENSION Many Ironies exist in nature, but none possibly so fascinating as that of the Brazilian lance-head snake called Bothrops jararaca . The jararaca* s venom can be fatal, and if it strikes a blood vessel it can kill a person very quickly since all the blood will coagulate in about twenty minutes. Because of this, lance-heads were formerly the terror of Brazil where they caused 3,000 fatalities every year. As an example of the potency of the snake's venom, R. Ditmars tells of a plantation worker who was bitten in the leg and then brought home. "... his wife washed the severely bleeding wound with water. The man, who was treated by only a native ’snake doctor,’ died after two hours. Tragically, however," Ditmars adds, "his wife also died the following morning with character ist ic lance-head poisoning symptoms, even though she had not been bitten." What had happened to her? "Her fingertips had very snail cuts caused by handling coconuts, and the deadly venom got into her system when she washed her husband’s wound." All of this is good and well but wherein, you may ask, lies the irony of a deadly snake? The irony is contained in the simple but very powerful fact that this same snake whose venom can kill a man in twenty minutes has the potential to save thousands or even millions of lives with that very same venom. It seems that a certain extract from the jararaca* s venom named captopril can block the release of renin and thereby can work as a much-needed and very powerful drug to combat the common disease known as hypertension. The story of the jararaca* s venom is almost like a movie plot, whose elements include a mysterious disease that threatens millions of lives, a young scientist doing "pure" research in obscure laborator ies, a highly respected scientist who clings stubbornly to an unpopular theory, and two drug company researchers who start fiddling with a small unimportant project and wind up working in secrecy on a product worth millions of dollars to their employer. The mysterious disease is hypertension Cbetter known as high blood pressure). In 90% of the 25 million Americans who have it, doctors can’t find any internal defect to explain why their blood is being forced through their arteries at abnormally high pressure. And what adds to its obscurity is that it doesn’t produce any noticeable symptoms, but kills via the steady pounding over the years that changes and damages the body, making its victims vulnerable to fatal strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure, and a host of other illnesses. In the 1960s the kidney and its renin-angiotensin system became the prime suspect in the search for a cause for hypertension. Underlying this belief was a series of experiments dating back to the 1930s that revealed a chemical chain reaction that could increase blood pressure. The chain Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 41 Volute 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 reaction works this way: when the kidney senses a drop In blood pressure it releases the chemical renin. The renin inmed iatel y triggers in the blood the appearance of a second chemical called angiotensin I. As angiotensin I sweeps through the body, the tissues release an enzyme that converts it to a new form called angiotensin II. Angiotensin II has a marked effect on blood pressure. In a second or two it constricts certain blood vessels much like the tightening of a nozzle on a hose. As the same amount of fluid tries to push through a narrower opening, the pressure rises. In addition to this quick effect, angiotensin II, over a matter of hours, also can cause the body to retain salt. When levels of salt in the blood begin to rise, water must be retained to dilute it or the effect can be fatal. The extra water increases the volume of blood. As more fluid tries to push through the blood vessels, pressure goes up. Researchers speculated that in hypertension the kidney was erroneously switching on the renin-angiotensin system, keeping blood pressure abnormally high. To test this theory they measured whether patients with high blood pressure had excessive renin in their blood. However, no connection between renin levels and high blood pressure was found. Most hypertensive patients had normal levels, many had extremely low levels, and only a few had excessive amounts. As a result, the notion that the renin-angiotensin system was the key to hypertension was put aside. A small group of researchers, however, remained intrigued with the renin-angiotensin system— and how it worked. Among them was a Brazilian named Sergio Ferreira; he was interested in a substance in the blood that normally made vessels open up or dilate, but was rendered inactive when it passed through the lungs. He worked in the lab of a Dr. Vane, who was also fascinated by such chemical actions in the lungs, but for a different reason. He and a colleague had found that lung tissues seemed to be the source of the enzyme that converted angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Thus, it seemed that something in the lungs broke down one chemical that kept the blood vessels open and produced another that constricted them. Enter the jararaca venom. Dr. Ferreira, following up on some research done by Dr. Vane, found that a crude extract of the venom would stop the lung from breaking down the vessel -di lat ing substance. And later they found that the same venom extract blocked the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, thus preventing the constriction of blood vessels. After this discovery it was realized that the venom was the key to determining how important the renin-angiotensin system was in controlling blood pressure. If they could isolate the venom's active ingredient, they could inject it into animals and eventually humans, block the final conversion to angiotensin II, and see what happens to blood pressure. So the search began not only in Dr. Vane's laboratory, but also at the Squibb Institute for Medical Research, a drug company. Squibb had undertaken the project because Dr. Vane, an advisor to the institute, had impressed them Page 42 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volune 21 Number 1 March 1985 with its importance. They, however, lacked enthusiasm for it not only because of the prevailing view that this renin-angiotensin system isn’t an important factor in hypertension, but also because the mystery Ingredient in the venom was probably a peptide which would never reach the bloodstream intact. Any drug that had to be injected into the bloodstream two to three times a day would never sell for a condition like hypertension where life isn’t immediately threatened. But nevertheless, the project was taken on and after much tedious work, a small peptide was found which they dubbed SQ 20,881. They tried it first in the test tube, then on animals, to see whether it worked to block the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II — it did. They then tried it on six healthy male volunteers. The peptide prevented an injection of angiotensin I from raising the volunteers’ blood pressure, good evidence that it blocked the conversion to angiotensin II. These findings, published in 1973, delighted Mr. John H. Laragh, a cardiologist in New York working at Cornell Medical College. He and his colleagues had just found that a widely used hypertension drug called "propranodol ” actually worked by interfering with the production of renin. This convinced Dr. Laragh that the kidney lay at the heart of the hypertension problem. By 1973, however. Dr. Laragh was fighting a rather lonely battle to keep his theory alive. Therefore, to Dr. Laragh, SQ 20,881 was a godsend. If hypertensive patients’ blood pressure went down when they were injected with the peptide, it would be strong evidence that the renin-angiotensin system was the source of the disease. The experiments began with patient volunteers. In less than an hour after injection, blood pressure began dropping. It worked in patients with normal renin levels and no better in high renin patients. It appeared that SQ 20,881 — or something like it — would be effective in 70% of people with essential hypertension. But it was difficult to extract much peptide from the venom, and it was expensive. New research, shrouded in secrecy, was started by Squibb. The research involved an entirely new approach to developing a new drug. Until 1974 they followed a fairly conventional approach in searching for a pill that would do what SQ 20,881 did by injection. This was to study reports on thousands of non-peptide chemicals that had been synthesized over the years, hoping to find one that had shown some hint of being active in blocking angiotensin. If found, chemists could perhaps tinker with the compound’s molecular arrangement, enhance desired activity, and decrease its undesirable effects. The search unfortunately proved fruitless. However, nature had provided them a clue: an enzyme in the pancreas gland involved in digestion — which scientists had studied for decades — worked on the same principle as the angiotensin-converting enzyme. And there existed a chemical that would render the digestive enzyme inactive. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 43 Volume 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 Using the digestive enzyme, the Squibb researchers proceeded to build a chemical that would Inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme. The results produced "Captopr l 1 It worked not only In the test tube, but also with animals. Squibb later got permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin testing the drug on hunan patients. In the patients, particularly those with high amounts of renin In their bloodstream, pressure began dropping within 15 minutes after taking the drug. Today Captoprll has been used In over 3,000 patients so far and has proven to be effective. So there you have It — if not for the venom of a snake, most dangerous to man, they would never have had the key that helped unlock the door to the cause of hypertension — an Irony of nature. References Case, D.B., and J. H. Laragh. 1979. Reactive hyperreninemla In renovascular hypertension following angiotensin blockade with either saralasin or converting enzyme inhibitor. Ann. Int. Med. 90:153-160. Farrow, P. R. 1979. Reversible renal failure during treatment with Captoprll. Brit. Med. J. 1:1680. Levin, T. B., and J. A. Franclosa. 1980. Acute and longterm response to an oral converting enzyme inhibitor, Captoprll, in congestive heart failure. Circulation 62:35. — Regan Welsh, department of Environmental 3 Population and Organismio Biology 3 University of Colorado 3343 Boulder3 Colorado 80309; Present Address: 33 Goodsellhill Road , Georgetown 3 Connecticut 06829 Received: 16 November 1984 Accepted: 26 December 1984 Page 44 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Volune 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE CAREER AND WRITINGS OF T. PAUL MASLIN, 1909-1984 Although T. Paul Masl in (Oct. 27, 1909 - Feb. 26, 1984) Is widely recognized as the most eminent of authorities on the herpetology of Colorado, and as one of the earliest workers on parthenogenesis in Cnemidophorus , the actual diversity and significance of his activities are little appreciated. We here briefly review his contributions and present as complete a list of his publications as possible. We are much indebted to Mr. Andrew Pierce, Asst. Director of the Denver Botanic Gardens, for invaluable help in ferreting out Masl in’s botanical publications and related material. Dr. James R. Dixon was especially helpful in he rpeto logical contexts, and Mrs. Mary Masl in. Dr. Sam Shushan, Dr. Shi Kuei Wu, Dr. Win. E. Duel 1 man, and Dr. C. J. McCoy also aided in extending our coverage of all fields of Paul’s endeavors. Paul did not make easy a survey of his published contributions, for he spurned abstracts, never listing them in the periodically demanded vitae; ceased to list anything appearing after 1971; never kept track of his botanical articles; and even omitted a few herpetolog ical articles as, presumably, too insignificant to mention. His interests were so varied that he was not dependent for self-satisfaction upon extraction of every possible recognition for any given area of endeavor. Clearly his two most consuming interests were herpetology and rock garden hort icul ture, the latter burgeoning after retirement in 1973. Although most of his professional life was devoted to herpetology, in which his contributions far exceeded those in botany, he was adulated and honored more for the latter than he ever was for his he rpeto log ical work. The first botanical honor was the annual Marcel Le Piniec award of the American Rock Garden Society at its national meetings in Boulder, on July 3, 1982, ’’...for both taxonomic clarification in Phlox and, even more, for starting a new race for phlox which promises to have a bright future in horticulture and rock gardening in particular.” (Deno, 1982:192). The second botanical honor was an award of Dec., 1983, when Masl in was extremely ill, from the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Rock Garden Society, "...in recognition of, and gratitude for, distinguished service to rock gardening in Colorado and to the Rocky Mountain Chapter, as one of its principal organizers, founding members and as its first chapter chairman; provision of enduring inspiration and an outstanding exemplar of our art; introduction and testing of countless plants new to the region and to hort icul ture; and for unstinting sharing of knowledge and plants." (From the dedication). Masl In’s botanical publications, and several articles about his botanical work, are listed in the accompanying bibliography. His works in Bulletin Maryland He rpeto log ical Society Page 45 Vo lime 21 Number 1 March 1985 this area are not voluminous, yet he evoked a proport lonately astonishing, sincere adulation of not merely regional but international scope. Why the discrepancy between reaction of his peers in botany as compared with herpetology or zoology? It seems likely that the reason Is that he brought to an extensively, although not wholly, amateur Cat least non-professional) group interested in rock gardening the attributes of an experienced researcher - a tenacity and thoroughness of Investigative skills unusual among amateurs. In that milieu his native generosity and warm kindliness flowered unfettered by the constraints that beset fields of endeavor populated by many skilled investigators. Admiration for his achievements was unsullied by jealousy and led to a cybernetic mutuality of feeling that Is often difficult to achieve in purely professional contexts. The fervor with which Masl in pursued rock gardening was evidenced not only by his own superb garden, and by his research and local activities, but by frequent attendance at both national and foreign rock garden society meetings. He was internationally recognized. In addition he was a member of the Men’s Garden Club of Boulder. One of Masl in's most fundamental attributes was his artistic talent, of exceptional magnitude. He never exploited it extensively, but it was evident in the sculptures, carvings and paintings he made for his own pleasure; some are truly exquisite. His woodworking shop at home was of professional caliber, and in It he made superb furniture. He built and developed his own home (except for the basic frame), created his rock garden from scratch, built a beautiful stone wall, with sculptures, around part of the yard, and added extensive stonework for a garage and patio. The property is as a result one of the most attractive in Boulder. Not surprisingly, his artistic drive influenced his professional as well as extracurr Icular endeavors, leading him to careful planning of experiments and field trips so that they were predictably successful. Photography became an obsession early in his career, resulting In thousands of 2 x 2 color transparencies (all of zoological import now on file in the University of Colorado Museum, all on botany - over 3,000, all meticulously labelled - in the Denver Botanic Gardens). He was an assiduous note-taker on field trips and other journeys, filling a dozen or so notebooks (also now in the CU Museim). His artistic interests also led to joining several related Boulder organizations, such as the Art Association, Artists’ Guild, Lens Club, Community Players, P.T.A., Chamber of Commerce, and Philharmonic Association. Although basically a herpetologist, Masl in was a general zoologist, trained and capable in theoretical as well as factual aspects, articulate in exegesis aided by a thorough comprehension. He had a good mind that enabled him to understand abstruse concepts, as exemplified by his articles on morphological criteria of phyletic relationships, the nature of amphibian and reptilian species, and taxonomic problems in parthenogenet ic vertebrates (H14, H23 and H44, respectively, of the following bibliography). These three Page 46 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Vol lt>8 21 Number 1 March 1985 articles have been widely cited in zoological literature, foreign as well as domestic. Because of articulate expression and thorough understanding of the subjects dealt with, Paul was an outstanding teacher, with the highest rating at Colorado State University (where he taught for two years before coming to the University of Colorado) of anyone appraised up to that time, and being the frequent recipient of gifts from his students at CU in appreciation of his effectiveness as a teacher. He had supervised more graduate students at CU than any other member of his department before he transferred full time to the CU Museun in 1966. Among the graduate students he launched on their careers are Kathleen Beargie, James Campbell, Orlando Cuellar, Wm. K. Davis, Alvin Earle, Herman A. Fehlmann, John Ferner, Richard Holland, H. Jones-Burd Ick, Gary Knopf, C. J. McCoy, Lewis Pennock, Robert Reese, Diane Secoy, Harry Taylor and James Walker, all with notable or outstanding contributions to their credit. He Is still remembered as one of the two or three best teachers encountered by students in their entire college careers. Teaching was, however, an at least part tine occupation even from the ti .ie Masl in was 17 years old, nurtured by his early years in China and his missionary parents. He served as an ad hoc tutor as early as 1927, and continued doing so until he received his Ph.D. degree. Full-time teaching began in 1933, as he taught for three years at the high school level, in biology, mathematics and physics. After receiving his master’s degree in 1939 (Univ. California, Berkeley), with a teacher’s certificate, he taught at Armstrong Junior College in Berkeley for a year. In anatomy, biology, physiology and chemistry. As he pursued his Ph.D. at Stanford University (1941-5) he assisted or instructed in Comparative Anatomy, Invertebrate Zoology and Ornithology. At Colorado State University and the University of Colorado he taught General Biology, Comparative Anatomy, Advanced Comparative Anatomy, Herpetology, Evolution and a graduate course in Modern Theories of Evolution. He was prepared to teach numerous other courses, e.g.. Vertebrate Taxonomy, General Biology, General Zoology, Embryology, Zoogeography, Musetn Techniques, Invertebrate Zoology, Microtechnique, Organ Physiology, Ecology, Ornithology, Histology, Cytology, Cell Physiology, Experimental Embryology and Genetics. Such versatility is today almost inconceivable, but it explains the breadth of interest and expertise he demonstrated in herpetology. He was definitely not just a taxonomist, or any other limited special ist. In California Masl ip laid the foundation for his museum expertise, serving as curatorial assistant for three years (1937-1940) in marrmalogy at MVZ under E. Raymond Hall and David Johnson; the same for four years (1936-1940) in herpetology at MVZ, for two years (1941-1943) at Stanford University; the same for two years (1941-1943) in ichthyology at Stanford; and the same for one year (1939) in ornithology at the California Academy of Sciences. He worked with Alden H. Miller in 1938, and with George S. Myers for his doctoral degree. His mentors thus included some of the most famous of the Berkeley and Stanford zoologists. Under their direction he supervised many student aides in the museums at both Berkeley and Stanford, and for a Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 47 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 year coordinated the work of 30 WPA workers at the California Academy of Sciences with Joseph Slevln (1939-1940). The strangest of Maslln's employments was the year he spent (1944-5) as Port Supervisor of San Francisco, In the Office of Fishery Coordination, overseeing (with two assistants) the processing of 120,000 tons of sardines, among other duties. His years In California were maddeningly hectic but provided an Impetus for diverse. Intelligent and energetic application In the security afforded by the appointments that followed at Colorado State University (1945-1947) and the University of Colorado (1947-1984). As a member of the University of Colorado, Maslin was an enthusiastic participant In many aspects of Its operation; he was not more of a recluse there than in his non-professional activities. Of primary importance were his roles in his Department of Biology (later designated the Department of Environmental, Population and Organismic Biology, when the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology was created) and in the Museum. In his Department Maslin served in numerous capacities other than in teaching; most important was his role as Acting Chairman (1961-1962), but he served on dozens of committees, often a half dozen or so each year. In 1966 Paul was transferred full time to the Museum, where he had held a nominal appointment since 1947. When he arrived on the scene the herpetologlcal collection of the Museum had a meager 1200 specimens, lacking any systematization. Maslin organized the collection and by the time of his retirement had Increased it to some 60,000 specimens, admirably curated and housed. He also served as Acting Director for a time, and on several Museum committees, even before becoming a full-time member. Teaching continued with annual presentation of a course in herpetology. Active as he was in the Department and Museum, his services to the University as a whole were even more varied, with a half-dozen committees or appointments a year added to his other duties. He served numerous roles In the University Senate, the Graduate School, the Library, the College of Arts and Sciences, as liaison with the Medical School and state high schools, and as supervisor of an NSF Undergraduate Scholarship. Outside of the University, professional ties were numerous. Maslin held several offices at different times with the Col orado-Wyomi ng Academy of Science, the Southwestern Division of AAAS, and the AIBS; gave numerous lectures and seminars to various local organizations; worked with the National Association on Standard Medical Vocabulary; and was an invited participant in several symposia. The overwhelming burden of these ancillary professional obligations occupied an enormous amount of time, making it surprising that Maslin managed to publish as much as he did. Yet the Immensity of his varied contributions was recognized by the University, which awarded him two Faculty Fellowships (1958, 1966) and numerous small research grants. His stature was also demonstrated by receipt of at least five NSF grants, and others from the University Museum and Thorne Ecological Foundation. Page 48 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 The grants, fellowships and other research support received were devoted mostly to field work, although some funds were allocated to laboratory equipment and research. Travel was always a great addiction; not only were there at least six expeditions to mainland Mexico, three to the islands in the Gulf of California, a half dozen to southwestern United States, two to British Columbia, two to Oregon, one to the Galapagos Islands, Netherlands Antilles and Venezuela, and another to Peru, but dozens of in-state trips, often with classes. In California and Colorado, numerous trips to England, one to western Europe ( Including East and West Germany, Netherlands, Italy, France), one to Japan, another to China, and one to the East Indies. Throughout most of his postdoctoral career he attended several (usually three) scientific meetings (Soc. Study Evolution, AAAS, AIBS among them) each year, although, strangely, relatively few were herpetolog leal (only one of HL/SSAR). He was especially active In the Southwestern Association of Naturalists (member at least 1963-1975, associate editor and governor 1967-1971) and the Colorado-Wyomlng Academy of Science (member since 1948, section chairman 1959, 1969). To facilitate travel he purchased an excellent field vehicle, for which he designed and constructed a field kit (see H50 of the accompanying bibliography); through his Influence the Museum acquired all essential equipment for field work as well as laboratory study. Despite these diversions, Maslin managed to maintain an impressive research and writing program in herpetology and related fields. Most of his works are of lasting significance, beginning with his separation of Bothrops and Trimeresurus , the discovery of the previously overlooked nasal pore of both genera (al 1 species of Trimeresurus, as he defined the genus), and his key to members of the latter genus (no. H2 of the accompanying bibl iography). The review of the snakes of the Kiukiang-Lushan area of China (H10) Is one of the few regional works on Chinese snakes in English, following Pope's review of 1935. The article on sound production in salamanders (Hll) is a thorough, scholarly review of the literature and an excellent histological study that has never been superseded. HIs theoretical accounts of morphological criteria of phyletlc relationships (H14) and of the nature of species In reptiles and amphibians (H23) reveal an admirable command of difficult concepts, and continue to be quoted In current 1 iterature. The former article has been honored by a reprint in the Benchmark Papers in Systematic and Evolutionary Biology series. In a volume on cladistic methodology now in press, edited by Tod Stuessy and Thomas Duncan, published by Dowden, Hutchinson and Ross, Inc., of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The 1959 review of the herpetofauna of Colorado, with its precise listing of localities for every species-group taxon (H24) Is another classic that remains indispensable for detailed studies In the state on amphibians or reptiles. HIs notes on the Yucatan herpetofauna (H28) and tadpoles (H29) are basic to faun i stic and tadpole studies in that area even today, as one of the few thorough surveys of the region. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 49 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 The most dramatic of Mas! In’s discoveries was the occurrence of parthenogenesis in several species of Cnemidophorus , first announced In 1962 (H26). Although one species of the genus ( C. tesselatus') had been thought to be parthenogenet Ic as early as 1958 (Minton), Maslin extended the list to six taxa. His meticulous subsequent work confirming parthenogenesis by skin transplants (H42) and hatching of eggs (H40) is without parallel in concept and execution, and provides irrefutable evidence of the phenomenon. The theoretical reviews of the taxonomic implications of parthenogenesis (H44, H49) are scholarly products of his personal encounters with such problems. Drawn Into a study of the genus by its unisexual taxa, Maslin energetically studied its members in both the laboratory and the field, concentrating upon Mexico and especially the islands in the Gulf of California. N onerous articles by him and several of his students (Beargie, McCoy, Secoy, Taylor, WaTker) resulted, culminating personally In the thoroughly annotated checklist of all species-group taxa now recognized in the genus (H56). In addition to these published works, Paul produced a spate of mimeographed materials, and so did some of his students, of anatomical and herpetologlcal nature. They included numerous editions of a checklist of the herpetofauna of Colorado; diagnoses and keys to all the higher categories of extant amphibians and reptiles; laboratory directions for dissecting the American alligator; a summary of the herpetofauna of the Beecher Island area of Yuma Co., Cglo.; and lists of major reference works on amphibians and reptiles. He finalized directions written by two of his students for dissection of the thigh musculature of selected anurans, and for study of the skull of Ctenosaura. More than any other person, Paul drew attention in newspaper accounts and in his review of the herpetofauna of Colorado (H24) to the highly intriguing anecdotal evidence of the existence of Bipes in the Platte River valley - an enigma that remains today unsolved. Retirement was a period of thorough enjoyment in the pursuit of many interests, with very little attention to herpetology. Paul's energy scarcely waned as he worked vigorously on his rock garden, stone wall and woodworking, interspersed between numerous trips all over the world. Not until the summer of 1983 was there any sign of deter iorat Ion of health or energy. Honored as Maslin was for his hort icul tural and academic achievements and services, it is a travesty that, in the specific field in which his greatest contributions came, little recognition followed. That he may fare better posthumously is suggested by the Benchmark recognition of his seminal article on morphological criteria of phyletic relationships. The following bibliography of Paul Maslin's publications is almost certainly not complete, for reasons stated previously. It is, however, as complete as we can make it with the help of our acknowledged colleagues. Page 50 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 B?bl iography A. Herpetology HI. 1939. Egg-laying of t ne blender salamander ( Batrachoseps attenuatus') . Cope i a, 1939:209-212. H2.1942. Evidence for the separation of the crotal id genera Trimeresurus and Bothrops, with a key to the genus Trimeresurus . Cope i a, 1942:18-24, figs. 1-2. H3.1945. A phylogenetic study of the Indian crotal id snake Trimeresurus maerolepis Beddome with a consideration of evolutionary trends within the genus. Stanford Univ. Bull., (7)20:5-8. H4.1947. Range extensions of three reptiles in Colorado. Copeia, 1947:138. H5.1947. Guide to the lizards of Colorado. Univ. Colorado Mus. Lflt., (3): 1-14, figs. 1-17. H6.1947. Rana sylvatioa cantabrigensis Baird in Colorado. Copeia, 1947:158-162. H7.1947. Notes on myiasis of the toad, Bufo boreas boreas Baird and Girard. J. Washington Acad. Sci., 37:366-368, fig. 1. (By Maurice T. James and TPM). H8.1948. Notes on myiasis of the toad, Bufo boreas boreas Baird and Girard. J. Colo.-Wyo. Acad. Sci., 3(5) : 67 . (By Maurice T. James and TPM). (Abstract). H9.1948. The California plethodont salamander, Aneides flavipunctatus (Strauch), with description of a new subspecies and notes on other western Aneides . Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 61:127-138. (By George S. Myers and TPM). H10.1950. Snakes of the Kiukiang-Lushan area, Kiangsl, China. Proc. Cal ifornia Acad. Sci., 26:419-466, figs. 1-10. HI 1.1950. The production of sound in caudate Amphibia. Univ. Colorado Stud., Biol. Ser., 1:29-45, figs. 1-5. H12.1950. Lizards of the genus Sceloporus in Colorado. J. Colo.-Wyo. Acad. Sci., 4(2) : 81-82 . (Abstract). H13.1950. He rpeto logical notes and records from Colorado. Herpetolog lea, 6:89-95. H14.1952. Morphological criteria of phyletic relationships. Syst. Zoo 1 . , 1(2) :49-70, figs. 1-19. (Reprinted in a volune in press in the Benchmark Papers in Systematic and Evolutionary Biology series; see p.8). Bulletin Maryland He rpeto log I cal Society Page 51 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 HI 5 • 1953 • The status of the whlpsnake Mastioophis flagellum (Shaw) In Colorado. Herpetologlca, 9:193-200. H16.1954. Tropidoolonion lineatum lineatwn (Hallcwell) In New Mexico. Herpetologlca, 10:172. (By TPM and William d. Koster). H17.1956. Sceloporua undulatus erythroaheilus ssp. nov. (Reptllla, Iguanldae, from Colorado. Herpetologlca, 12:291-294. H18.1957. Hyla mioroeximia sp. n., Hyl Idae, Anphlbla, from Jalisco, Mexico. Herpetologlca, 13:81-86, fig. 1. H19.1957. Notes on the lizard Eumeces multivirgatus gaigeae In Colorado and Utah. J. Colo.-Wyo. Acad. Sc!., 4(9):50. (Abstract). H20.1957. Notes on the lizard Eumeoes multivirgatus gaigeae from Colorado and Utah. Herpetologlca, 13:87-90, fig. 1. H21.1958. The status of the lizard Cnemidophorus perplexus Baird and Girard (Telldae). Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 108:331-345. (By TPM, Richard G. Beldleman and Charles H. Lowe, Jr.). H22.1959. The type locality of the whlptalled lizard Cnemidophorus tesselatus (Say). J. Colo.-Wyo. Acad. Scl., 4( 11): 49—50 . (Abstract). H23.1959. The nature of amphibian and reptilian species. J. Arizona Acad. Sc!., 1:8-17. figs. 1-4. H24.1959. Annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Colorado. Unlv. Colorado Stud., Biol. Ser., (6):I-Iv, 1-98. H25.1961. Occurrence of the garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis, In the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. Unlv. Kansas Publ., Mus. Nat. Hist., 13(5): 289—308, figs. 1-4. (By Henry S. Fitch and TPM). H26.1962. All -female species of the lizard genus Cnemidophorus , Telldae. Science, 135:212-213. H27.1962. A review of the tel id lizard Cnemidophorus opzume lus and the recognition of a new race, Cnemidophorus cozumelus rodeoki . Cope I a, 1962:620-627, fig. 1. (By Clarence J. McCoy, Jr., and TPM). H28.1963. Notes on a collection of herpetozoa from the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Univ. Colorado Stud., Biol. Ser., (9): 1-20. H29.1963. Notes on some anuran tadpoles from Yucatan, Mexico. Herpetologlca, 19:122-128, figs. 1-6. H30.1964. Anphlbfans and reptiles of the Boulder area. Pp. 75-80, In Natural History of the Boulder Area. H.G. Rodeck, ed. Univ. Colorado Museim Leaflet, (13): I-1 1 1, 1-100, Ill. Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 52 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 H31.1964. Evidence for parthenogenesis In several species of the lizard genus Cnemidophorus . J. Colo.-Wyo. Acad. Sci . , 5C 5 ) : 48—49 . (Abstract). H32.1964. Sex ratios of hatchlings of 1 izards of the genus Cnemidophorus. Progr. 11th Ann. Mtg. SWAN : 6 . (Abstract). H33.1965. The status of the rattlesnake Sistrurus catenatus (Crotalidae) in Colorado. Southwestern Nat. 10(1): 31-34. H34.1965. Summary of the distribution of the herpetofauna of Colorado. Univ. Colorado Stud., Biol. Ser., (15):i-iv, 1-52, figs. 1-17. (By Hobart M. Smith, TPM and Robert L. Brown). H35.1965. Cnemidophorus alpinus : a new species of tel id lizard from Puebla, Mexico. Univ. Colorado Stud., Biol. Ser., ( 19) : 1—8, figs. 1-2. (By TPM and J. Martin Walker). H36.1965. Cnemidophorus tigris punctatus : a new whiptai led lizard from northwestern Sonora, Mexico. Univ. Colorado Stud., Biol. Ser., (20): 1-8, fig. 1. (By J. Martin Walker and TPM). H37.1966. On the status of the tel id lizard Cnemidophorus celeripes Dickerson. Copeia, 1966(2): 373—376, fig. 1. (By J. Martin Walker and TPM). H38.1966. Evidence for specific recognition of the San Esteban Whiptail lizard ( Cnemidophorus estebanensis') . Copeia, 1966:498-505, figs. 1-2. (By J. Martin Walker, Harry L. Taylor and TPM). H39.1966. Morphology and relations of the teiid lizard, Cnemidophorus oeralbensis. Copeia, 1966:585-588, fig. 1. (By J. Martin Walker, Harry L. Taylor and TPM). H40.1966. The sex of hatchlings of five apparently unisexual species of whiptail lizards ( Cnemidophorus s Teiidae") . Am. Midi. Nat., 76:369-378. H41.1967. Skin grafting In the parthenogenet Ic teiid lizard Cnemidophorus tesselatus. Abstr. Am. Soc. Ichthy. Herpet., Ann. Mtg., San Francisco, (47): 12. (Abstract). H42.1967. Skin grafting in the bisexual teiid lizard Cnemidophorus sexlineatus and In the unisexual C . tesselatus. U. Exp. Zool., 166:137-150, figs. 106. H43.1968. (Review) Lizard ecology: a symposium. William W. Milstead, ed. Science, 160:870-871. H44.1968. Taxonomic problems in parthenogenet ic vertebrates. Syst. Zool., 17:219-231. Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 53 Volune 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 H45.1969. A review of the San Pedro Nolasco whlptall lizard ( Cnemidophorus baoatus Van Denburgh and Slevln). Am. Midi. Nat., 82:127-139, fig. 1. (By d. Martin Walker and TPM). H46.1970. Environmental modifications of the phenotype of 1 aboratory-hatched specimens of the parthenogenlc lizard, Cnemidophorus uniparens. Progr. 17th Ann. Mtg. SWAN: 14. (By TPM and Harry L. Taylor). (Abstract). H47.1970. Directions for preservation of amphibians and reptiles. Boulder, Colorado, Unlv. Colorado Mus. 8pp., 1 fig. (By TPM and Hobart M. Smith). H49.1971. Conclusive evidence of parthenogenesis in three species of Cnemidophorus (Telldae). Copeia, 1971:156-158. H49.1971. Parthenogenesis in reptiles. Am. Zool., 11:361-380. H50.1971. A field kit for processing and storing amphibians and reptiles. J. Herp., 5:179-181, figs. 1-2. (By TPM and Lowell E. Swenson). H5 1.1972. The role of environment In the evolution of life history differences within and between lizard species. (Discussion). Unlv. Arkansas Mus. Occ. Pap., (4): 93-95. H52.1972. Comment on Dendrobates . Bull. Zool. Nomencl., 29(1): 24. (By Hector S. Cuellar, James D. Fawcett, John W. Ferner, TPM, Jonathan C. Oldham, Jan J. Roth, Alan Savitzky and Hobart M. Smith). H53.1973. Variation, distribution and behavior of the lizard, Cnemidophorus parvisocius Zweifel (Lacertilia: Teiidae). Herpetologlca, 29:128-143. (By TPM and J. Martin Walker). H54.1975. A new subspecies of the Red rattlesnake, Crotalus ruber , from San Lorenzo Sur Island, Baja California Norte, Mexico. Copeia, 1975(3) .*490-493, fig. 1. (Charles W. Radcliffe and TPM). H55.1981. Systematics of the Santa Catalina whiptall ( Cnemidophorus catalinensis ) with reference to the superspecies Cnemidophorus tigris . Am. Midi. Nat., 105 : 84-92, fig. 1. (By J. Martin Walker and TPM). H56. 