NEWSLETTER CONTENTS:
New
coordinator
Progress
and focus for next
year
Progress
and outlook for the herp
atlas
Steering
committe
meeting
The
new Nova Scotia
mapbook
Map
search bug
solved
The
Canadian Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
Network
Stay
tuned for coming
events
New on
the website
Identification
tips
Biological
notes
In order to help everyone focus their efforts on square completion, we have included a complete list of the target squares, their relative completion, and some obvious missing species in the squares that are very close to being finished (80-99.9% complete). Finishing off these target squares is a top priority, if you can visit them, please do!!! Squares 80-99.9% complete Target Square Fraction Complete Some common missing species |
60-79.9% complete
Target Fraction40-59.9% complete Target Fraction |
20-39.9% complete
Target Fraction |
<20% complete
Target Fraction Target Fraction |
Page 5
The map below shows the number of species recorded per mapbook square as of November 19, 2001. The number inside the circles is the number of species recorded for that square. Solid circles mean that only one species has been sighted. Squares 09C3, 20E5, 22B5, 23A2, 33C5, and 38E5 are each overcounted by one species because they include both morphs of blue-spotted salamanders, redback salamanders, and maritime garter snakes, or they contain non-native turtles.
Page 4
Table 1. This table shows the increase in the number of
records and the number of atlassers for each year of the project. We
have made considerable progress, the numbers have risen for both
records and atlassers.
Figure 2. This graph shows the number of hours spent searching for herps by month and year. Note the huge increase in the number of hours spent searching in 2001 and the shift in peak hours between 2000 and 2001. The increase and shift in hours probably reflects the success of the workshops.
Bogus records! Because our website is available to anyone with an internet account, the database is vulnerable to bogus records entered by bored and mischievous individuals. We have been expecting database sabotage for some time, and it finally happened. Over 90 reasonable-looking but completely fake records were submitted in mid-November: these records were easily detected and deleted by our screening process. Remember that we will not accept any records if we cannot contact the atlasser, so please, always use your atlasser number and password. If you forget them, re-register and provide your contact information. The coordinator will be able to sort out multiple atlasser numbers for the same person.
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Figure 1. The proportion of atlassed vs incidental records is given below for all current records (1999-2001). For the first time, the number of atlassed records exceeds the number of incidental records. This was another positive development for 2001 because atlassed records give us some measure of the effort required to find individual species.
Figure 3. This figure shows the proportion of manual vs online record entry. The large number of online entries is a definite plus. Some other atlas projects are 1-2 years behind because they enter all their data manually although they don't have the staff to do so. |
Table 2. This table shows the number of records submitted (1999-2001) for each group of animals. Clearly, we are very good at finding frogs and toads, probably because we can locate and identify them by using their calls, unlike the silent salamanders and reptiles.
Finding some of the more elusive herps can be very
challenging! Blue-spotted Salamander: Same as for the
Yellow-spotted salamander, except that Blue-spotted salamanders are
usually restricted to regions with sandstone, conglomerate, limestone
or gypsum bedrock. Eggs are laid singly. Red-spotted Newt: From spring to early fall, the
best way to find them is at night with a good flashlight. Check ponds
and stream stillwaters, especially where there is a lot of aquatic
vegetation. Mink Frog: Avoids areas with Bullfrogs.
