California has 39 species of snakes, or maybe 41...or it

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1 Volume 19 December 2006 Number 12 T H I S M O N T H ' S G U E S T S P E A K E R Philip Brown Snakes of California: Field Guides, Taxonomy, and Other Frustrations 7:15 PM Tuesday, 19th December Arizona Game and Fish Department Office 555 North Greasewood Road (between Speedway and Anklam, west of Pima Community College) Philip Brown's interest is in native Southwestern herpetofauna. Here is examining an exceptionally large specimen of Phyrynosoma plastorum. California has 39 species of snakes, or maybe 41...or it might be 43, depending on whose classification you use and what you personally decide to believe. Back in 1997, when there were 38 recognized species in the state, Philip Brown wrote a field guide to them. Now a decade later, he will present an updated guide, taking into account changes in nomenclature, introduced species, and subspecies whose status has been elevated. Philip currently works part-time for both the Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum s education department and for Saguaro National Park West. He is a native of southern California, and has been involved in herpetological interests for more than 40 years. He is a former Assistant Curator of Education at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, where he also curated the HerpLab and then the Lizard Lounge, the Museum s hall of amphibians and reptiles that featured live local animals. He has also been a zoo keeper, horse wrangler, camp counselor, city parks naturalist, pet store manager, tropical fish store manager, railroad brakeman, pet supplies salesman, print press operator, and retail clerk at Toys R Us. He is a life member of the Southwestern Herpetologists Society, and has helped Don Swann with a sampling survey of reptiles and amphibians of Saguaro National Park West for the past four years. N E X T M O N T H ' S G U E S T S P E A K E R Trevor Hare Sky Island Alliance and Reptile and Amphibian Conservation Tuesday, 16th January Tucson Herpetological Society meetings are open to the public and are held on the third Tuesday of each month starting at 7:15PM SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19(12)

2 Tarahumara Frog (Rana tarahumarae) Call Types and Characteristics James C. Rorabaugh 1 and Lang Elliot 2 1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Phoenix, Arizona. 2 Nature Sound Studio, Ithaca, New York. The calls of the Tarahumara Frog (Rana tarahumarae), a species of barrancas and arroyos from south-central Arizona to northern Sinaloa (Rorabaugh and Hale 2005), are poorly known. Hillis and Wilcox (2005) noted that all members of the Rana tarahumarae group lack vocal sacs and slits, have reduced or absent tympana, and no calls have been recorded for any of the species. Those authors believed that if calls are produced at all they are likely given underwater, owing to the highly aquatic nature of these species. In reference to the Tarahumara Frog, Zweifel (1968) noted that no mating call has been reported. However, Campbell (1934) heard Tarahumara Frogs squawk when they were poked with a stick and leapt into the water at Peña Blanca Spring, Arizona. Hale and May (1983) said Rana tarahumarae is generally considered voiceless, but both sexes have a release call, a low grunt of about one-half second duration, uttered once or twice (sometimes more) at half second intervals. In response to recent declines of Tarahumara Frogs in southern Arizona, a population was established in 2002 at Horse Tanks, Castle Dome Mountains, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, for the purpose of producing frogs and tadpoles for reestablishment into historical localities. While working on this project, we have noted and recorded a variety of calls by this species - more than we expected based on the previous literature. Herein we describe five Tarahumara Frog call types and elaborate on their acoustical characteristics and phenology. Methods The largest aquatic site at Horse Tanks is a deep tinaja that holds water year-round due to a downstream concrete dam and, when needed, pumping of water to the site, which routinely occurs in dry summers to maintain water for bighorn sheep and other wildlife. Occurrence and types of vocalizations of Tarahumara Frogs in the tinaja were monitored by ear 28 times from May 2002 through August 2006, typically from an hour before sunset to after dark. From , 4 August 2005, vocalizations were recorded at the tinaja with an Optimus CTR-114 cassette recorder and a DAK UEM-83R shotgun microphone. Recordings were made at a distance of 0.5 to a few meters from calling frogs. Water and air temperatures were 29 0 and 33 0 C, respectively. In the lab, these recordings were played back on a Nakamichi BX-300 studio cassette