19850). A checklist of the lizard genus Cnemidophorus (Teiidae). In press. (By TPM and Diane M. Secoy). B. Mammalogy Ml. 1983. Frlnged-tai led bat In British Colunbia. J. Mamm., 19:373. Page 54 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Volune 21 Nunber 1 March 1 96 5 C. Botany B1.1950. Three hardy bulbs. Green Thunb, Denver Botanic Gardens, 7(6):27-29. B2.1978. Phlox nana Nuttall . Quart. Bull. Alpine Garden Soc. , 46(2): 162-167, 2 figs. B3.1979. The rediscovery of Phlox lutea and Phlox purpurea . Bull. Am. Rock Garden Soc., 37(2):62-69, figs. 1-2 (color). B4.1981. China - a sentimental journey. Green Thunb, Denver Botanic Gardens, 38(3) : 92-96, 2 figs. B3.1983. Some fall blooming bulbs. Bull. Am. Rock Garden Soc., 41(1) : 32—35, 1 fig. B6.1983. China - a sentimental journey. Bull. Am. Rock Garden Soc., 4(2) : 89—93, 2 figs. (Essentially a reprint of no. 4, but with one different figure and several minor changes of wording). Figure 1. T. Paul Maslln in his preferred working garb, on the patio of his house in Boulder, 1969 (an auto-exposure). Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 53 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 No articles eulogizing Maslln appeared during his lifetime In any Journals of herpetology, his most Important field of activity, but three appeared In botanical journals, all celebrating hls pioneer work In the Introduction of certain varieties of Phlox to hort Iculture, as follows: Foster, Laura Louise. 1979. ...of cabbages and kings. . .Bui 1 . Am. Rock Garden Soc., 37(2):92. (A recount of the first public announcement of rediscovery of certain red and yellow varieties of Phlox , and of the history of publication of the article (no. B3 above) about It, with Its figures In colofO. Robertson, Josephine. 1982. The Phlox adventure. Green Thumb, Denver Botanic Gardens, 39(2): 55-57, 1 fig. (A brief recount of the rediscovery of the same Phlox varieties discussed In Maslin’s article (no. B3 above), with an update on subsequent cultivation, and comments on Maslin’s personal rock garden, said to be ’’the most distinguished private garden of Its kind between the midwest and the coast.” Another article by the same author, ’’One man’s rock garden In the Rockies,” will appear In the spring, 1985, issue of ’’The Hort icul tur 1st”). Deno, Norman. 1982. Le Plnlec award: T. Paul Maslln. Bull. Am. Rock Garden Soc., 40(4): 191-192, 1 fig. (Brief biographical notes and a statement of basis for granting the North American Rock Garden Society’s 1982 Le Plnlec Award for outstanding contributions to rock garden cultivation, to Maslln). The first obituary published In a professional Journal appeared In the April, 1984, Green Thumb Newsletter of the Denver Botanic Gardens (no. 84, for April, p. 4). Another Is In Copela, 1984(No. 3 :86-87, fig. 1). — Hobart M. Smith and Rozella B. Smith, department of Environmental 3 Population and Organismio Biology^ University of Colorado 3343 and Center for Computer Research in the Humanities , University of Colorado 226 , Boulder , Colorado 80309 . Received: 16 October 1984 Accepted: 24 October 1984 Page 56 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society VolLine 21 Number 1 March 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: BOOK REVIEW: THE MOCKERY BIRD. By Gerald Durrell . ton. Collins Sons S Co., Ltd., 14 St. James Place, London SW1A IPS. 224 pp. 1981. Fontana Paperbacks, 1983. $1.50. Gerald Durrell is already famed as the greatest living writer in natural history. He may well be the greatest of all time. For some these may be contentious words, but they are not lightly written. The sheer vol Line of his books (some 25 titles), their consistently captivating charm, diversity and laudatory goals (support of his field work and, in later years, of his great zoo on Jersey, Channel Islands), and their enormous popularity, particularly in Britain, attest to their unparalleled excellence. Durrell not only has travelled widely, has had a lifetime of experience with zoos, and has an intense drive to know animals of all sorts, but he is a masterful raconteur - a spell -binder of exceptional skill. No one who claims to be interested in natural history, or in any of its i nnunerabl e ramifications, can fully appreciate the meaning of the subject without reading at least a few of his books, most importantly his classic first one, "My Family and Other Animals," 1956. Few will want to stop with that book, once having sampled Durrell's matchless style; most become addicted and pursue every volume relentlessly. Most of Durrell’s books are factual narratives of his many experiences collecting far and wide, or caring for animals in captivity, or living with the fascinating characters who peopled his life. A very few unlease unrestrainedly his ebullient enthusiasm as he yarns with a soaring imagination that would do justice to the best novelists. The present book is one such, centering upon the imaginary island of Zenal i in the Indian Ocean. However remote from fact it may be, I regard it as his most important work, for it is a detective story directly concerned with conservation, to which Durrell’s life has been devoted for several decades. It is perhaps the first conservation novel, and it is a superb one that every organismic biologist owes it to himself to read. Be not perturbed by the fancied situation; many a parallel exists in fact, as stated in the ending "tailpiece" of the book. The message is a valid, timely and vital one in the context of intelligent conservation. To be sure, there is little of strictly herpetological nature in the book, contrary to expectation of reviews appearing in this journal. At least Phelsuma, the genus of day-geckos, is mentioned. But this deficiency is Insignificant, for the message is as pertinent to herpetology and herpetologists as to any other aspect of biology; it is a book for all seasons. Don’t miss it. | — Hobart M. Smith, Department of Environmental , Population and Organismic Biology 3 University of Colorado 334 , Boulder , Colorado 80309 (Received: 10 August 1984 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 57 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: BOOK REVIEW: RATTLESNAKES. By G. Earl Chace, Dodd, Mead and Co., 79 Madison Ave., N.Y., 10016; 64 pp.. Ill. (monochrome). $7.95. 1984. In 1975 another book by Chace was published on rattlesnakes: ’’Wonders of Rattlesnakes.” The more recent book Is shorter, more clearly directed toward the juvenile reader, and Is quite different in approach, following the life of one snake (a Prairie rattlesnake) from birth to maturity. A final chapter briefly reviews a few other kinds of rattlesnakes. Thirty-six photographs, including several from his earl ier book on rattlesnakes, enliven the pages and add useful information and visual concepts. Wisely, no discussion of snakebite treatment is ventured; instead the reader is exhorted to leave all rattlesnakes, even dead ones, strictly alone. There is much less detail in this book than in the earlier one, but no new information, other than photographs, is added. Its appeal accordingly is to the beginning reader. The account is basically sound, with no notable errors of commission aside from a lapsus in spelling of the species-group names of the Prairie rattlesnake, placement of oreganus at specific instead of subspecific rank, improper usage in discussion of species-group ranks, and estimate of "kinds or species” of rattlesnakes as "60 or more" (about 32 species or 88 species-group taxa are known). These are insignificant faults in comparison with the abundance of correct Information and concepts offered in the book, especially in view of its intended readership. Nevertheless a great deal of information on life history and behavior of rattlesnakes in general and the Prairie rattlesnake in particular has been unearthed in recent years, particularly by Chiszar and Duvall, that would be of interest even to juvenile readers. It would make a fascinating addition to any further book, at any level, that may be considered in the future on rattlesnakes. — Hobart M. Smith, Department of Environmental , Population and Organismic Biology , University of Colorado 334, Boulder, Colorado 80309 . Received: 8 September 1984 Page 58 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal Society Vol une 21 Number 1 March 1985 NEW BOOK NEWS: NEW BOOK RELEASES: INDEX TO THE GENERA OF AMPHIBIA— A DEVICE TO ASSIST CURATORS. Fourth Edition. 30 July 1984. This Index is privately produced, 8i x 11 Inches, and 41 pages plus stiff paper covers. Included are all available generic names within the living families of amphibians. Each name Is followed by author(s), year, and. In the case of synonyms, the currently accepted valid name. The Index has two parts, a straight alphabetical list of all the genera and the same names grouped by families. A limited nunber of copies are available at cost. For each copy please send $2 plus $1 for handling to: John S. Applegath, Ph.D. Box 532 - Lorane Route Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424, USA LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS. A Guide to Zoological Parks, Visitor Farms, Nature Centers, and Marine Life Displays in the United States and Canada. By Jefferson G. Ulmer and Susan Gower. Here Is the most comprehensive visitor-oriented guide to live-animal exhibits in the United States and Canada. This book will be of use to those considering a trip to any of the more than 850 listed parks and display areas. All Institutions with permanent onsite animal collections open to the public are included. Wildlife lovers will find entries for zoos, aquariuns, reptile displays, fish hatcheries, aviaries, demonstration farms, wildlife research facilities, game farms, and children's museums. Entries are listed alphabetically within sections devoted to states or provinces. Each entry gives address, telephone nunber, hours, fees, highlights of the collection, and educational programs and facilities. An Index of park names completes the guide. Teachers, students. Scout Leaders, church groups, 4-H members, tour organizers, job seekers, park service companies, and all libraries, will benefit from the timely and concise Information found in Lion and Tigers and Bears. Lions and Tigers and Bears may be ordered directly from Garland Publishing, 136 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 (212/686-7492). Review copies may be ordered upon request. Hardcover ISBN 08-240-8770-4, $20.00. Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 59 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 NEW BOOK NEWS: NEW BOOK RELEASE: THE LIFE OF DESERT REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS. Produced and distributed by Karl H. Swltak, Nature Photography-Pub Usher, P.O. Box 27141, San Francisco, CA 94127. Suggested Retail Price $4.95. Thirty-two pages In full color. All animals photographed In their natural habitat. The only publication dealing specifically with the care and keeping of desert reptiles and amphibians from the southwestern U.S., northern Mexico, and parts of Baja California. Such Important facts as temperature tolerance, water requl rements, nutritional balance, proper cage set-ups, compatibility with other species and much more factual Information Is supplied for each Individual variety of lizard, snake, tortoise, and amphibian. The easy to follow Index pin-points a subject matter quickly, there are two pages for notes In the back, plus a paragraph on the law regarding co 1 1 ect 1 ng and keep I ng . The book Is 6" x 9" with a semi -hard cover, depicting the Trans-Pecos rat snake In full color on the front. Several habitat photos, all In realistic color, show exact locales for many species of reptiles and amphibians. If the society Is Interested In a group purchase, the following discounts are offered: Minimum of 6 copies - $4.50 each 12 copies - $4.25 " 20 copies - $4.00 " If a check or money order Is Included with the order, postage will be paid. Page 60 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Socletyj Vol line 21 Nurrsber 1 March 1985 NEW BOOK NEWS: NEW BOOK RELEASE: THE SNAKES OF AUSTRALIA. An Illustrated and descriptive catalogue of all the known species. By Gerard Krefft, 1869. Facsimile Edition, 1984. $52.00 (Australia); $55.00 (Overseas). 'The present descriptive Catalogue contains a full account of nearly all the Australian Snakes discovered and recorded up to the year 1869, including the Sea Snakes observed on our coast. Original descriptions have been retained wherever it was possible, errors have been corrected, and the ranges of the various species defined. Much attention has been paid to the colours of living specimens, and to the changes ophidian reptiles undergo during the period of growth. Frequent experiments have enabled me to distinguish between venomous and dangerous venomous snakes; and It must be a source of congratulation that, with the many new discoveries In this branch of Natural History during the last ten years, not one really dangerous serpent has been added to our fauna.1 ...Gerard Krefft , 1869 Krefft was Curator and Secretary of The Austral ian Museun, Sydney, 1861-1874. His magnificently illustrated book ’The Snakes of Australia...*, is the first detailed study of Australia's fascinating snakes. Only 1,000 copies of this high quality facsimile edition have been printed. The book is on fine quality paper. It contains 100 pages and includes 12 had coloured lithographs which have been reproduced faithfully. Krefft's work makes fascinating reading. Anyone Interested in natural history (especially Australian reptiles) will find it a very worthwhile purchase. Please send orders/ inqul ries to: Lookout Publications Box 1405 G.P.O. Brisbane. 4001. Austral la Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 61 Vo lime 21 Number 1 March 1985 NEW BOOK NEWS: NEW BOOK RELEASE: SAFARI: THE EAST AFRICAN DIARIES OF A WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER, photographs by Gunter Zlesler and diary notes by Angelika Hofer, is a book as dazzling as the subject it describes (Publication date: September 7, 1984; Price: $24.95). Ziesler, one of the world’s most renowned natural history photographs, and Hofer, a zoologist with a specialty in animal behavior, spent a full year document I ng the drama of the lives of African wildlife. There are many books containing photographs of African wildlife, but few, if any, demonstrate the extraordinary results of so many hours, days and months spent waiting patiently to get the perfect shot. Patience, as consulting editor Nigel Sitwell says In the introduction. Is probably the most Important attribute of a wildlife photographer. Living and travelling In a converted VW van, Ziesler and Hofer visited the remote habitats of the Masai Mara, Ambosel i and the Chyulu Hills. Their mobile homes often served as a blind from which Ziesler studied at close quarters and recorded on film some of the most remarkable animal life to be found anywhere in the world. His attention to detail and skill at composition have produced a collection of Images that Is truly magnificent. Hofer’s vivid descriptions of the places visited and the sights, sounds and smells of the animals encountered perfectly complement the photographs and enable the reader to share the great excitement of first hand observations in the field. As a trained ethologist, she places the actions of the animals seen In the photographs In the context of species and behavior and evolutionary development. Reading these diaries and looking at these photographs Is almost like witnessing the dramatic spectacle of migrating wildebeest herds, a pride of lions on a hunt or the rarely seen event of a python unhinging its jaws to slowly engulf a gazelle. GUNTER ZIESLER is a professional wildlife photographer who has travelled widely in the course of his work. He has undertaken extensive expeditions to South Anerica, the Galapagos Islands, Spain, New Guinea, Africa and, most recently, to India. His work is published In wildlife magazines and books throughout the world. ANGELIKA HOFER is a zoologist with a particular interest in animal behavior. She studied ethology at the Universities of Regenburg and Munich, and has accompanied Ziesler on his photographic trips to Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Africa and India. First Serial Rights to Life Magazine. For more information, contact Bennett C. Pet rone. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal Society Page 62 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 NEW BOOK NEWS: NEW BOOK RELEASE: THE HERPETOCULTUR I ST . Published by the Reptile Breeding Foundation, P. 0. Box 1450, Plcton, Ontario, Canada KOK 2T0. Telephone 613/476-3351 . The Reptile Breeding Foundation Is pleased to announce the forthcoming publication of the Journal, The Herpetocul tur 1 st : a periodical devoted exclusively to the husbandry and propagation of amphibians and reptiles In captivity. Initially, The Herpetocul tur 1st will be Issued as the house publication of the Reptile Breeding Foundation, and, as such, will Include news and information on their propagation, education and conservation projects. However, it is our intention, with support from the herpetocul tural community, to eventually publish a quarterly Journal, which will be of value to, and reflect the interests of all within that group. Our Inaugural issued is scheduled for January 1985 and we are presently soliciting articles for inclusion in this first and future issues. All papers must deal directly with captive husbandry or maintenance of reptiles and amphibians. Topics such as cage design and record keeping are acceptable, as they relate to the study of herpetocul ture. It Is our hope that this publication will provide the amateur and professional herpetocul tur 1st with updated and valued information on their animals. For further information, please contact us at the address listed below. Subscription rates have not been established at the present time, but If you would like to receive our first issue, please provide us with the fol lowing: Name: Organ l zat 1 on : Address: Phone: Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 63 Volura 21 Number 1 March 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: THREATENED AND ENDANGERED PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF MARYLAND PROCEEDINGS OF A SYMPOSIUM HELD SEPTEMBER 3-4, 1981, AT TOWSON STATE UNIVERSITY, TOWSON, MARYLAND Published by the Maryland Natural Heritage Program, this 476 page book contains thirty separate papers dealing with Maryland's rare plants and animals. Included are 22 papers presented at Towson State University in 1981, and eight others invited subsequently. All papers were fully revised and updated prior to publication. This is the first such publication for Maryland and should be an invaluable resource for naturalists, land use planners, and anyone interested in our threatened and endangered biota, or state and federal regulations concerning its management. The table of contents is reproduced on the back of this page. Please send _ copy(ies) of Threatened and Endangered Plants and Animals of Maryland @ $13.00 per copy (price includes tax and postage). Enclosed is a check or money order payable to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for $ _ . Please send book(s) to: (Name) (Address) (City) (State) CZi^T Please send this form and check/money order to: Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fiscal & Supportive Services Office Tawes State Office Building Annapolis, MD 21401-9974 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society; Page 64 Volume 21 Number 1 March 1985 K\ KN "O CM g Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 65 Volune 21 Nunber 1 March 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: ANNOUNCEMENT: HERPETOLOGY WEEKEND AT TERRA ALTA, W V There’ll be some excellent "herpln*” In the mountains of West Virginia this stirmer at our annual Herpetology Weekend. If you’re a beginner or an experienced herper, this Is a rare opportunity. The leaders will introduce you to the field and be your guide to the incredible diversity of amphibians and reptiles of the region. The leaders. Dr. Robert Gordon of West Liberty State College, Dr. Martin Rosenberg of Case Western Reserve University, and Dr. Joe Butler of Wheeling College, are all experts and are familiar with the area. The weekend starts at 8:00 p.m. on Friday with an Instructional slide program on the Anphibians and Reptiles of West Virginia. There will be night hikes to search for salamanders, visits to Dolly Sods and Seneca Rocks and explorations of unique cave habitats. Field guides. Identification keys and collecting equipment will be available. And don’t forget to bring your camera because there will be frequent photography sessions. So, If you’re a fanatic or just curious about reptiles and amphibians, this weekend will be sure to please! Where: Oglebay Institute camp on Lake Terra Alta, Terra Alta, WV When: June 7-9, 1985 Arrival Time: 6-8 p.m. Friday Departure Time: 3 p.m. Sunday Cost: $40.00 Contact: Oglebay Institute Nature Education Department Oglebay Park Wheeling, WV 26003 304/242-6855 Page 66 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Society Publications Back issues of the Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society, where available, may be obtained by writing the Executive Editor. A list of available issues will be sent upon request. Individual numbers in stock are $2.00 each, un¬ less otherwise noted. The Society al so publ i shes a Newsletter on a somewhat irregular basis. These are distributed to the membershi p free of charge. Also published are Maryland Herpetofauna Leaflets and these are available at $. 25/page. Information for Authors All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Editor. Manuscripts being sub¬ mitted for publication should be typewritten (double spaced) on good quality 8^x11 inch paper, with adequate margins. Submit original and first carbon, retaining the second carbon. Indicate where illustrations or photographs are to appear in text. Cite all literature used at end in alphabetical order by author. Major papers are those over 5 pages (double spaced, elite type)andmust ? ncl ude an abstract . The authors name should be centered under the title, and the address is to fol low the Li terature Cited. Minor papers are those papers with fewer than 5 pages. Author's name is to be placed at end of paper (see recent issue). For addi tional information see Style Manual for Biological Journals (19&A) , American I nsti tute of Biological Sciences, 3900 Wi scons in Avenue, N.W. , Washington, D.C. 20016. Price is $6.00. Reprints are available at $.03 a page and shoul d be ordered when manuscripts are submitted or when proofs are returned. Minimum order is 100 reprints. Either edited manuscri pt or proof will be returned to author for approval or correction. The author will be responsible for al 1 corrections to proof, and must return proof preferably wi thin 7 days. The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology Hatural History Society of Maryland , Inc . 2643 North Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21218 BULLETIN OF THE US ISSN: 0025-4231 pull&i m 8 0S, toarylanD f)Ecpotofogical ©ocietu ^THSO WM/v OCT 2. 1985 Department of Herpetology The Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. RdHS . A FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE Eastern Seaboard Herpetological League JUNE 1985 VOLUME 21 NUMBER 2 Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 21 Number 2 CONTENTS DISTRIBUTIONAL NOTES ON SOME DELAWARE SNAKES, WITH TWO FIRST RECORDS FOR THE STATE . Rudolf G. Arndt NEW DISTRIBUTION RECORDS FOR MARYLAND REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS . William L. Grogan, Jr BODY LENGTH OF MALE CRYPTOBRAN CHUS ALLECANIENSIS AT SEXUAL MATURITY . EricD. Wi kramanayake and G. L. Dry den NEWS AND NOTES: BOOK REVIEW: A FIELD GUIDE TO WESTERN REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS NEWS AND NOTES: EARTHWATCH BULLETIN: IONIAN SEA TURTLES FIGHTING FOR A BEACH-HEAD NEWS AND NOTES: ANNOUNCEMENT: DESERT WATCH RESEARCH EXPEDITION NEWS AND NOTES: SSAR REGIONAL HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY - LIAISON COMMITTEE SSAR REGIONAL HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY - 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS AND NOTES: ANNOUNCEMENT: AVAILABLE BACK ISSUES OF HERPETOLOGICA NEW BOOK RELEASES: AMPHIBIAN SPECIES OF THE WORLD A NEW LOOK AT DINOSAURS HOW ANIMALS SEE: OTHER VISIONS OF OUR WORLD SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN IN PENNSYLVANIA The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology Natural History Society of Mary land 3 Inc . 2643 North Charles Street Baltimore 3 Maryland 21218 June BULLETIN OF THE mM)8 Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 The Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Department of Herpetology, Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Bui let in Staff Executive Editor Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Steering Committee Donald Boyer Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Frank Groves Jerry D. Hardy, Jr. Jeff Thomas Off i cers Pres i dent . . V i ce-Pres i dent . Secretary . . Treasurer . . Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 76-93^58 Membership Rates Full membership in the Maryland Herpetol og i cal Society is $12.50 per year, subscribing membership (outside a 20 mile radius of Baltimore City) $10.00 /year, Foreign $12.00/yr. Make all checks payable to the Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Meet i ngs The third Wednesday of each month, 8:15 p.m. at the Natural History Society of Maryland (except May-August, third Saturday of each month, 8:00 a .m. ) . The Department of Herpetology meets informally on all other Wednesday evenings at the NHSM at 8:00 p.m. Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 21 30 June 1985 Number 2 Distributional Notes on Some Delaware Snakes, With Two First Records for the State Rudolf G. Arndt Abstract Locality data are given for seven species of little-known or secretive Delaware snakes. Although all species considered herein have been recorded for Delaware In range maps by Conant (1975), specific localities for two of the species have not been published. Data for five other species herein augment those In the literature and help to more accurately define their Delaware distributions. Published information on the distribution of the herpetofauna of Delaware has been summarized and augmented primarily by Conant (1945, 1947, 1958). Additional data have been presented by Arndt (1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978). As part of a continuing study of the herpetofauna of Delaware and adjacent areas by these two individuals, it seems desirable to now update information on the distribution of seven species of little-known or secretive Delaware snakes. Many of the specimens or data reported on below have previously been made available to Roger Conant by me or by others and these data have been incorporated in Conant (1975). The Delaware range for each species considered herein and as known to me has thus already been published. The purpose of this paper is to present the first specific locality data for two of the species, and to augment locality data for five additional species. These data help to better describe the distribution of the snakes of Delaware. Further, with the recent advent of a nongame species program in the state, these data will help identify and hopefully safeguard known or possible populations of the less cannon species. The data presented herein are based only on specimens or other documentation recently in my possession, and on 1 iterature records; museum and other records will be included in a later work. Data for Delaware will ultimately be related to that for adjacent states (e.g., summaries for Maryland by Harris, 1975, and for Pennsylvania by McCoy, 1982). Many individuals contributed to this paper. In particular, Michael J. Geiger and Raymond M. Pusey provided many specimens and data; the former also provided numerous photographs. Specimens have also been contributed by Charles E. Mohr, Delaware State College, Dover; Thalia C. Putney, Wilmington Friends School, Wilmington; and Roland R. Roth, University of Delaware, Newark. Data have been provided by E. Paul Catts, Washington State Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 67 Vo lime 21 Number 2 June 1985 University, Pullman; David J. Cretty, Trap Pond State Park; Max. M. Harrell, Wilmington Friends School; and James F. White, Delaware Nature Education Society, Hockessin. Contributions of the above persons are credited below. Roger Conant kindly checked his records for certain species, and made valuable editorial comments. I thank the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware, for permission for my continuing scientific Investigations of the herpetofauna of Delaware. Specimens have been deposited in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CM). The numbers in brackets for a given species enumerate localities. Regina, septemvittata (Queen snake) - Conant (1945, and pers. comm., 1973) recorded it from Newark, from 3.2 km S Newark, and from Wilmington, all New Castle County. One adult (CM 108981) was found sunning on grasses In a small, open and well-lighted marsh, E side Rt. 13, 1.7 km S Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, New Castle County, 6 May 1972, by Grace M. Tilger and myself. It has been reported on by Arndt (1976). This specimen is notable as it is apparently still the southernmost record for the state. Another snake with it but which escaped was probably also of this species. Storeria o. oooipitomaoulata (Northern red-bellied snake) - One adult male (CM 108982) was taken in a trash pile in an open, brushy area surrounded by nature mixed forest, 11.2 km E Laurel, Sussex County, 4 August 1984, by Joan A. Pienta, M. J. Geiger, R. M. Pusey, and myself. It is a male with a brick-red dorsum, of 148 rrm snout-vent length and 195 rrm total length. A dead-on-road (DOR) adult with a gray dorsum was found in Trap Pond State Park, Sussex County, on 15 August 1981 by J. F. White; it was not saved or photographed. Conant (1975) recorded it from Delaware on the basis of Delmarva Peninsula specimens taken just west and south of this state (R. Conant, pers. comm., 1985). Virginia v. valeriae (Eastern earth snake) - Conant (1958) recorded one specimen from (1) Ellendale, Sussex County, taken 29 April 1946, and four specimens from (2) about 3.2 km SE Glasgow, New Castle County, taken 17 April 1953. To these can be added four specimens from three additional localities. (3) One adult (CM 108983) was found DOR in an area of deciduous forest, 3.2 km S Townsend, New Castle County, 28 September 1973, by R. Lynn Johnson and myself. (4) One adult (CM 108984) was found alive during excavations in a house basement in Guyencourt, NW Brandywine Creek State Park, New Castle County, 15 January 1974, by John D. Kern. (5) Two adults (CM 108985, 108986) were found under roofing shingles in a trash pile in a clearing surrounded by mature mixed forest, 8 km NE Seaford, Sussex County, 11 August 1984, by Damon M. Smith and myself. Elaphe g. guttata (Corn snake) - It has to date been reported only from Sussex County, from (1) an open, cultivated area near Seaford by Conant (1945) and (2) from near Cape Henlopen State Park by Hi 11 Is (1974) and from Lewes by Arndt (1976). The last record is now CM 108987. Further work has yielded additional specimens, all from Sussex County. As many as seven adults were observed in one day at locality (2) in eastern Lewes, and at the nearby (and habitat-continuous) Cape Henlopen State Park. Page 68 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Societ Volume 21 Numbe r 2 June 1985 All were found under concrete, railroad ties and tin sheets on at least 13 dates from 20 May 1976 to 10 May 1984 by M. J. Geiger, Jim Merli, or myself; many are documented in photographs. (3) One adult (CM 108988) was found next to a farm building, 6.1 km E Laurel, 17 August 1962, and was killed by being doused with gasoline. According to R. M. Pusey, who obtained the specimen, the capture spot was then a homestead surrounded by cultivated fields; the site is unchanged to date (1984). (4) One hatchling or one adult was found on, or under shelter adjacent to, a highway at several points from 2.9 to 3.2 km SW Blades (S of Seaford) on each of six dates from 9 October 1979 to 26 July 1984 by M. J. Geiger; they are documented in photographs. (5) One hatchling was found DOR 0.5 km SW Blades on or about 15 October 1983 by M. J. Geiger; it is not documented. Another DOR hatchling (CM 108989) was found 0.6 km SW Blades, 9 October 1984, by M. J. Geiger. (6) One DOR adult was found 4.8 km SW Seaford, 4 June 1984, by M. J. Geiger; it is documented in photographs. Although close to localities 4 and 5, locality 6 is separated from them by the Nanticoke River. These data suggest that there are at least three populations of the corn snake in the area southwest of Seaford. Most of the above specimens are from dry, sandy pine barren-like areas, although two (from localities 3 and 6) are from the cultivated field and house yard habitats now common in the region. Additional work will probably reveal the corn snake to be even more widespread throughout at least southern Sussex County. Ashton (1976) listed the corn snake in Delaware as rare and suffering from commercial exploitation. The above records show that it is more widespread and common than previously known. The degree of commercial exploitation, if any, is not known. In Delaware it probably suffers most from destruction of its preferred habitat of woods and brush in dry and sandy areas. Lampropeltis g. getulus (Eastern kingsnake) - Conant (1945) recorded it from numerous counties on the Delmarva Peninsula, but not from Kent and New Castle counties, Delaware, while Conant (1975) records it from all but northern-most Delmarva. Arndt (1976) recorded it from throughout Delaware, north to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, New Castle County, on the basis of an adult (CM 108990) found DOR 1.6 km SE Chesapeake City, Cecil County, Maryland, and 1.6 km W Delaware state line, 19 June 1974, by William H. Bason. Harris (1975) also recorded It from Cecil County, Maryland, and from northeastern Kent County, Delaware. This species is here recorded from New Castle County, with an additional record from Kent County, Delaware. (1) One adult (CM 108991) was found alive on a highway (AOR) bordered on one side by a large field prepared for planting and by a large uncultivated meadow on the other, 2.4 km SE Odessa, New Castle County, 10 May 1973, by Fred C. Rohde. (2) One DOR adult (CM 108992) was found near a stream in an area of mature deciduous forest, 1.6 km S Townsend, New Castle County, 26 August 1973, by F. C. Rohde and myself. (3) One adult was taken DOR in an area of open, cultivated fields at the entrance to Killen Pond State Park, some 19 km S Dover, Kent County, 11 June 1973, by F. C. Rohde, Johnson C. S. Wang, and myself; it was not saved . Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 69 Volume 21 Number 2 June 198 Cemophora eoccinea oopei (Northern scarlet snake) - A specimen taken at Buzzard’s Point, southern shore of Trap Pond, Trap Pond State Park, Sussex County, is the first recorded specimen for the state and only the second documented specimen for the Delmarva Peninsula. The latter was taken April 1923 near Salisbury, Wicomico County, Maryland (Conant, 1958). The Delaware specimen (CM 108993) was found at dusk while active above ground, 21 June 1963, by a Boy Scout, and subsequently obtained by R. M. Pusey who preserved it in formalin on 8 July 1963 (R. M. Pusey records and pers. comm., 1985). He later gave it to M. J. Geiger, who then presented it to me. R. Conant, through the courtesy of R. M. Pusey, has long had this specimen noted in his records, but not published specifically on it. The adult specimen is 46.7 cm snout-vent length and 53.5 cm total length, and has 20 dorsal red blotches; its sex has not been determined. The capture spot is on a small sandy peninsula free (in 1984) of undergrowth and used as a picnic area. Vegetation is mature mixed forest of loblolly pine, Pinus taeda ; Virginia pine, P. virginiana ; sassafras. Sassafras albidwv ; sweet gum, Liquidarnber styraciflua ; swamp maple, Acer rubrum ; American holly. Ilex opaca ; dogwood, Cornus florida ; black oak, Quercus velutina ; white oak, Q. oflba ; green ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica ; black tupelo, Nyssa sylvatica ; cypress, Taxodiwn distichum ; and American beech, Fagus grandifolia . Blueberry, Vacciniwn sp., and cat-brier, Smilax sp., are common on the peninsula edge. Agkistrodon contortrix rnokasen (Northern copperhead) - Several additional specimens and new localities can be added to the two reported localities from Sussex County, from (1) 8.0 km W Millsboro (Conant, 1945) anc (2) NW edge of Trap Pond State Park (Arndt, 1976), and to the only reported locality for it from New Castle County, from (3) Alapocas Woods, N edge of Wilmington (Conant, 1945). Sussex County: There are additional specimens from locality (2). One adult (CM 108994) was killed near the northwest corner of Trap Pond State Park, sunnier 1972, after a child stepped on the snake by a woodpile behind a sma1! grocery store and about 250 m from the two adults (now CM 108995, 108996) reported on by Arndt (1976). The child was not bitten. Specimen anc data from C. E. Mohr. (Seven young born to CM 108996 on the night of 10-11 September 1972 are now CM 108997-109003). Another adult (CM 109004) was taken in Trap Pond State Park on 19 or 20 July 1°73 after reportedly biting a dog and then the dog’s owner. Both survived and evidently with little adverse effect to the human (pers. comm., R. R. Roth and E. P. Catts, 1984). This snake was recently obtained from R. R. Roth. One juvenile was seen AOR at night, S edge Trap Pond State Park, 7 August 1978, by M. J. Gefger; it was not preserved or photographed. A number of specimens were seen in this Park in the summer of 1983 (pers. comm., D. J. Cretty, 1984). (4) One adult (CM 109005) recently obtained from R. R. Roth was found DOR at Laurel by J. O'Day on 11 September 1959. (5) One adult (CM 109006) was killed when discovered next to a chicken coop, Whaley’s Crossroad, 11.3 km. E Laurel, early 1960's. The specimen and data are from R. M. Pusey (pers. comm., 1984), who also provided the data on the following two specimens. (6) One adult (CM 109007) was shot in a house kitchen, Lowes Crossroads, Page 70 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Socie Volime 21 Number 2 June 1985 14.5 km E Laurel, early 1960's. (7) One adult (CM 109008) was killed next to a farm building, Puseys Crossroad, 12.9 km E Laurel, early 1960's. (8) One AOR adult was found at night near the downstream end of Trussun Pond, 6.4 km SE Laurel, 16 September 1978, by M. J. Geiger; it was photographed and released. (9) One DOR juvenile was found at Hitchens Crossroad, 9.7 km ENE Laurel, on or about 20 September 1978. This undocumented sight record by David Jackson was made available through M. J. Geiger. CIO) One adult was found DOR, 11.7 km E Laurel, and a second adult was found alive on a road, about 15.3 km E Laurel, both late in September 1983, by Grady E. Griggs, Jr. (J. F. White, pers. conm., 1985, and see photograph of snakes in Anonymous, 1983). The specimens were found during daylight, one or two days apart, and were evidently not preserved (Frederick T. Mott, Kent County, Delaware, District Conservationist, pers. conm., 1985). (11) One specimen was found in a sandy area of loblolly pine, American holly and chestnut oak, Quercus prinus , crossing a sand road near Camp Barnes, Assawoman Wildlife Area, on a sunny afternoon in 1956, probably in July (E. Paul Catts, pers. conm., 1984, 1985). Catts informed me that the snake was deposited at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, but neither the specimen nor an entry for it in the Academy herpetology catalog could be located. Visits with R. M. Pusey and M. J. Geiger in 1984 to the capture/ observation spots for most of the above specimens indicate that they were taken/observed in or adjacent to mature mixed forest dominated by loblolly pine, sweet gum, wild cherry, Prunus sp.; red oak, Quercus rubrum ; white oak, swamp maple and American holly. New Castle County: (3) One adult (CM 109009) was found DOR in a hilly, rocky area with brush and mature deciduous forest on Wilmington Friends School property, edge of Alapocas Woods, 15 June 1982 (specimen and data from T. C. Putney, pers. conm., 1984). A live copperhead was seen there in October 1983, and there were three additional sightings in spring 1984 (pers. conm., M. M. Harrell, 1984). The copperhead thus still persists in this wild enclave in an otherwise heavily suburban/urban area. (12) One adult was found in or near Brandywine Creek State Park, about 6.4 km N Wilmington, on or about 20 September 1977. It reportedly bit a human, who was treated in a hospital emergency room. The snake apparently was not saved. Data from R. R. Roth, pers. corrm., 1984. This park is in a rural area now rapidly becoming suburban. The copperhead in Delaware is listed by Ashton (1976) as rare and suffering from habitat destruction. This evaluation of its status appears to be accurate. Literature Cited Anonymous . 