In November 2001, local freeloader Dave Prival strapped

Transcription

1 Volume 16 December 2003 Number 12 T H I S M O N T H ' S G U E S T S P E A K E R Dave Prival independent (or socially ostracized?) Reptiles, Amphibians, and Intestinal Bacteria of Latin America 7:15 PM Tuesday, December 16th Arizona Game and Fish Department Office 555 North Greasewood Road (between Speedway and Anklam, west of Pima Community College.) In November 2001, local freeloader Dave Prival strapped on a 60-pound backpack, stumbled to the Tucson bus station, and headed south. Over the next 15 months, he put his mooching skills to the test as he made his way to Argentina, shamelessly taking advantage of the hospitality of as many gullible biologists as he could find en route. During his voyage he encountered many strange and wonderful things, most of which found a new home in his digestive system, but a few of which were herps that he may or may not have photographed. Dave will present some slides of his excursion in case anyone else has the foolish notion that traveling is a good idea. Dave studied twin-spotted rattlesnake ecology and conservation for a M.S. at the University of Arizona. He has also studied banded rock rattlesnakes, conducted herp inventories of four Sonoran Desert and six Chihuahuan Desert National Parks, and probably done some other stuff he can t remember. N E X T M O N T H ' S G U E S T S P E A K E R C.H. Lowe Herpetology Research Fund The THS is proud to announce the first recipient of the C.H. Lowe Herpetology Research Fund. An award of $500 has been granted to Lori Woods of RECON Consultants, Inc. The award will be used to support and communicate on-going and additional research and education on amphibians and reptiles of the arid southwestern United States. The information provided by this research will be incorporated into the Habitat Management Guidelines RECON is preparing in collaboration with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC). Proposals to the C.H. Lowe Research Fund are reviewed semiannually; the next due date being 1 May Researchers need not be affiliated with an institution and need not have previous experience. Pre K-12 educational institutions and students are encouraged to apply. Decisions to award will be made on the value of the research being proposed and not on the experience or status of the person making the request. For more information, please contact Taylor Edwards; tayache@ag.arizona.edu Election Results The annual meeting and election took place on November 18, The following people were elected as Officers. Taylor Edwards Eric Stitt Robert Bezy Marty Tuegel President Vice President Secretary Treasurer New 2004 directors (three openings): Roy Averill-Murray, Young Cage, and Roger Repp. Thanks to the Nominating Committee, Cristina A. Jones (chair), Don E. Swann and Craig S. Ivanyi, for putting together an excellent slate of candidates. Roger Repp Regally Rare: A generalists' perspective on the paucity of Regal Horned Lizards in Southern Arizona Tuesday, January 20th 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 16 (12)

2 P A T R O N Y M S O F T H E P I O N E E R W E S T Figure 1. Billy Price (extreme left) leading a field party of Stanford students in Note the LUVs (longeared utility vehicles) used by the party to haul their equipment and supplies. Reprinted from W. K. Fisher 1923 (Fig. 21, P. 52) with the express permission of the copyright holder, The Cooper Ornithological Society). V. Crotalus pricei, Van Denburgh, 1895 Twin-spotted rattlenake Edward O. Moll Adjunct Professor School of Renewable Natural Resources University of Arizona In the previous column, the Ridge-nosed rattlesnake was highlighted and, so in this issue, it seems appropriate to address a kindred species, the Twinspotted rattlesnake. These two snakes are similar in several respects. Both are diminutive, high altitude, Madrean Crotalids whose ranges barely penetrate Southwestern U.S. Even their type specimens were collected in the same place, Ramsey Canyon, Cochise Co. Arizona. However, to paraphrase a guy named Gause, no two rattlesnakes can do exactly the same thing in the same place at the same time. They have to be different to coexist, and in this case, the differences involve habitat and food. While the Twin-spotted prefers hard rock and spiny lizard entrees, the Ridgenose is more into soft soil and rodent repasts. On May 19, 2001, Walter Schoeple, a retired surgeon and fellow THS member, and I set off on a field trip to the Chiricahuas. The Twin-spotted rattlesnake ranked high on our want list for the trip. I had been scouring the rock piles of the Huachucas in vain for the little beast, but according to an old snaker I had talked to, the Cherry Cows was where I should be looking. Thanks to Carl Kauffeld, I spoke enough localese to know that he was referring to the Chiricahuas. Kauffeld in Snakes and Snake Hunting had written that natives to Southeastern Arizona called this sky island the Cherry Cows, and I had stored this information away for future reference. Arriving at mid afternoon, our first objective was to seek out the talus slope habitat of Crotalus pricei. At 7700 feet we encountered a particularly nice looking rocky slope and left our jeep to investigate. Walking through the grass and pines toward the site, the inaugural reptile of the trip, a Slevin s bunch grass lizard (Sceloporus slevini), scampered across a well-worn path, and likely beaten into the soil by legions of herpers before us. Upon reaching the rocks, the temperature was 60º and the sun was shining but, shortly thereafter, thunder rolled and soon a cold rain began to fall. I am sure that I had been told that it does not rain in southern Arizona in May. Somebody lied! The rain did not last long, but the temperature plummeted to 48º. Deciding that any future searching would have to wait until the following day, we drove back down to Highway 80 and proceeded up to Rodeo, New Mexico. It was still light and the only herp sightings on this first run were a live Phrynosoma cornutum and a well-flattened Pituophis catenifer. Our game plan was simply to drive back and forth on 80, through the late afternoon and on into the night. Unfortunately our plan produced no additional reptiles, but the road running did cede several Bufo cognatus and Scaphiopus couchi after dark. By 9:30 PM it was time for the intrepid, but aged, herpers to retreat back up into 110 SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 16 (12) 2003