recorder and digitized as 16-bit, 48 kilohertz wave audio files on a PowerMac G5 computer using ProTools LE M-Box audio editing hardware and software. The best sections of the raw field recordings were identified, extracted, and sequenced to create a 1 minute 48.8 second segment presenting the clearest examples of the different call types. Analyses of the calls were then conducted using RAVEN Lite software (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Bioacoustics Research Program). Results Calling was noted as early as 2 March and as late as 20 October, and during all visits from 20 April to 20 October. Calling was always noted when water temperatures exceeded C, and was most common at dusk, but often continued after dark. Careful listening in the field and subsequent analyses of the recordings revealed four distinct call types, including the snore, a soft whine, a vibrant eep or eepup, and a throaty croak or squawk (given individually or preceding a snore). In addition, a fifth call type is recognized - a release or distress call - which is composed of a series of brief snores. Spectograms of all but the release or distress call are provided in Figures 1a-e and call characteristics are summarized in Table 1. Frequency range is defined by the maximum and minimum frequencies recorded for all calls of a call type. Dominant frequency is the frequency with the maximum intensity in decibels, and low and high end frequencies are the lowest and highest frequencies of a call (frequency spikes, which were common in snore calls, were eliminated from this calculation). Technically, the recordings were not very good, and deciphering some variables, such as pulse rate and number, was not possible for some calls (see Table 1 caption). The calls of this species are not very loud, and although some of the recordings were made as close as 0.5 m, they were not strongly differentiated from background noise. Extraneous noise at frequencies below 500 Hz made analysis of low frequency call characteristics difficult. The snore and whine calls were the most common calls heard at Horse Tanks, but calls of all types occurred throughout the active season from March through October. Release or distress calls were not clearly audible in the field recordings, although two instances of short snores of unmeasurable, but high pulse rate, may have been these calls. An mp3 version of the edited 1 minute 48.8 second recording can be accessed on the internet at: Because Tarahumara Frogs lack vocal sacs, and the density of frogs was often quite high, it was usually difficult to identify which frog was calling. However, an adult male that was completely out of the water was 134 SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19 (12) 2006

3 observed calling at close range. This frog produced typical snore calls, but it was not clear how the sounds were generated. The snores appeared to be produced during exhalations and were accompanied by a slight fluttering of the throat. Both juvenile and adult frogs were noted making both the snore and whine calls, and most calling appeared to occur out of water at the shoreline. On one occasion, a whine call was heard coming from an underwater pair in amplexus. When frogs were captured and handled, they often gave the release or distress call. Discussion Qualitatively, four of the five Tarahumara Frog call types are not unusual for ranid frogs. The snore is an advertisement call common to many ranids, including most North American leopard frogs, Red-legged Frog (Rana aurora), Mountain Yellow-legged Frog (Rana muscosa), and others (see Davidson 1995, 1996). In the Tarahumara Frog, pulse rate and intensity often increased over the duration of each snore, and four of the snore calls were preceded by introductory pulses given s before the rest of the snore. Eeps are also made by several species, and the individual croak or squawk call is similar if not identical to the component pulses in the snore call. The whine call is unique among Arizona anurans and is somewhat similar to the groan or growl call of the California Red-legged Frog (R. a. draytonii), as well as calls of the Cascade Frog (R. cascadae, Davidson 1995). The whine call is characterized by a narrow frequency range ( Hz), as measured by the mean low and high end frequencies, and relatively high pulse rate (Table 1). It varies in duration, and appears to be given either as a short note (Figure 1.b.), similar in duration to the eep call, or in a longer form up to 1.12 s (Figure 1.c.). As noted by Hale and May (1983) and as observed by us, males, females, and juveniles utter a release or distress call that is commonly given when captured. However, rather than a grunt, as described by Hale and May, it is more precisely described as a short snore of relatively high pulse rate, given once to several times. Hale