1983. Kent Conservationist (Dover, Delaware) 9(3) :4. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 71 Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 Arndt, R. G. 1972. Additional records of Clemmys mMeribergi in Delaware, with notes on reproduct ion. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 8(1): 1-5. 1975. Meet our turtles. Delaware Conservationist 19(1): 11-14. 1976. Delaware snakes. Delaware Conservationist 20(1): 11-14. 1977. Notes on the natural history of the bog turtle, Clermys muhlenbevgi (Schoepff), in Delaware. Ches. Sci . 18(1) : 67—76 . 1978. The bog turtle... an endangered species? Delaware Conservationist 22(2) : 18—21,25 . Ashton, R. E., Jr. 1976. Endangered and threatened amphibians and reptiles in the United States. Edited by S. R. Edwards and G. R. Pisani. Published by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Rept i les. 65 p. Conant, R. 1945. An annotated check list of the amphibians and reptiles of the Del-Mar-Va Peninsula. The Society of Natural History of Delaware, Wilmington, pp. 1-8. 1947. VI. Reptiles and amphibians in Delaware, pp. 23-25, in Delaware, a history of the First State, H. Clay Reed, ed., Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Inc., New York. 1958. Notes on the herpetology of the Delmarva Peninsula. Cope i a 1958(0:50-52. 1975. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians of eastern and central North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. 429 p. Harris, H.S., Jr. 1975. Distributional survey (Amphibia/Rept i 1 ia): Maryland and the District of Colunbia. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 1 1(5) : 75-167 . Hi 1 1 is, D. M. 1974. A note on cannibalism in corn snakes, Elaphe guttata guttata. BulJ_. Md. Herp. Soc. 10(1): 31-32. Page 72 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Vol urte 21 Number 2 June 1985 McCoy, C. J. 1982. Reptiles and amphibians in Pennsylvania. Special of Carnegie Museim of Natural History, Pittsburgh. 91 p. Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics , Stockton State College , Pomona , New Jersey 08240 Received: 20 March 1985 Accepted: 2 April 1985 publ i cat ion Number 6, Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 73 Volune 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEW DISTRIBUTION RECORDS FOR MARYLAND REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS The following records of Maryland amphibians and reptiles provide some new localities not available and hence not listed by Harris (1975) including several new county records. Thanks are due to Robert Miller and Michael Geiger for providing information on several specimens. Notophthalmus viridescens. Harris (1975) stated that "Present records indicated its absence from the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland", although acknowledging a record by Conant (1945) from Northhampton County, Virginia. Recently, Miller (1984) noted a specimen from near Lakesville, Dorchester County. During late April 1979 my son Charles Grogan collected two efts from a small woodland pond N of Levin Dash i ell Rd. approximately 2 km W of Salisbury, Wicomico County. Both specimens were released since I failed to realize at the time that this species was unknown from the county. Cnenidophorus sexlineatus . Harris (1975) notes that this species is a Coastal Plain form in Maryland but cites records for Frederick and Allegheny Counties as examples of this species expanding its distribution via the Potomac River. On 18 June 1976 I observed a large adult of this species foraging in the floodplain of the Potomac River 1 km SW of Cabin John, Montgomery County. This locality is situated approximately midway between Lock 12 on the CSO Canal and the southern tip of Plummer's Island and is on the Eastern Piedmont. This specimen was observed for several minutes as it searched for insects but could not be captured, and represents the first record of this species for Montgomery County. Ewneces laticeps . Harris (1975) notes a single record of this species for each of the four counties of the lower Eastern Shore. A large adult male of this species was taken during August 1984 from Shad Landing State Park, Worcester County by a visitor to the park. It had a snout-vent length of 115 nm and total length of 281 mm and was kept by the park rangers for a few weeks in captivity and later released. Lampropeltis trianguhm. A specimen was taken by Carlton Windsor, Jr. on 12 September 1983 as it was crawling on a pile of maple logs within a sawmill site on Peggy Neck Rd. 2.5 km E of Loretto (7 km NNE Princess Anne), Somerset County. This specimen is catalogued TSU 6335 in the Towson State University herpetological collection and represents a new county record for this species for Somerset County. It is a juvenile female with a snout-vent length of 284 rrm and total length of 331 mm and is a typical example of the coastal plain milksnake, or intergrade L. t. triangulum X elapsoides as described by Williams (1978) and Conant (1975). Cemcphora coccinea. A large specimen of this species (ca. 530 mm) was taken during June 1975 by Mark Mengele, a park ranger at Shad Landing State Park, Worcester County as it was crossing a road in the park. This Page 74 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society VoKxne 21 Number 2 June 1985 specimen was examined by Michael Geiger who retains a photograph of it, however the snake was apparently later released. This is the first record of this species for Worcester County. Berodia erythrogaster . On 6 June 1983 I discovered a DOR specimen on New Bridge Road at the Chicamacomico River 5 km W of Vienna, Dorchester County. This specimen is catalogued TSU 6334 in the Towson State University herpetolog ical collection. This large female with a snout -vent length of 984 mm and total length of 1225 rrm is apparently the largest individual from Maryland. Harris (1975) lists four records of this snake from Dorchester County including one from near Bucktown. Another specimen catalogued NHSM/HSH 1126 in the Natural History Society of Maryland was taken approximately 1 km N of Bucktown, 23 September 1975 by R. Czarnowsky, B. Biggs and R. Miller. Robert S. Simmons in July 1975 saw two specimens and collected one from under a piece of tin next to a ditch along side Md. Rt. 331, 9 miles SW Vienna, Dorchester County (Harris, 1975). These records indicate that this species is rather commonly distributed in the southern half of Dorchester County although it is rarely seen or collected. Literature Cited Conant, R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 429 p. Harris, H. S., 1975. Jr. Distributional survey (Amphibia/Rept i 1 ia): Maryland and the District of Colunbia. Bui 1 . Md. Herp. Soc. _U(3) : 73-167 . Miller, R. 1984. Distributional records for Maryland herpetofauna. III. Bui 1 . Md. Herp. Soc. _^0C2) : 38-45 . Williams, K. L. 1978. Systematics and natural history of the American milksnake, Lampropeltis triangulum. Mi lwaukee Pub! ic Museun Pub! . Biol . Geol . 2:1-258. — William L. Grogan, Jr., Deportment of Biological Sciences 3 Salisbury State College 3 Salisbury 9 Maryland 21801. Received: 30 January 1985 Accepted: 10 February 1985 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 75 Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 BODY LENGTH OF MALE CRYPTOBRA NCHUS ALLEGANIENSIS AT SEXUAL MATURITY The size of male Cryptobranchus alleganiensis at sexual maturity has not been accurately documented. Nickerson and Mays (1972) indicated it to be approximately 340 mm (probably total) length but expressed a degree of uncerta i nty . As in other urodeles, the testes of Cryptobranchus undergo an annual maturaticnal cycle (Burger, 1937; Humphrey, 1921). According to Humphrey (1921), primary spermatogonia are surrounded by epithelial cells comparable in function to mammal ian Sertoli cells. Division of spermatogonia and epithelial cells initiates formation of lobular lumina, after which the full sequence of germinal cell maturation proceeds as a cephalocaudal wave. This progression is rapid and difficult to observe (Humphrey, 1921) but McGregor (1899) considered sperm maturation in Cryptobranchus to occur immediately prior to fertilization without prolonged storage in the testes. Maturation divisions occur between June and August (Humphrey, 1921) and spawning is in October (Ratcliff, 1965). We have determined by light and scanning electron microscopy the body size at which male Cryptobranchus alleganiensis become gametogenic. Thirty-one Cryptobranchus alleganiensis were hand-caught in the Allegheny River 3 km southwest of Tionesta, Pennsylvania, on May 29 (7 animals) and on 31 August, 1980 (24 animals). They were killed with ether and measured (standard snout-vent length) dead. Cranial, middle and caudal portions of both testes of each animal were fixed in Karnovsky's (1961) fixative or in alcohol -formol -acet ic acid (AFA) for electron and light microscopy, respectively. The presence of sperm was also confirmed by microscopic examination of fresh testicular exudate of the larger salamanders. Fixed exudate of mature animals was filtered through Whatmans No. 1 paper which was then trimmed, folded, and stapled. The resulting packet was dehydrated through a series of ethyl alcohols and cri t ical -point dried. A small piece of double-stick tape was used to transfer clumps of sperm to the specimen stub. Sperm were coated with gold approximately 45 nm thick and observed with a Coates and Welter (Cwikscan 106A) field emission scanning electron microscope. AFA-fixed samples were dehydrated through a series of ethanol s and embedded in Paraplast. Sections 6 and 8 my thick were stained with hematoxylin and fast green. The smallest specimen with testicular sperm was 200 rrm snout-vent length (S-V-L). All longer animals were also spermatogenic (Figure 1). The testes of a 187 rrm S-V-L salamander in August contained spermatids and some secondary spermatocytes . The next four smaller animals with S-V-L of 184-, 178-, 166- and 154 nm were collected in May. Since Cryptobranchus testes being their recrudescence in June (Humphrey, 1921) no sperm were expected. However, spermatids were present in the 184- and 166 rrm animals. Secondary Page 76 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society SNOUT- VENT LENGTH (mm.) Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 SPERMATIDS Figure 1. Correlation of most-differentiated germinal epithelium type with snout -vent length of 19 Cryptobranohus . All longer animals examined bore spermatozoa. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 77 Vo 1 une 21 Number 2 June 1985 spermatocytes characterized the germinal epitheliim of the smaller animals. Since gametes in immature Plethodon develop until the spermatocyte stage before degenerating (Burger, 1937) and during May immature Necturus testicular lobules consist of spermatogonia with no indication of spermatocytes (Humphrey, 1921) it is possible that the 178 mm animal would have shortly experienced gametogenes i s . His testes were more distended than those of smaller, immature animals. Similarly, the presence of spermatids in the May animals measuring 184 mm and 166 mm S-V-L also suggest sexual maturity with the possibility of sperm i ogenes i s during the current SLirmer. The presence of spermatids in two animals collected in May advance the date of gametogenes i s relative to that (June) cited by Humphrey (1921). Spermatozoa in the seven animals collected in August and spermatids in another smaller animal (Figure 1) indicate spermi ogenes is and a breeding season beginning in mid to late August since the duration of testicular sperm storage is minimal (McGregor, 1899). Two immature salamanders taken in August contained primary and secondary spermatocytes. Testes of the other animals (137-, 1 36-, 132—, 122-, and 102 nrn S-V-L) had no germ cells advanced beyond primary spermatocyte level. Their testicular lobules were fewer in ntmber and the testis was thread-like. These observations show that male Cryptobranchus are gametogenic at 166 mm S-V-L. From comparable observations of gametogenes i s in other salamanders, it is assuned but not known that Cryptobranchus of this size could become active breeders in the streams from which they were taken. Acknowl edgements We thank K. G. Walker and A. H. Wi kramanayake for field assistance, G. V. Cal lard for commenting on testicular histology, and Claudia Errera for typing the manuscript. Literature Cited Burger, J. W. 1937. The relation of germ cell degenerations to the modifications of the testicular structure of plethodontid salamanders. J. Morph., 60:459-487. Humphrey, R. R. 1921. The interstitial cells of the urodele testis. An. J_. Anat . , 29:213-279. Karnovsky, M. 1961. J. A formal dehyde-gl uteraldehyde fixative of high osmolar ity for use in electron microscopy. J.. Cel 1 Biol . , 27 : 137A. Page 78 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 McGregor, J. H. 1899. The spermatogenesis of Amphiwna. Nickerson, M. A., and C. E. Mays 1972. The Hellbenders: North American ’’Giant Salamanders.” Milwaukee Pub. Mus. Ratcliff, M. A. 1965. The male urogenital system in Cryptobranchus . J.. Tern. Acad. Scj_. , 40:52-57. - — Eric D. Wi kramanayake and G. L. Dryden, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, University of California, Davis, California 95616, and Biology Department, Slippery Rook University , Slippery Rook, Pennsylvania 16057. Received: 13 March 1985 Accepted: 20 April 1985 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 79 Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: BOOK REVIEW: A FIELD GUIDE TO WESTERN REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS. Second edition, revised. By Robert C. Stebbins. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2 Park St., Boston, MA 02108. xvi, 336 pp., 40 figs., 48 pis. (35 col.), 200 maps. 1985. $12.95 paper, $17.95 cloth. The eagerly anticipated second edition of this classic, first appearing 20 years ago (1966), is at last at hand, and a noble successor it is, with thoroughly up-dated information, an expanded coverage that includes the herpetofauna not only of the states of New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Saskatchewan and Northwest Territory and all adjacent lands to the west (as before), but also main! and (not insular) Baja California, with numerous new illustrations and maps. Indeed, al 1 maps have been redrawn, 188 taking the place of 190 in the first edition, but one being added to depict vegetational zones of Baja California, and eleven to account for species (called ’’endemics”) limited, within the scope of this work, to Baja California. Most of the plates are the same as in the first edition (although the color plate of skinks is not reproduced as well), but 35 are in color (vs. 24 in the first edition), for a total of 48 (vs. 39). A total of 244 species is treated (vs. 207), only 17 of which are Baja California ’’endemics." Twenty "endemic" subspecies, however, of species occurring in the United States, had to be included because of the coverage of Baja California. With 260 subspecies accounted for, 504 species-group taxa are embraced. The figures are the same as before, except for the addition of one figure of Tantilla hemi penes. The new plates include eleven in color: two of Batrachoseps ; one of leopard frogs; two of Holbrookia 3 Cophosaurus3 Callisaurus and Uma (replacing one black and white plate); one of Gambelia3 Crotaphytus and Dipsosaurus (replacing a B-W plate); three of Cnemidophorus (replacing one B-W plate); and two of Baja California "endemics." In addition, four color figures of geckos are added to a former plate, one new B-W plate of Baja California "endemics" is included, and the original six B-W figures of Tantilla are replaced by five (one eliminated, two redrawn). Thus there is an astounding total of 601 separate illustrations, 245 of them in color. Only 12 species are not illustrated: Dioamptodon copei3 Scaphiopus multiplicatus 3 Bufo exsul3 B. nelsoni3 Rana clamitans3 R. onca3 Pseudemys concinna3 Eretmoohelys imbrioata3 Trionyx muticus3 Coleonyx brevis 3 Crotaphytus insularis 3 and Gerrhonotus pauoioarinatus . Only one typographical error was noted, Coleonyx swaitaki replacing C. switaki . However, the customary error of spelling of Lampropeltis getulus nigritus (instead of the correct L. g. nigrita , required in the feminine gender to agree with the feminine generic name, since the subspecific name is clearly an adjective, hence must modify Lampropeltis ; getulus appears to be a Page 80 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 barbarism, and was so considered by Barbour, pers. comm.) was perpetuated. On the other hand, the grammatical 1 y incorrect Sceloporus graciosus arenicolous was properly rendered as S. g. arenicolus . A conservative stand was adopted in most instances of taxonomic controversy, as indeed is desirable in any work such as this that inevitably serves as a standard for many years. However, fuel was added to the recurrent rumors of a species of Bipes occurring in southern Arizona Cp. 243), and a few common names were adopted that do not conform with the conventional standard. Conservatism is especially welcome in the case of Cl) Anniella, for which the name A. pulchra is retained in its long-familiar sense, rather than being transferred to a different species as proposed recently Can appeal to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature to preserve the earlier status quo is in process); C2) Gerrhonotus s.l., since the application of that name in its broad sense Crather than in the narrow sense, limited to G. liocephalus , with allocation of other species to Elgaria and Barisia ) is required by discovery that G. parvus is oviparous, hence like G. liocephalus , although its scutellation agrees with Barisia , all species of which are viviparous, leaving no single criterion for separation of Gerrhonotus s.s. and Barisia (Elgaria likewise falls on egalitarian grounds); C3) a monotypic Phrynosoma douglassii , in which subspecific distinctions have long been tacitly Coccasional ly explicitly) recognized as objectively indefensible even if subjectively accepted; C4) a monotypic Eyla regilla , in admission that techniques do not yet exist satisfactorily to delimit the several proposed subspecies of it; and (5) preservation of the legally correct (however exasperating) -JJ_ genitive ending for species-group names thus originally proposed. Conservatism is less overwhelmingly justified in (1) rejection of specific distinction of some populations commonly allocated as subspecies of Sceloporus magister despite karyological evidence (admittedly not fully docunented) to the contrary; (2) rejection of specific status for Salvadora deserticola (again not fully docunented); (3) rejection of polytypy in Hypsiglena torquata ; and (4) rejection of Spea as a valid genus, strictly in conformance with almost universal custom, despite abundant evidence (admittedly not vigorously presented) of distinction from Scaphiopus . Other taxa more clearly justified in their elimination in the interest of conservatism are tiyla eximia wrightorum and Tropidoclonion lineatum mertensi, the validity of each of which will undoubtedly be reestablished with fully synoptic study. On the other hand, the recent careful studies of the difficult genera Batrachoseps and Rana were accepted in full, even to inclusion of as yet unnamed taxa. It is heartening to observe retention of the well-established subspecies Sceloporus graciosus vandenburgianus despite its neglect in a recent review. Indeed, the one omission most regretted is a more frequent notice of uncertain or debatable matters (although occasionally briefly inserted, e.g., in the accounts for Sceloporus magister and Salvadora hexalepis') . Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal Society Page 81 Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 Suggestions for future study are always st Imul at I ng, although of course ephemeral in pertinence, as knowledge expands without revision of its summary. An excellent new cautionary word is inserted in the introduction of Cp. 8), about the potentially excessive weight of the printed word, but consistent attention to likely fallibilities and gaps in knowledge would be useful. It might also be too space-consuming. Only in the context of some of the Baja California endemics were lapses in consistency of treatment detected. Crotalus enyo and Nerodia valida , for example, are implied by mistake to be monotypic, whereas their subspecies are well established, and the range of the latter outside of Baja California is not shown although its map includes at least part of its territory. Likewise, the map for Ctenosaura hemilopha shows the range for the whole species in the shading indicative of the nominate subspecies, whose range is correctly shown on mainland Baja California. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the first edition, it should be noted that an excellent introduction of 23 pages covers a broad range of general information; that wel 1-i 1 lust rated keys are provided for identification of species on the basis of post-embryonic (or post-larval) material (to which the main body of the text pertains), as well as for amphibian eggs and larvae (in an appendix of 26 pp., with brief descriptions as well as the illustrated keys); that the maps are collected at the end of the book; that there is a 5-p. glossary and four pages of references; that all plates are collected near the middle of the book; that the 40 figures are scattered through the text; and that there is an excellent, 14-p. index. The introduction is much the same as in the first edition, judiciously augmented here and there, although the discussion of field study techniques, including marking-, is greatly curtailed in the second edition, and the supportive figure omitted, substituting the recommendation that professional guidance be sought for such studies. No attempt is made, wisely, to summarize knowledge of he rpeto logical natural history; instead the introduction limits itself to a very personal field vade mecum, and to use and rationale of the book. Topics covered are, seriatim. Area Covered, How to use this Book, Illustrations (briefly stating the author's bias as a highly talented and experienced artist). Size, Color, Young, Sex Differences (reviewed in some detail for salamanders, anurans, turtles, lizards and snakes). Voice, Time of Activity and Breeding, Habits, Food, Subspecies, Biochemical Taxonomy, Distribution Maps, Use of Names (he rejects eponyms). Metric System (used throughout, with conversion to the English system given parenthetically). Making Captures (including use of a snake stick, noosing, night driving, tr iangulat ion, eyeshines, tracking and containers for specimens). Caring for Captives (including temporary quarters, cages, substrate, temperature, feeding, rearing amphibian larvae, rearing reptile eggs, choice of captives), and Field Study and Protection. This field guide is unique in many ways; it has no competitor in coverage of amphibians and reptiles of western North America or Baja California; and it Is the only he rpeto log I cal guide illustrated by the author, who is not only a superbly skilled artist but a lifetime authority on Page 82 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Vo 1 erne 21 Number 2 June 1985 the herpetofauna of the area covered. The second edition is a monunental achievement in both artistry and scientific acunen in the context of use by both novice and expert. Its serviceability will surely at least equal the time-span of the first edition: a sure, long-term investment for every buyer. — Hobart M. Smith, Department of Environmental , Population and Organismio Biology , University of Colorado 334 , Boulder3 Colorado 80309. Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 83 Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: BULLETIN Contact : Blue Magruder 617-489-3030 IONIAN SEA TURTLES FIGHTING FOR A BEACH-HEAD By Mark Cherrington EARTHWATCH News Service When a female loggerhead sea turtle crawls ashore to lay eggs on midnight beaches, she cries continuously. The tears are in fact a means of removing the salt that accumulates in her ocean environment, but they might as well be shed for the fate of her kind. Sea turtles of all species live in a precarious balance with mankind. From the enormous leatherback to the relatively tiny Ridley's, these antediluvian reptiles face habitat loss, competition, and persecution around the world. Unlike most of its cousins, which are endangered, the loggerhead is listed only as threatened. That comparative security may be due partly to the logger¬ head's more flexible feeding habits. Loggerheads sometimes lunch on lobsters, crabs, and other crustaceans near shore, but are also perfectly happy ingesting jellyfish. far out. at sea. During the 170 million years they've been swimming the world's seas, loggerheads have outlived most of their prehistoric predators and have seen oceans come and go. Their thick shells can deflect even shark bites. In fact, turtles that have been bitten sometimes attack sharks, killing them by ripping out their gills. They even manage to survive colonies of barnacles that, sometimes grow in their throats. But nothing in the loggerhead's long history could have prepared it for pound cake and tourists . The pound cake threat came about because loggerhead egg whites don't coagulate. Pound cake made with them taste better and last longer than those made with chicken eggs. In the southern U.S., an entire industry grew around loggerheads' eggs; egg trucks from various bakeries decimated the turtles' nesting beaches until the animals came under the protection of the Endangered Species Act in 1972. Today poachers still take eggs for food both in the U.S. -more- 10 Juniper Road • Box 127 • Belmont, Massachusetts 02178 (617) 489-3030 Page 84 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 21 Nunber 2 June 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: Loggerheads 2/2/2 and in the Mediterranean, but the problem has lessened considerably. The tourists, however, may prove a thornier problem. Like all sea turtles, loggerheads nest on secluded beaches, a preference that increasingly puts them in conflict with seclusion-hungry vacationers. The tourists are not a direct threat to the turtles, but their presence makes nesting much more difficult. Nesting females are skittish emerging from the sea at night; lovers strolling the beach and the lights and commotion of resorts often drive the turtles back into the water where they abort their eggs. The problems don't end, though, even for those eggs that are laid. When newborn turtles hatch, they find their way to the sea by cuing off lighter sky over the water. Unfortunately , resort lights and street lights often lure hatchlings in the wrong direction where they become vulnerable to predators and the deadly heat of daylight. In the Mediterranean, loggerheads' problems are compounded by an enormous increase in the number of tourists and by ever-growing pollution. There may be hope, however. Marine biologist James Sutherland of Sussex University in England has found a relatively large and hitherto unknown nesting colony on the island of Zakynthos, Greece. In 1983, his preliminary census recorded some 2,500 nests laid by 820 turtles, making it the largest colony in the Mediterranean. This summer, he plans to return to the Ionian Islands to thoroughly document the turtles ' behavior and to help assess their needs so that protective measures can be taken by the Greek government. His current work is being underwritten by EARTHWATCH, the non-profit organization that recruits paying volunteers to help share the cost and the work of field research. Dr. Sutherland still needs volunteers for a series of two-week teams that run from June 2 through October 6. Team members will assist in every phase of the work, from patrolling the beaches to measuring the turtles, to counting and measuring the turtles, to counting and measuring the eggs, to recording weather conditions. For more information, call Nancy Gunnlaugsson at 617-489-3030, or write Loggerhead Turtles, EARTHWATCH, 10 Juniper Road, Box 127N , Belmont, Massachusetts 02178. 5/10/85 # # Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 85 Volune 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: ANNOUNCEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE YOU ARE INVITED ON A ZOO RESEARCH EXPEDITION The Zoo and Aquarium Travel Association (ZATA) has invited its member zoos and aquariums to offer a unique travel program to its members. The program will be to San Esteban Island in the Sea of Cortez off the western coast of Mexico. There, members of the Ari zona -Sonora Desert Museum along with the research team made up of zoo society travelers from ZATA zoos and aquariums will observe and capture the endangered, giant chuckwallas that live on the island. This study is being conducted to study behavior, and other aspects of the lizard's biology so that captive colonies of these animals can be maintained properly. This impressive lizard is found nowhere else in the world. Come and join one of the 11 day expeditions if you would like to do more than just visit a place and would like to get involved with a real zoo research program. The tax deductible price for this expedition is $1595, all inclusive, from Tucson. The expedition departure dates are April 17, 1985 May 31, 1985 October (date to be determined), Janua.y 10, 1986. From Tucson where there will be a training program and tour of the famous Ari zona -^Sonora Desert Museum, we travel by van to Kino Bay, Mexico. There we board the comfortable 120' Baja Explorador, which will provide our accommodations during our stay. A member of the ZATA staff will accompany the expedition and care for the needs of the staff and organize the program. Side trips are planned for surrounding islands and there will be plenty of time for snorkeling, fishing and wildlife observation. Contact ZATA, 1776 Independence Court, Birmingham, Al 35216 for more information, 1-800-633-4734. Page 86 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: X o O 3 K Eh P X P S O O •> w i x. x to to ai to o 10 CO tO O X W x x c a> O O to to <-i to c tc, p O 0) - '0 6- Q O C CO E XI 3 X O O O bDP 3 O to X to xi o C X to x x a to P ID-HHX (U c Q p a x -o x x x o c ' o.u p o a> i 3 o o o >5 CO X X to o a. to - to X to CO O Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 87 Volune 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: SSAR REGIONAL HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY LIAISON COMMITTEE The SSAR created a Liaison Committee in 1977 to establish a closer relationship with Regional Herpetological Societies. Communication has been established, but obtaining responses from some societies has been difficult. In order to keep herpetologists informed about the activities and upcoming events of your society, we are asking each Regional Society to send current information to the Liaison Committee and to put the Liaison Committee on your mailing list. We will also be updating our directory and would like to include your group. Please send the following information to the Liaison Committee as soon as possible. Group Name Contact Person Mailing Address Publications Any information to be published in Herpetological Review has to be received at least 2 months before publication date. For example, anything to be published in the June 1985 issue has to be received by March 31, September 1985 by June 30, and December by September 30. Any suggestions concerning the work of the Committee and topics of future conferences would be greatly appreciated. Terry Hibbitts, Chair SSAR Regional Herpetological Society Liaison 309 South 4th Street Wylie, Texas 75098 Page 88 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: SSAR REGIONAL HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE, TAMPA, FLORIDA The Ninth Annual Regional Herpetological Conference sponsored by the SSAR will be held August 7 during the 1985 joint meeting of the SSAR and HL at the University of South Florida in Tampa. The title of the conference is "Methods to Enhance the Regional Herpetological Society". Tenative topics are: Improving Newsletters and Journals, Personal Relations, Preparing Slide Programs, Auctions, Mall Shows, Field Trips, Membership Involvement, and Annual Conferences. There will also be tables available for Regional Herpetological Societies to distribute information about their society. Each society should provide approximately 100 brochures about their society to be distributed at the conference. The brochure should include purpose, history, activities, membership catagories, dues, and contact person for additional information. If you can not attend the conference, please forward brochures to me and I will be sure they are displayed. Please encourage the members of your society to attend the afternoon conference as well as the entire SSAR/HL meeting August 4-9. Help us make the conference a success. Additional information about this meeting will be published in the next issue of HR. Inquiries may be directed to: Terry Hibbitts, Chair SSAR Regional Society Liaison 309 South 4th Street Wylie, Texas 75098 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 89 Volune 21 Nunber 2 June 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: HERPETOLOGICA Published by the Herpetologists' League Founded in 1936 by Chapman Grant. 1-aim-nre M. Hardy Treasurer Department of Biolojiiral Srienre* I-ouisiana State University in Shre\«-|»ort B515 Youree Drive Shreveport. Louisiana 71115 U. S. A. PRICES FOR BACK ISSUES OF HERPETOLOGICA Volumes 1-29 $25.00 U.S. Volumes 30-39 40.00 U.S. Volumes 40-Pre s . 50.00 U.S. Cumulative Index 7.50 U.S. ( Vo 1 s . 