Preferred habitat is the deeper parts of ponds or slow-moving streams
with emerging or floating vegetation, especially water lily pads, on
which they like to sit. If Bullfrogs are present, Mink Frogs tend to be
found in areas that Bullfrogs avoid, such as shallow vegetated coves
and shorelines. Northern Ringneck & Redbelly Snakes: Both of
these snakes are nocturnal. During the day they hide, so look under
rocks and discarded trash such as shingles, planks, tarpaper, boards,
and metal roofing. Ringneck snakes are a woodland species and are
largely restricted to "hard rock" regions (granite, slate, and
quartzite). Look for them at woodland edges, especially roadsides with
a lot of cover. Redbelly snakes prefer grass and low shrub habitat near
water, as well as roadsides, abandoned fields, blueberry heath and
barrens. Maritime Smooth Green Snake: Look in any grass
or low shrub habitat, especially along road and railroad shoulders, in
hayfields, old fields, or blueberry fields. They hide under rocks and
trash such as planks or tarpaper. |
Table 3. This table is more detailled and shows the number of records submitted for each species. Not surprisingly, the starred species (*) are more difficult to find. Interestingly, relatively few records have been submitted for some of the more common species, such as Mink Frogs and Northern Ringneck Snakes.
Wood Turtle: Slow-moving, meandering rivers and
streams with sand or gravel banks/bars for nesting, and deep pools for
hibernation. Common Snapping Turtle: These turtles are
easiest to find in June and July when they are nesting. Check gravel
roads, especially the banks of bridges. Morning and evening seem to be
the best time to find them. Eastern Painted Turtle: Look in lakes and ponds
with protruding rocks and logs where they bask in sunny weather. All three turtle species: Check all bare soil,
road/railway shoulders, gravel pits, and sawdust piles near lakes or
ponds for evidence of nesting e.g. digging marks and eggshells. |
Check out websites for herp atlasses across North America and link to sites discussing reptile and amphibian conservation issues! If there are in any other sites you would like to see included, drop me a line. |
Distinguishing Leopard Frogs from Pickerel
Frogs Most of the time these two species are easily distinguishable
by their colour - Leopard Frogs are usually green and Pickerel Frogs
are usually brown. But, be on your guard, there are a few brown Leopard
Frogs and green Pickerel Frogs out there. Here are a few clues from
John Gilhen for telling them apart. First, check the spots between the
lateral folds - those two long ridges that run along a frog's back from
the eye to the hind legs. Spots on the Leopard frog are oval here and
will be bordered with pale green even if the rest of the frog is
brownish. Spots on the Pickerel Frog are rectangular and sometimes
adjacent spots blend together. Second, if you get a chance to see the
underside of the frog, the groin area in Pickerel frogs will be
tangerine orange in colour. Reptiles and amphibians have evolved many fascinating
behaviours, which we seldom see because herps are so secretive. This
new section of the newsletter will be devoted to articles on cool herp
behaviour. If you have any ideas or interests, let me know! The croaks, whines and wheezes of frogs are very conspicuous
to many of us and are also intriguing little devices used for a variety
of reasons. Most commonly, frogs call to attract mates, defend their
territory, or to alert an amorous male that they are not mate material. What we most commonly hear are the mating and territorial
calls of frogs. Males call to attract females and to defend their spot
of the pond. Courtship and territorial signals may be incorporated into
a single call, or may be entirely separate calls. For instance, male
Puerto Rican frogs sing "coqui" but elicit a response from females only
during "co" and from other territorial males during "qui". In contrast,
bullfrogs use distinctly different calls for courtship and territorial
defense. In many species, females are usually attracted to larger
males, which they can identify by their deeper voices. Some of the
smaller frogs with higher, unattractive calls are unable to entice a
female, so they do not bother calling at all. Instead they quietly lurk
next to a large male and try to intercept any females that approach.
These small, quiet frogs are known as satellite males. Although their
attempts to intercept and mate with a female don't often work, this
alternative mating strategy is thought to be more successful than
calling with a wimpy voice. Release calls are also part of a frog's vocal repertoire and
are used to prevent mating mistakes. When frogs mate, the male usually
hugs the female from behind in a position called amplexus. Sometimes,
males accidentally grab other males, or females that have already laid
their eggs. When this happens, the amplexed individual uses a release
call and vibrates its body to warn the male that they are not an
appropriate choice. People investigating the function of release calls
have observed males hugging experimental water balloons for days,
presumably because the balloon didn't use a release call! |