WFB 2410: Urodelans of Vermont Quiz

• Brittany is still sick and unable to meet in person.
• The lab for WFB 2410 students is cancelled for tomorrow (Friday).

Next Week's Assignments

• A reading check is due on Tuesday before class.
• A Urodelans of Vermont quiz will be held in class on Thursday.
• No other homework due – just study for the Urodelans quiz
• Begin preparing for the Amphibians Exam (Feb 18th in class).
• The Amphibians Exam covers all Amphibians material except for herps of VT info.

Urodelans Quiz - Thursday 2/13

• Same format as the Anurans quiz given the previous week.
• Students should be comfortable identifying the herps of Vermont by sight.
• Students should know important contextual clues (e.g., habitat, life history, behaviors) that help them with field identification.
• Students should know the taxonomy of VT herps including family, genus, and species.
• Students should know the conservation status and general distribution of VT herps.
• Life history, habitat, conservation, and distribution info will be presented.
• Students should add field marks/ID

Photos

• All photos in today's presentation are compliments of the Vermont Herp Atlas.
• Some other atlas resources to check out include:
  • https://www.vtherpatlas.org/herp-species-in-vermont/quick-photo-reference/quick-photo-ref-vt-salamanders/
  • https://www.vtherpatlas.org/herp-species-in-vermont/detailed-id-life-history-information/

Eastern Newt (Notopthalmus viridescens)

• The newt family is Salamandridae, also known as the “true” salamanders.
• Red efts (juvenile phase) live exclusively on land for years.
• Adults change color and morphology, returning to water to breed.
• The adults lay their eggs individually on underwater vegetation.
• Nuptial pads help ID males.
• Exhibits aquatic or terrestrial brumation.
• Summers and winters in hardwood forests near permanent water.
• Breeds in beaver ponds, ponds, lakes, marshes, etc.
• Common through most of VT except in the conifer-dominated NE Kingdom.
• Conservation status is S5 (common).
• Highly susceptible to Bsal (new pathogen not thought to be in US yet).
• Overwintering adult newts congregate near an inlet to a pond (likely a source of dissolved oxygen).

Mole Salamanders

• The Mole Salamanders are in the Family Ambystomatidae
• Three kinds found in Vermont:
  • Jefferson salamander
  • Blue-spotted salamander
  • Spotted salamander

Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum)

• Family: Ambystomatidae
• Life History
  • Spends most of its life underground (like a mole).
  • Overwinters underground.
  • Lays loose masses of 10-40 eggs.
  • Larvae metamorphose in 2-4 months.
  • Hybridizes with blue-spotted salamanders yielding the Jeff Complex.
• Jefferson Salamanders live in upland forests in the summer and overwinter.
• Breeds in vernal pools and other semi-permanent wetlands.
• Can be found in low, hilly areas in soils of high buffering capacity. Sensitive to acidity in breeding pools.
• Conservation status is S2 (rare); report all sightings.
• Threatened by acid rain.

Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale)

• Family: Ambystomatidae
• Life History
  • Spends most of its life underground (like a mole).
  • Overwinters underground.
  • Lays single gelatinous eggs, however, hybrids with Jefferson salamanders lay egg masses of ~10 eggs.
  • Larvae metamorphose in 2-4 months.
  • "Jeff Complex"
• Found in lower elevation vernal pools, flood plains, semi-permanent pools, marshes, and swamps.
• Populations are scattered.
• Conservation status is S3 (uncommon); report all sightings.

Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)

• Family: Ambystomatidae
• Life History
  • Spends most of its life underground (like a mole).
  • Overwinters underground.
  • Lays egg masses (that are identifiable) of 20-250 eggs.
  • Larvae metamorphose in 2-4 months.
  • Can live for 20 years!
• Summers and overwinters in upland hardwood and mixed forests.
• Breeds in vernal pools, beaver ponds, and old farm ponds.
• S5 conservation status (common)

Lungless Salamanders

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Includes the "Three Slender Salamanders"

Eastern Redbacked Salamander (Plethodon cinereus)

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Entirely terrestrial life cycle.
• Has direct development (rather than larval) offspring.
• Overwinters underground.
• Lays eggs under logs in a moist microhabitat; females will guard the nests.
• Habitat is hardwood and mixedwood, especially in areas with deep leaf litter.
• Not a fan of acidic soils (e.g., coniferous woodlands).
• Found statewide.
• Conservation status -S5 (common)
• Sensitive to forest management activities

Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Life History
  • Lays 15-60 eggs in moss or debris near water, sometimes in communal nests.
  • Larval development rapid, 3-6 weeks.
  • Overwinters underground and under cover, sometimes in mixed species groups.
• Habitat is moist and dry woodlands, and also in forests adjacent to swamps.
• Conservation status is -S2 (rare). Report all sightings.