12-31 , 1956- 1975) Make checks or money orders payable to: THE HERPETOLOGISTS' Mail payment and order to: Dr. Ellen Censky Section of Amphibians and Reptiles Carneg i e Muse urn Pittsburgh, PA 75213 LEAGUE Page 90 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society The Association of Systematics Collections Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEW BOOK RELEASE: Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 91 Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEW BOOK RELEASE: NEWS/FAGTS ON FILE* NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK DINOSAURS — THE ONLY REPTILES TO EVER STAND ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET - ond are they really extinct? Dinosaurs are not extinct: they are alive and well in Alan Charig's A NEW LOOK AT THE DINOSAURS, now available in paperback (Publication date: February 25, 1985; Price: $9.95, paperback). Penned by the world's leading authority on dinosaurs, this is the most compelling and up-to-date account available on these weird, remarkable creatures. Dinosaurs. The word conjures up, for most of us, visions of enormous prehistoric monsters, jaws gnashing with razor sharp teeth, claws poised to rip their helpless prey to bloodied shreds. We imagine massive, awkward, stupid, vicious beasts — as we view their fantastic skeletons in the museum, we sigh with relief that only their bones remain. However -- the real dinosaurs and their 140 million year history are far different from these popular conceptions — far more interesting and complex too. Did you know for instance that: * many scientists now believe dinosaurs were warm-blooded? * they are the only reptiles that ever succeeded in standing on their own two feet? * they were probably not slow and clumsy, but usually fast and active? * they did not have small brains? People seem to have an insatiable interest in dinosaurs. Witness how they have captured our imagination in fiction, science fiction, cartoons and cinema. The Dinosaur Gallery is invariably the major attraction of any natural history museum fortunate enough to have one. When a new dinosaur site was discovered near Artesia, Colorado, the town quickly renamed itself Dinosaur and now has streets with names like Brontosaurus Boulevard, Stegosaurus Freeway and Triceratops Terrace. Page 92 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEW BOOK RELEASE: This is a book to satisfy and spark our curiosity about these wondrous creatures. It covers every aspect of dinosaur lore and science# from how dinosaurs were fossilized to their origin, discovery and death, with chapters describing all the different sorts of dinosaurs. Here we see how the study of dinosaurs is not dead; how, in fact, there are many questions that continue to be hotly debated by scientists around the globe. But the thorough, easy-to-read and captivating text is only part of this definitive work's appeal. There is also an outstanding and vivid series of watercolor plates that authentically recreate the world of the dinosaur — down to the very details of landscape and vegetation. And all the known facts and theories are explained with the aid of superb black-and-white restorations, maps, charts and photographs. Anyone who already has an interest in these prehistoric creatures is sure to enjoy and be enriched by A NEW LOOK AT DINOSAURS; anyone new to the subject is sure to quickly become an avid and fascinated dinosaur fan. ALAN CHARIG is curator of Fossil Amphibians, Reptiles and Birds at the British Museum (Natural History) . A NEW LOOK AT DINOSAURS By Alan Charig Publication date: February 25, 1985 Price: $9.95, paperback 160 pages; 7 x 10 ISBN: 0-8160-1167-2 Review copies may be requested from Bennett C. Petrone. MACMILLANS LIBRARY OF SCIENCE ALTERNATE SELECTION. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 93 Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEW BOOK RELEASE: Publication date; May 7, 1985 NEW BOOK IS SPECTACULAR WINDOW ON THE WORLD OF HOW ANIMALS SEE How do owls see in the dark? Can fish see beyond the water's edge? Does a flower look the same to a bee as it does to us? For ages, man has wondered how other creatures perceive the world. Now, readers get a fascinating close-up on the astonishing perceptions of the animal kingdom in a new book, HOW ANIMALS SEE: Other Visions of Our World, by Sandra Sinclair, Foreword by Dean Yeager, Ph.D. (Publication date: May 7, 1985; Price: $24.95, hardbound) . An entertaining, informative, and visually stunning exploration of the amazing range of vision among our fellow creatures, the book depicts, through breathtaking color photos, how the world may appear to animals on every step of the evolutionary ladder, from the chambered nautilus and the rattlesnake to hawks, monkeys and even dragonflies. Written with the assistance of leading experts in animal perception, this extraordinary volume covers such topics as: * the enormous diversity of eyes in the animal kingdom * how nature has adapted certain eyes for night vision * how the eye and brain work together to form a coherent picture * special powers of perception, such as the ultraviolet vision of the bee and the infrared "vision of certain snakes. In 150 color and 5 black-and-white photographs, HOW ANIMALS SEE gives readers a glimpse into the amazing realm of creatures with eyes on turrets, compound eyes, eyes that see in the depth of the seas and eyes that perceive tapestries of colors invisible to us. The book also broadens readers' horizons with often surprising facts, including: * Successive images flash before the human eye at a rate of 60 per second during the day. That is why a film that moves before our eyes at 24 frames per second appears to be continuous. By contrast, a bee's images move more rapidly, at 3 00 per second. Thus a motion picture would appear to its eyes as nothing more than a series of still pictures. Page 94 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEW BOOK RELEASE: * The hawk's vision is sometimes estimated to be eight times as sharp as our own. Birds of prey can frequently see an object on the ground when we cannot even see the bird in the air. * The douroucouli, a monkey of South America, is the only known nocturnal primate, and its eyes are so sensitive that if they are exposed to daylight for any length of time, the animal can go blind . * The color vision of many insects extends into the ultraviolet area of the spectrum. Markings on flowers which are invisible to our eyes show insects the way to pollen, like landing lights at an airport. * The eyes of the rabbit are placed so far back on the sides of its head that it has almost 360-degree vision . Visually astounding and factually compelling, HOW ANIMALS SEE may change forever the way you look at your world and your fellow creatures . SANDRA SINCLAIR is a writer and film maker. She lives in New York with her daughter and animals . HOW ANIMALS SEE: Other Visions of Our World By Sandra Sinclair, Foreword by Dean Yeager, Ph.D. Publication date: May 7, 1985 Price: $24.95, hardbound 192 pp.; 8*5 x 11; ISBN: 0-87196-273-X Index. Bibliography. 150 color illustrations, 5 black-and-white. Review copies may be requested from the Publicity Department. Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 95 Volume 21 Number 2 June 1985 NEW BOOK RELEASE: ORDER FORM SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS 1 1 . Species of Special Concern Shipping and handling (per volume) 1. West Indian Herps 5. Supplement to No. 1 6. Pennsylvania Herps Shipping and handling (per volume) BULLETINS 8. Apatosaurus 18. Dinosaurs 22. Sphaerodactylus Shipping and handling (per volume) Subtotal _ copies x S 30.00 - copies x § 3.00 _ copies x $ 4.00 _ copies x $ 2.00 _ copies x $ 7.00 _ copies x $ 1.00, - copies x $ 5.00 _ copies x $10.00 - copies x $ 7.00 _ copies x $ 1.00 Pennsylvania residents add 6% state sales tax TOTAL PAYMENT Mail to: Publications Secretary Carnegie Museum of Natural History 4400 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213 U.S.A. ADDRESS TO WHICH PUBLICATIONS SHOULD BE MAILED: NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE or PROVINCE COUNTRY ZIP or POSTAL CODE Make checks payable to: Carnegie Museum of Natural History Charge my. □ VISA □ MASTERCARD CARD NO _ EXPIRES _ INTERBANK NO. (MC only) SIGNATURE , _ Detach Here ALL ORDERS MUST BE PREPAID Just Released SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN IN PENNSYLVANIA edited by H. H. Ge no ways and F. J. Brenner Now for the first time anywhere, all of the data for the rare and endangered flora and fauna of Pennsylvania can be found in one place. This book is meant to be the blueprint for action in saving the most endangered and threatened portions of the flora and fauna of the Commonwealth. This action is the re¬ sponsibility of several state agencies, professional scientists, and the general public of the Commonwealth. This book represents the best estimation of the Pennsylvania Biological Survey of the status of the species of special concern in Pennsylvania. Species considered to be of special concern are those that are classified as endangered, threatened, vulnerable, status undetermined, and extinct or extirpated. The data assem¬ bled for each species are grouped under the headings of common name, description, range, habitat, life history and ecology, basis of status classification, and recommendations for future action. The accounts for the individual species also include citations to more extensive information concerning the species. With the passage of time, the data in this book will become outdated: however, these data will always be the baseline against which future studies will be measured. This book will be a basic ref¬ erence for anyone who is concerned about the environment and is interested in conserving our natural resources. The book opens with chapters on Aquatic and Terrestrial Habitats, Physiographic Provinces, Drainage Patterns, and Def¬ initions of Status Categories used. The remaining six chapters are devoted to plants and five major animal groups. The chapter on plants gives information on 2 1 endangered species of plants. The animal groups covered are invertebrates represented by accounts for 62 species, fishes by 62 species, amphibians and reptiles by 18 species, birds by 39 species, and mammals by 34 species. There are two distribution maps (Pennsylvania and North America) for 175 of the species. There are six full-page color plates and black and white photographs of over 100 rep¬ resentative species. Fishes covered in this book include: Endangered— Acipenser brevirostrum; A. fulvescens; Notropis buchanani; Ictiobus bubalus. Threatened — Ichthyomyzon fossor; Hybopsis storeriana ; Am- mocrypta pellucida. Vulnerable— Acipenser oxvrhynchus; Lepisosteus oculatus; Salvelinus namaycush; Hybopsis x-punctata; Notropis bifrena- tus; N. heterolepis; Catostomus catostomus; Minytrema mela- nops; Noturus eleutherus; N. gyrinus; N. stigmosus: Enneacan- thus obesus; Micropterus punctulatus; Elheostoma camurum; E. exile; E. maculatum; Percina copelandi; P. evides; Aplodinotus grunniens. Plus nine species of undetermined status and 27 extirpated species. Amphibians and reptiles covered in this book include: Endangered— Pseudacris triseriata; Rana utricularia; Kino- sternon subrubrum; Pseudemys rubriventris; Clemmys muhlen- bergii; Sistrurus catenatus. Vulnerable— Aneides aeneus; Eumeces laticeps; Lampropeltis getulus; Opheodrys aestivus; Crotalus horridus. Status Undetermined— Eumeces anthracinus; Clonophis kirtlandii; Heterodon platyrhinos. Extirpated— A mbysloma tigrinum; Pseudotriton montanus; Emydoidea blandingii; Trionyx muticus. This book, bound in hard cover, contains 430 pages produced in an 8V2 inch by 1 1 inch double column format. You may order your copy now for only $30.00 plus postage and handling by using the above order form. All sales are final. Published by Carnegie Museum of Natural History In Cooperation with Mid-Atlantic Region, National Audubon Society Pennsylvania Fish Commission Pennsylvania Game Commission Department of Natural Resources, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania With Funding from Pennsylvania Wild Resource Conservation Fund Page 96 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Society Publications Back issues of the Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society, where available, may be obtained by writing the Executive Editor. A list of available issues will be sent upon request. Individual numbers in stock are $2.00 each, un¬ less otherwise noted. The Society also pub 1 ishes a Newsletter on a somewhat irregular basis. These are distributed to the membershi p free of charge. Also published are Maryland Herpetofauna Leaflets and these are available at $. 25/page. Information for Authors All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Editor. 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Minimum order is 100 reprints. Either edited manuscri pt or proof will be returned to author for approval or correct ion. The author will be responsible for al 1 corrections to proof, and must return proof preferably wi thin 7 days. The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology Hatural History Society of Maryland, Inc . 2643 North Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21218 It mx BULLETIN OF THE ^Wtarylanb feptfes & AtejMskas i^£S8Uill US ISSN: 0025-4231 c^'.T H SCWV Ifi ^ OCT 22 1985 VifB^ARlES f)erpetological 0oriety Department of Herpetology The Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. MdHS . A FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE Eastern Seaboard Herpetological League SEPTEMBER 1985 OCT 3 1985 VOLUME 21 NUMBER 3 Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 CONTENTS A NEW JUMPING VIPER, Porthidium olmec, FROM SOUTHERN VERACRUZ, MEXICO (SERPENTES: VI PER I DAE) . Gonzalo P&rez-Higareda, Hobart M. Smith and Jordi Jul i^-Zertuche 97 NOTES ON THE GREEN SALAMANDER, Aneides aeneus IN MARYLAND . . Edward L. Thompson and Gary J. Taylor 107 NOCTURNAL ACTIVITY IN CAPTIVE BROWN TREE SNAKES CBoiga irregularis ) . . . . .David Chiszar, David Carrillo, Paul Rand and Joan Chiszar 115 NEWS AND NOTES: SUNDOWNER, THE FORGOTTEN OPHIDIOPHILE 119 The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology Natural History Society of Maryland , Inc . 2643 North Charles Street Baltimore , Maryland 21218 BULLETIN OF THE Volune 21 Nunber 3 September 1985 The Maryland Herpetolog ica 1 Society Department of Herpetology, Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Bulletin Staff Executive Editor Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Steering Committee Donald Boyer Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Frank Groves Jerry D. Hardy, Jr. Jeff Thomas Officers Pres ident . . V i ce-Pres i dent . Secretary . . Treasurer . . Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 7 6-93^58 Membership Rates Full membership in the Maryland Herpetol ogi cal Society is $12.50 per year, subscribing membership (outside a 20 mile radius of Baltimore City) $10.00 /year. Foreign $12.00/yr. Make all checks payable to the Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Meet i ngs The third Wednesday of each month, 8:15 p.m. at the Natural History Society of Maryland (except May-August, third Saturday of each month, 8:00 a.m.). The Department of Herpetology meets informally on all other Wednesday evenings at the NHSM at 8:00 p.m. Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 21 30 September 1985 Number 3 A New Jumping Viper, Porthidium olmeo , From Southern Veracruz, Mexico (SERPENTES: VlPERIDAE) Gonzalo P4rez-Higareda, Hobart M. Smith and JordI Jul I A-Zertuche Abstract A population of Junplng viper from the Los Tuxtlas uplands of southern Veracruz Is differentiated as a new species from other members of the nummifer superspecies on the basis of fewer ventrals (103-115 vs. 120-155), more numerous anterior dorsal scale rows (27-28 vs. 21-25), and certain features of color and pattern. Burger’s 1971 arrangement of genera and species of Mexico and Central America of Bothrops auctonon Is reviewed and adopted. Seven specimens of Porthidium collected from Isolated hills of the mountainous Los Tuxtlas region, Veracruz, Mexico, are surprisingly distinct from the adjacent species P. nummifer, although closely related. We here regard them as representat I ve of a distinct species, Porthidium olmec sp. nov. (Figure 1) Holotype. No. 1300 in the Los Tuxtlas herpetological collections of the Universidad Nacional Aut6noma de Mexico (UNAM-LT), adult female, crest of Cerro Egega, 1100 m, municipality of Catemaco, Sept., 1981, Gonzalo P^rez-Higareda. Paratypes. Six: UNAM-LT 2338, adult female. Col on i a Lizaro C&rdenas, 700 m, municipality of San Andres Tuxtla, Sept. 1984, same collector; JJZ (personal collection of JordI Jul ii-Zertuche, held in the Instituto Nacional de Higiene, S.S.A.) 291, adult male, Cerro Buenavista, 750 m, municipality of Catemaco, Dec., 1973, Abraham Ramirez; and four specimens (ope male, three females), UNAM-LT 2474-7, the last to be deposited in the University of Colorado Museum, Arroyo Claro, Sierra de Santa Marta, 1100 m, same municipal ity. D i agnos i s . A member of the nummifer superspecies of Porthidium, differing from all other members In a lower number of ventrals (103-115 vs. 120-155); and from all except P. pioadoi by a higher number of anterior scale rows (27-28 vs. 21-25). Description of holotype. Internasals 2/2, borders raised; nasorostrals 3/3; nasal completely divided into presemi nasal and postsemi nasal ; preseminasal touching first labial; canthals 1/1; postcanthals 3/3; loreals 1/1; preoculars 2/2; supraoculars entire, without transverse Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 97 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 Figure 1. Porthidiwn olmec. No. 2338 is a paratype; all figures except the one with that number clearly in view are of No. 1300, the holotype. See text for measurements and localities. Page 98 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 suture; infraocular enlarged, elongate; rostral triangular, separated from presemi nasals by nasorostral s; supralabials 10/10, 4th and 5th largest; infralabials 12-12, 5th small; chinshields in medial contact, separated from ventral s by three pairs of gulars, in contact with first and second infralabials; dorsal scale rows 28-23-19, keel reaching to tip of each scale, weakly knobbed; ventral s 112; subcaudals 25, all entire. Total length 660 rrm, tail 60 rrm; head width 35 rrm. Dorsal color brown in alcohol, reddish in life; head with postocular dark band, on right side three scales wide, from orbit diagonally across posterior labials to an expanded spot involving 4th and 5th sublabials (for left side Figure 1); a pair of elongate, dark nuchal spots. Body with 24 middorsal, dark brown blotches, light yel low-bordered, completely separated from each other; 23 dorsolateral black blotches, separated from dorsals; tail dark brown. Venter cream, with a longitudinal series of irregular dark spots on each side, covering edges of two to four vent ra Is and first and second dorsal scale rows; ventral s strongly spotted and pigmented; subcaudals black; gular area yellow in life. Variation. Table 1 summarizes the variation in the type series in most important characters. The dorsal blotches are separate in most, but, in some, fused in a sinuous (not zig-zag) band anteriorly or (in JJZ 291) from the 5th to the 21st blotch; the dorsolateral blotches are separate from each other and from the dorsal blotches in all. The reddish dorsal color is constant except in the specimens with fused dorsal blotches, in which the dorsal color Is reddish gray. Comparisons. The most salient distinction between P. olmec and its relatives is in number of ventrals, with 103-115 Cx 109) in P. olmec as opposed to 129-134 (x_ 132; N=19) in samples we have examined of the mumifer superspecies from central -western and northern Veracruz, and from the Huasteca region of Hidalgo, Quer^taro and Veracruz. According to Peters and Orejas-Mi randa (1970: 41), the Central Anerican forms of P. mumifer (referred by them to P. m. mexicanim and P. m. occiduwn') have a greater range in ventral number, 121-134, but still distinctly higher than In P. olmec . Smith (1943: 400-401) records 120-134 in 14 specimens of mumifer from Veracruz, Hidalgo and Puebla, and 124-129 In mexicamun fromrChiapas and Guatemala. At the opposite end of the geographic range of the superspecies, P. picadoi has a still higher number of ventrals, 141-155 (Werman, 1984). Wilson and Meyer (1982: 130) record a range of 114-128 ventrals in Honduras material, overlapping by one (however, three specimens of seven) the range in P. olmec. There is, however, no overlap between the counts for P. olmec and its adjacent taxon of this complex (see following discussion of relationships). The taxon of Honduras is not the same as the widely distributed trans- Isthmian Mexican taxon (vide infra). A second distinguishing character of P. olmec is its high number of anterior scale rows, 27-28, as opposed to 21-25 Cx 23; N=19) in the series of mumifer noted above. P. picadoi , however, has an overlapping range (25-29, fide Werman, 1984). Smith (1943: 400-401) recorded a range of 21-25 (only Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 99 Table 1. Variation in P. olmec Vo 1 Lme 2 1 Numbe r 3 September 1985 unii qqSuax XT®} o lO m m 00 m O UO cn m o r>» in uiui qqSuax quaA-:jnous 009 490 467 601 rH CM in 700 468 dl} TJBX dark dark dark dark dark dark dark sqods Xpoq N"\ CM CP r-H m CM r-H CM CM o CM o CM sqods x^sxop pssnj + + + siods Kpoq xBS:i0P J* CM CP r-H J- CM CM CM CM CM J- CM CM CM sx^pneoqns in cm CM O fn en CM m CM in CM m CM sx^jquaA CNJ r-H LA r-H r-H 115 m o rH fn o i — i m rH i — 1 in o 1— 1 smoj: ax^os xBSj:oP o-> rH 1 m CM 1 00 CM 28-23-19 O'* i— i 1 tn CM 1 hv. CM 28-23-19 28-23-19 28-23-19 O'* 1 K\ CM 1 00 CM sx^jq^T^JUT 12/12 13/13 11/11 13/13 12/13 12/12 m rH CM i — 1 sx^xq^x^-idns 10/10 11/11 10/10 12/12 11/11 11/12 11/11 sxB^qsojosau 3/3 3/3 0/0 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 xas 4- 4- E 4- E 4- 4- o z c u 8 to o o K' rH 5 1 < 5 UNAM-LT 2338 rH cr CM 1 N : “3 • “3 UNAM-LT 2474 in f". J- CM 1 5 1 UNAM-LT 2476 r-> J- CM h- _ 1 i — 1 1 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal i Society Page 100 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 one with 25) in 13 nummifer ( see above), although four counts for mexicanwn (see above) Were 23, 25, 25 and 27. Wilson and Meyer’s (1982: 130) counts (23-31) for this character overlap those of both P. olmeo and the widespread trans- Isthmian Mexican taxon of this complex, but as noted previously their Honduras taxon is not the same as either indicated taxon of Mexico. Average differences occur also in number of supralabials and infralabials (10-12, 11-13, respectively, in P. olmeo ; frequently 9, never more than 10 supralabials, frequently 9 or 10 infralabials, rarely 13, In P. Ipioadoi and our nummifer ). Less tangible differences in color and pattern exist; particularly distinctive is the reddish coloration of P. olmeo and its extensive dark ventral markings (immaculate or lightly spotted In all nummifer-} ike populations, and in P. pioadoi ; Peters and Orejas-Mi randa, 1970: 41). Etymology. The specific name refers to the ancient Olmec tribe of southern Veracruz where this species occurs, as well as of adjacent areas in Tabasco. It is a noun in the nominative singular, in apposition with the generic name. Rel at ionsh ? ps . The genus Porthidium was regarded by Burger (1971a: 131-132) to be comprised of three species groups, one of which, the nummifer group, contained P. melanurum and P. nummifev (with four subspecies). The closest relatives of P. olmeo are in this group. P. melanurum has the supraocular scale extended as an elongate, hornlike structure, hence is readily distinguishable from all others of its group, including P. olmeo. P. pioadoi , which Burger (loc. cit.) regarded as a subspecies of P. nummifer / is now generally accepted as a full species, most notably by its latest revisor (Werman, 1984). It is so geographically distant from P. olmeo and so different in ventral count that it is not likely to be as closely related to P. olmeo as some of the remaining members of the group. It nevertheless obviously belongs to the nummifer superspecies, which excludes only P. melanurum of the nummifer species group. The remaining taxa of the nummifer superspecies are sorely in need of monographic review. The uncertainties are not so much the distinctness of the four populations to which names have been applied (the "southern,” nummifer or mexioanum ; the "northern," nummifer or veraeoruovs ; the Pacific Guatemala - ?Chiapas - ?E1 Salvador, oooiduum ; and the Los Tuxtlas, olmeo ), but whether they intergrade and hence are subspecies, or should be considered as full species, and to which taxon the enigmatic name P. nummifer itself belongs. Burger (1950) thought it belonged to the "southern" form, whereas Mertens (1952) placed it with the "northern" form; both based their conclusions on data from the holotype. The numerous comments on the problem in the literature that have accumulated since then are highly confusing and are succinctly summarized by Wilson and Meyer (1982: 130-131). Clearly, no definitive conclusions are possible without more critical and comprehensive study. Nevertheless we are convinced that most of the difficulties have arisen from emphasis upon pattern and cranial scale characters that are Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 101 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1983 subject to Intrataxonomlc variation, whereas the more meaningful characters of body proportions and scale character I st Ics have been neglected, although they were noted when the "northern” and "southern" taxa (as designated by Neill and Allen, I960: 156, 158-9) were first distinguished (Smith, 1943: 400). The "southern" taxon has a d isproport ionately large head and short, thick body (see Alvarez del Toro, 1982: 208, figs. 161, 162), whereas the other members of the nwmifer superspecies are of "normal" proportions. Differences between related taxa in body proportions are difficult to quantify, but are nonetheless significant; Crotalus tigris is a pertinent example of a taxon that was long mis i nterpreted until body proportions were taken Into proper account as a guide to otherwise hidden character correlat ions. In addition the "southern" form has a pronounced vertebral ridge and, more Importantly, an extraordinary knob accentuating the keel on each of the middorsal scales on the anterior part of body, giving the snake a formidable, bristling appearance. Furthermore, the keel does not reach the posterior edge of the scale - a character of documented importance (Peters and Donoso-Barros, 1970: 39-42) in distinguishing species of Bothrops (auct.). In the "northern" form the keel on each dorsal scale reaches the posterior tip of the scale, and the knob is poorly developed. We suspect that pattern and detailed head scale variation at least in part obscure these more fundamental distinctions, which we regard as indicators of specific rank. Thus we interpret all taxa of the nwmifer superspecies as full species, except for oooiduwn, the validity of which is still uncertain. Since Mertens is the only recent author to have directly examined the holotype of nwmifer , we tentatively accept his allocation of that name with the "northern" species (1952: 79), leaving mexicanwn for the "southern" one. That arrangement conforms with the nomenclature adopted by Smith and Taylor (1945: 182) and Burger (1971a: 132). Although we are convinced that P. olmeo Is a valid taxon of restricted distribution, differing markedly from adjacent and other taxa of the complex, obviously far more study of the complex than we can undertake will be required to provide a definitive picture. Our recognition of P. olmee points out another problem for future elucidation; we cannot pretend to provide final answers here even to the Mexican components of the complex. We see no alternative, however, to the tentative conclusion that P. olmeo is a specialized and highly localized derivative of the adjacent (and perhaps partly sympatrlc; see P&rez-Higareda, 1978, for the only records from southern Veracruz, In the Los Tuxtlas region) P. nwmifer, differentiated through Isolation in the Los Tuxtlas biotic province. In what way its distinctive characters are adaptive - if indeed they are not drift or founder in origin - is not apparent. We interpret P. pioadoi as a parallel, highly localized Isolate derived from Its adjacent P. mexicanwn, although its distinguishing character i st Ics are widely different from those differentiating P. olmeo from its parent stock, P. nwmifer. Generic allocation. The highly speciose and polyphyletic Bothrops auctorun was first partitioned generically in nomenclatural ly acceptable form, in modern times, by Burger (1971b) whose published abstract was based upon a nomenclatural ly unavailable dissertation (1971a) which nevertheless is Page 102 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Vo lime 21 Member 3 September 1985 Indispensable for clarification of the abstract. The latter made clear that he recognized five genera where before one was accepted: Bothrieohis s Bothriopsiss Bothrops s.s., Ophryaous and Porthidium . His dissertation noted all species then known belonging to these genera, and provided skeletal and scute 1 1 at ional documentation for his genera. In a posthumous publication, Hoge accepted all genera except Ophryaous recognized by Burger (whose dissertation was the only source cited), but his review was based primarily on epidermatoglyphics and was very incomplete (Hoge and Romano-Hoge, 1983: 84, 87, 90). His untimely death interrupted a projected monographic review early in its development. His assignment of species of Bothrops s.l. to the four genera he recognized differs somewhat from Burger’s, but because his study was so preliminary, incomplete, and subject to revision. Burger's allocations remain the most reliable. The main contribution by Hoge and Romano-Hoge, in this context, is their acceptance of the concept of generic partitioning introduced by Burger. In the interest of long-overdue clarification of the main outlines of Burger's reclassification, particularly for the benefit of those dealing with Mexican and Central /American herpetology, we here submit the following comments and quotations. The heart of Burger's differentiation of the five genera replacing Bothrops auctorum is embodied in his key (Burger, 1971a: 83), the pertinent part of which is quoted as follows (all quoted passages here reproduced should be referred to as of Burger, _[n P^rez-Higareda et al., etc.): "9. Terrestrial; tall not prehensile - 10 Arboreal ; tail prehensile - 11 10. Subcaudals entire; palatine rounded, not forked anteriorly - Porthidium Subcaudals divided; palatine forked anteriorly - Bothrops 11. Subcaudals entire; lateral caudal scales strongly keeled distal ly - Bothrieohis Subcaudals divided or anteriorly entire and posteriorly divided; lateral caudal scales having keels reduced from anterior to posterior - 12 12. Eyelash scales; interoculars 11 or more; anterior border of maxillary cavity divided into two distinct curvatures by rounded projection - Ophryaous Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 103 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1983 No eyelash scales; interoculars 10 or less; anterior border of maxillary cavity a simple uninterrupted curve - - - - - Bothriopsis" Burger Cop. cit.: 114) stated that "Ophryaous is monotypic, comprising 0. undulatus ." To that we add 0. sphenophrys . In Bothrieohis Burger (op. cit.: 117) recognized two groups, as follows: "Bothrieohis nigroviridis group: B. aurifer aurifer , B. aurifer marohi, B. bicolor, B. lateralis, B. nigroviridis ; Bothrieohis sohlegeli group: B. sohlegeli sohlegeli, B. sohlegeli nigroadspersus To these we add B . nigroviridis rowleyi, B. n. macdougalli and B. omatus . Bothriopsis , as recognized by Burger, is a strictly South American genus, hence extralimital in the context of the present review. Bothrops sensu Burger is likewise limited to South America except for West Indies CLesser Antilles) species, and B. asper which extends through Central America to Tamaulipas, Mexico. Porthidivm was regarded by Burger Cop. cit.: 131-132) to be comprised of eight species in three groups as follows: "Porthidivm godmani group: P. barbouri, P. godmani...; Porthidivm lansbergi group: P. hyoprorvm, P. lansbergi lansbergi, P. lansbergi dunni, P. lansbergi yuoataniovm, P. nasutvm ..., P. ophry omegas; Porthidivm nvmmifer group: P. melanurvm, P. nvmmifer nvmmifer, P. nvmmifer mexicanvm, P. nvmmifer oooiduvm, P. nvmmifer pioadoi." To this list we add P. olmec in the nvmmifer group, P. hesperis in the lansbergi group, and P. tzotzilorvm in the godmani group. The Mexican species of Bothrops sensu lato therefore fall into four genera, as distinguished by Burger Cl971a, b). Since in our experience these are all extremely well-defined, natural groups, we accept his partitioning enthusiastically and without reservation. Ac know! edgments We are grateful to BI61. Miguel Martinez Ramos, head of the Estaci6n de Biolog I a Tropical "Los Tuxtlas," for free access to facilities for study there and in the field, and to Biol. Mardocheo Palma for the photographs. Literature Cited Alvarez del Toro, Miguel. 1982. Los reptiles de Chiapas. Tercera ediciin, corregida y aumentada. Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Inst. Hist. Nat. 248 pp., 168 figs. Cpartly color). Page 104 Bulletin Maryland Herpeto logical Society Volurse 21 Number 3 September 1985 Burger, W. Leslie. 1950. A ~rel Iminary study of the subspecies of the Jumping viper, Bothrops nummifer. Bull. Chicago Acad. Sci., 9(3): 59-67, fig. 1, pi. 1. 1971a. Genera of pitvipers (Serpentes: Crotalldae). Lawrence, Kansas, Univ. Kansas, Ph.D. Diss. v I ! , 186 pp., figs. 1-9. 1971b. Genera of pitvipers (Serpentes: Crotalidae). Diss. Abstr., B31 : 6119. Hoge, A. R. and S. Alma Romano-Hoge. 1983. Notes on micro and ul trastructure of "oberhautschen" in VIperoidea. Mem. Inst. Butantan, 44/45 (1980/81): 81-118, figs. 1-85. Mertens, Robert. 1952. Die Amphiblen und Reptillen von El Salvador, auf Grund der Re I sen von R. Mertens und A. Zilch. Abh. Senckenb. Naturf. Ges., (487): 1-120, map, pis. 1-16. Neill, Wilfred T. and E. Ross Allen. 1960. Noteworthy snakes from British Honduras. Herpetologica, 16(3): 145-162, figs. 1-4. P£rez-Higareda, Gonzalo. 1978. Reptiles and amphibians from the EstaclAn de Biologfa Tropical "Los Tuxtlas" (U.N.A.M.), Veracruz, Mexico. Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc., 14(2): 67-74, figs. 1-2. Peters, James A. and Braul io Orejas-Mi randa. 1970. Catalogue of the neotropical Squamata: Part I. Snakes. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., (297): 1-347. Smith, Hobart M. 1943. Sunmary of the collections of snakes and cro^odlllans made in Mexico under the Walter Rathbone Bacon Travelling Scholarship. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 93(3169): 393-504, figs. 1-15, pi. 32. _ and Edward H. Taylor. 1945. An annotated checklist and key to the snakes of Mexico. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., (187): i-iv, 1-239. Werman, Steven D. 1984. Taxonomic conments on the Costa Rican pit viper, Bothrops pioadoi . J. Herp., 18(2): 207-210, fig. 1. Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 105 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 Wilson, Larry David and John R. Meyer. 1982. The snakes of Honduras. Publ . Biol. Geol . Milwaukee Public Mus., (6): i-iv, 1-159, figs. 1-98. y Estaoidn de Biologia Tropical ” Los Tuxtlas 3 " Instituto de Biologia3 Universidad Nacional Autdnoma de Mexico 3 Apartado Postal 51 3 Catemaco3 Veracruz 3 Mexico (GPH); Department of Environmental 3 Population and Organismic Biology 3 University of Colorado 3343 Boulder 3 Colorado 3 U.S.A . (HMS); Departamento de Herpetologia3 Instituto Nacional de Higiene3 Secretaria de Salubridad y Asistencia3 Av. Mariano Escobedo 3 No. 20 3 Mixico3 D.F.3 CP 11400 3 Mexico (JJZ, deceased). Received: 27 July 1985 Accepted: 8 August 1985 Page 106 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Volume 21 Member 3 September 1985 Notes on the Green Salamander, Amides aeneus, in Maryland Edward L. Thompson and Gary J. Taylor Abstract We further describe the distribution of Aneides aeneus in Maryland by searching potential microhabitat character ized by shaded outcrops of Pottsville sandstone. Forty-one (41) previously unknown sites for this Mary 1 and- 1 isted endangered species were identified. All localities were from northwestern Garrett County In the Allegheny Plateau physiographic province. Peak activity for this species occurred In May, and again from mid-September to early October. We report other life history observations and data. We suggest that the status of this species in Maryland could be down-listed from endangered to threatened. Aneides aeneus was reported from Monongalia County, West Virginia in 1932 (Netting and Richmond, 1932), but it was not until September 1966 that it was discovered in nearby Garrett County, Maryland (Harris and Lyons, 1968). In the few years after its initial discovery, this salamander was recorded from two additional localities in the state (Harris and Lyons, 1968; Norden, pers. comm.). Until recently, these were the only known colonies of A. aeneus in Maryland. Because of concern voiced by the Maryland Herpetolog ical Society, it was added to the state’s Endangered Species List in 1972 (Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 66C, Section 125). Since other rock formations of the same type as the documented localities were known in Garrett County, it was speculated that other populations may be found with additional field studies (Harris and Lyons, 1968). In July 1980, the Maryland Wildlife Administration (now the Maryland Forest, Park and Wildlife Service) initiated a survey to determine the status and distribution of A. aeneus in Ma ry 1 and . Because A. aeneus is restricted to specific rock types (Netting and Richmond, 1932; Gordon, 1952), a county geologic map was used to identify general areas to search for habitat. In the northeastern part of its range, A. aeneus has only been reported from (or in the vicinity of5 shaded, massive sandstone outcrops of the Pottsville geologic series (Netting and Richmond, 1932; Richmond, 1952; Harris and Lyons, 1968). More specifically, it appears to be restricted to the Homewood sandstone of the Pottsville series (Maryland Geologic Survey, 1902; Hickok and Moyer, 1940). U.S.G.S. 7.5 minute topographic maps were used during ground reconnaissance and subsequent mapping of localities. The primary survey procedure was vehicle reconnaissance by four-wheel drive supplemented with extensive foot travel. Much of the are is relatively isolated and rugged. Field time was divided between searching for A. aeneus and two state endangered reptiles, Virginia valeriae pulchra and Eumeces anthracinus anthraoinus. Aneides aeneus habitat was searched for during all times of the year, but late fall to early spring proved to be a particularly good time to locate large rock formations because Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 107 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 of the lack of vegetative cover. When the salamanders were active, the crevices within the Identified rock outcrops were carefully and systematically searched with a flashlight for the presence of A. aeneus . Sites were sampled more than once, when necessary. Initially, sampling was done both day and night. As the survey progressed, it became apparent that A. aeneus could be discovered just as easily during the day as at night. In addition, much of the terrain was too rugged to travel safely at night. Thereafter, night sampling was only conducted to gather salamander activity information. Several colonies were monitored at regular Intervals throughout the field season. Rocks other than the Pottsville sandstone were occasionally searched, especially if their gross appearance suggested that they were potential habitat. Within a given rock formation, crevices of specific geologic structure and moisture conditions are necessary for A. aeneus to occur (Gordon, 1952). Damp and very narrow exfoliation and fracture cracks appear to be preferred (pers. obs.). The necessary microhabitat is not always found in the rock formation with which the salamanders are generally associated. Many rock outcrops appearing to be suitable habitat were found to be unsuitable after closer inspection. In fact, more searches of Pottsville outcrops resulted In failure rather than success in locating A. aeneus . This was primarily due to the overall dryness of available crevices or an outright lack of crevices. Furthermore, numbers of individuals observed varied greatly among habitats sampled at the same time of year. For Instance, an intensive search of one outcrop may yield only two or three individuals, while in another of similar size as many as 30 individuals could be observed. In some instances, microhabitat was obviously ideal as the salamanders were found in relatively high numbers (50-60 Individuals). Although no attempt was made to quantify microhabitat character i st ics, it is obvious from our field observations that the crevice requirements of A. aeneus are very stringent. Gordon (1952) found that the characterist ics of A. aeneus breeding crevices are more specific than other crevices used, i.e., transitory crevices. Our Investigations agree with this, and it would seem reasonable to assume that a lack of suitable breeding crevices is a primary limiting factor in the distribution of A, aeneus . From July 1980 to October 1982, 41 new localities for A. aeneus were found in Maryland. Although Pottsville sandstone was sampled throughout Garrett County, all populations are restricted to the northwestern portion of the county and are associated with the Youghiogheny River drainage basin (Figure 1). All colonies are restricted to rocks of the Pottsville formation; and, as near as the authors can determine, the Homewood sandstone. Because of their specific habitat requirements, A. aeneus range In Maryland is made up of disjunct, isolated populations, although many are relatively close to one another. This is not unlike the situation reported throughout Its entire range (Gordon, 1967). Page 108 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Volume 21 Nunfoer 3 Septer £>er 1985 o 5 io i — i _ i _ i _ i Kilometers Figure 1. Distribution of the green salamander, Aneides aeneus In Maryland. Open circles depict localities known prior to this study. Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 109 Volune 21 Number 3 September 1985 Gordon (1952) found that adults of this species are quite sedentary with relatively short migrations to and from breeding and hibernation crevices. Preliminary mark-recapture studies conducted during our survey agree with these findings. However, long-term studies would be needed for making definitive conclusions. Aneides aeneus has been reported from arboreal situations (Gordon, 1952). In these situations we suspect rock habitat was nearby. Of 1,175 A. aeneus observations made during our survey, none were recorded away from the rock habitat. However, intensive searches were only conducted in the immediate vicinity of rock habitat, and this was not done with any regularity. One individual was observed in a crack formed by rock and a large root. After repeated sampling of several colonies it was discovered that the number of individuals observed did not vary greatly between day, dusk, or night. After dark, however, the salamanders are much more likely to be near the entrance of a crevice or be out on the face of the rocks. Practically no life history information has been gathered for A. aeneus in Maryland (Maryland Herpetological Society, 1973). In North Carolina, Gordon (1952)- recorded definite seasonal periods when A. aeneus was more active near the surface of a rock formation. Our observations show similar results. Figure 2 represents two colonies that were regularly monitored. During 1982, actual sampling for the salamanders was begun in mid-March. The earliest observation, of a single individual, was recorded on April 14. Activity gradually increased from this date on, and peak spring activity occurred in May. From mid-June to early August, A. aeneus was difficult to find. However, if brooding females were discovered, they could be observed throughout the summer. Beginning in late August, surface activity again begins to increase with peak numbers observed from mid-September to early October. At any given colony, the highest number of individuals were observed during this period. During 1982, the last A. aeneus observation was recorded on November 7. Gordon (1952) suggested that fall would be the best time of the year to sample an A. aeneus colony, and he showed that the increased visibility of the population is due to the salamanders migrating to and congregating near hibernation crevices. This phenomenon was readily apparent during our investigation. Several other interesting observations were recorded during our survey. The earliest date on which a brooding female was observed was June 8, 1982. Gordon (1952) suggested that the main breeding period for A. aeneus was during the spring in North Carolina. He also recorded brooding females in early June. In Kentucky, Cupp (1971) observed courtship behavior in this species during the fall. Based on young-of-the-year and brooding female observations, the majority of the breeding activity in Maryland appears to occur from mid-May to early June. With the exception of a single individual seen on April 27, 1982, all young-of-the-year (less than 15 mm SVL; 102 total observations) were recorded from early September through mid-October (Figure 3). Gordon (1952) reported a brooding period from 84 to 91 days for A. aeneus in North Carolina. The earliest fall data on which newly hatched young were observed in Maryland was September 9, 1981. During 1982, recently hatched young were first seen on September 12. In contrast to the regularity of the appearance of young, females with ova visible through Page 110 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Sept ember 1985 Volume 21 NiM>er 3 TIKE OF YEAR Figure 2. Changes observed In the surface activity of Aneides aeneus during 1982 at two study areas In Maryland. Young-of-the-year observations are not included. Figure 3 . Total young-of-the-year Aneides aeneus observations made during the late 1982 field season in Maryland. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 111 Volume 21 Number 3 September 198 the ventral surface were observed throughout the field season, particularly during August to October. Several were seen during mid-October, just before hibernation Is expected to begin In this region. These females were observed to be comparatively heavy, and the tall was thick with fat. By contrast, females that have participated in the season’s egg-laying and brooding were very emaciated when encountered during October. It would seem that these emaciated individuals could not be physiologically prepared to participate in the next spring breeding. Instead, the females with well developed fat deposits and ova visible are probably the participants in the next breeding period. Although these prel iminary observations allow only for speculation. It appears that most Individual female A. aeneus do not take part in the breeding cycle on an annual basis. Thirteen females brooding eggs or with recently hatched young were observed during our investigation. The dimensions for seven breeding crevices are given in Table 1. All observed breeding crevices were horizontally positioned, or hole-like, with the eggs or remains thereof attached to the roof. One-hundred and seventy-five A . aeneus were measured (SVL only) in the field to the nearest millimeter. An Interesting habit of A. aeneus facilitated measuring live specimens. Invariably, individuals could be coaxed to play dead, most with minimal provocation. They would become limp and were easily straightened out in the hand and placed venter up. Netting and Richmond (1932) and Gordon (1952) reported this behavior in juveniles. Table 1. Dimensions of seven Aneides aeneus breeding crevices from various colonies in Maryland. All measurements are in centimeters. Max. height Max. width Crevice # at entrance at entrance Depth of eggs 1 1.0 10.0 8.5 2 2,0 8.1 20.0 3 1.9 5.0 6.2 4 0.8 5.3 ■ 6.0 5 2.0 14.8 12.1 6 0.7 4.5 9.0 7 1.1 4.0 17.9 Page 112 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Volure 21 fvRjrfeer 3 September 1985 Gordon (1952) and Cupp (1980) described external secondary sexual characteristics which distinguish the adults of A . aeneus . Based on these characterlst ics, 79 sexually mature Individuals were measured during our Investigation. No attempt was made to examine Internal reproductive condition, with the exception of viewing ova through the ventral surface of females. The smallest male measured with well developed secondary character 1st Ics was 52 mm SVL. Similarly, the smallest female measured with visible ova was 52 mm SVL. Of 34 adult males measured, the average length was 59 mm SVL (59.1) and largest was 69 mm SVL. Of 45 adult females measured, the average was 60 mm SVL (59.8) and the largest was 67 mm SVL. Six young-of-the-year were measured, and they varied between 13 and 15 mm SVL. No Individuals between young-of-the-year size and 25 mm SVL were encountered. Elevation of A. aeneus localities (obtained from 7.5* topographic maps) ranged from 488 m to 829 m above sea level with an average of 643 m. This differs little f rcm the elevational extremes in this section of Garrett County which are 457 m and 914 m above sea level. All of the county lies within the Appalachian Plateau physiographic province. Other species of salamanders were also observed In crevices while searching for A. aeneus. These include Desmognathus ochrophaeus , Plethodon glutinosus s P. oinereus , P. wehrlei3 Eurycea longicauda , E. bislineata 3 and Gyrinophilus porphyriticus . Although 43 localities are now known for this species in Maryland, It Is still an animal of special concern because of Its extremely Idealized distribution and the small populations apparently existing at many sites. However, several localities support very good populations, and if protected from outright destruction and indiscriminate collecting, A. aeneus should remain as an element of the Maryland herpetofauna. The results of this investigation support a recommendation to dcwn-list A. aeneus from endangered to threatened status in Maryland. Ac know! edqements This research was funded by the Maryland Bureau of Mines through the Surface Mining Reclamation Act of 1977. We thank J. E. Gates and J. Howard for their helpful comments on the manuscript. We also thank K. J. D’Loughy, J. Dimpsey, J. Griffith, and F. Sherfy for their field assistance. Literature Cited Cupp, P. V., Jr. 1971. Fall courtship of the green salamander, Aneides aeneus. Herpetologica 27: 308-310. 1980. Territoriality in the green salamander, Aneides aeneus. Cope I a 1980: 463-468. Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 113 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 Gordon, R. E. 1952. A contribution to the life history and ecology of the plethodontid salamander Aneides aeneus (Cope and Packard). Arner . Midi. Natural. 47(3): 666-701. 1967. Aneides aeneus (Cope and Packard): Green Salamander. Cat. Amer. Amphib. Rept. 30.1-30.2. Harris, H. S., Jr., and D. J. Lyons. 1968. The green salamander Aneides aeneus (Cope and Packard) In Maryland. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 4(1): 1-6. Hickok, W. 0., 1940. IV, and F. T. Moyer. Geology and mineral resources of Fayatte County, Pennsylvania. Penn. Geol . Survey, Harrisburg, PA. 530 pp. Maryland Geological Survey. 1902. Garrett County. John Hopkins Press, Baltimore, Maryland. 340 pp. Maryland He rpeto logical Society. 1973. Endangered amphibians and reptiles of Maryland: A special report. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 9(3): 42-100. Netting, M. G., and N. Richmond. 1932. The green salamander, Aneides aeneus , in northern West Virginia. Copeia 1932: 101-102. Richmond, N. D. 1952. First record of the green salamander in Pennsylvania, and other range extensions in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Annals Carnegie Mus. 32: 313-318. Maryland Forest , Park and Wildlife Service Department of Natural Resources Tawes State Office Building Annapolis , MD 21401 Received: 7 August 1985 Accepted: 10 August 1985 Page 114 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto log I cal Society Volune 21 Nunber 3 Septart)©r 1985 # NOCTURNAL ACTIVITY IN CAPTIVE BROWN TREE SNAKES CBoiga irregularis') Abstract Eight specimens of Boiga irregularis from Guam were maintained In a North American laboratory with a 12 hr L - 12 hr D photoperiod (light onset at 0700). Temperature was constant at 26± 1° C. Three measures of activity Indicated that these animals, known to be nocturnal In Guam, continued to exhibit a nocturnal pattern of activity In the laboratory. The brown tree snake CBoiga irregularis) Is known to be nocturnal In Its natural habitat (northern Australia, Solomon Islands and New Guinea; Cogger, 1975; Smith, 1943; Taylor, 1922; Worrell, 1963) as well as In habitat to which It has been Introduced (Guam; Frltts, unpublished ms; Sheppard, 1985). The Impact of B. irregularis on the avian fauna of Guam (Engbrlng, 1983; Jenkins, 1983; Savidge, as cited in Sheppard, 1985) justifies research on the predatory ecology of the snakes; and It is our intention to study the stimulus control of predation upon birds and rodents. As a preliminary step in this project, it was decided to determine If specimens of B. irregularis exhibit a nocturnal pattern of activity under laboratory conditions. Method Eight Individuals (50—120 cm, sv) were obtained from the Guam population through T. H. Frltts, Denver Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The snakes were maintained In Individual glass terraria (50 x 27 x 30 cm) equipped with newspaper floor covers, stainless steel containers filled with water, plexiglas "hiding boxes," and dead branches (30-50 cm). Temperature of the laboratory was controlled at 26± 1°C by electric heaters, and the photoperiod was 12 hr L - 12 hr D, with the light period beginning at 0700. Snakes were offered neonatal rats and mice on a weekly schedule, and these prey were never refused. Observations were made on a random schedule during the first month that the snakes resided in this laboratory. At each observation we recorded (1) whether the snake was on the floor of its terrarium or whether some part of its body (usually anterior) was resting on a branch, (2) whether or not any movement occurred, and (3) whether the snake was tightly coiled (Taylor, 1922) or at least partly uncoiled. A total of 60 observations were recorded for each snake. Snakes were fed during photophase and during scotophase, and we recorded latency (sec) to attack neonatal rodents suspended from forceps. The interval between these feedings was one week. Prey were held about 2 cm from the lips of each snake during these presentations, hence no foraging was necessary in order to locate the prey. Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 115 Volune 21 Nimber 3 September 1985 Resul ts Data were partitioned into two categories, correspond ing to observations taken during photophase and scotophase. The following statistics were calculated for each snake's photophase and scotophase records: (1) percent of records indicating that some portion of the body was on the branches, (2) percent of records indicating that a movement occurred, and (3) percent of records indicating that the snake was at least partly uncoiled. Then the percents were averaged over snakes for each of the phases of the light cycle. We take these values to reflect activity level (i.e., higher means indicate higher activity). Table 1 presents means and standard errors together with results of t tests for paired comparisons. Table 1 Means Activity Scores for Eight Captive Specimens of Boiqa irregularis Mean percent of observations during which snakes were on branches (SEM) Mean percent of observations during which movement was seen (SEM) Mean percent of observations during which snakes were at least partly uncoiled (SEM) Photophase 21.8 (10. 4) 4.3 C2.1) 19.4 (12.0) Scotophase 52.0 C5.8) 22.8 (7.0) 62.4 (8.1) t values 3 .00" 2.39“ 5.75““ df=7 “ p<. 05 ““ p<. 01 It is clear that each of the three measures of activity had higher mean values during scotophase than during photophase. Hence, the nocturnal pattern of activity reported to exist in nature also occurred in the laboratory. However, the_mean latencies to attack prey presented in the home cages during photophase (X=15.3 sec; SEM=5.4) and scotophase (X=12.0 sec; SEM=6.2) did not differ significantly (tcl.O)). Discussion These results indicate that specimens of Boiga irregularis captured in Guam and transported to a mainland laboratory continue to exhibit an activity pattern that is comparable to that seen in their natural habitat. Although Page 116 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 the pattern pf increased activity during scotophase might be taken to imply decreased vigilance during photophase, this idea was not confirmed by the data on feeding latency (see also Murphy, 1977). Perhaps B. irregularis maintained in larger environments, with prey presented at a significant distance from the snake, would exhibit faster predatory responses at night than during the daylight. On the other hand, it may be that B. irregularis generally remains vigilant during inactive periods, permitting the snakes to sight and even to attack prey that happen to be opportunistically available during such times. In either case, the present data support the view that these snakes are nocturnal foragers, with both horizontal and vertical movements occurring more frequently at night than during daylight. Acknowl edgements We thank Dr. Thomas H. Fritts, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for inviting us to participate in his research project aimed at understanding the predatory ecology of Boiga irregularis. Sharon Ferguson typed the manuscript and Roger Clark kindly provided the prey organisms used in this study. Literature Cited Cogger, H. G. 1975. Engbring, J. 1983. Fritts, T. H. unpub 1 . ms. Jenkins, J. M. 1983. Murphy, J. B. 1977. Sheppard, C. 1943. Taylor, E. H. 1922. Reptiles and amphibians of Australia. A. H. and A. W. Reed, Sydney. Forest birds of Guam in critical danger. U.S. Fish and W i 1 d 1 Serv., Endangered Species Tech. Bull. _8: 6-8. The brown tree snake, an introduced species on Guam: an assessment of ecological and socioeconomic impacts of the species on Guam and threats to other pacific islands. Unpublished manuscript. The native forest birds of Guam. Ornithol. Monogr. 31: 1-61. An unusual method of irrmobi 1 izing avian prey by the dogtooth cat snake, Boiga cynodon . Cope i a 1977: 182-184. The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma. Rept ilia and Amphibia, vol III - Serpentes. Taylor and Francis, London. The Snakes of the Philippine Islands. Dept, of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bureau of Science, Publication No. 16, Man i 1 a . Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 117 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1983 4 Worrell, E. 1963. Reptiles of Australia. Angus and Robertson, Sydney. •—-David Chlszar, David Carrillo, Paul Rand, and Joan Chlszar, Department of Psychology , University of Colorado , Boulder , CO 80309 , and Hobart M. Smith, Department of E.P.O. Biology , University of Colorado , Boulder , CO 80309 . Received: 10 August 1985 Accepted: 15 August 1985 Page 118 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal Society Volune 21 Number 3 September 1983 NEWS AND NOTES: SUNDOWNER, THE FORGOTTEN OPHIDIOPHILE Abstract "Sundowner/* a pseudonym for Herbert Tlchborne, originally of Austral la, wrote two popular books on snakes, published In 1895 and 1902, the second an elaboration on the first. Although rectification of erroneous beliefs was a stated objective, the accounts are wildly farcical. Promotion of sympathy and protection for snakes were also stated aims, but they are largely nullified for either the knowledgeable skeptic or the innocent dupe by outrageous exaggeration. The books are nevertheless landmarks, however Ignoble, being among the first to appeal to the general public ostensibly on behalf of snakes, and certainly the greatest collection from a single source of fabricated nonsense about snakes. Both books are exceedingly rare, and perhaps it Is just as well. A brief surmary of the more salient revelations of the books, a short extrapolation of the enigmatic Sundowner's possible life and nature, and an analysis of the significance of the works, are presented. Although Raymond L. Ditmars Is rightly regarded as the father of amateur herpetology (and of a good deal of professional herpetology, too), at least in North America, and even though he told many a tale of harrowing experiences with snakes in his long career at the Bronx zoo, he was not the first to attempt elaborately to win public sympathy for snakes. That honor, at least for the English-speaking public, should perhaps go to Catherine C. Hopley, for her book on snakes (1882), a remarkably sympathetic and informed, popular treatise, especially for its time. It is a well known work among herpetologists even today, although somewhat scarce. Far less well known - indeed virtually totally unknown - are the contributions of an obscure, enigmatic Herbert Tichborne, who wrote two popular books on snakes at about the turn of the century, under the nom de plume of "Sundowner . " We here examine his contributions and as much of his life as we have been able to uncover. The National Union Catalog of books in U.S. libraries, and the British Museun Catalog, list five books for Sundowner. The first is "Snakes" (1895), followed by "Noqu talanoa: stories from the South Seas" (1896); "Rambles in Polynesia" (1897); "Told by the Taf frail" (1901); and the last is "The Tale of the Serpent" (1902). Thus his first and last books were both about snakes. Miller and Macartney's bibliography of Australian literature (1956: 462) lists only the 1896, 1901 and 1902 books (all categorized as "fiction," although Sundowner presented them as factual narrative), but notes that his other works included the 1897 book and "From Kosciusko [an Australian park and mountain] to Chimborazo [an Ecuador mountain]" and "Above the Clouds in Ecuador." Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 119 Volune 21 Number 3 September 1985 We can find no direct evidence that other books were published under the name Sundowner, although two of his books (1897, 1901) state that he was the author of our four other works: n0n the Wallaby in Maoriland," ‘'Wildlife in the Pacific," and the two unverified titles listed by Miller and Macartney. The U.S. and British Museum catalogs list none of these four, and none Is present in the excellent libraries of South Pacific works In Australia, New Zealand or Hawaii. Possibly, then, they are articles, not books, perhaps published In one of the periodical outlets in which Sundowner stated that many of the chapters of his 1896 and 1901 books first appeared. The periodicals cited for Sundowner's 1896 book are "The Weekly Telegraph" and "The Colonies and India,” and for his 1901 book, "Star" and "Field.” The exhaustively complete British Union Catalogue of Periodicals, and Union List of Serials, however, list no "Weekly Telegraph" after 1865, and no British "Star” after 1857. A San Francisco "Star" ran from 1884 to 1921, but is almost certainly not the one referred to by Sundowner. However, j In his 1901 book (p. 142) Sundowner mentioned a "London Star" for Dec. 31, 1899, whereas the Union List and Union Catalog state that the "London Star" ran only from 1837 to 1839. "The Colonies and India" ran from 1877 to 1898, and "Field" from 1853 to date. We have not examined any of these journals for writings by Sundowner, but the discrepancies with the British Union Catalogue and Union List of Serials, and the absence of documentation of any of the four claimed but unsubstantiated titles as books suggest that fabrication has entered Into the picture to a certain extent in these contexts as well as it most certainly has in the context of his snake books, and very likely in his other narrat ions. Aside from these nine titles claimed by or documented for Sundowner, he is credited with several others from other sources. Kennedy, Smith and Johnson (1926-1934) listed a book by him entitled "Yarns from the Never-Never," 8vo, London, 1898. That work was apparently never published, and the title very likely came from some publisher's premature announcement. Ms. Rita Spurdle of the Rights Department of Chatto and Windus, publishers of Sundowner's 1901 and 1902 books, has advised us (in litt.) that "as in those days books could be printed, bound and put on sale within only a matter of weeks, it seems that titles were announced and included In the annual catalogues, with published price, even - as in one case - before the author completed this manuscript." "Yarns" almost certainly belongs to the same category, of announced but ultimately unpublished books. Still other works apparently were written by Tichborne but never were published. Ms. Spurdle quoted (in litt.) from a letter to Chatto and Windus, from Tichborne, dated 26 February 1901: "I am now busy on 'The Voyage of the Dandenong’ (25,000 words on) and I shall shortly have the pleasure of submitting It for your consideration." Nothing more Is recorded of it. A biography of Sir Henry Parkes, a famed historian of Australia (especially of New South Wales, whence Tichborne presumably came) was actually submitted to Chatto and Windus for publication, but was rejected, according to Dr. J. A. Edwards, Keeper of Archives and Manuscripts in the Library of the University Page 120 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal Society Vo lime 21 Number 3 September 1985 of Reading, where the Chat to and W Indus archives are now held. The Parkes manuscript, too, was never published, and is now lost. Established facts pertaining to Sundowner are virtually non-existent, so far as we can determine - so few that we count ourselves fortunate even to know his supposedly real name, Herbert Tlchborne. The dictionary of Australian pseudonyms (Nesbitt and Hadfield, 1972) lists "Henry" as his given name, but the National Union Catalog (with no entry under "Sundowner” ! ), Kennedy et al., (1926-1934), and the British Museum Catalog correctly cite him as "Herbert." Assurance that this was the given name he then used is provided primarily by membership records of the Savage' Club in London, in which "Herbert" is explicit. Curiously, all transactions with Chatto and Windus were signed by, or addressed, "H. Tichborne," and on one document a clerk had erroneously written "Tichborne, Hy" as a label, perhaps -giving rise to Nesbitt and Hadfield’ s use of "Henry" as his given name. That the "H. Tichborne" of the Chatto and Windus transactions (including acknowledgments of receipt of <£30 for the 1901 book and £25 for the 1902 work) is the same as the "Herbert Tichborne" of the Savage Club is assured by a comment appended to a letter to the publisher stating that "...a note to the Savage Club will always find me quickly." Records of the Savage Club show that Tichborne became a member in 1896, when his address was given as Editor of the "European Mail" - publisher of his first three books - Ludgate Circus, London. In 1901 Chatto and Windus addressed him at the Savage Club, then Adel phi WC; in 1902, at 33 Wyndham St. W; and in 1903, 26 Winchester Road, Hampstead NW. He had resigned from the Savage Club presumably by 1902, hence no record exists there of his death. Thus both birth and death dates are unknown, but his handwriting of 1902 suggests an elderly person. "The European Mail" no longer exists. Dates of Its founding and demise we have been unable to find. However, an advertisement in "Noqu Talanoa" (1896) states that the company had then been "established over half a century." Since one of its journal publications, "The Colonies and India," had expired by 1899 (running 1877-1898), it seems likely that the company itself ceased to exist at the same time, especially since Sundowner's publisher was switched about then from The European Mail, that handled the 1895, 1896 and 1897 books, to Chatto S Windus, handling the 01 and 1902 books. It would be interesting to know whether Sundowner's role as Editor for The European Mail was a factor in its demise, for he had a conspicuously unskilled narrative style and was clearly dishonest in some, demonstrable contexts; his integrity in other contexts is therefore open to question. Be that as it may, we think It likely that Sundowner, known at least through his stay in London as Herbert Tichborne, "retired" there, from his strenuous life in Australia and the South Seas, in the mld-1890's, and we doubt that he survived more than at most ten years. Sundowner’s life before London is completely unknown except for the dubious source of his own writings. We have come to suspect that the name used by him in London was an alias. The name Tichborne is highly intriguing. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal Society Page 121 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 for the Henry Tichborne baronetcy of Hampshire, England, traceable at least back to 1581, Is of considerable fame in the history of that country and Australia. In addition, Roger Charles Tichborne (1829-1859?), elder heir to the estate following the death of his father. Sir James Francis Tichborne (1784-1862), mysteriously disappeared at sea, presumably in a shipwreck off the east coast of South America in 1859. That disappearance in Itself would not be so notable, except that Lady Tichborne was convinced that Roger was alive, and advertised widely for information about him. An Arthur Orton (1834-1898) of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia - an expatriate Londoner who had served as a ship's butcher and wound up living in Chile, Tasmania and Victoria before settling in Wagga Wagga - claimed to be the lost Roger, and from 1866 to 1874 was successful enough to convince Lady Tichborne (who died in 1868) as well as numerous others that he was indeed who he claimed to be, and to force a long-drawn-out trial. He was ultimately judged guilty as an imposter, and In 1895 confessed his guilt, although under duress; he later rescinded his confession, but died In 1898 still adjudged culpable. The case received great notoriety at the time, and has been the subject of several books (e.g. Gilbert, 1957; Woodruff, 1957; and Roe, 1974; the preceding details were extracted from those sources). An excellent bibliography of "the Tichborne case" appears in Ferguson (1969: 644-648). Internal evidence suggests that Roger Tichborne would have been about the same age as Sundowner; unlikely as it is, they still could be one and the same person. We do not endorse that possibility for various reasons, but the circumstantial similarities are intriguing. Whether Sundowner's surname entails any connection at all with the family of Sir Henry Tichborne of Hampshire remains unknown. Other TIchbornes existed at the time, certainly; Roe (1974: 145) records that "A railway stop in central New South Wales still bears the title 'Tichborne, '.. ."a 1 though that title was". . .derived from the nickname of a miner who found gold thereabouts - a massive man, nearly two metres tall and 120 kilograms In weight." Possibly Sundowner had some connection with that person's family, adopting the nickname as his own. Extrapolating from Sundowner's writings, we surmise that he spent his childhood in Australia; he mentioned (1902: 12) his father and their homestead in the "Wollondilly district," which Ms. Julie Stokes (pers. comn.) Informs us is "...centered on a river of that name, located in southeastern New South Wales. Electoral rolls reveal no Tichbornes in the area early this century. Guides to late nineteenth century pastoral holdings and more specific directories of the Wollondilly area, as well as contemporary records (such as telephone books) reveal no Tichbornes either." By remarkable coincidence, she further points out, the town of Goulburn is situated on the Wollondilly River, and there Arthur Orton, the Tichborne claimant, under the name of Thomas Castro, assumed when he came to New South Wales in the 1860 's, married Mary Ann Bryant "en route to England to claim the Tichborne baronetcy." Sundowner mentioned Goulburn as well as several other localities nearby, hence was well acquainted with the area, whether any connection exists with Orton or not. We conclude that Tichborne may well not have been Sundowner's real name, although we have no idea what it may have been; we consider it likely that Sundowner assumed the name of Tichborne when he retired to London just because Its sordid fame, familiar to him as a former resident of New South Wales, appealed to his perverse, mendacious character. Page 122 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 Be all that as it may. Sundowner appears to have been rather well educated, whether formally or informally (we suspect the latter), for he quoted from numerous literary sources in his several books, as well as from the Bible, and his vocabulary included Fijian, French and German, as well as a surprising amplitude in English. Informal education is implied by his consistent rather crude narrative style. Rather obviously he became a drifter; there is no evidence that he ever lived long enough in one place to acquire a family, or that he ever even married. Early in post-adolescent life he probably became exactly what his pseudonym implies - a ’’sundowner” - ”...a term applied to a type of Australian bush-wanderer . . . who made a habit to approach a homestead at dusk with an appeal for work, and, work being at that hour impossible, thus obtained free rations in the form of flour, mutton and tea.... The sundowner .. .by-passed offenders [who demanded work] and placed on his visiting list only those who welcomed him for his own sake.... People in lonely areas were, as often as not, pleased to see him, for he invariably had a stock of yarns to exchange for a trifle of hospitality. In many instances the sundowner was a man of education. His wandering life was, no doubt, either a form of escapism or a sheer delight in the open road, or both.... Today the sundowner is by way of being a legend. He flourished mainly in the 1880’s and 1890 ’s and he vanished as settlement and communications increased. He is remembered now as one whose solitary habits and peculiar open-road philosophy developed not from an idleness of the flesh but from some quirk of the spirit.” (Cronin, 1958) The Cleary novel (1952) graphically reflects many aspects of the sundowner life. The preceding characterization seems to fit our Sundowner very well; he certainly was a highly accomplished yarn-spinner and was well educated. We would, however, place his sundowning career much earlier than the 1880’s, by several decades; he may well have been a sort of prototype - a forerunner - of the breed that became so well known later. We place Sundowner’s era of bush-wandering in Australia early - in the 1850’s or 1860’s, or probably even earl ier - because his early life seemingly was spent there, and because he clearly spent many years elsewhere. Indeed, his 1901 book contains an account (pp. 85-90) that placed him in the Fiji and Society Islands during and shortly after the U.S. Civil War (1860-1865). Most of his life seems to have been spent on Fiji Islands, but New Caledonia, Samoa, and New Zealand were prominent in his accounts, and obviously time was also spent in Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, and perhaps the United States (1902: 290). He was certainly familiar with England, although we assume only after the mid-1890's; he indeed dedicated his 1897 book "To my friend Thomas Robert Dewar (sheriff of London), who knows the Pacific world well, in remembrance of our many pleasant and interesting corrmunings on travel." There was indeed a Sir Thomas R. Dewar (1864-1930), Sheriff and Lord Mayor of London, according to Philip A. Snow (pers. comm.), and he even wrote a book about the South Pacific (1894), advertised in Sundowner’s 1896 book as available from (although not a publication of) The European Mail. It appears that Sundowner at least visited, at one time or another, most areas bordering or within the South Pacific, including Central and South America. Most of the many localities where he had lived in Australia are Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 123 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 listed in modern gazetteers, so not many. If any, are Imaginary. It is nevertheless difficult to accept that Sundowner could have lived at as many "stations" as claimed, even though various members of his family were mentioned in conjunction with several. Very likely most were simply favorite stops on his "sundowner” rounds. Although Sundowner may have written most of his accounts as he travelled, publishing them piecemeal in various periodicals, the production of his books presumably came late in life, all five of the known volumes appearing In an 8-year span (1895-1902). His first book, "Snakes," was superseded by and much expanded in his last one ("The Tale of the Serpent"). None of his other books overlap each other. The accounts in "Snakes" are not, however, entirely repeated verbatim in the later version; some sections of them are, to be sure, but others are more or less extensively rewritten. More than twice as much material is included in the later book than In the first one. Both books on snakes, however, are extremely rare, to judge by the fact that no copy of "Snakes" Is listed in the National Union Catalog (noting the contents of all sizeable U.S. and Canadian libraries), and only one library (Unlv. Texas) has a copy of "The Tale of the Serpent." The British Museum has copies of all five books, and several North American, New Zealand and Australian libraries have copies of the three non-ophidian books. We possess an original copy of "The Tale of the Serpent," and have seen the other four books for comparison. Sundowner’s second book (1896) mentions no snakes, although there is a vague suggestion that an unidentified creature (a "lairo") might be a reptile (p. 77), although