Hellbenders: strange but true fact >>> need reference

[k.]

I am in the middle of trying to write a label for a Hellbender exhibit. I seem to remember reading somewhere that they are light sensitive over their entire body, which enables them to make sure they are thoroughly tucked away underneath the rock they are hiding under. I want to make sure that I read this right and that it is published somewhere in scientific literature before it goes onto an exhibit label. A search through Petranka did not yield any results. Can anybody verified this for me and provide a reference?

 

[erik]

My library is still packed away, but I think that fact is mentioned in Nickerson and Mays publication from the 1970's- "Hellbenders, North American Giant Salamanders".

I don't recall ever seeing a specific paper on that topic.

 

[k.]

Thanks to nate for digging up the info in the reference you provided!

http://www.kyherpsoc.org/kyherps/backyardtarget/bytoct03.htm

Nickerson, M.A., and C.E. Mays. 1973a. The hellbenders: North American "giant salamanders". Milwaukee Public Museum Publications in Biology and Geology. 1: 1-106.

Discussed in this book
Reese (1906b) observed that all regions of the body were sensitive to white light but, based on response time, the tail was even more sensitive than the head
He related this to the hellbender's habit of concealment during daylight hours.
pure red light produced no response, which correlates with this animal's typical nocturnal habits
Dermal light sence was also studied by Pearse (1910).
He agreed the tail was the most light sensitive region and found most urodeles photonegative

 

[jennifer]

Kory, that's an amazing fact! I'm glad you dragged that out into the light of day!

What does it mean that most urodeles are "photonegative"?

 

[k.]

Dear Miss Science Proofreader Who I Thought Would Know The Answer To This,
"Photonegative" would tell me that they exhibit no response to the presence of light!

 

[ralf]

It means that they will try to avoid light.

Ralf

 

[elisabeth]

This fact was also mentioned in Amazing Amphibians, a show which recently aired on Animal Planet.
I taped it, and have since watched it 3 times.