3 the mountains and make camp. Armed with the knowledge that it did not rain in Arizona in May, I brought only a fold up cot from which I was contemplating doing some serious stargazing until I dropped off to sleep. Walter, who must not have heard about rainless Mays, brought a nice little popup tent. Within 15 minutes after retiring, clouds and rain replaced the stars and I quickly folded my cot and raced to the car where I shivered for the next hour. Finally it appeared safe to set up the cot again. But I spent the rest of the night, alternately pulling up a plastic tarp with each onset of drizzle and throwing it off again, as the heat and humidity became excessive. Following breakfast the early morning was spent birding, while waiting for the talus slopes to heat up to the point that would stimulate reptilian activity. For the most part, we saw only typical avian fare; Steller s and Mexican Jays, Yellow-eyed juncos, and Hairy woodpeckers. However, along the Portal Road, I saw my first Scaled quail. Finally at 9:30 AM, it was time to return to the talus slopes. An hour and a half search at the first site revealed only Mountain spiny lizards (Sceloporus jarrovii) skittering over the rocks. We moved on to another slope at 8000'. At this extensive talus slope, Walter headed up slope and I headed down. After walking about 75 feet, I stopped to observe a Mountain spiny lizard that appeared to be eating something. Looking around behind me to find a flat, sitting rock from which to observe, I saw, within 6 feet of me, a small Twin-spotted rattlesnake warming itself in full sunlight next to a rock crevice. Transfixed by the little serpent and hardly daring to breathe, let alone move, I just stared at him for several minutes. Finally slowly reaching back, I extracted the camera from my pack. Although it bore a zoom lens rather than the macro, I could not afford the time to change. There was no telling when the snake might retreat into the crevice. I called to Walter and then got as close as I dared and began to shoot. Five shots later, Walter arrived with his camera. But before he even saw it, the snake, perhaps sensing his arrival, withdrew into the rocks. Over the next hour, Walter saw another Twin-spotted on the move through the rocks but there were no more photo ops. We departed the talus slopes at noon and headed back to Tucson. Although relatively few herps had rewarded our efforts, the great looks at a Twin-spotted rattlesnake, our target species, in its natural environs made this trip to the Cherry Cows a bonzer* venture. (*Australian for remarkable) John Van Denburgh, the describer of Crotalus pricei, was curator of the California Academy of Sciences collection from 1895 until his death in He was an ardent collection builder and his love for his collection once caused him to risk his life for it. During the1906 earthquake and fire, he rushed into the crumbling Academy of Science building to rescue specimens. Although over 8000 specimens were lost, Van Denburgh managed to save most of the holotypes (13) including the type series of Crotalus pricei (CAS- SU 1702) which he had described in In his description he presented the following dedication: In a collection of reptiles, made by Mr. W. W. Price for the Leland Stanford Junior University, is a new species of rattlesnake which I take pleasure in naming for its energetic collector. William Wightman Price, or Billy as he was known to his field companions, was a dedicated field biologist and nature lover who participated in the pioneer decade of field exploration that followed the opening of Stanford University in Natural history was the name of the game and expeditions, sponsored by private and government patronage, fanned out over the globe to collect and stock the shelves of Stanford s fledgling museum. A few of the better known collector/adventurers associated with this period were David Starr Jordan, C. H. Gilbert, John Van Denburgh, W. F. Allen, and Edmund Heller. Price, a Stanford student at the time, established his reputation as a collector of birds, mammals, and reptiles in expeditions to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and southern Arizona. Price, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, January 20, 1871, was forced to become independent at an early age. His mother died when he was two and following a move to Riverside, California his father died, leaving Billy an orphan at 14. He temporarily quit school to become a vagabond. For a year and a half, he traveled the wilds of Arizona exploring mountains and deserts while collecting mammals and birds. On his return to California, Price entered Oakland High School, paying some of his expenses with the sale of animal skins he had collected. Mountains and deserts remained Price s chief preoccupation, however. Whenever the chance presented itself, he was off to some wild place, whether it was during a legitimate break in the school calendar or one of many unexcused absences. On one such absence in 1888, at 17 years of age, he made a trip to the pine forests of the Huachucas and recorded the first specimen of the Rose-throated Becard in the U.S. Thanks to an understanding teacher who encouraged and guided him, Billy did make it through high school and entered Stanford in 1892 where he eventually received an A. B. in Economics and a M. S. in Zoology. The routine and restraint of the laboratory was never Billy s style, however. Throughout his college career, he remained the consumate field biologist, leading trips into the wilds of California, Arizona and Baja California, usually with other Stanford students. It was a trip to the Huachuca Mountains in May of 1893 that is of most concern to our subject. Price with two other Stanford students, Ray Wilbur and Malcolm Anderson, loaded their field gear on a train in Los Angeles destined for Tucson. It was a hot, dirty trip and by the time they arrived, the train seats were covered with a quarter inch of dust. At the station they met Herbert Brown, editor of a Tucson newspaper, William Wightman Price, or Billy as he was known to his field companions, was a dedicated field biologist and nature lover who participated in the pioneer decade of field exploration that followed the opening of Stanford University in SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 16 (12)