and May (1983) referred to these short snores as release calls ; alternatively, they could be distress calls. Release calls are typically given when males or non-receptive females are approached and grasped by breeding males, but may also be given when frogs are captured by hand. Distress calls are often given when a frog is captured by a predator, and may serve to distract or startle a predator into releasing the frog. It may also attract other predators; and during subsequent disputes or encounters between predators, the frog may escape (Stebbins and Cohen 1995). The purposes of the other calls are unclear. The snore call, if similar to other ranids, would be an advertisement call given by adult males. However, it is given by both adult and juvenile frogs and was heard from March through October, whereas the breeding season for this species is typically April-May and occasionally in late summer (Rorabaugh and Hale 2005). Although the whine call was heard once from a pair in amplexus, it was often heard when no amplexing frogs were found. Eeps and individual croaks or squawks were also not found to be associated with particular behaviors. Campbell s (1934) observation of a squawk when Tarahumara Frogs were poked with a stick is consistent with an alarm call. American Bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), particularly juveniles, make a squawk alarm call, but we noted no such alarm call by Tarahumara Frogs at Horse Tanks. Horse Tanks is outside of the native range of the Tarahumara Frog, and may be hotter and drier than most or all sites where the species occurs naturally. Whether our observations at Horse Tanks are typical for the species is unknown. The recordings were made at a water temperature of 29 0 C. This is higher than in most natural habitats of the species (Hale et al. 1998, Calling was noted as early as 2 March and as late as 20 October, and during all visits from 20 April to 20 October. Figure 1a-e. Spectograms of Tarahumara Frog calls. The arrows show the location of call signatures. (Inset: Tarahumara Frog [Rana tarahumarae], Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona. Photo by Jim Rorabaugh). SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19(12)

4 Table 1. Descriptive statistics of Tarahumara Frog call types. 1 # pulses could not be counted for one snore call. 2 # pulses could only be counted for one whine call. 3 # pulses could only be counted for one eep call. 4 Dominant frequency could not be determined for two snore calls.. CALL TYPE SAMPLE SIZE (n) MEAN # PULS ES (range), variance, sample size (n) MEAN DURATION (S), (range), variance, sample size (n) MEAN PULS E RATE #/S, (range), variance, sample size (n) SNORE (52) 21 (4-112), 320, (51 1 ) 0.59 ( ), 0.15, (52) 37.0 ( ), 219, (51 1 ) WHINE (20) 8 (NA), NA, (1 2 ) ( ), 0.085, (20) 77.7 (NA), NA, (1 3 ) EEP (13) 9 (NA), NA, (1 3 ) ( ), , (16) (NA), NA, (1 4 ) CROAK/ SQUAWK (8) 1 (1), (0), (8) ( ), , (8) 1 (1), (0), (8) FREQUENCY RANGE (HZ), sample size (n) (52) (20) (16) (8) MEAN LOW END FREQUENCY (HZ), (range), variance, sample size (n) 326 (38-766), 27345, (52) 707 ( ), 12567, (20) 1113 ( ), , (16) 309, ( ), 24912, (8) MEAN HIGH END FREQUENCY (HZ), (range), variance, sample size (n) 2086 ( ), , (52) 1040 ( ), 20084, (20) 4474 ( ), , (16) 2339 ( ), , (8) MEAN DOMINANT FREQUENCY (HZ), (range), variance, sample size (n) 740 ( ), 26547, (50 4 ) 847 ( ), 13604, (20) 1562 ( ), , (16) 683 ( ), 24260, (8) Hale 2001), although water temperatures of 27, 28, and 31 0 C have been recorded in some pools occupied by Tarahumara Frogs in Big Casa Blanca Canyon (from monitoring reports 2004 to the present). Call frequency and pulse rate are typically higher at elevated temperatures. Hence, if heard at lower temperatures, these calls would likely sound slower and lower pitched, and may vary in other ways as well (Davidson 1995). One of us (JCR) has heard snore and whine calls in Big Casa Blanca Canyon in June and July, which qualitatively sounded similar to the recorded calls from Horse Tanks. Literature Cited Campbell, B Report on a collection of reptiles and amphibians made in Arizona during the summer of Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 289:1-10. Davidson, C Frog and toad calls of the Pacific Coast. The Library of Natural Sounds, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY and USDA Forest Service. Davidson, C Frog and toad calls of the Rocky Mountains. Library of Natural Sounds, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY and USDA Forest Service. Hale, S.F The status of the Tarahumara frog in Sonora, Mexico based on a re-survey of selected localities, and search for additional populations. Report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Phoenix, Arizona. Hale, S.F., G.M. Ferguson, P.A. Holm, and E.B. Wirt Re-survey of selected Tarahumara frog (Rana tarahumarae) localities in northern Sonora, Mexico, in May Report to the Arizona Zoological Society and the Tarahumara Frog Conservation Team. Hale, S.F., and C.J. May Status report for Rana tarahumarae Boulenger. Report to the Office of Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hillis, D.M., and T.P. Wilcox Phylogeny of New World true frogs (Rana). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 34: Rorabaugh, J.C., and S.F. Hale Rana tarahumarae Boulenger, 1917, Tarahumara frog. Pages in M.J. Lannoo (ed), Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species. University of California Press, Berkeley. Stebbins, R.C., and N.W. Cohen A Natural History of Amphibians. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Zweifel, R.G Rana tarahumarae. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles 66: SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19 (12) 2006

5 The Reptiles and Other Vertebrates of Ironwood Forest National Monument Roy C. Averill-Murray and Annalaura Averill- Murray U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reno, Nevada, USA. We have previously reported the distribution and density of Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) at Ironwood Forest National Monument (IFNM), based largely on surveys conducted in 2001 (Averill-Murray and Averill-Murray 2002a, 2005). IFNM is one of the most species-rich areas in the Sonoran Desert. Researchers have documented more than 670 species of plants and animals in the area that is now IFNM (Tersey et al. 2001), including federally listed Threatened or Endangered species (Lesser Long-nosed Bat, Nichol s Turk s Head Cactus) and several Species of Greatest Conservation Need (e.g., Desert Tortoise; Arizona Game and Fish Department [AGFD], 2006). Extensive stands of saguaro and ironwood create potential habitat for endangered Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy Owls, a species known to nest in Sonoran desertscrub vegetation in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico (Cartron et al. 2000). The monument may also contain the last viable population of Desert Bighorn Sheep indigenous to the Tucson basin (Bristow et al. 1996). In this article, we present an inventory of reptiles at IFNM documented during our 2001 surveys. In addition, knowing that prominent THS member Roger Repp is never satisfied with mere snake and lizard data, we also list the birds and mammals that we documented on the monument and a toad. We recorded all vertebrate species seen or heard while on or en-route to tortoise transects (described in Averill-Murray and Averill-Murray 2002a,b). We calculated the number of tortoise transects on which we found each species, stratified according to general landscape features (see below). Species seen on IFNM but not on or near transects were recorded as incidental. For bird species, we also noted behaviors indicative of breeding. Scientific and common names follow Crother (2000) for amphibians and reptiles, American Ornithologists Union (2000) for birds, and Hoffmeister (1986) for mammals. We post-stratified the transects into 3 categories based on general landscape features in the monument: Category B, characterized by steep topography with boulders; Category W, incised washes and few to no boulders (with or without topographic relief); and Category X, absence of incised washes and boulders. Category B had vegetation typical of the Arizona Upland subdivision of the Sonoran Desert, including ironwood, foothill paloverde, white-thorn acacia, velvet mesquite, triangleleaf bursage, and many cacti species, often with a chaparral component that was absent from the other habitat categories (e.g., jojoba). Additionally, the boulders and rock piles provided microhabitats likely used by many reptile species. Category W often contained drainages with lush vegetation, including plant species found throughout the monument and some species restricted to areas within the monument with ephemeral water (e.g., blue paloverde). A transect was considered type B or W if any portion of the transect met the above criteria; therefore, these landscape features were not necessarily the primary component of a transect. Category X had the lowest structural diversity of all the habitat categories, consisting largely of creosotebushdominated desert valleys with a sparse tree and shrub component, as well as smaller drainages with vegetation typical of the other habitat categories. We recorded 100 vertebrate species on the monument: 29 reptiles, 1 amphibian, 54 birds, and 16 mammals (Table 1). Habitat Category X had the highest species richness for all taxonomic groups, but this is probably a function of the high number of transects surveyed in this category or increased visibility due to the absence of incised washes and boulders and lower vegetative