MHollanders
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Hello everyone!
Scott Wahlberg recommended this forum to me and mentioned some of you might appreciate these photos. Southern dusky salamanders used to range throughout east Texas, with records from most counties in the piney-woods region of the state. However, Desmognathus auriculatus populations have declined severely throughout their range and were believed to be extirpated from the state after Toby Hibbitts found the last animal in 1995. Recently, however, several have been found at a locality in the Big Thicket region and Scott Wahlberg discovered a new population over forty miles from the aforementioned spot earlier this year. Him and I returned to this spot a few weeks ago to attempt to get better photos of the animals.
Since Texas is currently undergoing its worst drought in recorded history, we were greeted with an abundance of dry stream beds. All water apart from around spring headwaters was gone, and streams were dry only a few hundred meters from the origins of the springs. This little stream is part of the canyon system where Scott found the animals, which is spring fed.
When we reached the exact spring where Scott had found them previously, we started sifting through leaf litter and flipping small logs. Walking towards a particularly nice log, Scott put money on a Desmognathus being under it. He was right; under it was a particularly dark female guarding eggs. Witnessing proof of reproduction in such a rare species was quite a treat!
The salamanders proved to be abundant – as can be expected from Desmognathus – and we quickly found more. Note the mites on the legs of the specimen.
These animals are most likely something different from D. auriculatus, and resemble the D. fuscus complex more.
After finding seven, we called it a day at the spot as we didn't want to disturb it any more than necessary. Two were collected for DNA analysis.
The total number of known Desmognathus localities in the state is now three, although it seems likely that there are more populations dwelling in similar, but largely unexplored, habitats.
Thanks for looking!
Matthijs Hollanders
Scott Wahlberg recommended this forum to me and mentioned some of you might appreciate these photos. Southern dusky salamanders used to range throughout east Texas, with records from most counties in the piney-woods region of the state. However, Desmognathus auriculatus populations have declined severely throughout their range and were believed to be extirpated from the state after Toby Hibbitts found the last animal in 1995. Recently, however, several have been found at a locality in the Big Thicket region and Scott Wahlberg discovered a new population over forty miles from the aforementioned spot earlier this year. Him and I returned to this spot a few weeks ago to attempt to get better photos of the animals.
Since Texas is currently undergoing its worst drought in recorded history, we were greeted with an abundance of dry stream beds. All water apart from around spring headwaters was gone, and streams were dry only a few hundred meters from the origins of the springs. This little stream is part of the canyon system where Scott found the animals, which is spring fed.
When we reached the exact spring where Scott had found them previously, we started sifting through leaf litter and flipping small logs. Walking towards a particularly nice log, Scott put money on a Desmognathus being under it. He was right; under it was a particularly dark female guarding eggs. Witnessing proof of reproduction in such a rare species was quite a treat!
The salamanders proved to be abundant – as can be expected from Desmognathus – and we quickly found more. Note the mites on the legs of the specimen.
These animals are most likely something different from D. auriculatus, and resemble the D. fuscus complex more.
After finding seven, we called it a day at the spot as we didn't want to disturb it any more than necessary. Two were collected for DNA analysis.
The total number of known Desmognathus localities in the state is now three, although it seems likely that there are more populations dwelling in similar, but largely unexplored, habitats.
Thanks for looking!
Matthijs Hollanders
