Who knows of study pops. in Ohio

Does anyone do any field work in northern Ohio? I would love to find suitable study points for Spotted and Marbled Sals. I do population density work for local Metroparks, and I have yet to turn up breeding locations or even a single specimen from either species. I know they exist, this is the frustration! I admit the State has not been able to point me in even a direction, or even provide a clear map of my study areas, but it still stings the pride...If you can understand. I've been doing this a long time(mostly in PA), and have always been able to locate the species I was after. If anyone is working in this area please allow me to contribute my data to yours and likewise, I have accounts for Red-Backed, Two-Lined, Ravine, Eastern Newt, Dusky, and a few others but they pretain to PA populations and not useful for local accounts.I am very eager to contribute to my State's conservation and awareness, so please allow me to be of service!:wacko:

Does no one know a direction to point at all? With over 25 views someone surely had a reason to look. Hopefully.

There is a policy on this forum that locality information not be published here:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=48337

I would suggest checking field guides. Listing locality information on a public forum is not in the best interest of the animals - you never know into who's hands this information will land.

Most scientists will guard their study sites with their lives. Seriously. I have a good friend, whom I've assisted with research, who refuses to give me directions to her site (even though I've been there before helping with research), or even publish anything more specific than a county in her papers.

So if you're looking for rare species, I really doubt many people will come forward with study sites. The data you have may be interesting, but the species listed are fairly common species, and can be found by just about anybody in the right area. Most people are wont to even tell other scientists, let alone general members of the public where their study sites are. I wouldn't even begin to tell people where I find Cheat Mountain salamanders. No way. If someone asks, it's "up in the mountains".

There has been at least one incident that I know of where a brand spankin' new species was found in Asia. JUST after the paper was published describing the species and its location, they started showing up on the pet trade.

What species was that?

One of the newly described asian species. The specific one escapes me at the moment.

Paramesotriton laoensis?

If you invest in Ralph Pfingsten and Floyd Downs' "Salamanders of Ohio", it has all records for the state down to the county and township level (as of 1989). A quick review of free topographic maps and aerial photos from Terraserver should get you into decent habitat of known localities. Depending on where in northern Ohio you are located, those species could be very difficult to encounter. They are by no means contiguously distributed across the north of the state.

This book is currently being redone and expanded upon for all herp species in Ohio, due out in ~2011. Until then the previous version is indispensable.

Good luck,
Tim

franceschino said:

Paramesotriton laoensis?

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Yes. Thank you, Francesco!

"There has been at least one incident that I know of where a brand spankin' new species was found in Asia. JUST after the paper was published describing the species and its location, they started showing up on the pet trade.[/QUOTE]"


In "The Lizard King" (reviewed here http://caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?p=162443#post162443) there is a joke mentioned. It is something along the lines of "What is the first thing that happens when the discovery of a new species of herp, bird, fish, or invertebrate is announced?" The answer is "Two Germans get on a plane"
Chip

freves said:

"What is the first thing that happens when the discovery of a new species of herp, bird, fish, or invertebrate is announced?" The answer is "Two Germans get on a plane"

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I'm sure someone will find that offensive but many will find a grain of truth in it too. One of our new magazine articles mentions something similar.

I thank all for the responses. I guess I understand why no one "shares". Seems the safe bet. Why the data bashing though? Even the MOST common species deserve study. This is why people are intimidated away from posting. The site is frustrating to me in that sense. People log on to be heard not picked apart. I had to say it...So pick away.

I never said anyone shouldn't study common species. I just said they're common, therefore easily studied.

And I would venture to say the vast majority of the questions I answer and advice I give are on VERY common species (tiger sals, axolotls, Cynops, etc.). I don't think the people who study and keep these species are intimidated by the site.

John said:

I'm sure someone will find that offensive but many will find a grain of truth in it too. One of our new magazine articles mentions something similar.

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Hopefully no one will be offended. After reading the book one could easily substitute Japanese, American, etc for German. In any case, I'm sorry for straying from the topic.
Chip

You might try contacting Dr. Kelly Williams at the University of Dayton for information on populations of Ambystoma in northern Ohio.