cover. The species we detected were largely those available to be seen during diurnal tortoise surveys, and nocturnal species are under-represented. For reptiles and amphibians, we list other species likely present at IFNM. Notes Desert Tortoises occur at very low density but are not absent in the valley floor, outside of areas with boulders or washes. Averill-Murray and Averill-Murray (2002b) reported the Crotaphytus species on IFNM as C. collaris. However, examination of an individual in hand at Ragged Top during summer 2002 indicated that the correct species is C. nebrius, the Sonoran Collared Lizard. We found Desert Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus magister) more often on creosotebush flats than the other habitat categories. We found Clark s Spiny Lizards (S. clarkii) more often in the structurally more diverse boulder and wash habitat categories than on creosotebush flats. Even though sample sizes are small, this potential habitat partitioning was statistically significant (heterogeneity X 2 =4.761, P<0.05). 1 We observed several possible Eastern Fence Lizards (Sceloporus undulatus complex) on 3 transects in desert flats in the southern part of the monument (1 east of the Roskruge Mountains, 1 north of Pan Quemado, and 1 in Avra Valley in the southeastern-most corner of the monument) and on 1 transect near the West Silverbell Mountains. The latter transect was primarily desert flats with one steep, bouldery area. This species SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19(12)

6 Figure 1. Sonoran Coralsnake (Micruroides euryxanthus). Photo by Roy C. Averill-Murray. occurs to the south and east of IFNM, including Saguaro National Park's Rincon Mountain District (D. Swann, pers. comm. 2002; Stebbins 2003), but to our knowledge has not been documented in the area that is now IFNM. These observations, if valid, would constitute a slight range extension for the Sceloporus undulatus complex. Unfortunately, we were unable to collect a specimen. Nine out of 11 Coachwhips (Masticophis flagellum) were black phase, which is consistent with Stebbins (2003) note that this phase outnumbers the red phase around Tucson. We observed breeding behavior or found evidence of breeding for 16 bird species, including 2 species identified as priority species for Pima County s Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan: Rufous-winged Sparrow and Bell s Vireo (Pima County 2001). We observed domestic cows on only 2 transects, but this species was observed almost daily throughout the desert valleys of the monument and occasionally at Ragged Top. Additional details of this study are available in Averill-Murray and Averill-Murray (2002b). Acknowledgements Cathy Arnold (ASARCO/Silverbell Mine), Richard Oxford (State Lands Department), Chris Schahn (Arizona Game and Fish Department), and Karen Simms (Bureau of Land Management) provided logistical support and helped us access specific areas of the monument. This extensive project would not have been possible without the field support of Daniel Bell and Philip Fenberg, as well as the many people who volunteered or worked on the project. Literature Cited American Ornithologists Union The AOU checklist of North American birds. 7 th ed [online]. Accessed 2002 February 16. Arizona Game and Fish Department Draft. Arizona s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix. Averill-Murray, R.C., and A. Averill-Murray Regional-scale estimation of density and habitat use of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in Arizona. Journal of Herpetology 39: Averill-Murray, A., and R.C. Averill-Murray. 2002a. Distribution and density of Desert Tortoises at Ironwood Forest National Monument. Sonoran Herpetologist 15: Averill-Murray, A., and R.C. Averill-Murray. 2002b. Distribution and density of Desert Tortoises at Ironwood Forest National Monument, with notes on other vertebrates. Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program Technical Report 193. Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, Arizona. Bristow, K.D., J.A. Wennerlund, R.E. Schweinsburg, R.J. Olding, and R.E. Lee Habitat use and movements of desert bighorn sheep near the Silverbell Mine, Arizona. Technical Report Number 25. Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix. Cartron, J.E., S.H. Stoleson, S.M. Russell, G.A. Proudfoot, and W.S. Richardson The Ferruginous Pygmy-owl in the tropics and at the northern end of its range: habitat relations and requirements. pp In Cartron, J.E., and D.M. Finch (eds.), Ecology and conservation of the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl in Arizona. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-43. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Ogden, Utah. Crother, B.I Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of north America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetological Circular Number 29. Hoffmeister, D.F Mammals of Arizona. Univ. Arizona Press, Tucson. Pima County (Arizona) Draft priority vulnerable species: analysis and review of species proposed for coverage by the multiple species conservation plan. Pima County, Tucson. 384p plus appendices. Stebbins, R.C Western reptiles and amphibians. Third ed. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Tersey, D., B. Drennen, and D. Moore Pre-plan analysis for the Ironwood Forest National Monument. U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Tucson, Arizona. 138 SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19 (12) 2006

