After a (marvelous) trip to the Appalachians and yet another interesting Hynobius breeding year I thought it was time to catch up with a new Urodela Newsletter.
STUDBOOK
The theft of my laptop still leaves me with a void, since most of my studbook data has gone with it. I am currently busy restoring the data, starting with the present and (trying) to work my way back to the past. I have created a very simple follow-up procedure so that I can at least track down who has which animals. The aim of this process is to make and maintain a catalogue of people taking care of this species. As already mentioned, I am the studbook-keeper for A. macrodactylum, H.dunni and Typhlonectes natans. If this follow-up system works well, I intend to keep track of the whole Hynobius group (be it immediately or progressively). For those 3 species I can at least rely on long captive breeding results. For this year, I would like to extend the studbook to H. retardatus and try to start up a studbook for H. leechii quelpartensis.
Anybody keeping any of those species and with whom I have not been in contact yet can contact me. I can offer lists of articles on each of these species and, for most, captive breeding ‘tips and traps’ (in English).
1. BREEDINGS
For myself, the essence of my Urodela work focuses on being able to breed the animals and thus observe their reproductive strategy. In the past 7 years, I am trying to focus harder on mole salamanders (Ambystomatidae) and Hynobiidae. With some luck, I have been able to obtain valuable breeding groups of various pondtype (Japanese) Hynobius which over the last year have become my main point of interest. Due to less available spare time, I have to spend less time on the true newts. Most of the tanks carrying salamanders were placed inside of the greenhouse, which also meant less space. The general aim is to use less space for fewer species, but with more animals per species.
In captive care, I find Ambystoma and Hynobius to be quite similar, despite having totally different breeding behavior. Due to other activities - the job and the trip to the US - I’ve not been able to do too many observations on breeding behavior this year. Despite this, I was rewarded with some interesting breeding results: a first year reproduction of H. tokyoensis and H. nebulosus and an odd colored (neotenic) larva of H. retardatus.
I have also obtained a valuable breeding group of H. lichenatus and 2 H. tsuensis. In the future, I hope to extend my collection with H. nigrescens, H. naevius and additional H. tsuensis.
For the next year so far I have no further trips planned, and I hope to install larger outdoor (escape-proof) ponds. In this way we can raise larvae in larger quantities and with less effort (being able to focus more on observing and photographing the animals).
2. IMAGES & PHOTOGRAPHY
Currently WWF Germany is investigating whether they can use some of my shots for a campaign on threatened animals from the Alps. I have submitted images of T. alplestris, T. helveticus, T. vulgaris and Salamandra atra aurorae.
I have recently purchased a semi-pro 5 megapix digital ‘bridge’camera. Over the last few months I have been quite busy expanding my (growing) photographic interests and made quite a few shots of other things besides salamanders: insects, reptiles, and marine aquaria. Some of them are shown at the following websites, which I hope you can enjoy.
Due to the digital age, people are selling quite some useful ‘analogue’ equipment. As such I was recently able to buy new lightstrength macro equipment: a 50 & 100 mm macro f/2.8 and a ringflash. As a (convinced ?) Minolta user, I am currently more or less waiting for the release of a DSLR, so that at least I can still use my collection of macro lenses. In the meantime, I will probably continue to work in analogue with my 7xi and their bridge series: the A1. This digital camera is one of the few having Image stabilization installed in the camera body. This camera lets me take bright sharp images at 1/20 sec, which is exceptional. If only they could build this into their DSLR as well… then each of my macro lenses suddenly becomes an IS macro!
I am currently negotiating with a Swiss photographic stocking agency to help me with my slides. If this works out well, I will probably do more in that area in the future and develop photography as a hobby on its own.
As an addition to this letter, I herewith give you a report on my trip to Pigeon Mountain, where we discovered Plethodon petraeus, millipedes, a scorpion, and an unusual Plethodon glutinosus complex specimen.
3. TRIP REPORT: PIGEON MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA
After 2 years on the homefront, it was time for another salamander trip to the States. So during the spring of 2003 - in the midst of the Gulf War - I was to meet my Oregon friend (K. Russell), with whom I had already done my 2 former Oregon trips, and R. Rosscoe, who I had met in Baltimore, Maryland while lecturing at the IAD2000 on my Hynobius passion. So after some heavy security checks, I arrived in Washington DC on April 3rd, where, after a good night’s rest, and an interesting beef, cheese and ham sandwich, we headed for the mountains, having made up a (rough) plan of which species we wanted to see and accompanied with the Petranka book.