4 Figure 2. John Van Denburgh, Curator at Calfornia Academy of Sciences, 1895 to1924. Van Denburgh knew Billy Price and in1895, described Crotalus pricei in his honor. (Photograph from California Academy of Sciences Archives). who also happened to be a birder. Brown told them about the particularly lush habitat around old Fort Lowell and suggested that they spend some time there before continuing on to the Huachucas. Following his suggestion, Price and his field crew set up camp among the broken down adobe buildings there and collected along the willow-lined stream and within the nearby Saguaro forest. In addition to collecting a wide variety of birds and mammals, they averaged half dozen rattlesnakes a day and saw numerous Gila monsters at the site. Finally after six weeks, they packed up and headed for their original destination, the Huachuca Mountains. For the next three months, the party collected both the upper and lower parts of Ramsey Canyon as well as along the San Pedro River. Field work in those days was a demanding occupation. The field party survived on coffee, pancakes, prunes, and whatever game that they could find. Anderson had to drop out and head home after contracting malaria. Bandits were a constant threat. There was some concern about encountering the Apache Kid, who was known to be active in the region (particularly the Chiricahuas). The Kid was a renegade who had escaped from authorities after executing the man responsible for his father s murder. He was never captured but roamed the region throughout the late 1880s and early 1890s, littering his trail with corpses of pursuers. Price s party never encountered the Kid, but they were robbed by Mexican bandits that took everything but their preserved specimens. Somehow they managed to replace enough gear to continue and were joined by a dentist named Timmerman, who replaced Anderson. Despite the hardships and problems, Price always remained positive, excited, and optimistic in the field. His enthusiasm was contagious, keeping the other members of the party positive as well. Just being in nature surrounded by the mountain majesty, multispecies of hummingbirds, Trogons, Painted redstarts, Vermilion and Sulfur-bellied flycatchers, Gould s turkeys, and Coues whitetailed deer was worth any hardship. At the end of their tour, they had obtained a large and diverse collection of vertebrates that they proudly turned over to Stanford. Within this collection, among what they estimated to be a dozen or thirteen varieties of rattlesnakes, were five specimens of a small dual-spotted snake that became the type series of Crotalus pricei. Price continued his collecting expeditions until 1899 when he became a teacher at Thatcher boy s school. The next year he married Bertha Laguna, a former student at Stanford. Throughout the remainder of his life, Billy Price ran camps and schools for boys. The central idea of both was to expose boys to nature and to teach them self-reliance and initiative through outdoor experiences. With his ability to infect others with his enthusiasm and love of nature, few persons could have been better suited to this profession than Billy Price. He died in 1922 after several years of fighting Bright s disease and a weakened heart. Price s name lives on in science in binomials and trinomials of several vertebrates: the Yaqui catfish, Ictalurus pricei, the Mexican stoneroller, Campostoma pricei; a subspecies of the Desert pocketmouse, Perignathus penicillatus pricei; and, of course, Crotalus pricei, a diminutive serpent donning a dualdotted dorsum. SOURCES Adler, Kraig A Herpetologists of the past. Pp in K. A. Adler (ed.) Contributions to the history of herpetology. Contributions to herpetology, Number 5. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Fischer, Dan L Early southwest ornithologists, The University of Arizona Press, Tucson. Fisher, Walter, K William Wightman Price. The Condor, 25: Van Denburgh, John Description of a new rattlesnake (Crotalus pricei) from Arizona. Proceedings California Academy of Sciences, Second Series, 5: Errata: Carl Kauffeld s name was misspelled in SH 16 (9), 2003 article on Crotalus willardi. I hang my head in shame. EOM. Editor s errata: September s Patronym article (Crotalus willardi) was mistakenly labeled as number III when in fact it was number IV in the series. I too hang my head. Apologies to the author. 112 SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 16 (12) 2003

5 N A T U R A L H I S T O R Y N O T E S Signs of Gila Monster Predation on Desert Tortoise Nests Eric W. Stitt 1, Cecil R. Schwalbe 2,1, and Don E. Swann 3 1 School of Renewable Natural Resources, Room 125 Biological Sciences East, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721; estitt@u.arizona.edu 2 U. S. Geological Survey, Southwestern Biological Science Center, University of Arizona, Room 125 Biological Sciences East, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; 3 National Park Service, Saguaro National Park, Tucson, AZ The Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) is known to be a spring- and monsoon-active predator, with prey items including young birds, small mammals, and eggs (Lowe et al. 1986). Predation by Gila monsters on desert tortoise eggs has been documented by Barrett and Humphrey (1986), but aside from their observation, firsthand encounters of foraging Gila monsters are few (Brown and Carmony 1999). This note describes an observation of Gila monster predation on desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) eggs east of Tucson, Arizona, and the characteristics of tunnels into desert tortoise egg chambers consistent with Heloderma predation. During a study of the nesting ecology of desert tortoises in the Rincon Mountains on August 3, 2002, at approximately 10:30 mountain standard time, the first author approached a large rock outcrop (approx. 