Was out looking for sallies and all I found was this lousy box turtle ;-)

Bill B · Sep 21, 2012

I was out looking for sallies in early September (temperature about 80 degrees F, sky moslty sunny) this year in southwest lower Michigan (related thread: http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...-small-michigan-forest-mostly-old-growth.html) park which has a few acres of forest which it shares with a golf course. Found no sallies (only other herp known nearby was Green Frogs, Lithobates clamitans) but almost immediately came upon this beautiful Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). Maybe not "old growth", but there were many trees extremely old, judged by the fact that these oaks grow very to extremely slowly.

Here's the photo:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...-small-michigan-forest-mostly-old-growth.html

Neotenic_Jaymes · Sep 22, 2012

BOX TURTLE! Pretty lucky to come across one of those in MI. Eastern Box Turtles are very uncommon in Michigan. Hope you find salamanders next time.

Bill B · Sep 22, 2012

I have been told there is a way to edit my post, but I don't know what it is. Here is the correct link to the photo:

Kaysie · Sep 22, 2012

That's a nice one, Bill. Red or brown eyes?

Bill B · Sep 22, 2012

reddish-brown, really. I asked James Harding a MSU whether it was a male or female, and he judged it to be a female.

Kaysie · Sep 22, 2012

Jim is a great guy. He definitely knows his stuff. Wood turtles are his specialty. If you ever get a chance, ask him about Mort and the army helmet.

Bill B · Sep 22, 2012

Kaysie said:
Jim is a great guy. He definitely knows his stuff. Wood turtles are his specialty. If you ever get a chance, ask him about Mort and the army helmet.

He and I exchange email a lot. Most of what I know of herpetology I know from him and just what I have pursued in reading. (I've never taken herpetology course, but hope to get a Master's studying herps some day.)

I volunteer at John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where his wood turtles for his conservation research are raised.

I suppose this is getting off-topic for field herping. If any moderator wants to move it some place else, I'm fine with that.

Neotenic_Jaymes · Sep 22, 2012

I headed to a vernal woodland today. After the rain in the past weeks I knew I would come across a couple salamanders. The Ambystoma laterale/Blue Spotted Salamanders all took defense postures when uncovered. Came across some Red Backs and two Yellow Spotted Salamanders that couldn't be wrangled.

Nothing like unken reflex. Sorry for the bad quality pics the lighting was against me. I also took a photo of fallen tree bark where I uncovered a couple Blue Spotted Salamanders.

Kaysie · Sep 22, 2012

Nice finds, Jaymes. I'd never seen ambystomatids do Unken before, and then the other day I found a tiger that did, and now you post these guys!

Neotenic_Jaymes · Sep 22, 2012

Kaysie said:
Nice finds, Jaymes. I'd never seen ambystomatids do Unken before, and then the other day I found a tiger that did, and now you post these guys!

Are you serious? A. laterale do it 50 percent of the time when I find them. Sometimes they don't do an outstanding performance. Maybe just a slight lift their tails into the air. Other times they do a great unken performance. My Barred Tiger Salamander did it once. I really startled it dropped some tank decor on it and the Tiger Salamander gave me a grand display. It even secreted toxins.

I think most amphibian species have a form of "unken" either lavish or dull.

Was out looking for sallies and all I found was this lousy box turtle ;-)

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