Reptiles and Amphibians Captured in Herpetology Class

Spring Semester 2003

Kerie Corley

Undergraduate

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville Tennessee 38505

Introduction• Using a study group to determine the catchability

of reptiles and amphibians in Tennessee• Testing the assumption of equal catchability is

fundamental to understanding amphibian populations (Arntzen, 272)

• Census a population…by turning rocks and logs (Meche 533)

• The effectiveness of pitfall versus funnel traps … using drift fence data (Enge 467)

• Traps should be checked every three days to minimize mortality (Enge 467)

Objectives/Hypothesis

• To determine which species of Reptiles and Amphibians can be captured by a group of undergraduate students.

• The object of this research is to determine How many specimens of each species can be captured by an undergraduate class in the spring semester of 2003.

Methods and Materials

• I used the methods outlined in the Peterson field guide.

• The materials that were used are also outlined in the Peterson field guide.

• I also used a “Herp Scoop” as described in Herpetological Review Issue 30

Results and Discussion• As was expected we caught a wide variety of species

• We caught a total of 575 specimens

• There were more amphibians than reptiles

• In the amphibians there were more salamanders than frogs

• In the reptiles there were more snakes than lizards and more lizards than turtles.

• Some species found in this area were not captured by my study group

• Some species captured by my group were rare to this area

• While other species were caught a great number of times

Amphibian Data TablesCommon Name Number caughtMudpuppie 7Marbled Salamander 1Tiger Salamander 1Spotted Salamander 3Northern Dusky Salamander 33Zig Zag Salamander 30Red-Backed Salamander 3Slimey Salamander 21Four Toed Salamander 1Northern Spring Salamander 17Midland Mud Salamander 4Northern Red Salamander 18Long-Tailed Salamander 16Two-Lined Salamander 34Cave Salamander 9Red Spotted Newt 24

Salamanders SpeciesCommon Name Number CaughtFowlers Toad 7American Toad 26 Cricket Frog 29Spring Peeper 31Gray Tree Frog 5Chorus Frog 16Bullfrog 29Green Frog 31Wood Frog 2Leopard Frog 9Pickerel Frog 27

Frog Species

Reptile Data TablesCommon Name Number CaughtRiver Cooter 1Common Snapper 16Musk Turtle or Stinkpot 1Mud Turtle 1Box Turtle 15Midland Painted Turtle 1Yellow-Bellied Slider 3

Turtle Species

Common Name Number CaughtFence Lizard 18Six-Lined Racerunner 2Brown Skink 4Common Five Lined Skink 18Broad-Headed Skink 2Southeastern Five-Lined Skink 1

Lizard Species

Common Name Number CaughtQueen Water Snake 3Common (Northern) Water Snake 13Dekay's (Midland Brown) Sanke 2Garter Snake 12Eastern Hog-Nosed Snake 2Worm Snake 6Black Racer 3Black Rat Snake 3Yellow-Bellied King Snake 2Black King Snake 3Earth Snake 1Ring-Necked Snake 6Crowned Snake 1Scarlet Snake 1

Snake Species

Ratio of Species

Salamanders

38%

Frogs

37%

Snakes

10%

Turtles

7%

Lizards

8%

Conclusion

• In all I believe we caught a wide enough variety to determine the density of different species in this area

• We had fun