7 Table 1. Vertebrate species found on Ironwood Forest National Monument, Data are proportions of transects on which a species was documented in each category. * indicates Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Arizona (AGFD 2006). 1 Stratum B, steep topography with boulders; Stratum W, incised washes, few to no boulders (with or without topographic relief); Stratum X, absence of incised washes and boulders. Species found on the Monument but not on or near a transect are listed as incidentals. Number of transects in each category are in parentheses. 2 Tortoise data are divided into 2 categories: tortoises (with live tortoises) and sign only (transects with tortoise scat, carcasses, tracks, or obvious [half-moon] tortoise burrows but without tortoises). 3 Sign only found (scat, skeleton, nest, or tracks). 4 Found dead on road. 5 An additional red phase was found on the monument, incidental to the transects. 6 Number of species found in each stratum and overall. Incidentals are not included in stratum totals, but are included in overall totals (except the unidentified hummingbird and western flycatcher). Overall total in parentheses includes potential species. Common Name Scientific Name Stratum 1 B(26) W(24) X(59) Tot(109) Reptiles *Desert Tortoise 2 Gopherus agassizii Tortoise sign only Gopherus agassizii Sonoran Spotted Whiptail Aspidoscelis sonorae Tiger Whiptail Aspidoscelis tigris Zebra-tailed Lizard Callisaurus draconoides Western Banded Gecko Coleonyx variegatus Potential Sonoran Collared Lizard Crotaphytus nebrius Desert Iguana Dipsosaurus dorsalis Long-nosed Leopard Lizard Gambelia wislizenii Gila Monster Heloderma suspectum Desert Horned Lizard Phrynosoma platyrhinos Potential Regal Horned Lizard Phrynosoma solare Common Chuckwalla 3 Sauromalus ater Clark s Spiny Lizard Sceloporus clarkii Desert Spiny Lizard Sceloporus magister Eastern Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatus complex Long-tailed Brush Lizard Urosaurus graciosus Potential Ornate Tree Lizard Urosaurus ornatus Common Side-blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana Glossy Snake Arizona elegans Incidental Variable Sandsnake Chilomeniscus stramineus Potential Western Shovel-nosed Snake Chionactis occipitalis Potential Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox Sidewinder 3 Crotalus cerastes Incidental Black-tailed Rattlesnake Crotalus molossus Mojave Rattlesnake Crotalus scutulatus Tiger Rattlesnake Crotalus tigris Ring-necked Snake Diadophis punctatus Potential Nightsnake Hypsiglena torquata Common Kingsnake 4 Lampropeltis getula Incidental Western Threadsnake Leptotyphlops humilis Potential Sonoran Whipsnake Masticophis bilineatus Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum (black phase/red phase).04 (1/0).15 (8/1).09 (9/1) 5 Sonoran Coralsnake Micruroides euryxanthus Gophersnake 4 Pituophis catenifer Incidental Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake Phyllorhynchus decurtatus Potential Saddled Leaf-nosed Snake Phyllorhynchus browni Potential Long-nosed Snake Rhinocheilus lecontei Potential SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19(12)

8 Table1: Vertebrate Species of Ironwood Forest National Monument (continued) Common Name Scientific Name B(26) W(24) X(59) Tot(109) Western Patch-nosed Snake Salvadora hexalepis Groundsnake Sonora semiannulata Potential Smith s Black-headed Snake Tantilla hobartsmithi Potential Black-necked Gartersnake Thamnophis cyrtopsis Potential Checkered Gartersnake Thamnophis marcianus Potential Western Lyresnake 4 Trimorphodon biscutatus Incidental Observed Species Richness (43) Amphibians Colorado River Toad Bufo alvarius Incidental Great Plains Toad Bufo cognatus Potential Red-spotted Toad Bufo punctatus Potential Sonoran Green Toad Bufo retiformis Potential Woodhouse s Toad Bufo woodhousii Potential Great Plains Narrow-mouthed Toad Gastrophryne olivacea Potential Couch s Spadefoot Scaphiopus couchii Potential Mexican Spadefoot Spea multiplicata Potential Observed Species Richness 6 1 (8) Birds Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis Incidental Rufous-winged Sparrow Aimophila carpalis Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata Verdin Auriparus flaviceps Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys Gambel s Quail Callipepla gambelii Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Incidental House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis Gilded Flicker Colaptes chrysoides Common Raven Corvus corax Black-throated Gray Warbler Dendroica nigrescens Incidental Pacific-slope Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis Incidental Western Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis/occidentalis Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus Incidental American Kestrel Falco sparverius Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Cliff Swallow Hirundo pyrrhonota Incidental Scott s Oriole Icterus parisorum Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Gila Woodpecker Melanerpes uropygialis Elf Owl Micrathene whitneyi Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19 (12) 2006

9 Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens Western Screech Owl Otus kennicottii Harris s Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus House Sparrow Passer domesticus Incidental Phainopepla Phainopepla nitens Common Poorwill Phalaenoptilus nuttallii Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Canyon Towhee Pipilo fuscus Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana Incidental Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Polioptila melanura *Purple Martin Progne subis Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus Say s Phoebe Sayornis saya Incidental Brewer s Sparrow Spizella breweri Incidental Crissal Thrasher Toxostoma crissale Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre House Wren Troglodytes aedon Incidental Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis *Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla Bell s Vireo 3 Vireo bellii White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura *White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys Incidental Unidentified hummingbird Observed Species Richness Mammals Harris Antelope Squirrel Ammospermophilus harrisii Domestic Cow Bos tarus Coyote 3 Canis latrans Kangaroo rat species Dipodomys sp. Incidental Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuscus Incidental Bobcat Felis rufus Black-tailed Jack Rabbit Lepus californicus White-throated Wood Rat Neotoma albigula Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus Bighorn Sheep Ovis canadensis Incidental Rock Squirrel Spermophilus variegates Incidental Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii Badger 3 Taxidea taxus Collared Peccary Tayassu tajacu Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus Kit Fox Vulpes macrotis Incidental Observed Species Richness SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19(12)

10 B O A R D M E E T I N G S Y N O P S I S 28 November 2006 Robert L. Bezy, Secretary Directors Present: Robert Bezy, Kevin Bonine, Young Cage, Dennis Caldwell, Paul Condon, Kent Jacobs, Robert Villa, Brian Wooldridge, Erin Zylstra. Directors Absent: Taylor Edwards, Elissa Ostergaard,. Members Present: Marty Tuegel. Treasurer s Report Kent Jacobs. 25 November 2006 Beginning Balance $10, Deposits $ Expenses $ Ending Balance $9, Speaker s Bureau $1, Jarchow Award $70.00 FTHL Fund $ C.H.Lowe Fund $2, General Fund $5, CRHSD CD $8, Itemized Deposits: Membership $ Itemized Expenses: Hats $525.00, Sonoran Herpetologist $138.65, Voting Supplies $8.65 Committee Reports Website Marty Tuegel. Photos from the 2006 contest will be posted soon. Speakers Bureau Robert Villa and Ed Moll. 2 November - Tom McDonald gave an afterschool presentation at Catalina Community Center to 23 children using live animals. 5 November - Robert Villa gave a talk at the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind with 4 students and their teacher present. 6 November- Ed Moll gave an after-school presentation at Lew Sorenson Community Center to 21 children (ages 8 13). Ed used live snakes and turtles to illustrate characteristics of reptiles and their value to the ecology of the Sonoran Desert. 8 November - Robert Villa gave a talk at the Wilmot Library Story Time with 20 children and their parents present. Program Young Cage for Elissa Ostergaard. The lineup of speakers includes: 19 December Philip Brown 16 January Trevor Hare 20 February Larry Jones Sonoran Herpetologist Young Cage (for Don Swann). The board continues to seek a qualified replacement for editor Don Swann Flat Tailed Horned Lizard Kevin Bonine. The amended complaint will be submitted with the THS as lead plaintiff. University of Arizona Student Chapter of the THS Kevin Bonine. Roger Repp presented a talk on his research and the students will be participating in a field trip with him. Photo Contest Kevin Bonine. The contest was a great success with 112 photos