his account precludes that possibility. Interestingly, Kennedy et al . (1926-1934) list two editions of this work, both reportedly represented in the British Library; the first two words, "Noqu Talanoa," of the first edition are supposedly rendered "Noqu Talamoa" in the second. Actually, two editions did appear. Dr. I. Kepars informs us that the National Library of Australia possesses two copies of each edition, and the State Library of Victoria has a copy of the second. The title is rendered the same in both editions, hence the different spellings recorded in Kennedy et al. (1926-1934) are an error, probably clerical. Both editions bear the same Imprint of 1896, but "one is indicated as being the second edition and Is cheaper, having a paper spine with board back and front covers" (Kepars, pers. comm.). Several Australian and U.S. libraries contain copies of the first edition, but the only ones known to us of the second are the three previously noted In Australia. As indicated In Kennedy et al . (op. cit.), the British Library may well contain both editions. There Is a chapter In the third book (1897: 14-17) devoted almost entirely to sea snakes, whose distribution, regional variation in temperament and size are discussed. Part is reasonably acceptable, but size estimates (observed over 30 ft. long, one at 16 ft., 9 in. caught) are excessive (Malcolm Smith, 1926: xv, gives a little less than. 9 ft. as the known Page 124 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Volute 21 Nurrber 3 September 1985 maximum), and the account of an enraged snake chasing a dog inland for a quarter of a'mile, and attacking a defending human, is literally incredible, since sea snakes are incapable of sustained locomotion on land. The same book (1897: 182-184) contains a description of methods used to capture sea turtles both at sea and on shore. The fourth book (1901) contains considerably more on reptiles, especially snakes, than the preceding two. Three accounts pertain to non-ophidian reptiles - one each to turtles, crocodilians and lizards. The turtle (p. 139) is identified as a "five-hundred-pound mass of hardshelled tortoise" kept "in the little compound" near "Rosler’s Hotel" at Vuna on Taviuni (= Taveuni) In the Fiji Islands. It entered the account through Its name, George Washington, applied since it was presumed to be the only resident of the town never known to have told a lie. It was probably a Galapagos tortoise. The same name was applied to a crocodile from the Solomon Islands, in a chapter devoted in its entirety to it (pp. 173-177). The Queensland crocodile (all crocodilians were called "alligators" In this chapter), presumably Crooodylus porosus, was contrasted in temperament (irascible) with the Solomon Islands crocodile ("genteel," tameable), but the story that centered upon an example, raised from 40 in. to over 12 ft., of the latter populations, is marred by considerable fabrication and exaggeration. The specimen supposedly was sent finally to the Sydney zoo. No current basis exists for taxonomic recognition of more than one species of crocodilian, C. porosus, the formidable estuarine crocodile, in the Fiji or Solomon Islands. The same species occurs in northern Australia and throughout the East Indies, but is everywhere much feared through its large size (to 20 ft.) and frequent attacks upon humans. A much smaller species (C*. johnstoni^) , 9 ft. maximum, occurs in northern Australia, and another (C. novaeguineae , 8 ft. maximum) in New Guinea (data on all South Pacific species from Neill, 1971). Both are relatively gentle species. Perhaps Sundowner was aware of one or the other of these smaller, relatively innocuous species, but if so he was confused in concept of its range and that of C. porosus. Another whole chapter was devoted to the "goana" CVaranus, any of several species), but virtually everything in it was fabricated; only size (4 to 5 ft.) was reasonable, whereas descriptions of size of snakes were almost invariably excessive. Snakes enter into six chapters, but form the entire subject of but one (pp. 247-251); In others their role is minor (e.g., p. 67), incidental (e.g., pp. 152-153) or importantly integral to the story (pp. 238, 278, 302-304). In every case the story is largely or wholly fictitious. Only one was repeated in the books specifically on snakes. The first three books by Sundowner, including "Snakes" as the earliest, were published by European Mail; the 2nd and 3rd of that series end with numerous pages of miscellaneous advertisements, including several pages of quotations of reviews of "Snakes" and, in the 1897 book, also of the 1896 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 125 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 "Noqu Talanoa." No such excerpts from reviews appear in the last two books, published by Chat to £ W Indus. The excerpts from the reviews of "Snakes*’ are fascinating. All refer to It as the "Second Edition," presumably differing from the first by Inclusion of the publication date 1895, and by having the preface bound properly. We have not found a copy of the second edition; the two that we assume represent the second edition, since they apparently bear an imprinted date of 1895, in Field Museum of Natural History and McGill University, have been lost, and no others are known to us. Certainly the first edition is represented by a copy in the British Library; it lacks a table of contents and an imprinted date of publication, and has the preface bound after p. 16. A copy In the National Library of Australia may represent the second edition, or may not; it lacks a publication data, like the British Library copy, although the date 1896 Is entered on the title page in pencil. Unlike the British Library copy, however, "the preface is placed between the title page and list of contents" (Dr. I. Kepars, pers. comm.). Thus the differences between and actual dates of publication of the purported two editions remain enigmatic, and await determination by comparison of additional copies. Unfortunately only two can be located at present anywhere in the world. It is likely, however, that the second edition, whether so indicated or not, followed hard on the heels of the first, much as in the case of Noqu Talanoa, with a minimum of printing changes. In any event, an astonishing 34 different reviews, in 32 journals, are claimed in the 1896 and 1897 books to have been excerpted about "Snakes." Included is one brief complimentary comment from a letter to the author by "Professor Stradl ing, the well-known ophiologist" (not known at all to us, nor to British Museum he rpeto logical authorities, fide Mr. A. F. Stimson, pers. comm.). The Journals are of remarkable diversity: Cl) African Review, (2) Antigua Standard, (3) Christian Age, (4) Daily Chronicle, (5) Daily News, (6) Devon and Exeter Gazette (2 reviews), (7) Dominica Guardian, (8) Eastern Morning News, (9) Edinburgh Evening News, CIO) Financial News, C 1 1 ) Gall’s Newsletter, C 1 2) Glasgow Herald, C 13 ) Imperial and Asiatic Quarterly Review, C 14) Introduction, C 1 5) Jamaica Post, C 16) Lancaster Standard, C 1 7) Mammon, C 1 8) Morning Advertiser, C 19) Overland Mail, C20) Public Opinion, C 2 1 ) Publisher’s Circular, C22) Scotsman, (23) Sheffield Daily Telegraph, (24) Sheffield Weekly Telegraph, C2 5) Shipping, C26) South Africa, C27) South African Empire, C28) South American Journal, C29) South London Observer, C30) Weekly Irish Times, C31) Western Mail (Cardiff), and C3 2) Westminster Gazette. One has to be impressed with such a wide reception, certainly matched by few if any books in modern times, at least as reflected by number of reviews. Strangely, however, only fourteen Cnos. 1, 3, 5, 13, 14, 17, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 32) of these 32 journals are listed in the exhaustively complete British Union Catalogue of Periodicals and Union List of Serials, at least for dates compatible with Sundowner's books. Hence all of the review excerpts, as well as "Professor Stradl ing' s" comment, have to be suspect, unfortunately, however cogently or amusingly written, as indeed many of them are. We have not searched any of the. cited journals, however, for the review purportedly occurring in them. Page 126 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto 1 og i cal Society Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 Since Sundowner’s ’’Snakes" is contained in its entirety in his last book, "The Tale of the Serpent," attention may be focused upon the latter work, which contains a great deal more than the first. In both books his avowed, explicit purposes were to debunk erroneous beliefs about snakes, and to foster tolerance of them. No naturalist would fault these objectives, and in so striving Sundowner was certainly one of the earliest writers to attempt on a large scale (two books) to educate the public in general, in the English language, in these contexts. To quote from the Preface of "Snakes," Sundowner explains that "so many unreliable and obviously fanciful accounts of snakes and their habits are printed from time to time... that the author has been moved to put the following veracious chronicle of his own experiences among reptiles before the public. Snake stories, owing in great measure to the laches of newspaper editors in admitting to their columns apocryphal yarns about snakes, have come to be regarded as somewhat on a level with ghost stories, and it is high time that some man of good character and reliability - as well as of experience among snakes - should come forward and throw the limelight of truth upon what is to many an interesting subject." Much the same theme was expounded at greater length in the introductory chapter (of seven pages) of the 1902 book. Extrapolating from erudite quotations from Pepys, Richard Owen and the Bible, Sundowner argued that "...the snake is not to be despi sed; . . . i ts poisonous qual i t ies. . . have been greatly exaggerated.... A snake is no more vicious than a dog; he will never bite you unless you knock him about, or tread on his tail, and when you have him as a pet and he has become really attached to you he will put up with any amount of teasing or even maltreatment before he thinks of turning his fangs on you. "No; we may boast ... about our humanity and our sympathetic consideration of dumb creatures, but if we come to examine our consciences closely we must admit that we are humbugs after all, to a great extent.... "Say or do what we like, human nature Is strongly impregnated with brutality. Education, the inculcation of Christianity, the study of poetry, the preaching of homilies on gentle behavior - none of these influences has yet effected anything material in the way of toning down the ^inherent coarseness of our systems.... To me this seems all wrong and unnatural, and I believe it will seem so to you if you will only sit down somewhere and think the thing out. "...I have lived among snakes, and claim to knew something about them, having, in a way, shared their joys and their sorrows with them. If... by writ ing. .. [this book] I may, in ever so slight a degree, bring the public mind round towards a more kindly view of snakes, I feel that I shall not have laboured in vain. "As to the newspapers, I live in the hope that the conductors of these great fabricators of public opinion may yet find grace, and sweep from their minds the prejudice against the serpent family, which is as hurtful to their Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 127 Yolune 21 Nunber 3 September 1985 own high Intelligence as It is to the Interests of these humble creeping creatures.’' Fortified by these quaintly stated but laudatory objectives, the reader Is prepared for a thoroughly satisfying, sympathetic and rigorously factual tour through the complexities of ophidian natural history, at least as known by Sundowner. Instead one is treated to the most preposterous, absurd, ridiculous, extravagant exaggeration and falsification that has ever been written on the subject of snakes. To a certain extent the message of sympathy and good will toward snakes comes across despite the wild abandonment of fact, but far from dispelling the myths that abound in popular snake lore. Sundowner augmented them unconscionably. So ridiculous are many tales he recounts that they might be regarded as laughable, but so solemnly are they stated as fact, clarifying long-nurtured public misconceptions, that one must be grateful that both books are so rare as to be inaccessible for the general publ ic. Sundowner merely exercised his rare talent for spinning captivating yarns, and the kindest view of them Is that at least little cruelty per se comes through. For good reason, then, none of the several works on Australian herpetology, or on that of other South Pacific areas, have mentioned Sundowner's extensive treatment of snake lore of those regions. Even now, it is well that the rarity of Sundowner’s books on snakes will perforce let sleeping dogs lie. For the sake of providing assurance that the perennial state of neglect into which the books have fallen may be construed as fully justified, a few examples may be cited. The fable of swallowing of the young was repeatedly recounted in various guises (chapters 1, 10, 14), elaborated with click-like signals from the mother snake, causing the young to flock to her open mouth and to crawl Into her stomach; another click advises the young that the coast is clear, whereupon they emerge again to roam around the vicinity. On occasion young other than her own hasten down her throat upon hearing the warning signal, leaving no room for the last of her own, which have to be abandoned, becoming "orphans" which have a hard time learning snake ways, having no one to teach them. Sundowner made much of the necessity of young snakes to learn from their mothers how to crawl and to capture and swallow food, avoid enemies and follow the seasonal cycles of their kind. He noted that some Individuals and kinds learn quickly, others not. Some learn to mesmerize birds, bringing them Into their striking range, although they can be fooled into exerting their full powers on artificial birds, and they occasionally "charm” Into reach birds much too large even to attempt to eat; these they simply release. "Black snakes" were best at charming, but "green snakes" and "whip snakes" were unable to do so. Page 128 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Volone 21 Number 3 September 1985 Making much of the learning ability of snakes. Sundowner repeatedly described pet snakes that had the run of the house and yard or the entire ranch ("station,” as termed in Australia). They would come when called and developed deep affection for the family. They made great retrievers. Not satisfied with that. Sundowner made snakes so popular in demand that snake farms were developed; he ran several from one time to another. Also, snakes were nurtured as fighters and meets were held all over, pitting one snake against another much as in cock-fighting. Another proclivity of Sundowner's snakes was a passion for music, to which they would often dance. They expressed pleasure by wriggling and by waving or snapping the tail like a whip. For food they loved flies above all, snapping at them in all directions, and were easily lured by them, although they would also eat eggs, birds, manmals and, nothing else available, some big constrictors would eat fruits of various sorts. Hoop snakes couldn’t "charm” anything, so ate mushrooms only. Any object of modest size or larger would be ’’slimed" before swallowing. Milk was a primary food and would serve as a lure. Snakes milked cows, of course, if not provided with milk otherwise. Many of his snakes loved to have a tail in their mouth, serving often as a soporific. Thus hoop snakes were a natural expectation, racing across the countryside faster than a horse could run. And several kinds that loved bird eggs would form a living chain, mouth of one snake grasping tail of the next, extending down a precipice so they could rob the nests of cliff-dwelling birds. Garter and ribbon snakes were exploited, because of their tail -biting proclivity, as live garters by women; they were laterally compressed, hence had to sun themselves on one side, then the other. Their skins were used as hair ribbons by young girls. Size was of course a prime focal point for attention, from 6- in. "deaf adders" to 40-50 ft. constrictors in New Guinea, and 85-ft. sea serpents. "Black snakes" were commonplace up to 12 ft., "carpet snakes" up to 14 ft., in Australia, "cannibal" snakes up to 20 ft., "diamond snakes" to 25 ft. (Cogger, 1979, records 2.5 m as the maximum for caenoph i d i ans [= colubroids] in Australia, reached by Parademansia miorolepidota , the Fierce snake. Several booids exceed that limit, Liasis amethystinus , the Amethystine python, being the largest, at 8.5 m.) Eyelids were several times indicated as being present and closed when snakes slept, blinked from time to time while awake. The venomous kinds could protrude their fangs threateningly, snap at intruders, and spring back on the tail. They sweated profusely when exerting themselves to the max I man. Their moulted sloughs were equated with skins themselves, and could be tanned for use as belts, etc. Their eggs were brooded, mostly by the females, who had to be present when the eggs hatched, to teach the neonates how to survive; hence snakes farmers could not successfully populate their farms with snakes by incubating eggs taken from their parents, for the young would have no one to teach them. Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 129 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 The sea snakes of northern Australia occurred long distances upstream In the rivers of the region, and made swimming suicide there, for humans. They were, however, so addicted to flies for food that they could be lured away from favorite swimming holes, although never with artificial flies. They laid their eggs in nests in stream banks, where they were brooded much like other snakes did. In parts of Australia live snakes were so treasured that they were used as common currency. Sundowner contrasted Indian and New Guinea constrictors, noting that the former were strictly terrestrial and would never enter water unless milk was in it, whereas the New Guinea constrictors were highly aquatic. Although large enough to eat the native honans of the Island, they would never do so unless they were thoroughly washed. Sundowner crossed various species of sea and land serpents on one of his snake farms, but found them too intractable to be a financial success. He even Imported "grass snakes" and "adders" from England for his breeding experiments. The adders interbred successfully with Australian species but the hybrids were deaf and hence of no value. The grass snakes wouldn’t cross, on the contrary, although they were great pets. He recommended crossing the pigmy rattlesnake of Florida with the English adder as a likely source for valuable hybrids, although he never had the opportunity to do so. One amazing discovery was that snake societies exist in every species, each with its hierarchy of government officials, including judges who determine responsibility in wrong-doing and meting proper punishment, with the king as the last court of authority and the main overseer of the health and welfare of his subjects. Rope was recommended as a barrier to snakes around a camp, and indeed Sundowner claimed responsibility for introduction of that valuable practice to North Americans. With only "over 100" species of snakes in Australia (Cogger, 1979, lists 143), shooting of them was banned in Sundowner's time, as a conservation measure. Snakebite treatment was noted incidentally In two accounts, and Included use of "laudanun" (op I an), brandy, ran, other "decoctions," puncturing the wound, sucking it and burning it "with red-hot coals," and not allowing the victim to sleep until medical attention was received. Among reptiles other than snakes that graced the continent of Australia, the "griffin" was the strangest. The animals were about four ft. long, with a wing spread at that size of seven ft., five and one-quarter In. The wings were In addition to the four limbs. Griffins were trained with great success as messengers. Page 130 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 Repeatedly Sundowner exhorted his readers to give snakes ’’kindness and confidence,” in return for their everlasting friendship and devotion. He also strongly advocated establishment of a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Snakes. Predominant in Sundowner's writings is the penchant for the spinning of a yarn, whether true or fictional. Certainly his snake stories are wildly imaginative and extensively unrealistic. Taken frankly as exercises in exaggeration, they succeed very well; one can hardly fail to be amused by their preposterousness . Yet the repeated insistence upon intent to straighten the record for these wildly misunderstood animals exacerbates rather than ameliorates the fears and misconceptions of the unsuspecting reader. The seemingly real sympathy for snakes and desire to protect them — possibly, although improbably. Sundowner's ultimate aims - are largely nullified whether the reader correctly interprets the tales as purely entertaining fiction or incorrectly accepts them as gospel. Some of the purported, quoted reviews exemplified each extreme. The only actual review we have seen, of the 1902 book, was appropr iately caustic, in part reading: ’’The short story is rather a trying medium for [that] writer who, in the literary and artistic sense, is ill equipped. [His] false strokes are as glaring in the short story as a painter's blunders would be in a miniature. The present volume consists of f ive-and-thi rty short, slangily written sketches, in each of which a snake appears. In the beginning the unsuspicious reader is deluded into the belief that he has come upon the work of a real lover of snakes, and looks forward to the perusal of pages of series interest. Later, he discovers that the fare offered him consists only of a bundle of "snake yarns" such as one finds every now and again in country newspapers. Australian newspapers particularly are full of such narratives during the silly season.... "The Tale of the Serpent". . .does contain a good many sketches which the gentry who glibly "swap yarns" in railway carriages would condemn as "chestnuts," and poor at that." (The Athenaeum, London, no. 3890, May 17, 1902, p. 622.) Yet Sundowner's books may well be the first and perhaps the only attempt by a single author to create an exhaustive collection of snake lies. Perhaps the closest approach to Sundowner's historic compilation is Dobie's (1965) collection of tales about rattlesnakes, but the latter was gleaned from many sources and is far more restricted in subject matter than Sundowner's 1902 book. The two books are similar, however, in being wildly imaginative and presented with solemn assurance of veracity. Both are extrapolations, however far-fetched, from reality; they are not so completely flights of imagination as the several classical Greco-Roman fables about snakes, or snakelike animals, that have been preserved to the present time, or as Masefield's nightmarish sea snake in "Port of Many Ships" (Masefield, 1916: 9-10). Any herpetologist encountering Sundowner's books on snakes would promptly recognize them as mendacious, although the only one of whom we are aware having perused them is the famed C.J.P. Ion ides, about whom Alan Wykes wrote (I960). Mr. Wykes kindly searched his notes taken while interviewing Ionides in Africa, and found the comment by the noted snake collector: Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 131 Volume 21 Number 3 September 1985 "...that New Zealand mountebank Tichborne. . .a real Munchausen..." (pers. comm.). Ac know! edgements We are much indebted to Virginia Boucher of the University of Colorado Interl ibrary Loan Office of Norlin Library for obtaining copies of Sundowner’s three non-ophidian books for us to study; to Dr. A.G.C. Grand i son of the British Museum (Natural History), for obtaining a microfilm copy of the first edition of "Snakes" for us from the British Museum library; to Mr. Andrew Stimson, of the same museum, for expediting delivery of that film to us, and for counsel; to Dr. Kraig Adler for discovery of a copy of the second edition of "Snakes" in the 1 ibrary of Field Museum of Natural History; and to Mr. Robert Edgerly, director of the University of Colorado Computing Center, for permission to use its copier to make prints from the microfilm of "Snakes." We are also much Indebted to John Charlton, and especially to Rita Spurdle, of Chatto £ Windus In London; Ms. Spurdle unearthed all the information about Sundowner in London. Also helpful were Dr. Michael Roe, an expert on the famous Tichborne case, of The University of Tasmania; Allison Buchan, Reference Librarian of the National Library of New Zealand, for information on holdings in that country; and especially Julie Stokes, Chief Reference Librarian of the National Library of Australia, for a great deal of detective work and counsel. Alan Wykes of Reading, Dr. J.A. Edwards of the University of Reading, Jill McKever of Chadwyck-Healey in Cambridge, I. Kepars of the National Library of Australia, and Philip A. Snow of Angmering, have all been extremely kind in sharing their knowledge with us. Herpetologists in Australia who kindly sought information for us on Sundowner include Dr. John Cann, Dr. David R. McPhee (whose extensive 1 ibrary includes a copy of The Tale of the Serpent), and Mr. Eric Worrell, all of New South Wales. Finally, Mr. Christopher Bradshaw of Eyre £ Spott i swoode. Ltd., printers for over 150 years, notably in present contexts of most of The European Mail publications, kindly advised that their archives, which might well have shed more light upon Sundowner and Herbert Tichborne, were all destroyed during the last world war. Literature Cited Cleary, Jon. 1952. The sundowners. New York, Scribner. Cogger, Harold G. 1979. Reptiles and amphibians of Australia. 798 figs, (partly col.), maps. iv, 252 pp. London, Reed. 608 pp.. Page 132 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Volune 21 Member 3 September 1985 Cronin, Bernard Charles. 1958. Sundowner. _In Alec H. Chisholm, The Australian encylopaedia (East Lansing, Michigan, Michigan State Uni v. , 10 vols. ), 8: 356. Dewar, Thomas 1894. Robert . A ramble round the globe. London, Chat to 8 Windus. xv, 316 pp. Dobie, J. Frank. 1965. Rattlesnakes. Boston, Little/Brown, fx, 201 pp. Ferguson, John Alexander. 1969. Bibl iography of Austral ia. Volune VII: 1851-1900, Q-Z. London, Angus 8 Robertson, xii, 1075 pp., ill. Gi Ibert, Michael . 1957. The claimant. London, Constable, viii, 224 pp. Hopley, Catherine C. 1882. Snakes: curiosities and wonders of serpent life. London, Griffith 8 Farran. viii, 614 pp., front is., ill. Kennedy, James, W. A. Smith and A. F. Johnson. 1926-1934. Dictionary of anonymous and pseudonymous English literature (Samuel Halkett and John Laing). New and enlarged edition. London, Oliver 8 Boyd. 7 vols. Masefield, John. 1916. A mainsail haul. New York, Macmillan, vii, 190 pp., ill. Miller, E. Morris and Frederick T. Macartney. 1956. Australian literature: a bibliography to 1938, extended to 1950. London, Angus 8 Robertson. ix, 503 pp. Neill, Wilfred T. 1971. The last of the ruling reptiles: alligators, crocodiles, and their kin. New York, Colunbia Univ. xix, 486rpp., 162 figs. Nesbitt, Bruce and Susan Hadfield. 1972. Australian literary pseudonyms. Adelaide, Libraries Board of South Australia, viii, 134 pp. Roe, Michael. 1974. Kenealy and the Tichborne cause: a study In mid-Victorian populism. Carlton, Victoria, Australia, Melbourne Univ. Press, xiii, 255 pp., ill. Smith, Malcolm. 1926. Monograph of the sea-snakes (Hydrophi idae) . London, Taylor 8 Francis, xix, 130 pp., 35 figs., 2 pis. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 133 Vol urne 21 Nunber 3 September 1985 Sundowner. 1895. Snakes. London, European Mail, iii, 116 pp. 1896. Noqu talanoa: stories from the South Seas. London, European Mail . vl i, 178 pp. 1897. Rambles In Polynesia. London, European Mail, xi, 207 pp. 1901. Told by the taffrail. London, Chatto 8 Windus. viii, 311 pp. 1902. The tale of the serpent, London, Chatto 8 Windus. x, 292 pp. Wood ruff , Doug las. 1957. The Tichborne claimant, a Victorian mystery. London, Hollis 8 Carter, xx, 479 pp., ill. Wykes, Alan. 1961. Snake man: the story of C.J.P. Ion ides. New York, Simon 8 Schuster, xi, 275 pp., ill. —R.F.D. 2 , Forth Bennington > Vermont 05257 CBetty J. Johnson) and department of Environmental , Population and Organismic Biology , University of Colorado , Boulder 3 Colorado 80309-0334 (Hobart M. Smith). Received: 13 July 1985 Accepted: 20 July 1985 Page 134 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Volume 21 Number 3 September 1983 VIRGINIA HERPETOLOGICAL SURVEY BOOKLET VIRGINIA'S AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES A distributional survey A COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY OF ALL 145 KINDS OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES NATIVE TO THE STATE AND ITS COUNTIES, BASED ON ACTUAL COLLECTING RECORDS . SIZE: 8**" X 11". THIS 120-PAGE BOOKLET INCLUDES TEXT AND 135 LOCALITY (DOTTED) MAPS. IT FEATURES AN INDEX CROSS-REFERENCED TO CONANT'S 1975 FIELD GUIDE FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES. IT BRINGS TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE FOR THE FIRST TIME THE EFFORTS OF MANY HUNDREDS OF VIRGINIA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY MEMBERS AND THE RECORDS FROM FIFTY SCIENTIFIC COL¬ LECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. TEXT EXPLAINS SURVEY METHODS USED. SOME HISTORICAL RECORDS AND LITERATURE RECORDS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED. BLACK & WHITE DRAWING. I ENCLOSE A CHECK/MONEY ORDER FOR _ COPY (IES) OF THE 120-PAGE BOOKLET "VIRGINIA'S AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES: A DISTRIBUTIONAL SURVEY." (1985) AT THE PRE-PUBLICATION PRICE OF $3.00 A COPY. SEND TO: - NAME - ADDRESS - POST OFFICE - - - STATE - ZIP WRITE CHECK TO: "VIRGINIA HERPETOLOGICAL SURVEY" (OR) "V.H. SURVEY" RETURN THIS STUB WITH CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO: COORDINATOR, V.H. SURVEY RT. #1, BOX 381, PURCELLVILLE, VA 22132 PRICE AFTER PUBLICATION IS LIKELY TO BE $5.00 A COPY TO COVER HANDLING. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal Society Page 135 Vo lure 21 Number 3 September 1985 si flj -H 8 8 s a a a 8 0} W so H • O D N TJ 4) § 52 . c #? •rt -g ifl w * — u 01 41 at ■i -a a Mi 2 § a o-s 3 O XI •O (0 5 § 01 -H £ g ■H 41 41 S31 O T3 P C o <5 4h W 5 § 0) o 5 8 * 3 41 > U 01 •H 4) .c tr> IIP ■S Si a p * s S! > K 'M 0 0 W M s s a * 1 gi: •8 8 H S 8 O £ C ■ -8 °--§! 4-J #H 9 0 St! & a^ V S M 5 il 3 5 £3^ til 41 g o 5 s s s * 0 a. i «pi it 335 5 . 3 0» 'O O fl s S 2 S 3 n >i 2 § O O as 3 o o m § 6 O T3 5> 5 | 8 ^ O w P C 5J P P S s 3 2 w " § W -H P P II c P £ c o flj (0 O P X w S .£ > qS II § - O 4) “5 ^It •H tj W 2 * 5 8 g1 c in in -p 4) h 4) o 3 owr * „n 0 a W Cm P O ft d P P 43 Q< O ' O G G P 0 0 0 4-1 t! ^ JP 0 O W W P N -H O IQ C O O Cn o P > h*d 10 C O O • TJ s as § § 0 g * o p * ..§ C P H OOP 000 Oil/) u P v* S.gS 8,11 ■H 5 a 5* 2 < a « 2 (0 0| 43 O C ^ rH H a u 5 .3- §23 •C O O 3 01 a tj n n ffl 4) 4i 4) -a 1 3§ 3 X »h <\J P 4S O P W C wo 3 « S “ 52 "S p s o o M H ” § c 3 ss^t H 'O 3 * * 22 .. 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Q* OP W P O rH ^ *1 H W 8 W O O X o p «p G > c £* •h 9 o < 4h C < * 0 a O O4 ' H 4. .0 ^ 5 & O 8 & W O 2 8 2 a « JS, o P k o o o w p J o ft &< C rQ IP 32 4h ^ o C w o P W -H -H O P > P P o »o o C rH m O X rH O O 41 OH Odd G -H O * 0 O 41 4)**£ G*G CCO-H+JoglB •2 H 3 5 5 2 1 2 Page 136 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal Society Volune 21 Number 3 September 1985 FIRST INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLE BIOLOGY, CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT Texas A&M University, Mitchell Campus, Galveston, Texas, 1-4 October 1985 Sponsored by the National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Center, Galveston Laboratory and Texas A&M University at Galveston i - - - - _ ■ _ _ _ _ PURPOSE Kemp s ridley sea turtle ( Lepidochelys kempt) has received increasing attention from government and university re¬ searchers concerned with the development and implementation of sea turtle conservation and management. An international symposium will convene these researchers, sea turtle experts and representatives of private organizations to review the status, knowledge and on-going research on biology, conservation and management of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. The symposium will provide resource managers, researchers, students, conservationists and the public an opportunity to share information on Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and to discuss effective strategies for conservation and management of this critically endangered species. PROGRAM The symposium will include invited papers and a panel discussion to report new findings, approaches and methodologies, to review and summarize e-ri«rfng informa¬ tion and to discuss current and future issues and oppor¬ tunities. Nine technical sessions will be convened. Session topics include: • Historical Perspectives, Trends and Opportunities in Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Conservation and Manage¬ ment • Status of Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Population » Public and Private Participation in Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Conservation • Hazards, Strandings and Rehabilitation of Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle • Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Head Start Research • Tagging, Tracking and Distribution of Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle • Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Data Base Management • Biological Investigations and Captive Breeding of Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle • The Future for Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle: A Panel Discussion CORRESPONDENCE For further information contact: Dr, Andre M. Landry. Jr.. Department of Marine Biology Teua A&M Univenity at Galveston P.0, Box 1675 Galveston, TX 77555, USA Telephone (409) 740 4515 or Dr. Charles W. Caillouet. Jr.. National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Fisheries Center Galveston Laboratory 1700 Avenue U 'Galveston. TX 77550. USA -Telephone (409) 766-5525 SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION Registration fee for the symposium includes program, abstracts and a copy of the printed proceedings. Pre-registration Fee (Prior to 1 September 1985) $25.00 Late Registration Fee $35.00 HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS A small block of rooms has been reserved at reduced rates in the Texas A&M University dormitories on Pelican Island. This housing is limited and reservations will be taken on a first -come first -serve basis. Cost for dormitory housing will be $12. 50/person/night for double occupancy. It may ex¬ ceed $12. 50/person/night for single occupancy. Towels and linens must be provided by occupants. Participants wanting dormitory housing should contact Dr. Andre M. Landry prior to 1 September 1985. A listing of hotel accom¬ modations available on Galveston Island is enclosed. These accommodations are the responsibility of each participant. ADVANCE REGISTRATION FORM (You may register at the symposium) Detach and mail before 1 September 1985 to: Dr. Andre M. Landry, Jr. Department of Marine Biology Texas A&M University at Galveston P.O. Box 1675 Galveston, TX 77553, USA Name: _ Affiliation: _ City/State/Country _ Zip Code: _ Pre-registration Fee (prior to 1 September 1985) $25.00 Late Registration Fee $35.00 Check or money order must be in U.S. currency (foreign currency is not acceptable) made payable to: Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Symposium Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Page 137 Voluue 21 Number 3 September 198 NEWS/F/CTS ON FILE' Publication date: April 30, 1985 VIRTUOSO PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURES NATURE ON THE WING IN NEW BOOK FROM FACTS ON FILE * "If any photographer is able, in a still picture, to convey a notion of what is happening, it is Eric Hosking." — Konrad Z. Lorenz World-renowned wildlife photographer Eric Hosking takes all nature lovers on a shiinmeringly vibrant tour through one of nature's most fascinating realms in a magnificent new book, WILDFOWL, photographs by Eric Hosking, text by Janet Rear, foreward by Konrad Z. Lorenz (Publication date: April 30, 1985; Price: $24.95, hardbound). Recipient of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) , director of photography on expeditions the world over, and co-author of two other highly regarded Facts On File titles, Hosking now trains his masterful lens on the astonishing lives, habits and behavior of ducks, geese, swans and other wildfowl. In 145 beautiful photographs, including 120 in full color, Hosking captures the movement and activity of these fascinating creatures in their surroundings — in both characteristic and uncharacteristic moments. Hosking' s virtuoso work is accompanied by an absorbing text by eminent ornithologist Dr. Janet Rear. In words and pictures, readers are compellingly drawn into every facet of the often secret, always spectacular world of these intriguing birds, from courtship displays, nest building, and care of young, to feeding habits and the excitement of migration. The book also features a moving final chapter dramatizing the delicate interrelationship between wildfowl and man. A visually splendid panorama of nature on the wing, WILDFOWL will appeal to bird enthusiasts, nature lovers and photography buffs alike. ERIC HOSKING was awarded the OBE by Her Majesty the Queen in 1977 for his natural history photography and work in conservation. He is co-author of many books including Birds in Action, An Eye for a Bird, Antarctic Wildlife and Eric Hosking 's Seabirds. DR. JANET REAR is Assistant Director of the Wildfowl Trust and Curator of Martin Mere, Lancashire. She edited Flamingos, was co-author of The Hawaiian Goose and is also editor of the British journal Ibis. WILDFOWL, photographs by Eric Hosking, text by Dr. Janet Rear, foreward by Konrad Z. Lorenz? Publication date: April 30, 1985? Price: $24. 