3m high, 7m wide, 4m deep) under which was suspected to be a nest recently deposited by a desert tortoise. As the author approached, scratching and scuffling sounds were heard emanating from the area. Upon closer examination he observed the tail and rear one-third (approximately 14 cm of the animal) of an adult Gila monster sticking out of a self-constructed hole. The Heloderma was digging with its front legs and kicking soil back with its hind legs. Every minute or so, the animal stopped digging for 5-20 seconds. When it resumed digging, it threw eggshell fragments back into the soil behind it (later confirmed to be desert tortoise eggs). The soil was loose, silty, and powdery, and mixed in with white-throated woodrat (Neotoma albigula) nest debris (primarily remnants of cholla (Opuntia sp.)). The Gila monster burrowed at a o angle, and the loose soil partially backfilled the entry hole as the animal burrowed. Had the soil not been backfilling, the hole left by the Heloderma would have been slightly bigger than the animal s circumference; approximately 7-9 cm. What makes this observation particularly interesting is that the hole left behind by the Gila monster was not the only one observed during our tortoise reproduction study. Of nine other desert tortoise nests found in the same vicinity in 2001 and 2002, seven also suffered complete predation. In five cases in which soil was firm and did not backfill the entry hole, the hole was a characteristically-shaped tube, 5-8 cm in diameter, directed at a o angle into the egg chamber. Egg fragments were found in the kicked-back mound of soil. Other potential nest predators in the area include small carnivores such as coyote (Canis latrans), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), ringtail (Bassariscus astutus), spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis), hognosed skunk (Conepatus mesoleucus), hooded skunk (Mephitus macroura), and striped skunk (M. mephitis). Other predators include rodents such as white-throated woodrat (Neotoma albigula) and rock squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus), snakes such as gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer) and common king snake (Lampropeltus getulus), and birds such as the greater roadrunner (Geococyx californianus). However, it seems unlikely that any of these potential nest predators would make such a distinctive narrow tunnel into the egg chamber. Large mammals typically expose the entire nest (EWS pers. obs.). Small mammals, while capable of making tunnels, would probably expose the nest from above as well. Snakes generally do not dig tunnels, particularly into hard-packed substrates. Lastly, it does not seem to us that any bird species present at the study site is capable of digging a tunnel. Thus, we feel confident that these distinctive entry holes are the result of Heloderma predation. Our observations suggest that the Gila monster may be an important predator of tortoise eggs at our study site. Research in the Rincon Mountains indicates that Heloderma exist at relatively high densities (DES unpublished data). Gila monster predation on tortoise eggs may be significant in other parts of the desert tortoise s range as well. Evidence in favor of this include observations that female tortoises in Arizona have been observed to defend nests against Heloderma (Barrett and Humphrey 1986), may remain close to nests after laying eggs (Murray et al. 1996), and may block a predator s entrance into a nest (Averill-Murray et al. 2002). Thanks to the University of Arizona Herpetology Journal Review Group for reviewing this note. Literature Cited Averill-Murray, R. C., B. E. Martin, S. J. Bailey, and E. B. Wirt Activity and Behavior of the Sonoran Desert Tortoise in Arizona. Pages in T. R. Van Devender, ed. The Sonoran Desert Tortoise: Natural History, Biology, and Conservation. University of Arizona Press, Tucson. Barrett, S. L. and J. A. Humphrey Agonistic interactions between Gopherus agassizii (Testudinidae) and Heloderma suspectum (Helodermatidae). Southwestern Naturalist 31: Brown, D. E. and N. B. Carmony Gila Monster: Facts and Folklore of America s Aztec Lizard. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City. Lowe, C. H., C. R. Schwalbe, and T. B. Johnson The Venomous Reptiles of Arizona. Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, Arizona. 115 pps. Murray, R. C., C. R. Schwalbe, S. J. Bailey, S. P. Cuneo, and S. D. Hart Reproduction in a population of the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, in the Sonoran Desert. Herpetological Natural History 4: SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 16 (12)

6 B O O K R E V I E W S Guide to the Reptiles of the Eastern Palearctic. by Nikolai N. Szczerbak. Technical Editor, Michael L. Golubev Krieger Publishing Co., Malabar, Florida. xvii pp. with 194 colored plates and 162 maps. Cloth. $ ISBN Edward O. Moll Adjunct Professor, School of Renewable Natural Resources University of Arizona e.o.moll@att.net The reptilian fauna (161 species) of the vast region of the former USSR is poorly known to the English-speaking world because most information has been published in Russian. Further the most complete work on the herp fauna prior to this one, Bannikov et. al., Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the USSR, was published in 1977 and is now quite dated. Professor Nikolai Szczerbak of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences and Director of the Academy s Zoological Museum in Kiev set out to rectify this situation by preparing a comprehensive guide to the USSR reptiles in English that included keys, range maps, and colored photos. Dr. Szczerbak was perhaps one of the few herpetologists of this region with the breadth of knowledge to carry out this daunting task. Being an enthusiastic field biologist, Szczerbak participated in some 60 expeditions to all corners of the former Soviet Union. He authored more than 250 scientific publications (including 28 books) on the systematics, distribution, and ecology of the herpetofauna of the region. However, Dr. Szczerbak died in 1998 at age 70 with the book still unpublished. Fortunately