Last of the year?

The day was November 15th, 2009 ~3pm. Weather was sunny and unusually warm (around 60F). Went to some creeks off the Parkway to see what was still out.

Unfortunately I did not snap any shots of the streams or the boggy area we checked out. There were also no signs of anything around the bog or first few streams we went into. I do know that the members of Plethodon apparently hibernate around now going presumably underground, so no shock in finding zero of them. I do find salamanders in streams year round, but today was just not as much as I have seen in the past. Maybe water quality dropped from the increase of leaves? It'd be cool to find out.

These pictures are all from the last stop. Not shown: Eurycea wilderae, Desmognathus monticola, Odocoileus virginianus(White-tailed Deer).

Here is a Desmognathus orestes with a regenerating tail. Most of the seeps/ creeks in the area have almost solid dark brown colored bodies with lighter heads. It does not show well in these pictures...


I want to say this is D. marmoratus but I am not sure. It was found close to the bank, yet underwater. Its belly was dark, but I know they can darken with age... I did not open its mouth because I lacked something to do it without risking harm to the salamander. It got murky quick and could not tell if it tried to 'dash' away or stayed put. I tend to splash everything up on the bank before the water settles...


I am sure that this is Desmognathus quadramaculatus with a decent coloration.


I did not tell her it would not turn into a prince :/

Bradley, nice post! Sounds like you had a good last-of-the-year trip. Much better than mine: I went out a couple days ago, and was completely skunked out. Then again, it was 35F....

Sounds like a decent haul for a mid November day.

On a side note, I was down kind near you this past weekend to do some herping but that whole mess with I40 being closed due to the rockslide had my whole area closed.

Bummer.

I know salamanders are out year round in the streams around here, so it may not be the last. I did go down to Charlotte over the holiday and have some more stuff to put up along with previous trips I was on earlier this year. Once I get done with these papers (whic may be never)....

ps- thanks kaysie

I can usually find Pleths all winter up there as long as the ground under the debris isn't frozen. I actually prefer winter mandering, less vegetation ground cover to hide potential flipping material.