Initially, we wanted to visit the Grandfather Mountain area in order to see the amazing Plethodon yonahlossee. Unfortunately for us, at a distance of about 40 miles it started to snow so heavily that we had to navigate between trucks in trouble; either they got stuck in the snow or had slid off the road… It was clear that we would not be able to find any ‘tailed’ amphibian under those circumstances. Roger made the proposal to head further south into a warmer area and try to find the exquisite Plethodon petraeus in Georgia. So after another long trip, we finally arrived at Pigeon Mountain, where the weather was beautiful: no clouds, the sun shining … would this be too good? We decided to head up to Stone City and drove up the mountain for the first part of the trip. Right beside the parking lot we noticed a quite massive collection of fallen stones and first decided to explore this area. After turning some stones, it was quite clear that this area must have a very rich variety of ants and termites. At least 7 different species were discovered turning over only the first 20 stones. Then while Roger shouted out he had found a snake, I found myself standing eye to eye with a little nice brownish snake too. Not being an expert in the area (we don’t have snakes in Belgium) I was not too eager to handle it immediately, but when Roger and Russell confirmed it was not poisonous, the ice was broken. Apparently we had found both Diadophis punctatus and Carphopis armoenus. Both snakes were quite calm or maybe this was due to the colder temperatures. Anyway, this made it possible to take some good shots of them. No other herps were found in that area.
After this interesting introduction, we had high hopes and followed the wandering path up to Stone City. During a 1 hour ‘promenade’ I don’t think we missed turning over any stones or pieces of wood, but despite this effort the salamander results were rather poor: none. However, we did encounter a very rich and interesting variety (in length and colors) of millipedes, some ranging from 1 to 5 inches long, with colors from white to black and pink to yellow. In one wood pile, we encountered 5 gigantic larvae of what should one day become a very large beetle. This being quite unique for a Belgian eco-tourist, I couldn’t resist it and made some shots.
Finally after quite a walk, with lots of practice in stone and bark-lifting, we arrived in Stone City, which apart from any herping interest, displays a quite beautiful and intriguing atmosphere: lots of huge stones standing up like crippled monoliths, cut out by wind in ancient times, and maybe water. Some of them looked like they would not need much force to fall down from their narrow feet. Wandering between the paths curling around those stones under very sunny weather… we started looking awfully much like ordinary tourists.
In the midst of Stone City, we noticed some heavy pieces of wood which we couldn’t resist lifting and stumbled, to our large surprise, on an albino millipede and a … Pseudotriton ruber. Having such dry weather and not seeing any water in the direct environment, this was a surprise to all of us. Upon closer inspection underneath the bark, we did find a rodent tunnel. Had he infiltrated through this more humid tunnel?? The chin of the animal had some black spots on the underlips, which did not spread out to the rest of the chin. After some photos and some mixed feelings, it was released again at its spot of capture. Eager to find the intriguing , but until then invisible Plethodon petraeus, we split up and started searching the environment on the upper platform of Pigeon Mountain. Climbing up and down under stones, sometimes discovering some water and even a little stream… we covered quite some area, however, no Pigeon Mountain salamander. After a good 4 hours searching a quite beautiful area, we decided to take other steps and were able to get to the coordinates where P. petraeus had previously been discovered. Lucky enough, our map displayed coordinates. Some trial and error, enriched with a description of the original discovery, helped us to pinpoint the theoretical whereabouts of the species. With refreshed hope, we headed up the mountain slope and started turning over stones beside a little stream, all of it covered underneath trees and brushes. This little stream displayed another dry waterbed beside its slope. Due to the absence of any fallen leaves, I assume it must have carried water during more wet periods. Now, the bottom was still humid and some mosses grew on the sides. The bottom consisted of a brownish clay sediment. Then finally, while turning over a stone, I found myself in front of a beautiful brown, black, and white plethodontid: Plethodon petraeus. All over sudden, all our efforts were rewarded. Seen from above, the brown dorsal color of the plethodontid makes perfect sense: it blends in perfectly with the clayish substrate and leaves. We honored the specimen with photo sessions that would make any photo model jealous … and after that, it was released, again at its place of capture. The ground and water temperatures were measured: they were respectively 13.5°C & 12.5°C. The animal was found at the Western side of the mountain at a height of about 310 meters above sea level.
In the meantime, Russell had found something else along the search, a tiny scorpion. Although not being too crazy about touching this critter, an attempt to photograph it was undertaken. This proved to be a challenge in itself, since as soon as it was set on the ground, it started running off at a surprisingly quick pace.
While descending the mountain, another area that looked like a promising P. petraeus habitat was encountered, and we decided to have another quick peak. Lots of shattered stones laying underneath trees and brushes, but no stream. After a 15-minute search, Roger found an extremely nice looking representative of the P. glutinosus complex. This specimen differed from other P. glutinosus specimens I had seen so far in having most of its white concentrated on the lateral side and displaying a pinkish throat region. Until now, I still have no exact idea what species it was… but it has been immortalized on slides.
(to be continued…)