Dr. Michael Golubev, an authority on geckos of the USSR and one of his Szczerbak s former students, stepped in to see the manuscript through to publication. The book is divided into four parts. Part I presents a brief geographical characterization of this large, varied land and continues with a short treatise on four herpetogeographic regions designated by the author, including species that characterize each. The remainder of the book is divided taxonomically with Part 2 dealing with the Testudines, Part 3 the Sauria, and Part 4 the Serpentes. Each part provides keys to the families, genera, and species along with detailed accounts for every species. Accounts include the scientific name, describer, and year followed by sections on distribution, natural history, conservation status, key references, and remarks (typically taxonomic in nature). Range maps accompany each account but include only the eastern Palearctic distribution and do not delimit distributions of subspecies (usually described in remarks). The book is unique in containing 194 colored plates representing all but one of the reptile species discussed. The extensive bibliography ends with the year The book concludes with an index to scientific names. Generally, the book is concise and clearly written with a minimum of scientific terminology. Key references are provided for those wanting to delve for more scientific detail. The keys are simply written also, sometimes too much so. In an effort to reduce scientific terms some of the author s substitutes sacrifice clarity. For example, the ligamentous attachment of plastron and carapace in Emys obicularis is referred to as a skin-like flexible crosspiece. The plates vary in quality from excellent to mediocre but are generally good and justify the price of this small volume. Using the combination of keys and photographs, any reader should be able to identify most of these poorly known species. This book would be a valuable addition to the library of any amateur or professional herpetologist interested in the Palearctic. Singing the Turtles to Sea, by Gary Paul Nabhan. Hardcover University of California Press. $ pp. ISBN Dave Hyatt Nabhan is an outstanding author, winner of a MacArthur genius grant among other awards and honors, and this book his thirteenth - seems to me destined to exceed even his past works. The title of the book notwithstanding, his main focus is the Seri Indian or Comcaac native culture and the role of marine and desert reptiles of the northern Sonora region within that coastal Comcaac culture. The writing of this book was possible only through Nabhan s long-term knowledge of and ability to relate to the individuals of the Comcaac community; and as an occasional visitor to the principal Comcaac villages over the past 20 years, I can personally attest that such acceptance, familiarity and intimate knowledge could only be achieved by a rare outsider like Gary, in collaboration with the Seri Tribal Governors and their Traditional Council of Elders or as Gary refers to them The Keepers of the Flame. This book presents a wealth of fascinating information that helps us appreciate the uniqueness and mystery of this region of the world. For example, Nabhan points out that Mexico is home to 230 languages unspoken beyond its boundaries, placing it sixth among nations in terms of extant cultural diversity and endemic languages; while Mexico is second among all nations for harboring the greatest number of vertebrate animal species at least 761 that live nowhere else in the world; and the country is fourth in the number of flora with some 22,000 vascular plant species. An important element in the environment of the Comcaac are the islands in the northern Sonoran region, and the endemics that live on them, many of which are endangered, threatened, or deserving of special protection status. In particular, there are some 26 species 114 SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 16 (12) 2003

7 of reptiles in these latter categories, including the River Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) although the last crocodile probably hasn t been in the area for hundred years. Overall, the greater area occupied by the Seri, including the mainland, provides refuge for well over sixty species of desert reptiles and six marine species (five sea turtles and one sea snake). And, interestingly enough, even the language spoken by the Seri is considered endangered because so few persons speak it. It may be pointed out that the two principal Comcaac villages of Desemboque and Punta Chueca harbor about 75 and 84 families, respectively, as of the mid-1990 s although these numbers are constantly in flux. Several of the cultural traditions of the Comcaac that are noted in the book should be mentioned. First, the title of the book, Singing the Turtles to Sea refers to the tradition of singing or chanting as the pangas or large canoes used by the Seri are taken to sea to look for the relatively elusive sea turtles as they are being harpooned. With the exception of the leatherbacks, which are generally considered undesirable for eating, the Comcaac regularly hunt and eat sea turtles by exception from the Mexican government. Another important cultural aspect of the Comcaac is the manufacture and sale of the famous ironwood carvings that first began to be commonplace around 1970, when the local Comcaac fisheries began to decline. These ironwood carvings were so well received, commercially, that Mexicans throughout the region began to emulate them, incorrectly claiming them to be Seri, even depleting the local ironwood tree populations to a large extent in vast areas of the desert. And then there is the convoluted issue of conservation. While Comcaac populations have been described as ruthless in their pursuit of wildlife, and have been known to treat captured wildlife with less than great compassion; Comcaac hunters nevertheless have practiced a sort of sustainable hunting tradition of not completely depleting complete family units of wildlife and unnecessarily killing or wounding animals that they cannot take advantage of for food or other purposes. Furthermore, Nabhan describes recent programs such as that in