submitted by 16 individuals and 31 awarded prizes or Honorable Mentions. The Board thanks Dave Burkhalter, Chip Hedgcock, and Manny Rubio for their service as judges. Old Business Year End Review for the Sonoran Herpetologist Young Cage. The deadline for submissions is 15 December. New Business Raffle Kevin Bonine for Robin Llewellyn. The board expresses its appreciation and gratitude for the continuing dedication of Robin to this important Society function. M E M B E R S H I P Membership Information Individual $20 Sustaining $30 Family $25 Contributing $50 Student $14 Life $500 To receive a membership form and recent issue of Sonoran Herpetologist call (520) or write: Tucson Herpetological Society P. O. Box 709 Tucson AZ Time to Renew Your THS Membership? I hope this is a helpful reminder to those of you whose membership renewal is due this month. Please call or with corrections and errors or dhardysr@theriver.com Dave Hardy Sr., Membership Secretary Due in December Melissa Amarello Thomas Brennan Erik Enderson Randall Gray Chip Hedgcock and Kim Morrison Erika Nowak Michael and Mary Ann Smith Mark and Moki Wolfson Robert, Kit Bezy and Kate Bolles Young Cage Stephen Goldberg Marc Hammond Ali Rabatsky Blair Wolf Membership Update - 4 December 2006 Sustaining Members Emily Bennett Sierra Vista Andrew Price Austin, TX Jarchow Conservation Award Emily Bennett U P D A T E Sierra Vista 142 SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19 (12) 2006

11 Sonoran Herpetologist is the newsletter-journal of the Tucson Herpetological Society, and is Copyright The contents of Sonoran Herpetologist may be reproduced for inclusion in the newsletters of other herpetological societies provided the material is reproduced without change and with appropriate credit, and a copy of the publication is sent to the Tucson Herpetological Society. Occasional exceptions to this policy will be noted. Contents are indexed in Zoological Record. A complete set of back issues are available in the Special Collections area of the University of Arizona library. They are accompanied by a copy of The Collected Papers of the Tucson Herpetological Society, Editor Don Swann, donswann@dakotacom.net Associate Editors Dale Turner, dturner@theriver.com Robert Bezy, bezy@comcast.net Art Editor Dennis Caldwell, dennis@caldwell-design.com Book Review Editor Eric Stitt, stitt@cox.net Distribution Fred Wilson, fredtj@comcast.net Trevor Hare, trevor@skyislandalliance.org Membership Dave Hardy Sr., dhardysr@theriver.com Information for Contributors Authors should submit original articles, notes, book reviews to the Editor, either via using an attached word processed manuscript or by mail to the Society s address. The manuscript style should follow that of Journal of Herpetology and other publications of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. For further information, please contact the editor. The Tucson Herpetological Society is dedicated to conservation, education, and research concerning the amphibians and reptiles of Arizona and Mexico. Tucson Herpetological Society is a registered non-profit organization. Officers President Young Cage, ydcage@aol.com Vice President Kevin Bonine, kebonine@u.arizona.edu Secretary Bob Bezy, bezy@comcast.net Treasurer Kent Jacobs, jacobskent@earthlink.net Directors Dennis Caldwell, dennis@caldwell-design.com Paul Condon, ptcondon@comcast.net Elissa Ostergaard, elissaost@gmail.com Robert Villa, herpsandviolin@aol.com Brian Wooldridge, c_scutulatus@yahoo.com Erin Zylstra, erinzylstra@hotmail.com Past President Taylor Edwards, taylore@u.arizona.edu Society Activities Monthly Members Meeting Elissa Ostergaard, Program Chair 3rd Tuesday, 7:15 PM Board of Directors Meeting Last Tuesday of each month (except December), 7:00 PM Arizona Game and Fish Department Office 555 North Greasewood Road Speakers Bureau (scheduled presentations) Robert Villa, Director Ed Moll, Director Conservation Committee Dennis Caldwell, Director Herpetological Information Hotline Bob Brandner Jarchow Conservation Award Taylor Edwards, Chairperson Publications: Sonoran Herpetologist, Backyard Ponds brochure, Living with Venomous Reptiles brochure, THS Herp Coloring Book, THS Collected Papers, THS Internet World Wide Webpage Marty Tuegel, Webmaster, mtuegel@yahoo.com Deadline for Sonoran Herpetologist 20(1): December 15 For more information about the THS and the reptiles and amphibians of the Tucson area visit tucsonherpsociety.org SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19(12)

12 Your membership has expired. This is your only reminder. Please renew! December 2006, Volume 19, Number 12 LEAD ARTICLES 134 Tarahumara Frog Call Types and Characteristics 137 The Reptiles and Other Vertebrates of Ironwood Forest National Monument 144 SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 19 (12) 2006