95, hardbound; 154 pp.; 8% x 10 3/4? ISBN: 0-8160-1152-4 index. Over 145 photographs with 120 in full-color BIRDING BOOK CLUB MAIN SELECTION. Review copies may be reguested from Bennett C. Petrone. Page 138 Bulletin Maryland He rpe to log leal Socit Society Publ ications Back issues of the Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society, where available, may be obtained by writing the Executive Editor. A list of available issues will be sent upon request. Individual numbers in stock are $2.00 each, un¬ less otherwise noted. The Society al so publ ishes a Newsletter on a somewhat irregular basis. These are distributed to the membership free of charge. Also published are Maryland Herpetofauna Leaflets and these are available at $. 25/page. Information for Authors All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Editor. Manuscripts being sub¬ mitted for publication should be typewritten (double spaced) on good quality x 1 1 inch paper, with adequate margins. Submit original and first carbon, retaining the second carbon. Indicate where illustrations or photographs are to appear in text. Cite all literature used at end in alphabetical order by author. Major papers are those over 5 pages (double spaced, elite type)andmust i ncl ude an abstract . The authors name should be centered under the title, and the address is to fol low the L i terature Cited. Minor papers are those papers with fewer than 5 pages. Author's name is to be placed at end of paper (see recent issue). For add i t iona 1 information see Style Manual for Biological Journals (196A) , American Insti tute of Biological Sciences, 3900 Wi scons in Avenue, N.W. , Washington, D.C. 20016. Price is $6.00. Reprints are available at $.03 a page and shoul d be ordered when manuscripts are submitted or when proofs are returned. Minimum order is 100 reprints. Either edited manuscri pt or proof will be returned to author for approval or correct ion. The author will be responsible for al 1 corrections to proof, and must return proof preferably wi thin 7 days. The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology Hatural History Society of Maryland , Inc . 2643 North Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21218 bulletin of the us ISSN: 0025-4231 TRarylano f)erpeto!ogicaI Ooriety Department of Herpetology The Natural History Society of Maryland., Inc. MdHS . A FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE Eastern Seaboard Herpetological League DECEMBER 1985 VOLUME 21 NUMBER 4 MAR 3 1 1986 Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volune 21 Number 4 December 1985 CONTENTS A NEW SUBSPECIES OF ARBOREAL LIZARD, GENUS Laemanctus , FROM THE MOUNTAINOUS REGION OF LoS TUXTLAS, VERACRUZ, MEXICO (LACERTILIA, IGUANIDAE) . . Gonzalo Pdrez-Higareda and Richard C. Vogt 139 SPATIAL ORIENTATION BY COTTONMOUTHS CAgkistrodon piscivorus ) AFTER DETECTING PREY. . . . Julian Keith, Robert Lee and David Chiszar 145 THAMNOPHIS ELEGANS VAGRANS (GRAY GARTER SNAKE), LONGEVITY . . . . Edwin L. Light 150 ASPHALT AS A SNAKE TRAP AND A UNIQUE METHOD OF REMOVAL . . Herbert S. Harris, Jr. 151 NEWS AND NOTES: A NEW ZOOLOGICAL LANDMARK . 153 NEW BOOK RELEASES: HERP BOOKS, PERIODICALS AND REPRINTS FOR SALE . 160 THE ASSOCIATION OF SYSTEMATICS COLLECTIONS . 160 INVENTORY OF LIVE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS IN CAPTIVITY, CURRENT JANUARY 1, 1985. . . . . 161 A FIELD GUIDE TO PREHISTORIC LIFE . . . 162 ANNOUNCEMENTS : DISCOUNT SALE FOR SELECTED SSAR PUBLICATIONS . 164 THE 10TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL HERPETOLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM ON CAPTIVE PROPAGATION S HUSBANDRY . 166 SMITHSONIAN RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN HISTORY, ART, AND SCIENCE . 167 The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology > Natural History Society of Marylands Inc. 2643 North Charles Street Baltimore s Maryland 21218 BULLETI N December 1985 The Maryland Herpetolog ical Society Department of Herpetology, Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Bulletin Staff Executive Editor Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Steering Committee Donald Boyer Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Frank Groves Jerry D. Hardy, Jr. Jeff Thomas Off i cers President . Richard Czarnowsky Vice-President . Beth E. Cline Secretary . Les Chaikin Treasurer . Les Chaikin Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 76-93^58 Membership Rates Full membership in the Maryland Herpetol ogi cal Society is $12.50 per year, subscribing membership (outside a 20 mile radius of Baltimore City) $10.00 /year. Foreign $12.00/yr. Make all checks payable to the Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. Meet i ngs The third Wednesday of each month, 8:15 p.m. at the Natural History Society of Maryland (except May-August, third Saturday of each month, 8:00 a.m.). The Department of Herpetology meets informally on all other Wednesday evenings at the NHSM at 8:00 p.m. . Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society Volume 21 31 December 1985 Number 4 A New Subspecies of Arboreal Lizard, Genus Laemanotus, From The Mountainous Region of Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico (Lacertilia, Iguanidae) Gonzalo P4rez-HI gareda and Richard C. Vogt Abstract A new subspecies of Laemanotus serratus Is described from the higher elevations of the Los Tuxtlas region of southern Veracruz, occupying an area between the recorded ranges of L. s. serratus and L. s. altiooronatus . McCoy (1968) considered the species Laemanotus serratus Cope and L. altiooronatus Cope as subspecies of L. serratus L distinguishing them as follows: in L. s. serratus , body scales smaller (x = 59 at mid-body), casque scales smaller (x = 22,3), subdigital lamellae of 4th toe more numerous (x = more than 75), and an azygous scale usually present (72%) among the enlarged_anter ior dorsal head scales; and in L. s. altiooronatus , body scales larger (x = 53 at mid-body), casque_scal es larger (x = 21), subdigital lamellae of 4th toe less nunerous (x = 73.6, less than 74), and an azygous scale less frequently present (26%). In the same work, McCoy recorded L. s. serratus from Tamaulipas and San Luis PotosT south into northern and central Veracruz (in the Misantla, Xalapa, Orizaba and Boca del Rto regions), penetrating south perhaps to some regions of Oaxaca and Chiapas, and L. s. altiooronatus from the Yucatan peninsula and Campeche. At the time of that revision, no specimens were known from southern Veracruz and Tabasco. Our data are based on the examination of twenty-six specimens (10 adults and 16 juveniles and hatchlings) collected at El Acuyal, 10 km NW Catemaco, Veracruz, on the isolated peaks named Cerro Chochobi and Cerro Egega, at 900 and 1000 m above sea level . McCoy's (op.cit.) casque scale count was made from the last supracillary on one side to the last supraciliary on the other, and that of the lamellae was the sum of the number on the two sides (McCoy, pers. corrm.). Using this system, the specimens from El Acuyal exhibit character 1st Ics at variance from the subspecies serratus and altiooronatus as well as from the two specimens known from Chiapas and the one from northern Veracruz (Cerro Azul). The differences occur in size of the scales around mid-body, number of scales around both casque and body, and nunber of lamellae on the 4th toe of the hind feet. These important taxonomic characters, correlated with geographic isolation and differences In habitat, lead us to conclude that the form found at these elevations of the region of Los Tuxtlas is a distinct subspecies of the serratus group: Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 139 Volune 21 Number 4 December 1985 Laemanctus serratus mocoyi subsp.nov. Holotype, Adult male (UNAM-LT 1326) from El Acuyal, municipality of Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico, 10 October 1981, collected by GPH. Paratypes. Four adult males, five adult females and 16 hatchlings and juveniles (UNAM-LT 1312-1328, 1670, 1744-1751) from the same locality, February 1981, same collector. All specimens are in the collection of herpetology at the Estaci6n de Biologfa Tropical HLos Tuxtlas”, Universidad Nacional Aut6noma de Mexico. D ? agnos ? s . This form has both large and mediun body scales (beginning at the lateral white stripe and up to the 15th or 16th scale row they are small; beyond the 16th row the dorsal scales as well as the ventrals are larger)/ and is character i zed by mean scale counts of 51.3 around mid-body, 19.5 around casque, 66 4t‘h toe subdigital lamellae; usually three pairs of enlarged postrostral s; only 25%, including the hatchlings, have an azygous scale among the enlarged anterior head scales; dorsal crest with scales well developed in adult males, crest incomplete in adult females. See Table 1. Tab* e _ 1_. Means and ranges of scale counts In the subspecies of Laemanctus serratus , based In part on data from McCoy (1968) SCALES L. 8. serratus N L. s. alticoronatus N L. s. mccoyi subsp.nov. N Around mid-body 50.8 (51-65) 32 53.4 (49-62) 51 51.3 (47-54) 26 Around casque 22.3 (19-24) 32 21 . 0 (18-25) 51 19.5 (14-21) 10 (adul ts) Subdlgital iamaellae 76.0 (70-83) 32 73.6 (67-85) 51 66.0 (58-68) 26 Azygous scale 72% 39 24% 50 25% 26 Size on mid-body sma I 1 e r 1 arger smal 1 er and 1 arger Description of holotype, With 50 scales around mid-body; 19 casque scales; 32 dorsal crest scales; 66 4th toe subdigital lamellae; 3 pairs of enlarged postrostral scales and no azygous scale. Snout-vent length 105 rrm; tail length 356 nrn; head length 38 mm; gular fold not pronounced. Color as f o 1 1 ows . Coloration. In life the adult specimens differ in coloration from those mentioned by Alvarez del Toro (1972) from Chiapas. The dorsolateral and ventrolateral regions, as well as the lateral and nuchal areas on the head, are 1 emon-green; from base of neck a longitudinal mid-dorsal light brown streak extends onto the tail. A lateral stripe of the same color begins at the orbit, crosses the tympanum and continues dorsol ateral ly to the base of the tall, extending onto upper arm, thigh, and shank. Five dark brown transverse bands on the dorsal surface of body are visible only on the Page 140 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Societ Volume 21 Nunber 4 December 1985 light brown lines, and diffuse on the green areas of live specimens. Thus It appears as If the animal has three longitudinal series of dark brown squares. Those squares usually are eight scales In length In the mid-dorsal series. In some specimens the markings become wide bands or rings around the tail. From the inferior part of the orbit, between the brown streak and the supralablals, a white stripe extends across the angle of the jaws, continues onto the neck and ventrolateral surface of the body, reaching the base of the tall, interrupted in the axillary and Inguinal regions. A small white spot is present on the anterior part of the body between the white ventrolateral stripe and the dorsolateral brown streak. There Is another small white streak four scales in length on each side of the neck. Above the white supralabial line appears a dark brown line crossing the eyelid from the supraci 1 iar ies to the tympanun. Above and parallel to this, are other incomplete lines from the subocular region. The borders of the supralabials are black spotted. The top of the head is gray in females and brown in males, with only a small frontal area remaining green. The Iris is orange. In life the shades of colors vary. The hatchlings are yellow with dorsal brown blotches, the top of the head gray. Distribution. The only known locality for this subspecies is the hill zone of El Acuyal, 900 to 1000 m above sea level. It likely occurs throughout the higher elevations in the region of Los Tuxtlas, where the same ecological conditions exist. It also may range southward into Tabasco, although presunably at high levels In forested regions to which habitat it appears to be restricted; it does not appear to enter the lowlands, where it is replaced by L, longipes . There are no published reports of L . serratus from the lowlands of the region of Los Tuxtlas, or from southern Veracruz or Tabasco. Topographic and latitudinal phenomena influencing the Veracruzan herpetofauna, particularly many subspecies of reptiles, have been commented on by P^rez-Higareda and Navarro L. (1980). They proposed two faunistic districts for the northern and southern regions in the Veracruzan Biotic Province. Despite the fact that L. s. serratus has a broad distribution, it is found only in restricted geographic populations. The known populations of L. s. serratus are found principally in Tamaulipas, San Luis PotosT and northern Veracruz, as well as the Orizaba and the Xalapa regions, which are located in the North District and In the Sierra Madre Oriental, respectively. The subspecies L. s. altiooronatus Inhabits the Yucatan peninsula and Campeche, whereas the only known locality for L. s. mccoyi is in the South Faunistic District, and more precisely the Catemacan Faunistic District, as proposed by Firschein and Smith (1956) (see map). Intergradat ion in the mountainous region of Los Tuxtlas is unlikely because there is no continuity in the distribution of the two established subspecies. The mountains of Los Tuxtlas are isolated within a wide coastal plain and in them numerous other Isolated populations have evolved subspecific differences, as for example Xenosaurus g. sanmartinensis . Etymology . The subspecies is named in honor of Dr. Clarence J. McCoy, In recognition of his work with systematics of Mexican lizards, in particular the revision of this genus. The name is a noun In the genitive case. Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 141 Volume 21 Number 4 December 1985 Figure 1. Ecological data. All specimens of L. s. mecoyi were collected at elevations between 900 and 1000 m above sea level, within humid forest with fog and high rainfall (more than 4000 mm annually). This habitat differs from the described habitats for the other subspecies of the serratus group. McCoy (loc.clt.) mentioned drier forest types with annual rainfall under 2000 rrm and a long dry season; Martin (1958) collected specimens of serratus In the G6mez Farias Region In Tamaulipas, in tropical deciduous forests; and Fitch (1970) states the habitat as lowland forests. The zone El Acuyal is situated between Mario Souza and Catemaco and consists of different elevations from 650 to 850 m above sea level, all perturbed by man with large clearings of secondary growth surrounding several isolated and steep peaks of virgin rain forest, with elevations of 900, 1000, and 1200 m above sea level. These peaks or Islands of rain forest are similar to the vegetation type of Los Tuxtlas mountains of higher elevations (see G6mez-Pompa, 1980). The vegetation and fauna are much different from those of the plains or lowlands. Page 142 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Volume 21 Number 4 December 1985 Remarks. The adult and Immature specimens were collected in January and February (the coldest season, 16-18°C), on shrubs, approximately in 1-2 m in height above the forest floor, hidden among the fol iage where they were difficult to observe. Eggs are laid under surface debris in open areas in the nearby forest. Four nests were found in May and June; one nest contained five eggs, and three contained seven eggs each. All were incubated under laboratory conditions at ambient temperature (26-28°C), and hatched during August and September. The hatchlings were 40 nrn in snout-vent length and ! 80 mm in tail length (mean). Hatchlings were maintained live for growth observations, but only one survived eight months. It is important to note that, even though their diet is largely of insects and snails, they also feed on small lizards of the genus Anolis (Martin, 1958), and a small frog (genus Eleutherodactylus ) was found in the stomach contents of one adult. The scale counts of L. s. mcooyi suggest a closer relationship to the Yucatan subspecies L, s, alticoronatus than to the mainland subspecies L. s. | serratus . Ac know! edgments We thank Dr. Hobart M. Smith, Dr. Clarence J. McCoy, Professor Miguel Alvarez del Toro, and Dr. Gustavo Casas A. for their counsel, and Sr. Silvio Sanchez G. for aid in the field. Literature Cited Alvarez del Toro, M. 1972. Los reptiles de Chiapas. Gobierno del Estado de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico. 178 pp. Firschein, I. 1956. L. and H. M. Smith. A new fringe-limbed Hyla (Amphibia: Anura) from a new faunal district of Mexico. Herpetolog ica 12(1): 17-21. Fitch, H. S. 1970. Reproductive cycles of lizards and snakes. Univ. Kans. Mus. Nat. Hist. Misc. Publ . 52: 1-247. G6mez-Pompa, A. 1980. Ecologfa de la vegetaci6n del Estado de Veracruz. C.E.C.S.A., Mexico. 93 pp. Martin, P. S. 1958. A biogeography of reptiles and amphibians in the G6mez Farias region, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Misc. Publ. Mus. Zool . Univ. Mich. (101): 1-102. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 143 Volune 21 Number 4 December 1985 McCoy, C. J. 1968. A review of the genus Laemanctus (Reptilia, Iguanidae). Copeia (4): 665-678. P&rez-Higareda, G. and D. Navarro L. 1980. The faun i Stic districts of the low plains of Veracruz, Mexico, based on reptilian and mammalian data. Bull. Md. Herp. Soc. 16(2): 54-69 . Estacidn de Biologla Tropical " Los Tuxtlas" 3 Instituto de Biologia3 Universidad Nacional Autdnoma de Mixico3 Apartado Postal 51 3 CatemacOj Veracruz 3 Mixico fGPHJj* Apartado Postal 94 3 San Andris Tuxtla 3 Veracruz , Mixico fRCVj. Received: 3 September 1985 Accepted: 18 September 1985 Page 144 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Societ' Volume 21 Number 4 December 1985 Spatial Orientation By Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) AFTER DETECTING PREY Julian Keith, Robert Lee and David Chiszar Abstract Six adult specimens of Agkistrodon piscivorus were briefly CIO sec) presented with prey held out of striking range. All snakes oriented toward prey and maintained this orientation long after prey were removed (15 min), even though no chemical cues were deposited into the snakes' cages during the initial presentations. When a chemical trail Is available (e.g., under natural conditions) this behavior could increase the probability that snakes encounter It. Prairie rattlesnakes QCrotalus Viviens') oriented toward mice suspended for 10 sec into their cages, and the snakes maintained this orientation for 20 min after prey were removed, even though no chemical cues had been deposited by rodents during the initial presentations (Kandler £ Chiszar, 1986); see also Chiszar et al., 1983; Gillingham S Clark, 1981). Such spatial orientation could facilitate relocation of prey under natural conditions (i.e., where a chemical trail would be deposited by departed prey) because attending to the place last occupied by prey would probably bring the predator into contact with the trail (Buning, 1983; Dullemeijer, 1961; Golan et al., 1982; Reinert et al., 1984; see Burghardt, 1970, for a review of chemical cue utilization by reptiles). The present experiment was designed to study spatial orientation of cottonmouths ( Agkistrodon piscivorus ) under conditions analogous to those in which rattlesnakes were studied. Although differences exist between the predatory behaviors of rattlesnakes and cottonmouths (Chiszar et al., 1986), the available data suggest that the taxa should exhibit similar spatial orientation following brief presentation of prey (Chiszar et al., 1985; Kardong, 1982; Wharton, 1969). Materials and Methods Six adult A. piscivorus (50-90 cm, S-V) were observed. These snakes had been fed a mixed diet of fish (15%), rodents (80%) and birds (5%) for about four years prior to this study. One or two live prey were offered to each snake every other week. Although the cottonmouths were used in several previous experiments involving chemical cues (e.g., Chiszar et al., 1985), no surgical or pharmacological manipulations had been performed. Hence, these animals were probably typical or long-term captive specimens of this species (Stabler, 1951). The snakes were maintained individually in glass cages (50 x 27.5 x 30 cm) containing paper floor coverings and large stainless steel vessels half-filled with water. Laboratory temperature was 26± 1°C during photophase (0700-1900) and 23± 1°C at night. Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 145 Volune 21 Number 4 December 1985 The test chamber (244 x 61 x 61 cm) had pea gravel (10 cm maximum depth) covering half the floor and water (10 cm maxi mini depth) covering the other half. At the interface the gravel sloped gradually into the water so that water depth increased from 0 to 10 cm over a distance of 122 cm. The floor of this apparatus was divided into 8 rectangles (61 x 30.5 cm)., 2 of which were covered with 10 cm of water (right side), 2 of which were covered with 10 cm of gravel (left side) and the remaining 4 constituted the interface area,, A snake was placed into the apparatus and remained there continuously for 14 days prior to tests involving prey. During this period we made an average of 20 5-min observations, recording tongue flicks and the location of the snake ?s head with reference to the rectangles described above. If the snake moved during an observation, we recorded the rectangles through which the head traveled as well as the amount of time spent in each rectangle. These observations were made on a random schedule. A test began by suspending either a fish ( Lepomis macvoohirus or Ictalurus nebulosus , about 10 cm total length) or a mouse (Mus mus cuius , about 6 cm body length) from forceps into the center of the apparatus above the interface area for 10 sec. The prey was held out of striking range and was not permitted to touch the substrate or the walls. Hence, chemical cues were not deposited. A third test presented empty forceps for 10 sec. All snakes received the three tests, but a different order of presentation was used for each snake. Inter-test interval was 48 hrs. Following removal of prey or forceps, the snake was observed for 15 min; all movements of the head and all tongue flicks were recorded. Resul ts Table 1 shows the mean percent of time that snakes spent in the three sections of the apparatus (see col urns 1, 2 and 3). Data from tests with fish and mice were pooled because the snakes behaved similarly in these conditions. During the baseline period (days 1-14) all sections of the apparatus were visited with relative frequencies not significantly different from change expectation based on the proportion of the floor area actually occupied by the three sections. When snakes were disturbed with forceps, they moved out of the water. More important, after prey items were briefly presented the cottonmouths moved to the interface area where the prey were last observed. Consequently in the latter tests the snakes spent a significantly greater percent of time in the interface than would be predicted by chance. More movements occurred following prey presentations than during baseline observations or after snakes were disturbed with empty forceps. The rate of tongue flicking was higher after disturbance with forceps than during baseline observations, but both of these rates were significantly lower than that seen after prey presentations. Page 146 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Societ' Volune 21 Numbe r 4 December 1985 Table 1 Mean percent of time spent in the three areas of the apparatus by 6 specimens of Agkistrodon piscivovus ; mean nunber of rectangles traversed by the snake's heads; and mean number of tongue fl icks Cond i t i on Mean % time on gravel Mean % time i n interface Mean % time in water Mean Number of rectangles traversed (per min) Mean Number of tongue flicks (per min) Chance expectation based on floor area occupied by each section 25 50 25 Baseline (days 1-14) 25.5 57.2 17.0 o.oa 1.6a Test with forceps 33.3 64.9 1 . 7': 0.2a 4.3b Tests with prey 14.2 74. 45s 10.9 i.ob 16. 6C "Significantly different from chance Means within a column based on single-sample t test (p<.05) that have the same super¬ script do not differ significantly by paired t test. Discussion That cottonmouths moved out of deep water when they were disturbed with forceps may mean that the snakes were seeking places where defensive behaviors could be readily executed. Presumably the buoyancy or viscosity of water might interfere with these behaviors. Typically the snakes moved directly to gravel or to the shallow part of the interface and then either remained motionless or assumed a defensive posture with head and up and mouth agape. The situation was quite different when prey were presented. The snakes not only moved toward the place where prey had been observed, but they also emitted many tongue flicks and swept their heads through most of the interface area. These behaviors occurred at a more-or-less constant rate during the 15-mi n observation period. That is, the snakes remained in the central area and made a systematic search of it, as if they were attempting to locate a chemical trail. Accordingly, it is concluded that cottonmouths, like rattlesnakes, maintained an orientation to the place where prey had been observed and aimed their searching activities in accordance with this orientation. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 147 Vo» Lfne 21 Number 4 December 198 It is tempting to assert that the cottonmouths were orienting toward the vanishing bearing of the prey, but such a view is not warranted by these data. Because prey entered and departed by the same path, it is not possible to say which of these movements governed the snake 's orientation. Indeed, it is possible that the critical factor was length of time that the prey remained stationary and detectable (Chiszar et al., 1983; Gillingham S Clark, 1981) rather than the directions through which it entered or departed. A decision between these alternatives would be permitted by an experiment that presented and removed prey through different compass directions with no stopping in between Cor with systematically varied stopping times). Literature Cited Buning, T. de Cock. 1983. Thermal sensitivity as a specialization for prey capture and feeding in snakes. Amer. Zool . 23: 363-375. Burghardt, G. M. 1970. Chemical perception in reptiles. In J. W. Johnston, D. G. Moulton, £ A. Turk (Eds. ), Corrmun i cat i on by chemical signals. New York: Appl eton-Century-Crofts, pp. 241-308. Chiszar, D., C. W. Radcliffe, R. Boyd, A. Radcliffe, H. Yun, H. M. Smith, T. Boyer, B. Atkins, and F. Feiler. 1986. Trailing behavior in cottonmouths ( Agkistrodon pisoivorus) . J. Herpetol . In press. , C. W. Radcliffe, R. Overstreet, T. Poole, and T. Byers. 1985. Duration of str i ke- induced chemosensory searching in cottonmouths ( Agkistrodon pisoivorus ) and a test of the hypothesis that striking prey creates a specific search image. Can. J. Zool. 63: 1057-1061. _ _ , K. Stimac, and T. Boyer. 1983. Effect of mouse odors on visual ly- induced and st r i ke- i nduced chemosensory searching in prairie rattlesnakes ( Crotalus virions'). Chem. Senses 7: 301-308. Dul 1 eme i jer, 1961. P. Some remarks on the feeding behavior of rattlesnakes. Ned. Akad. Wetensch. Proc. Ser. C 64: 383-396. Kon. Gillingham, J. C. and D. L. Clark. 1981. An analysis of prey searching behavior in the Western diamond back rattlesnake, Crotalus otrux. Behav. Neural Biol. 32: 235-240. Golan, L., C. W. Radcliffe, T. Miller, B. O'Connell, and D. Chiszar. 1982. Prey trailing by the prairie rattlesnake ( Crotalus viridis ). J. Herpetol. 16: 287-293. Page 148 Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Socle Volume 21 Number 4 December 1985 Kandler, K. and D. Chiszar. 1986. Spatial orientation by prairie rattlesnakes ( Crotalus viridis ) following the predatory strike. Bull. Psychon. Soc. In press. .Kardong, K. V. 1982. Comparative study of changes in prey capture behavior of the cottonmouth ( Agkistrodon piscivorus) and Egyptian cobra ( Naja hade'). Copeia 337-343. Reinert, H. K., D. Cundall, and L. M. Busher. 1984. Foraging behavior of the timber rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus . Copeia 976-981. Stabler, R. M. 1951. Some observations on two cottonmouth moccasins made during twelve and fourteen years of captivity. Herpetolog ica 7: 89-92. Wharton, C. H. 1969. The cottonmouth moccasin on Sea Horse Key, Florida. Bull. Fla. State Mus. (Biol. Sci.) 14: 227-272. Department of Psychology 3 Campus Box 34 5 , University of Colorado , Boulder 3 Colorado 80309. Received: 25 November 1985 Accepted: 28 November 1985 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 149 Volume 21 Number 4 December 198, THAMNOPHIS ELEGANS VAGRANS (GRAY GARTER SNAKE), LONGEVITY The greatest longevity record for Thamnophis elegans Is reported in Bowler (1977) as 6 years, 1 month and 4 days. An individual, ?, was taken on a concrete entryway of a residence in the Montclair section of Denver, Colorado on 14 June 1957. It measured approximately 25 cm and was placed in an aquarium (15.5 liter capacity). A layer of washed gravel was provided together with a small tin for a retreat and a rectangular plastic container for water. Three "nightcrawlers" CLumbricus sp.) were offered and were ingested. These worms were available until 19 November 1957 and thereafter a bait shop was the source of worms until Spring 1958. Only hybrid "Red Worms" Cfoetida ) were rejected. Later, lean hamburger pellets placed in the snake’s path were eaten. The snake would drink only fresh, clean water. The water container was also utilized during the shedding of its skin. It would pass In and out of the water and in so doing, rub against the somewhat sharp edges. This activity apparently aided in the removal of the old skin. By June 1969 the snake took no more food and it died on 2 August 1969. It measured 69 cm. On examination, the cloacal area had several layers of skin on and around it. It is possible that it died because excretion was impeded. This represents a longevity record of 12 years, 1 month and 17 days. The specimen will be deposited in the herpetolog ical collections of the University of Colorado Museum. Bowler, J. Kevin. 1977. Longevity of col lections. -—Edwin L. Licht, Campus Box 21 8 , University of Colorado Museum 3 Boulder 3 Colorado 80309. Received: 23 September 1985 Accepted: 24 September 1985 Literature Cited reptiles and amphibians in North American SSAR, Mi sc. Publ,, Herpetolog ical Circular No. 6. Page 150 Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog ical Societ Volume 21 Number 4 December 1985 ASPHALT AS A SNAKE TRAP AND A UNIQUE METHOD OF REMOVAL Abstract Nunerous requests for snake ident if i cation Jn the last several months have brought together three similar cases involving Asphalt entrapment. A novel method for Asphalt removal without harm to the snake has been found. On 29 August 1985, I was requested to confirm the identity of a "copperhead" snake stuck to a four-inch strip of Rubberized Asphalt Waterproof ing Material in Howard County, Maryland. The snake, a 31-inch Eastern Hognose, Eeterodon p. platyrhinos , was stuck to this 4- inch wide and about 3 feet long strip from the tip of the snout to the tip of its tail. The material is an asphalt base adhesive on a film in large sheets of which the backside has the four- inch strip to attach additional sheets. The material was being handled when a section was picked up containing the snake. It took about 10 minutes for me to remove the snake, inch by inch, leaving a few ventral epidermal scales in the asphalt material. I later released the snake and it appeared fine. Sand, etc., adhered to the small amounts of rubberized asphalt still remaining and locomotion seemed uneffected. On 25 September 1985, I received a call that a "large" snake was stuck to some asphalt that had leaked from a drun on the concrete floor of a solvent shed at the same location. Fifteen feet from the site, the snake was identifiable as a Boa constrictor , based on color pattern probably of Central American origin, obviously an escaped pet. The snake measured about 6i feet and was very heavy bodied, and was fully contained in an area of asphalt 4x5 feet and about 3/4" deep. The asphalt was Lloydminister Asphalt and is basically a very heavy crude oil brought right out of the ground. The snake was stuck from the tip of its snout to the tip of its tail and, in addition, its sides were also covered. It took approximately 20 minutes to pull it free. It came loose without the epidermal loss that occurred with the rubberized asphalt base. The snake reared back to strike out and its head and neck stuck to the body as had its tail previously. When placed on the ground it stuck rigidly in place. Since it could not be released in this area, I had to find a way to remove the asphalt easily and safely. In places, the asphalt was about i" thick. Arlene Chandlee, a laboratory worker, suggested the use of an oil to remove the asphalt, mentioning specifically a vegetable oil since it is generally considered non-toxic. The boa was placed in a large container of a 4-liter size which was "packed tight with snake" so about li quarts of Mazola corn oil completely covered the snake. After about one hour the "black" asphalt oil was drained off and the procedure repeated. After the corn oil treatment was completed, paper towels were used to dry the snake and no asphalt traces could be found on Its body. As of this note, the snake is doing fine. It did Ingest some of the asphalt/corn oil. mixture as It hid its head below the surface and when removed had material In its mouth. Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 151 Vo 1 ure 21 Nunber 4 December 1985 On 9 October 1985, in this same patch of asphalt a 12” juvenile Elaphe o . obsoleta was found dead* It had actually entirely sunk and was flush with the surface of the asphalt. It appeared to have been dead about 2 days. Temperatures for the last several days have been mid to high 70 *s and low 80'sC°F). Garments My guess is that the motion of the snakes1 ventral scales is the main cause of entrapment, along with the temperature of the substance. In case one, the warehouse where it occurred was shaded and temperatures were in the 80®s C°F) during the day. In cases two and three, entrapment occurred during the night as both were found early in the morning and temperatures during the night were in the 50-60°F range. For those individuals wishing to assure themselves a snake-free house, asphalt might prove useful. A "moat" an inch thick and about four feet wide around their "castle" could prove an effective barrier for up to 6 i -foot boa const r ictors. On a more positive note, corn oil or a vegetable oil has proven useful in removing heavy crude oil from snakes. Frank Groves of the Baltimore Zoo has successfully used glycerin to remove "tar" from turtles so brought into the Zoo. Depending on asphalt solubility in glycerin, glycerin would be a better choice since it can easily be removed by water washing, being miscible with water. -—Herbert S. Harris, Jr., Curator Dept. Herpetology , Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc., 2643 North Charles Street, Baltimore , Maryland 21218. Ii Page 152 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Societ' Volume 21 Nurnber 4 December 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: A NEW ZOOLOGICAL LANDMARK The year 1985 marks one of the most notable epochs in 20th century zoology: the appearance of the third, extensively revised edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (xx, 338 pp., London, International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature; obtainable from Publications Sale, British Museun (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, England, 15 pounds plus 1.50 pounds for postage and handling, or from the American Association for Zoological Nomenclature, Room W-115, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., $21.50, postage and handling included). Why epochal? Because, no matter how sophisticated, arcane or abstruse zoology has become and undoubtedly shall continue to develop, the basic prerequisite for all such work - far too often not realized or adequately appreciated - is knowing what organism is studied: its identity and its place in nature. Only on such knowledge should biology ever be pursued, now or in the future. That knowledge does not come automatically or effortlessly, as is too often seemingly assumed. Explicit attention is necessary, although a major input is not required; a single course of 2-3 hours’ credit can do the job well in one semester. Evolution is widely and rightly recognized as the most fundamental, dynamically unifying concept of biology, as every student of which learns through several courses. Surely a comprehension of the entitles and categories that are unified, and the basic procedures for handling their names to promote stability, universality and uniqueness, are as statically vital as understanding evolution is dynamically vital. To think otherwise would be like undertaking statistics without knowing how to add, subtract and multiply. Thus this definitive edition of the Code is a vital component of the basic training and knowledge of every biologist; combined with instruction in the concepts of species and other taxonomic categories that are created In the course of evolution, the background exists for specialization in any of the many disciplines of biology. The two go hand In hand - taxonomic and nomenclatural understanding - and no biologist builds soundly without it. In the present era, when extremely few biologists have a reasonable familiarity with simple nomenclatural procedures, and far too many have only vague and almost folklore understanding of species, genera and other taxonomic categories so vital to evolutionary processes, the potential role of the refined Code is indeed epochal. Every department of biology, at least at the university and college level, should assure that all of their students become properly and explicitly trained In both fundamental areas. Not only should the Articles themselves of the Code be studied, but also the very important preamble and the appendices, particularly the Code of Ethics, Name Formation (especially parts I - VI) and the General Recommendations. Bulletin Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 153 Volume 21 Number 4 December 1985 I nnovat 1 ons The basic form and scope of the first edition of the Code (1961; the second, 1964 edition made only a few, although Important, changes) is maintained in the 1985 edition. If still leaves categories above the family-group level, and below the subspecies level, without controls - the latter because infrasubspecific populations are too ephemeral and numerous to merit nomenclatural recognition, and the former because zoologists are not sufficiently in agreement to permit promulgation of across-the-board rules. The 1985 objectives and the Official Lists and Indices remain the same, the terminology but little changed, and even the numbered articles approximately equivalent. The 1985 changes are thus essentially improvements upon the earlier editions: innumerable clarifications, a much expanded glossary, an incorporat ion of the glossary as part of the Code, and a thorough index. Specific changes that stand out as especially noteworthy include the fol lowing: 1. In an attempt to counter interpretat ion of the Code as a "legal" document (with enforcement overtones), rather than a mutually accepted code of conduct and procedure (whose strength lies precisely in near-universal respect, and therefore in "peer pressure"), the "Laws" (of homonymy and priority) of earlier editions are replaced by "Principles," of Binominal Nomenclature, Coordination (i.e., pertinence at al 1 ranks within each of the nomenclature groups - species, genus, family - of any and all names proposed at any rank within any one of those groups). First Reviser, Homonymy, Name-bearing Types, and Priority. It is an excellent change, broadening realistically a focus upon the major premises on which the Code is predicated. 