Punta Chueca for a chuckwalla captive breeding exhibit to ensure that the Comcaac community remains involved in the utilization, protection, and celebration of its reptilian neighbors; as well as community-sponsored wildlife monitoring efforts involving capture, marking, weighing, and release of species such as birds. The second part of the book consists of 57 pages of species accounts of the herpetofauna of the central Sonoran coast and its adjacent islands, with detailed information about 55 species including their scientific, English, Spanish, and Comcaac names as well as traditional and practical Seri lore and knowledge about each animal. An excellent read, almost impossible to put down. Buy it or talk your library into buying it. L A W E N F O R C E M E N T N O T E S Raul Vega, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Douglas, AZ. John C. Benson of Yucca Valley, CA. was arrested on an outstanding warrant by Arizona Game & Fish officers on 8/ 28/03. Benson, 34, was reportedly collecting snakes on Highway 80 near Douglas when officers Raul Vega and Gilbert Gonzales stopped his vehicle. Benson claimed to be moving a snake off of the road but a search of his vehicle revealed two snakes in cloth sacks. Benson s girlfriend, Rhiannon R. Pinetron, 23, told officers that she had collected the snakes but she did not have a hunting license. A license check showed that Benson s hunting license privileges had been revoked. He also had a warrant for his arrest issued by the Bagdad Justice Court in Yavapai County for failure to pay fines to the court. The charges stemmed from the unlawful possession of a Gila monster. Pinetron was cited for collecting reptiles without a valid hunting license and released. Benson was transported to Bisbee where he was booked into the Cochise County Jail. S P E C I A L A N N O U N C E M E N T Chiricahua Leopard Frog Recovery Team Dennis Caldwell The First Meeting of the Chiricahua Leopard Frog Recovery Team - Arizona Stakeholders Subgroup met at Ft Huachuca on Nov. 19th. Dennis Caldwell attended the Stakeholders meetings as a representative from the THS. This group is made up of ranchers, private property owners, land managers as well as conservation watchdog organizations, like the THS, interested in the recovery process. The group formed guidelines to govern the process of writing up a participation plan to facilitate implementation of the recovery plan. Additional meetings will be held around the state to allow for better input statewide. Members of this group will be able to voice their concerns regarding the recovery plan and work out recommendations on how the plan can be successfully implemented. The THS recognizes this as an integral part of the success of this recovery. Most of the southern Arizona populations of Chiricahua Leopard Frogs disappeared from the mountain stream habitat that used to be their niche. The majority of the remaining populations are surviving in man made livestock watering holes, (cow ponds). For this reason, the private landowners and ranchers maintaining these ponds are being solicited to cooperate with the process and give valuable advice on what needs to happen to maintain these artificial habitats until the recovery of the frogs in their protected mountain stream habitat is successful. SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 16 (12)

8 B O A R D M E E T I N G S Y N O P S I S 28 October 2003 Robert L. Bezy, Secretary Directors Present: Roy Averill-Murray, Bob Bezy, Jillian Cowles, Taylor Edwards, Cristina Jones, Hans Koenig, Eric Stitt, Don Swann, Marty Tuegel. Directors Absent:. Ed Moll. Members Present: Young Cage, Roger Repp, Bill Savary. Treasurer s Report - Tuegel Beginning Balance $11, Deposits Expenses Ending Balance $11, Speakers Bureau $ 1, Jarchow Award $ FTHL Fund C.H.Lowe Research Fund 3, General Fund $ 6, CRHSDIII (CD) $ 7, Itemized Deposits: Jarchow Award $10.00, Membership $374.00, T- Shirts/Mugs $ Itemized Expenses: Bank Charge $5.90, Brochure/Coloring Pages $78.14, Deposit adjustment $4.00, Newsletter $ Committee Reports Web Page - Edwards for Enderson. The Board agreed that the scientific and English names listed in the Crother 1999 [2000] checklist and addendum (Herpetological Review 34: ) should be used for the 100 mile circle, possibly with the names used in the Field Guide by Stebbins given in parentheses. Speakers Bureau - Moll ( ). October 11 - Ed and Judy Moll tended the Tucson Herpetological Society table at the Harvest Moon Festival at Tucson Mountain Park. They displayed several live herps and the usual array of THS brochures and coloring pages. 125 people attended the event. October 22 - Ed Moll presented a slide show on amphibians and reptiles and displayed several live reptiles to 25 brownie scouts and their leaders at St. Cyril School. October 28 - Ed Moll provided an introduction to Arizona amphibians and reptiles as part of the naturalist training course for the Mason Audubon Center. Program - Roy Averill-Murray. The lineup of speakers includes: 18 Nov. - Emily Taylor. 16 Dec. - Dave Prival. 20 April - Randy Gray Additional speakers being scheduled include Leslie Boyer, Roger Repp, and Randy Babb. Old Business Flat-tailed Horned Lizard - Repp. The complaint against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife for not listing the species under the Endangered Species Act will be launched 30 October, or soon thereafter. C. H. Lowe Research Fund - Edwards. Proposals are due on 1 November and will be reviewed in early November. PARC - Roy Averill-Murray. Interviews for the position of States Co-ordinator are on-going and the position will likely be filled near 1 January.. The draft of the desert southwest habitat guidelines has been received and will be sent for outside review soon. Sonoran Herpetologist Collected Papers - Stitt. From the recent poll at the general meeting it appears there is a reasonable level of interest in purchasing hard copies of the volume. Eric is exploring a print-on-demand approach with a photocopying company. Nominations - Jones. No new nominations have been received and the ballots are being prepared for the next general meeting. THS Historian - Savary and Stitt. The Board is still