Northern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata)

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Life History
  • Lays masses of 10s of eggs on the underside of a rock in streams.
  • Exhibits communal nesting.
  • Has a long larval stage of 2-3 years!
  • Overwinters in running water or in nearby terrestrial habitat.
• A stream-associated salamander.
• Is found in wet soil or under cover in or around streams or seeps
• Conservation status is -S5 (common)

More Lungless Salamanders

• Family is Plethodontidae.
• The following 2 Plethodontids are larger than the first three.

Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus)

• Family is Plethodontidae.
• Life History
  • One egg mass of up to 40 eggs is laid in moist mosses on logs in seeps, and is guarded by the female.
  • Has a long larval period of 7-12 months..
  • Overwinters in streams or nearby deep soils.
• Another stream-associated salamander found in streams, springs, and/or areas with seepage.
• Prefers rocks, logs, or other debris for shelter.
• May share a habitat with Northern two-lined and spring salamanders
• Conservation status -S5 (common)

Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus)

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Life History
  • One egg mass of up to 130 eggs is laid on the underside of rocks in streams.
  • Has a long larval period of 3-4 years!
  • Overwinters in streams and may be active year-round.
• Well-oxygenated, cold, clear mountain streams or springs are its habitat.
• Will feed on land near streams at night.
• Conservation status -S4 (relatively common)

Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus)

• Family: Proteidae
• Life History
  • Lays 50-100 eggs under rocks, logs, etc. and guarded by female
  • Features larval characteristics like gills that persist for life, but 5+ years to sexual maturity
  • Active year-round, even in winter (below the ice)
• Habitat
  • In VT, spend most time at depths of up to 60 feet in Lake Champlain, the Connecticut River and some tributaries.
  • May move upstream or to shorelines to shallower water to lay their eggs.
• Conservation
  • S2 (rare)
  • May be impacted by lampricide Note
  • Native range in Lake Champlain Basin, introduced (as released bait?) in CT River Basin.

Reminders and Tips

• Gibbs or the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas can be used to understand field marks for all 10 salamanders.
• Focus on size and belly patterns and how they compare with other similar species in VT.
• Size can be a helpful feature to consider when identifying each species.

Grouping Salamanders

• Slender Salamanders
  • About pencil-width and ~3-4 inches long
• Medium Salamanders
  • A bit thicker than a pencil and up to ~5 inches long
• Large Salamanders
  • Thick - think of a big magic marker, and more like 6-8 inches long
• XL Sally
  • Girth of a garden hose as adults, up to a foot (or more) long

Mole Salamanders

• Ambystoma laterale
  • Black with blue spots/flecks (especially on the sides)
  • Narrow, fairly rounded snout, nostrils close together
  • Rounded tail
• Ambystoma jeffersonianum
  • Solid gray-brown, sometimes with flecks
  • Broad head, widely spaced nostrils
  • Laterally compressed tail
• Ambystoma maculatum
  • Yellow spots on a black background
  • Broad head
  • Rounded tail

Slender Salamanders

• Hemidactylium scutatum
  • Orange-brown coloration
  • "Salt and pepper" belly (i.e., black spots on white background)
• Plethodon cinereus
  • Dark red, (sometimes) dark brown-gray or reddish-orange
  • Also features a red stripe (usually) down center of back
  • Has a cream-colored belly with dark vermiculations (worm trails)
• Eurycea bislineata
  • Features a yellow-brown coloration with black lines bordering a yellow-brown stripe
  • Yellow under tail

Large Aquatic Salamanders

• Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
  • Salmon-pink body with dark reticulations
  • Features no external gills as adults
  • Sharply keeled tail
  • Can be found in clean, fast-moving mountain streams
• Necturus maculosus
  • Features a dark brown body with black spots
  • Has external gills throughout life
  • Laterally compressed tail
  • Large tributaries below the first fall line

Lab cancelled for tomorrow. A reading check is due Tuesday before class, and a Urodelans of Vermont quiz will be held in class on Thursday. Prepare for the Amphibians Exam (Feb 18th in class).