2. The Principle of First Reviser (Art. 24) is much broadened and clarified; previously its pertinence was widely misinterpreted and even rejected because of uncertainty of application. 3. For the first time a parenthetic interpolation is permitted (Art. 6(b)) of specific or subspecific names to represent superspecies or supersubspecies (called exerges) respectively. For example, the "species aggregate," or superspecies, tovquatus of Soelopovus , could be indicated in names of the members of that group as S. (tovquatus) tovquatus 3 S . (tovquatus) sevvifev3 etc. Exerges or "subspecies aggregates" can be indicated in similar fashion, e.g., members of the u. undulatus subspecies group of Soelopovus undulatus: S . u. (undulatus) undulatus 3 S. u. (undulatus) hyacinthinus3 etc. However, superspecies are not to be given new (Art. 11) or separate (Art. 10) names. 4. The earlier editions of the Code permitted erection of a neotype only If "all of the original type-material" had been lost or destroyed, whereas the same Article (75) of the new edition is concerned only with name-bearing type-mater ial in this context; in other words, paratypes and paralectotypes have no preferred status in neotype selection. Page 154 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society December 1985 Volume 21 Number 4 5. The new edition of the Code makes it clear that only one lectotype I can ever be designated from among a series of syntypes (Art, 74); the other I syntypes thereupon become paralectotypes CArt. 73) and like paratypes have no I special privileges as alternative name-bearers. Only a neotype can succeed a | lost or destroyed holotype or lectotype, although neotypes can succeed each other, 6. If any specimen is explicitly designated as a paratype in an I original description, and other specimens are noted but not explicitly ; designated as either the holotype or a paratype, those specimens are not to be considered as paratypes. The earl ier editions were unclear on this point, | and accordingly many authors assured that any listed specimen, exclusive of the holotype, is a paratype whether so designated or not. 7. Paratypes and paralectotypes are left in the new edition with no [even potential, official name-bearing role. Their value is therefore | strictly zoological, never nomenclatural , unless a reviser wishes (and he | need not) to designate one of them as a neotype. 8. A number of special accorrmodat ions to serve the particular needs of workers dealing with "Protozoa" is embodied in the new edition; most conspicuous is the novel concept of "hapantotype" (Art. 72, glossary) - one | or more preparat ions (usually slides) containing any nunber of individuals, I collectively serving as name-bearer. 9. The distinction between "type locality" and "statement of type locality" is made clear; the former is real, and the latter may or may not be erroneous. An erroneous statement should be replaced by a corrected statement (Art. 72). 10. The practice of designating "new combinations" as such (e.g., by the label "comb, nov." or "n. comb.," etc.) is widespread among taxonomists, many of whom regard any change from the original form of the name as a new comb I nat i on . The new edition, however, limits the term to transfers of species-group names to any nominal genus other than the original; thus novel combinations of species-group names within the original genus (even in different subgenera) are not new combinations (so clarified by the glossary). 11. The nominate taxon of earl ier editions is here termed the nominotypical taxon (e.g., Sceloporus u. undulatus of S. undulatus , Iguaninae of the Iguanidae, etc.) (see glossary). 12. The glossary finally lays to rest the specter of uncertain definition of hybrid, in the context of the Code, that has haunted taxonomists for decades, by explicitly limiting the term to progeny of parents of different species; progeny of parents of different subspecies of one species are not hybrids. 13. The prol iferat ion in recent decades of different modes of duplication has introduced serious problems in clarifying what constitutes "publication." A noble effort is made in Arts. 8 and 9 to cover the Bulletin Maryland He r pet o log leal Society Page 155 Vo] ime 21 Number 4 December 1985 waterfronts, but to a considerable extent relies upon taxonomists to exercise good judgment ( recommendat i ons 8A and 8B). 14. Whatever uncertainties may exist otherwise about what constitutes publication. Art. 8b dictates that any work bearing a ’’disclaimer" - a statement that it is not "published" in the context of nomenclature - is to be rejected in that context. Not always in the past have such disclaimers been respected. 15. In the past, the adjective "nomenclatorial" and "nomenclatural " have been used more or less interchangeably by taxonomists. The Code now makes clear that the former refers to nomenclators as such, e.g., Neave's great Nomenclator zoologicus, and that "nomenclatural" refers to nomenclature. It is a useful distinction. 16. Definitions are given for the first time for "Directions" and "Opinions" of the Comnission - the forms in which "rulings" are issued. 17. Equivalence of certain terms is made explicitly, e.g., "provisions" = "rules" = "articles," and "establish" = "make available." 18. For the first time, a list of scientific names cited as examples in the text is provided - an extremely useful reference. 19. The financial straits of the Commission are admitted without reservation, and a fully justified appeal is made inside the front cover for support, both individual and societal, for its invaluable and largely unrewarded, vital work. Wish List However epochal the third edition of the Code may be considered - and it unquestionably so merits - inevitably one may wish that still other questions, concepts or policies might have been incorporated in it. Some are suggested as follows: 1. Although the preamble to the Code makes plain that the object of the Code is to promote nomenclatural stability (reflecting constancy, universality and uniqueness), there is a surprisingly widespread misconception even among practicing taxonomists that priority is a law overriding virtually all other considerations. Such is not the case. Stability Is the overriding consideration, to which the automatic provisions of the Code almost always contribute. When application of these provisions would upset well-established stability, appeal for exercise of the Plenary Powers of the Comnission to maintain usage is to be made. The needs of zoologists as a whole are of primary importance; freedom to make name-changes irrespective of disturbance to zoologists in general is not a prerogative of taxonomists, no matter how easily they might adapt to those changes. Page 156 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Volume 21 Number 4 December 1985 Therefore it would greatly strengthen implementat ion of the intent of the Code to add a Principle of Nomenclatural Stability to the six now recogn i zed . 2. It is strange that the word "binomial" appears nowhere In the Code - not even as a rejected synonym of "binominal nomenclature" (which is its fate under the Code) - In spite of the fact that virtually all textbooks in biology refer to the Linnaean system that is used throughout most of biology as "binomial nomenclature." Nomenclature would have been far better served by accepting virtually universal custom in this context rather than by pretending it doesn’t exist and attempting to substitute the dubiously superior term of "binominal nomenclature. " Protracted arguments several decades ago concluded by equating "binary" and "binomial" as referring to a two-part system of nomenclature, with two scientific names for any species-group name or names. Since custom had so long so interpreted the meaning of "binomial nomenclature," in the interest of stability and the good will of the zoological community that terminology should have been preserved. It would not have interfered in any way with the concepts of the bincmen and t r i nomen . At least the current disposition of the term should not have been avoided in this edition of the Code, 3. Modern biology entails recognition that two kingdoms do not properly reflect reality; five kingdoms (Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animal ia) more accurately portray life forms. The Code’s glossary Implies that the two-kingdom concept has been maintained. A more modern perspective needs to be incorporated in the Code. 4. Although the Constitution of the Corrmission is provided In full, the Bylaws are merely mentioned (Art. 82). They are given in full in the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature (Nov. 1977, vol . 34 (3) : 176-184), but should have been Included as one of the appendices of the Code, as was the Const i tut i on . 5. Curiously, the titles of the List and the Index (for conserved and rejected names, respect ively) of family-group names are properly titled Official List and Official Index of Family-Group Names in Zoology, but those for genus-group and species-group names are merely entitled Generic and Specific. The more inclusive terms would be more appropriate, 6. The term "nomen obi I turn" is essentially restricted to applications authorized by the earlier edition of the Code, between Nov. 8, 1961, and Jan. 1, 1973, referring to "forgotten names." No specific terms for such names at present is noted; nomen negl ectum would be appropriate. 7. "Correct Ion" of erroneous original statements of type locality is recorrmended, but It would have been useful to recommend "restr ict ion" also. For example, a type locality statement of "America" might be correct, but certainly In need of restrict Ion. Correction and restriction are not the same, unless explicitly so def i ned (and neither is). Bui let in Maryland Herpetologlcal Society Page 157 Volume 21 Number 4 December 198 8. The term and concept of "nomen veneratum" would have been useful additions, extrapolated from Art. 79, in which it is specified that names in uncontested use for the immediately preceding 50 years or more by at least five different authors in at least ten publications are eligible for consideration for conservation if an earlier synonym is discovered. Indeed, a Principle of Nomina Venerata could well be a proper guiding provision of the Code. 9. Although "rejection" and "suppression" of names are defined in the glossary, the potential nomencl atural roles of such names, on the appropriate Official Index, are not made clear. The names are not rendered unavailable, hence ineligible in any type role, even though they may never be valid, unless so specified. They can serve in certain roles, as types for example, unless ruled to the contrary. 10. The term "onomatophore" is not mentioned in the Code, although it has been commonly used in nomencl atural parlance for several decades. It would not be out of order for the Code to take cognizance of popular terms, even those not adopted for use under the Code. The substitute for onomatophore adopted in this edition is "name-bearing type" - a rather clumsy, although self-explanatory term. If a Latin term were preferred over the Green onomatophore, a term such as denomi notype might be useful. 11. Another popular term not mentioned in the Code is "hypodigm, " of the same length of history as the preceding. Instead, "type series" is adopted, although it is not necessarily the same as hypodigm, which includes 1 all material, whether designated as types or not, in which the concept of a new species-group taxon is based. As a widely used term, its equivalence should be indicated in the Code. 12. The term "epithet" was extensively discussed in recent issues of the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature as a collective term for species-group names. In earlier years (even in. earlier editions of the Code), the term "trivial names" was similarly used for either specific names alone, or as a collective for species-group names irrespective of rank. Neither term is mentioned in the current edition, but obviously both should be. 13. Junior homonyms for valid species are, in the absence of any available synonyms, to be replaced by nomina nova fide. Art. 60(a). In reality, more flexibility in such circumstances exists than is admitted: the junior homonym may be replaced by a taxon (species, etc.) novum, thereby avoiding fixation of the name by the same type as that of the junior homonym. A nomen novun, on the contrary, perpetuates the same "name-bearing type" as belongs to the junior homonym. The Code should note the existence of these two alternatives, and make clear the differences between them. 14. Many taxonomists in the past have used the term "occupied" in essentially the same context as the term "available" as long used in the Code. The equivalence of the two terms should be specified. Page 158 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Soclet Volume 21 Number 4 December 1985 15* Although paratypes and paralectotypes are no longer regarded as i mandatory alternative name-bearers In case of absence of the holotype or llectotype, neither are they excluded from considerat Ion, and in most cases would undoubtedly receive special cons iderat ion for neotype selection* However, if a proposer of a new species -group taxon considers certain paratypes as wholly inappropr late even to serve as neotypes, such indication should be admitted as a legitimate nomenclature ! act* The term hypoparatype conveys that message, and should be incorporated in the Code at least as a reconmendat i on . 16. The term "synonymy" refers, in one context, literally to a list of synonyms, and is so defined in the Code. However, the term Is commonly used in taxonomy in reference to a list of all usages of all synonyms. Such a list is more properly designated a "synonymy and chresonymy," the latter term not included in the Code, but explicitly referring simply to the usages of given synonyms Cor of all synonyms). The Code should recognize and differentiate between these two terms. 17. Although the taxonomic "definition" is defined in the Glossary, "diagnosis" is not, yet both terms are important In systematics. 18. Although the term "exerge" is used in Art. 6B, it is nowhere defined; the context in that article does make plain that it refers to "supersubspecies" - a concept similar to that of "superspecies," also used there but not defined in the Glossary. 19. In a book so vital to zoological comprehension, its source and cost should be indicated inside its covers, so that anyone discovering through perusal that the book should be obtained for personal use will have the essential information for purchase readily at hand. — Hobart M. Smith, Department of Environmental, Population and Organismic Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0334, Received: 6 September 1985 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 159 Vo 1 Line 21 Number 4 December 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: HERP BOOKS, PERIODICALS AND REPRINTS FOR SALES Anyone Interested in receiving a list of herp books, periodicals, and reprints for sale by Dr. John E. Cooper (personal library) send a postcard to: Dr. John E. Cooper 408 East Rowan Street Raleigh, NC 27609 Lists include many rare and out-of-print items, as well as more recent publications. Lists also available for fish, mammalian, bird, fossil, archaeology, and general materials. The Association of Systematics Collections AMPHIBIAN SPECIES OF THE WORLD NOW AVAILABLE! Hardcover -750 pages $85 WO^D. — ^ — ^ • CYuna 1 i©i? Payment Enclosed □ Bill When Shipped □ - — " — ^ Return this form or a photocopy of it to: ASC Museum of Natural History The University of Kansas Lawrence. KS 66045 USA rr Name Edited by Darrel Frost hi wnen snipped i_j ^ Make cheeks or international money orders payable to the Association of Systematics Collec¬ tions. U.S. Funds only please. Foreign members must remit an Additional S 8.00 for air postage. Charge cards: Visa . . MasterCard (exp. date) (signature) Page 160 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society vVolune 21 Number 4 December 1985 NEWS AND NOTES: NOW AVAILABLE 1985 INVENTORY - BIBLIOGRAPHY - BREEDING REPORT THE 1985 "INVENTORY OF LIVE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS IN CAPTIVITY, CURRENT JANUARY 1, 1985", compiled by Frank L. Slavens, contains a combined inventory of 260 collections from 16 countries. Information is current as of January 1st, 1985 with 446 genera, 1,21 1 species, and 1,691 forms represented. This multi-use reference allows one to search any of the 1,691 forms of reptiles or amphibians reported by the 260 responding collections and find the number of male, female, or unknown sex, held by each collection. If a species was bred during 1984 the reported dates of copulation, egg laying, hatching, etc. were included. Longevity records were included for the first time in this edition and the breeding bibliography was expanded to 977 titles pertaining to husbandry, diet, temperature, light cycle, etc. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, P.O. BOX 30744, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98103. 1985. 342 PAGES. $32.50 HARDBOUND, $25.00 PAPERBOUND, PLUS $2.50 POSTAGE, $3.50 POSTAGE OVERSEAS. TO ORDER CURRENT ISSUE: # 1985 HARDBOUND $ 32.50 $ # 1985 SOFTBOUND $ 25.00 $ PREVIOUS ISSUES: # 1984 SOFTBOUND $ 20.00 $ # 1983 SOFTBOUND $ 20.00 $ POSTAGE & HANDLING (EACH BOOK) $ 2.50 $ OVERSEAS POSTAGE (EACH BOOK) $ 3.50 $ TOTAL AMOUNT ENCUDSED $ ORDER FROM: FRANK L. SLAVENS DATE P.O. BOX 30744 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 161 Volume 21 Number 4 December 198: NEWS AND NOTES: NEWS/FACTS ON FILE Publication date: June 21, 1985 PETRIFIED PAST COMES ALIVE IN NEW FIELD GUIDE TO FOSSILS Buried deep in stratigraphic rock the world over, fossils are the last vestiges of millions of living creatures long since swept from the face of the earth. Now a remarkable new book, A FIELD GUIDE TO PREHISTORIC LIFE, by David Lambert and The Diagram Group (Publication date: June 21, 1985 Price: $17.95, hardbound), provides any amateur fossil hunter, from the inquiring eleven-year-old to the budding scientist, with a complete systematic means of unlocking the intriguing secrets of the earth's fossilized past. In hundreds of clearly drawn 2-color illustrations, maps and charts, and a text put together by an eminent group of natural historians and science educators, the FIELD GUIDE makes it possible for interested readers of all ages to follow the evolution of organic life from the depths of the oceans to the massive, shifting land masses of the earth's surface. The book begins with an introduction to what fossils are, how they are classified, how and where ancient organisms lived, and how they became extinct. Then, accompanied by scores of detailed drawings, readers learn all about fossils from every stage of evolutionary Page 162 Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Societ 'ol tffT>e 21 Nunber 4 December 1985 JEWS AND NOTES: development, including; * plant life: from simple plants to complex flowering ones * invertebrates: from protozoans to worms, molluscs and anthropods * fishes: from jawless to spiny to bony varieties * amphibians: from early land fish to modem forms * reptiles: from turtles to pterodactyls , dinosaurs and mammal-like reptiles * birds * mammals * primates and man himself Throughout, a host of intriguing facts bring the fascinating story of our petrified past vividly to life - for example; * Plants and animals alive today account for most known species. Yet species that became extinct must have outnumbered these by far. One calculation suggests there are 4.5 million living species, but that 980 million species evolved in the last 600 million years. * Fossils have done much to prove that continents have drifted from their old positions. For instance , the Permian fossil plant Giossopteris occurs in all southern continents, now widely separated by oceans. Plainly, when Giossopteris flourished, all southern continents lay locked together. * Crocodilians are living fossils, the last surviving archosaurs. Their bulky, armoured bodies, long, deep, flattened swimmer's tails, short sturdy limbs, and long, strong, toothy, flesh-eater's jaws resemble those of crocodiles alive 100 million years ago. * Edentates, strange mammals with few teeth, include the living anteaters, sloths, and armadillos, and their extinct relatives the huge, astonishingly armoured glyptodonts and unwieldy ground sloths. Local tales and finds of hairy hides hint that ground sloths survived in southern Argentina until four centuries ago. The book also provides complete explanations of all the periods and epochs into which fossil life is divided and chapters on the history of fossil hunting and on modern techniques for collecting fossils. Exceptionally entertaining and easy-to-read, A FIELD GUIDE TO PREHISTORIC LIFE is the perfect first book for anyone interested in uncovering the mysteries of ancient life on earth. DAVID LAMBERT has written more than 50 popular, educational books, including seven on dinosaurs and three on prehistoric life. He holds an M.A. degree from the University of Cambridge and has worked as an editor with Rathbone Books, London, and editorial director for Educational Research Publications, London. Titles of books he has authored include A Field Guide to Dinosaurs, Dinosaur World, and The Active Earth. THE DIAGRAM GROUP is a British book design studio famous worldwide for its ability to explain highly technical matters in easily absorbed text and pictures. Another of their recent projects was A Field Guide to Dinosaurs. A FIELD GUIDE TO PREHISTORIC LIFE By David Lambert and The Diagram Group Publication date; June 21* 1985 Price; $17.95, hardbound 256 pp.; 7 x 9; ISBN; 0-8160-1125-7 Over 500 2-color illustrations, maps and charts. Review copies may be requested from the Publicity Department. Bulletin Maryland Herpetolog leal Society Page 163 Volume 21 Number 4 December 198 NEWS AND NOTES: ANNOUNCING A LIMITED TIME 25% DISCOUNT SALE FOR SELECTED SSAR PUBLICATIONS The following publications are offered at a 25% discount (from our 1986 price sheet) for orders received prior to June 30, Journal of Herpetology, Vols. 13-18 only: Prices reduced from $5.00 to $3.50 per individual number of each volume. Herpetological Review, Vols. 1-15: All volumes and numbers that are in stock (see below lor out-of-print numbers). Prices reduced from $2.00 to $1.50 per individual number of each volume. Harp. Review Nos. Out-of-Print: Vol. 1 No. 7 (1969) Vol. 6 No. 1 (1975) Vo!. 3 No. 2 (1 971 ) Vol. 6 No. 4 (1 975) Vol. 4 No. 1 (1 972) Vol. 1 0 No. 2 (1 979) Vol. 5 No. 2 (1 974) Harp. Review Cumulative Index (1 967-1 976) Cumulative Index to volumes 1-10 of Journal of Herpetology. $3.50. Catalogue of American Amphibians A Reptiles: Imprinted binder, taxonomic tabs, and accounts 1- 390. $277.50. Reproductive Biology and Diseases of Captive Reptiles. James B. Murphy and Joseph T. Collins (eds.), 1980, 287 p. illust (paperbcund) Contribution to the Herpetology of Arabia. J. Anderson, 1896, 160 p. illus. (one plate in color) (dothbound) $18.00. Papers on the Higher Classification of Frogs. E. D. Cope. 1864, 32 p. (paperbound). $1.50. A Preliminary Study of the Thermal Requirements of Desert Replies, R. B. Cowles and C. M. Bogert, 1944. 52 p., 1 1 plates (paperbound) Vertebrados del Viaje al Padfico: Batrados, M. J. De ia Espada, 1875, 208 p., 6 plates, (dothbound) $13.50. Systema Reptilium, L J. Fitzinger, 1843, 128 p., index, (paperbound) $9.00. The Rattlesnakes, Genera Sistrurus and Crotalus, H. K. Gloyd, 1940, 300 p., plus 31 plates of photographs, index, (dothbound) $18.75. North American Herpetology, J. E. Holbrook, 1842, 1032 p., 147 plates (20 reproduced in full color), Regular edition (dothbound) $45.00. Herpetology of Brazil, J. B. von Spix and J. G. Wagler, 1824-1825, 400 p., 98 plates (one in color), (dothbound) $27.00. Handbook of the Snakes of the United States and Canada, Vol. 3 and Bibliography, A. H. Wright and A. A. Wright, 187 p. (dothbound) A Brief Outline of Suggested Treatments for Diseases of Captive Reptiles (Herp. Circular 4), James B. Murphy, 1975, 13 p. $1.00. Vernacular Names of South American Turtles (Herp. Circular 10), Russell A. Mirtermeier, Federico Medem and Anders G. J. Rhodin, 1980, 44p. $1.75. Recent Instances of Albinism in North American Amphibians and Reptiles (Herp Circular 11), Stanley Durkacz, 1981 , 36 p., $2.25. Silver Anniversary Membership Directory (Herp. Circular 13), induding addresses of all SSAR members, addresses and publications of the herpetolgical societies of the world, and a brief history of the Sodety. 1983, 56 p., 4 photographs. $1.50. RECENT HERPETOLOGICAL LITERATURE: Nurrtjer 1 (1983), 66 p. $3.00. Number 2 (1984), 38 p. $3.00. Color Print SILVER ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE PRINT. A full-color print(1 1 .5 x 1 5.25 inches) of a Gila Monster ( Heloderma suspectvm ) on natural background, from a watercolor by David M. Dennis. Issued as part of Sodety's 25th Anniversary in 1982. Each $5.00. Send orders to Dr. Douglas H. Taylor, Department of Zoology, Mami University, Oxford, Ohio, 45056, USA. Please make checks payable to “SSAR." All USA orders are postpaid; shipments outside the USA will be charged only the addtiona! shipping costs in excess of domestic rales. Overseas customers must pay in USA funds or by International Money Order, or may charge to MasterCard or Visa (give account number and expiration date). A complete list of Sodety publications and membership information can be obtained from Dr. Taylor. Page 164 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Socle/ i Vo lime 21 Nunbe r 4 December 1985 IMEWS AND NOTES: SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles is a non-profit organization established to advance research, conservation, and education concerning amphibians and reptiles. Begun as a regional society in 1958, SSAR is today the largest international herpetological organization. It is recognized as having the most diverse society-sponsored program of professional services and publications for herpetologists. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in herpetology. Activities An annual meeting is held each August at a university or field station. Informal and relatively inexpensive facilities are chosen to encourage student participation. Contributed papers, symposia, workshops, and a variety of exhibits contribute to make this week-long event die world’s major herpetological meeting. The Society makes a concerted effort to involve a diverse segment of its membership in committee activities designed to further our knowledge of amphibians and reptiles and manage the affairs of the Society. Committees include Conservation, Grants- in-Kerpetology, Kennedy Award (committee awards a cash prize for the best student paper published in the Journal of Herpetology ), Long-range Planning, Meetings, Nominating, Regional Society Liaison, and Zoo Liaison. Publications SSAR sponsors six publication series: Journal of Herpetology, Herpetological Review, Facsimile Reprints in Herpetology, Herpetological Circulars, Contributions to Herpetology . and Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. Membership Privileges Members elect the Society’s officers and Board of Directors. Each year, members receive Journal of Herpetology, Herpetological Review, and occasional pamphlet-length Facsimile Reprints. SSAR members also receive substantial discounts on book-length Facsimile Reprints , Herpetological Circulars, and Contributions to Herpetology. Individuals electing higher membership categories (sustaining and contributing) receive die same publications and services, but proride additional financial support which allows die Society to expand and improve its pregrams more rapidly than would otherwise be possible. SSAR MEMBERSHIP and SUBSCRIPTION APPLICATION Please check the appropriate category: MEMBERSHIP Payment Method: Check or Money Order ( ), MasterCard ( ), VISA ( ). A receipt will be sent only upon request. Student member $ 17.00 ( ) Credit Card Acct. No:. Regular member 22.00 ( ) Sustaining member 35.00 ( ) Exoiration Date: Contributing member 50.00 ( ) Air Mail Delivery of Publications 12.00 ( ) Your signature authorizes SSAR to debit your credit card account. Note: A 3% bank charge will be added to your credit card account SUBSCRIPTIONS Signature: Herpetological Review 10.00 ( ) Air Mail Delivery 6.00 ( ) Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles 10.00 ( ) Send your same, address, and remittance to: (20 loose-leaf accounts) Dr. Henri C. Seibert, SSAR Treasure- Department of Zoological and Biomedical Sciences TOTAL $ Ohio University Athens, Ohio 45701, USA Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Society Page 165 Volume 21 Number’ 4 December 198 NEWS AND NOTES: ANNOUNCING THE TENTH INTERNATIONAL HERPETOLOGICAl SYMPOSIUM on CAPTIVE PROPAGATION & HUSBANDRY AT SAN ANTONIO. TEXAS JUNE 25-28. 1986 CALL FOR PAPERS All amateur and professional herpetologists are invited to submit for consideration the titles of papers they wish to present at the 10th International Symposium on Captive Propagaion and Husbandry to be held at the El Tropicano Hotel along the River in San Antonio, Texas. Time allotted for papers is 30 minutes. A preliminary program will be established by January 25, 1986 so a 100-150 word abstract of a presentation should be submitted by contributors prior to January 11, 1986. Final manuscripts should be submitted prior to June 12, 1986. Submit all program information to: Mike Bumgardner, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, University of Califor¬ nia, Davis, California 95616; (916) 752-8934. Symposium Coordinator is Randall Gray, P.O. Box 1850, Chinle, Arizona 86503; (602) 674-5269. Symposium Series Director is Richard A. Hahn, Zoological Consortium, Inc., 13019 Catoctin Furnace Road, Thurmont, Maryland 21788; (301) 662-0328. Program Committee members are Karl Peterson, 1513 Outerbelt Drive, Houston, Texas 77030; (713) 520-3226 and Sean McKeown, Roeding Park Zoo, 894 West Belmont Avenue, Fresno, California 93728; (209) 488-1096. Host Committee members are Joseph Laszlo, San Antonio Zoo, 3903 North St. Mary's Street, San Antonio, Texas 78212; (512) 734-7183; Jim Seippel, Greater San Antonio Herpetological Society, 9708 Braes Valley Street, Austin, Texas 78729; (512) 258-8584 and Tom Vermersch, Greater San Antonio Herpetological Society, 3130 Waurika Street, San Antonio Texas 78223. European Liaison is Quentin Bloxam, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, Channel Islands, Great Britain 0534 61949. Australian Liaison is Chris B. Banks, Department of Herpetology, Royal Melbourne Zoolo¬ gical Gardens, P.O. Box 74, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; (03) 347-1522. / Page 166 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Socle Vo ! ura 21 Number 4 December 1985 NEWS and NOTES: SMITHSONIAN RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN HISTORY, ART, AND SCIENCE The Smithsonian Institution announces its research fellowships for 1986-1987 in the fields of Social and Cultural History, History of Art, History of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Anthropology, and Biological Sciences. Smithsonian Fellowships are awarded to support independent research in residence at the Smithsonian related to research interests of the Institution’s professional staff and using the Institution’s collections, facilities, and laboratories. Predoctoral fellowship appointments for six to twelve months, postdoctoral fellowship appointments for six to 24 months, senior postdoctoral fellowship appointments for three to twelve months, and graduate student appointments for ten weeks are awarded. Proposals for research in the following areas may be made: Social and Cultural History: American political, military, social, and cultural history, American folklore, material aspects of American everyday life, the history of music and musical instruments, American business history, and the history of money and medal lie art. Anthropology: Archaeology, ethnology, linguistics, and physical anthropology. Biological Sciences: Solar radiation research, photobiology, tropical Biology, ecology, systematics, natural history, evolutionary biology, animal behavior and pathology, paleobiology, marine biology, and environmental studies. Earth Sciences: Sedimentology, planetary geology, mineralogy, petrology, meteoritics, volcanology, and paleobiology. History of Art: American art, particularly of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, the decorative arts, modern painting and sculpture, Oriental and Near Eastern art, and African art. History of Science and Technology: History of mathematics, physical sci¬ ences, medicine and pharmacy, engineering, transportation, agriculture, air and space, and electrical technology, history of science in America, industrial archeology, and the social dimensions of science and technology. Applications are due January IS, 1986. Stipends supporting these awards are : $25,000 per year plus allowances for senior postdoctoral fellows; $18,000 per year plus allowances for postdoctoral fellows; $11,000 per year plus allowances for predoctoral fellows; and $2,500 for graduate students for the ten-week period of appointment. Pre-, post-, and senior postdoctoral stipends are prorated on a monthly basis for periods less than one year. Awards are based on merit. Smithsonian Fellowships are open to all qualified individuals without reference to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or condition of handicap of any applicant. For more information and application forms, please write: Office of Fellowships and Grants, 3300 L’Enfant Plaza, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560. Please indicate the particular area in which you propose to conduct research and give the dates of degrees received or expected. Bulletin Maryland He rpeto logical Society Page 167 Volume 21 Number 4 December 198 NOTES: ■ • * , ••• ; . Page 168 Bulletin Maryland Herpetological Soclet Society Publications Back issues of the Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetolog i cal Society, where available, may be obta i ned by wr i t i ng the Execut i ve Editor. A list of available issues will be sent upon request, individual numbers in stock are $2.00 each, un¬ less otherwise noted. The Society also publ ishes a Newsletter on a somewhat irregular basis. These are distributed to the membership free of charge. Also published are Maryland Herpetofauna Leaf lets and these are available at $. 25/page. Information for Authors All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Editor. Manuscripts being sub¬ mitted for publication should be typewritten (double spaced) on good quality 8^x11 inch paper, with adequate margins. Submit original and first carbon, retaining the second carbon. Indicate where illustrations or photographs are to appear in text. Cite all literature used at end in alphabetical order by author. Major papers are those over 5 pages (double spaced, elite type) and must i ncl ude an abstract . The authors name should be centered under the title, and the address is to fol low the L i terature Cited. Minor papers are those papers with fewer than 5 pages. Author's name is to be placed at end of paper (see recent issue). For addi tional information see Style Manual for Biological Journals (1964) , American Insti tute of Biological Sciences, 3900 Wi scons in Avenue, N.W. , Washington, D.C. 20016. Price is $6.00. Reprints are available at $.03 a page and shoul d be ordered when manuscripts are submitted or when proofs are returned . Minimum order is 100 reprints. Either edited manuscri pt or proof will be returned to author for approval or correct ion. The author will be responsible for al l corrections to proof, and must return proof preferably wi thin 7 days. The Maryland Herpetological Society Department of Herpetology Hatural History Society of Maryland > Inc . 2643 North Charles Street Baltimore s Maryland 21218 Maryland Herpetological Society \ “ co “- co £; /« NIAN INSTITUTION^ NO'-LnillSNI^NVINOSHIlWS^Sa I d V8 8 IT LIBRARIES SMITHSOI - i$s I ,.5 g | I | ||Jj| 1 * | 1 1 lHNS^Sa lyvaan^LIBRARIES SMITHSONIAN^NSTITUTION^ NOlifUliSN^NVINOSH "*» “ CO „ _ v J_jJ \ GO _ ^ o 5 NIAN^INSTITUTION2MOIJ.fUliSNI^NVINOSHlllNS S3 I B Vd a 11 ““u B R AR I ESZSMITHSOI k « I i ^ , I i ‘rVA>r»\^ m m x^vosv^/ <£ m CO “■ CO ^ — «_ uws saiavaan libraries Smithsonian institution Nou.ruusNi-NviNosH CO Z r XI - Z \ CO Z X CO o I S "•Wr 1 | I-" _ _ iian institution ^ounxiisNi_NviNosHiiwsws3 1 a va a nzu b rari es^smithsoi CO Z \ ^ . _ _ ^ CO “ 1HI& _ offniw <-***! . /w tt. teM;;*'- c S 111 1 Y '*.'**■*»! ^0 ir.w^ . . 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