seeking someone to document the unfolding history of the Society beyond archiving Sonoran Herpetologist and the minutes of the Board meetings. New Business Travel Funds for Invited Speakers - Tuegel. The Board adopted a guideline figure of $500 per year for paying for travel expenses of invited speakers. Expenses beyond this will need Board approval. Rana chiricahuensis - Tuegel for Caldwell. Marty explained the possible role of a Safe Harbor Agreement and the Malpai Borderlands Group in conservation of the species. The Board approved a motion to send a letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supporting the agreement (5 yes; Roy Averill-Murray, Koenig, and Tuegel abstaining). Backyard Amphibians and Reptiles Brochure - Edwards. Taylor has received an inquiry from The Tucson Garden Club about the possibility of producing a brochure to answer questions on the topic. Donation to Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force - Edwards. The Board approved a donation of $50 to the organization. Hats - Stitt. Hats are currently out of stock and the Board is considering reordering them. Power Point Projector - Stitt. The Society needs a Proxima or similar projector for its general meetings,. 25 November 2003 Robert L. Bezy, Secretary Directors Present: Roy Averill-Murray, Bob Bezy, Jillian Cowles, Taylor Edwards, Cristina Jones, Hans Koenig, Ed Moll, Eric Stitt, Don Swann, Marty Tuegel. Directors Absent: None. Members Present: Young Cage, Bill Savary. Treasurer s Report - Tuegel Beginning Balance $11, Deposits Expenses Ending Balance $11, Speakers Bureau $ 1, Jarchow Award FTHL Fund C.H.Lowe Research Fund 3, SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 16 (12) 2003

9 General Fund $6, CRHSDIII (CD) $7, Itemized Deposits: Jarchow Award $20.00, Membership $184.00, Raffle $ Itemized Expenses: Bank Charge $7.31, DAPTF $50.00, Doubletree $ Committee Reports Conservation - Caldwell. The First Meeting of the Chiricahua Leopard Frog Recovery Team - Arizona Stakeholders Subgroup met at Ft Huachuca on Nov. 19th. Dennis Caldwell will be attending the Stakeholders meetings as a representative from the THS. This group is made up of ranchers, private property owners, land managers as well as conservation watchdog groups like the THS interested in the recovery process. The group formed guidelines to govern the process of writing up a Participation Plan to facilitate implementation of the recovery plan. Additional meetings will be held around the state to allow for better input statewide. Members of this group will be able to voice their concerns regarding the recovery plan and work out recommendations on how the plan can be successfully implemented. Flat-tailed Horned Lizard Conservation - Edwards for Repp. The complaint has been filed and several newspaper articles were published. Speakers Bureau - Edwards and Moll. 1 November- Ed and Judy Moll gave a reptile presentation with a slide show and live animals to 72 children (K-5) and 13 adults for the Prince Elementary School Saturday School program. 4 November- Ed and Judy Moll talked about reptiles (using live animals) to ca 50 Kindergartners and 3 adults in 3 classes at Whitmore School. 15 November - Taylor Edwards presented a talk to 35 people at a CIUDAD meeting. Program - Roy Averill-Murray. The lineup of speakers includes: 16 Dec. - Dave Prival. 20 Jan. - Roger Repp Additional speakers being scheduled include: Leslie Boyer, Randy Gray, and Randy Babb. Old Business PARC - Roy Averill-Murray. Interviews for the position of States Coordinator have been completed and the position will be filled in January. The draft of the desert southwest habitat guidelines is posted on the publications section of the Arizona PARC website and suggestions for revision should be sent to Lori Woods. Election - Jones. The election was held at the November general meeting and the results are: President, Taylor Edwards; Vice President, Eric Stitt; Secretary, Robert Bezy; Treasurer, Marty Tuegel; Directors ( ), Roy Averill-Murray, Young Cage, and Roger Repp. The Board is grateful for the outstanding work by the Nominating Committee (Jones, Swann, and Craig Ivanyi). New Business Heritage Proposal - Edwards. Phil Rosen is finalizing a proposal for submission to the Heritage Fund seeking funding for research on several aspects of the ecology of the herpetofauna in the greater Tucson metropolitan region. The board approved a motion to send a supporting letter for the proposal (7 yes; Roy Averill-Murray, Hans Koenig abstaining). A N N O U N C E M E N T S AZ PARC Website The Arizona Working group of PARC (Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation) now has a website up and running at Most of the excellent design reflects the hard work of Tom Brennan, Chair the Website Committee. It is a work in progress, and content is continuously being updated. If you have any concerns, suggestions, or kudos please send them to Tom at tbrennan@theriver.com. In addition to background information on PARC and the AZ Working Group, notices of meetings and events, an excellent section on species accounts, and various other herp-related links, the website hosts several forums. The Conservation Forum hosts discussion related to conservation science, management, and laws & regulations. The Field Forum (the most popular) provides a venue for sharing observations of (and enthusiasm for) amphibians and reptiles. The Q & A Forum is designed to help AZ PARC meet its education goals. As an organization keenly interested in building partnerships among diverse interests, AZ PARC strongly encourages participation in the forums from all sectors: academic, agency, hobbyists, naturalists, industry, etc. Our strength is our diversity. At present, AZ PARC is composed primarily of academics, researchers, agency biologists, and other professionals, and these website forums are visited primarily by the hobbyist community. By posting on the forums, you are providing the herp community at large an opportunity to interact with a sector that is often perceived as out of reach. The forums offer an opportunity to build an AZ PARC community in an organization that meets infrequently. Please participate. Please bookmark and check back often. Thank you for your commitment to the conservation of Arizona s amphibians and reptiles! Project Fauna Forever Project Fauna Forever is an initiative of the Tambopata Reserve Society (TReeS, UK Registered Charity No , and not-for-profit organisation) that aims to investigate the impacts of tourism activities on mammal, reptile, amphibian and bird populations at 5 locations in and around the Tambopata National Reserve - one the most biodiverse regions on the Planet. At times throughout the project, the research team will require volunteer assistants to contribute their time and energy towards this challenging initiative that aims to improve the way man uses the rainforest and its natural resources. No previous experience is needed, as all training will be provided, although an interest in wildlife is essential. The volunteer assistants chosen for this position will be required to undertake fundraising to cover the costs of their participation. We provide as much fundraising support as required. Interested people should read the information on the project website and should apply using the online application form. If you require additional information please do not hesitate to contactus at: faunaforever@yahoo.co.uk Kind regards Karen Tailby Project Manager Fauna Forever SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 16 (12)

10 A N N O U N C E M E N T S Sonoran Herpetologist Announcement Policy Sonoran Herpetologist announcements are a free service of the Tucson Herpetological Society for its members. Items or events to be announced must fall within at least one of these three categories: 1. Conservation of native wildlife or wildlife habitat 2. Education about native wildlife or wildlife habitat 3. Research of native wildlife or wildlife habitat Sonoran Herpetologist announcement items or events must not promote: - the destruction of native wildlife or habitat; - the commercialization (selling and/or trading) of wildlife, dead or alive. Decisions about announcement qualification are made by the boardappointed editorial committee of the Sonoran Herpetologist. All inquiries should be directed through the editor. Sonoran Herpetologist Natural History Notes The Tucson Herpetological Society invites your contributions to a regular feature in the Sonoran Herpetologist, Natural History Notes of southwestern herps. Similar to Life History Notes in Herpetological Review, these can include information such as size, behavior, diet, predation, community structure or other interesting observations. Please submit your noteworthy observations to Dale Turner (dturner@theriver.com), editor for this section. Submissions should be brief, typed double-spaced, and in electronic form if possible. Contents are indexed in Zoological Record. Sonoran Herpetologist Local Research News The Tucson Herpetological Society has started a column in its monthly newsletter, The Sonoran Herpetologist, titled, Local Research News. We want to update our readers on interesting herpetology research projects happening around the state. We are currently collecting pieces for submission. the submissions need not be more than a few paragraphs and do not need to include data, specific localities or other details. The emphasis should be on how science is being applied to herpetological questions. The style and format are very informal (see SonHerp 13:123 for an example). I will be happy to help with editing or if you already have a brief description or project summary, I will be happy to assist in formatting it. Don Swann donswann@dakotacom.net. Arizona Herpetological Association Meetings 4th Tuesday of each month, 7:00 PM At The Phoenix Zoo, Auditorium, 455 North Galvin Pkwy (between McDowell and Van -Buren) For Information call (408) 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: Robert Bezy Young Cage Tom Caldwell Anthony Dee & Sarah Studd Russell Duncan Stephen Goldberg Melissa Gray Randall Gray David Hall Marc Hammond Chip Hedgcock & Kim Morrison Erika Nowak Stéphane Poulin & Yvonne Gubersky Wade Sherbrooke Michael & Mary Ann Smith Blair & Deanna Wolf Membership Update As of 1 December 2003 Contributing none Sustaining Members none New Members Lainie Levick Tucson Jarchow Conservation Award none Speakers Bureau none Horned Lizard Fund none Charles H. Lowe Herpetological Research Fund none 118 SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 16 (12) 2003

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 Erik Enderson, eenderson@cox.net Associate Editors Dale Turner, dturner@theriver.com Don Swann, donswann@dakotacom.net Art Editor Dennis Caldwell djcaldw111@aol.com 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 Herpetological Review, publications of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. For further information, please contact Erik Enderson at eenderson@cox.net Deadline for SonHerp 17 (01) January 1 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 Taylor Edwards, tayache@ag.arizona.edu Vice President Don Swann, donswann@dakotacom.net Secretary Bob Bezy, bezyr@theriver.com Treasurer Marty Tuegel, mtuegel@yahoo.com Directors Roy Averill-Murray, averill_murray@ .msn.com Jillian Cowles, jillian@mindspring.com Eric Stitt, ecstitt@earthlink.net Cristina Jones, cajones@u.arizona.edu Hans Koenig, hfkoenig@comcast.net Ed Moll, e.o.moll@att.net Past President Don Swann, donswann@dakotacom.net Society Activities Monthly Members Meeting Roy Averill-Murray, Program Chairperson 3rd Tuesday, 7:15 PM Board of Directors Meeting Not scheduled this month Arizona Game and Fish Department Office 555 North Greasewood Road Speakers Bureau (Scheduled presentations) Taylor Edwards, Director Ed Moll, Director Conservation Committee Director Dennis Caldwell Herpetological Information Hotline Bob Brandner Jarchow Conservation Award Taylor Edwards, Chairperson Publications: Sonoran Herpetologist Living with Rattlesnakes Living with Gila monsters THS Herp Coloring Book THS Collected Papers, (out of print) THS Internet World Wide Webpage Erik Enderson eenderson@cox.net For more information about the THS and the reptiles and amphibians of the Tucson area visit tucsonherpsociety.org SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 16 (12)