John Murphy s talk, Thinking About

Volume 24 March 2011 Number 3 T H I S M O N T H S S P E A K E R John C. Murphy Thinking about Snakes 7:15 PM Tuesday, 15 March University of Arizona, BIO5/Keating Building 1657 East Helen Street John Murphy s talk, Thinking About Snakes, examines several recent discoveries regarding snake evolution and natural history, including: why Rattlesnakes Rattle and Cobras Spit; Schlegel s Curse which resulted in the deaths of several 20th century herpetologists; Faking out the Fish, the very sophisticated feeding technique of the Tentacled Snake; and, How Many Snake Species Are There? John C. Murphy retired from his teaching job in 2007 to spend his time studying snakes. One of the outcomes has been Secrets of the Snake Charmer, Snakes in the 21st Century which was published in 2010. He lives in Plainfield, Illinois with his family. F E A T U R E A R T I C L E 20 Reptiles and Amphibians as Loggerhead Shrike Prey by Howard Clark 22 Correction H E R P E T O F A U N A O F T H E 1 0 0 - M I L E C I R C L E 23 Zebra-tailed Lizard, Callisaurus draconoides Blainville, 1853 by Robert Bezy A N N O U N C E M E N T S 26 2011 Annual Meeting for Southwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation 27 The Charles H. Lowe, Jr., Herpetology Research Fund: Proposals due April 1st N E X T M O N T H S S P E A K E R S Brian Powell, Julia Fonseca, and Phil Rosen Tortoises and Lizards at the Urban Fringe: Opportunities for Citizen Science Tuesday, 19 April John C. Murphy with sea turtle. Photo by Suzanne Livingstone. Tucson Herpetological Society meetings are open to the public and are held on the third Tuesday of each month starting at 7:15 PM SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 24 (3) 2011 19

Reptiles and Amphibians as Loggerhead Shrike Prey Howard O. Clark, Jr., Wildlife Division, H. T. Harvey & Associates, Fresno, CA 93711, USA; hclark@harveyecology.com The Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), also known as the Butcherbird, is a medium-sized, gray songbird that ranges throughout most of North America including Mexico (Yosef 1996). It commonly inhabits open landscapes with scattered shrubs, interspersed with grasses and forbs. Typical habitats include grasslands, scrublands, steppes, deserts, prairies, and savannas (Yosef 1996). It is famous for impaling prey on sharp objects, such as barbed wire, cacti, thorns, and even yucca (Yosef 1996, Reid and Fulbright 1981). The shrike may also store its kill between the forked branches of a shrub. Once an item is impaled, the shrike typically flies off, leaving the item behind; the impaling process may serve as a food cache method. For example, shrikes were observed visiting and pecking on the mummified carcasses of chorus frogs (Pseudacris) impaled on barbed wire for 8 months (Chapman and Casto 1972; see Figure 1). Common prey items include invertebrates, such as grasshoppers and dragonflies, and vertebrates, such as birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. The shrike uses its hooked beak to kill vertebrate prey by precisely attacking the nape of the neck and then severing the cervical vertebrae in a series of bites (Yosef 1996). Prey is transported either by beak or talon, depending on mass (Yosef 1993). The talons are not as powerful and sharp as they are in raptors, such as eagles, hawks, or falcons. Although the Loggerhead Shrike has a hooked beak, it is not closely related to the raptors, order Falconiformes; it is actually a passerine in the order Passeriformes. The Loggerhead Shrike also has a tomial tooth in its upper mandible, which may serve as a mechanism to quickly penetrate the spinal cord, causing partial paralysis, making the prey Figure 1. Impaled Sierran Treefrog, Pseudacris sierra, Alameda Co., California. Photo by Howard Clark. easier to kill (Yosef 1996). Insects and other invertebrates are sometimes immediately eaten after capture; otherwise they are impaled. All vertebrate prey are killed or paralyzed, and impaled on sharp objects. Impaling has two main funtions: (1) to completely kill otherwise still living prey and (2) to compensate for lack of sharp talons; shrikes are able to feed from the thorn or barbed wire rather than having to hold prey down with their talons, as raptors do. Not all impaled prey items are consumed, however. Sloane (1991) found that 48% of the impaled prey was not eaten. In a study of impaled prey of the Loggerhead Shrike in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Reid and Fulbright (1981) found 92 Round-tailed Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma modestum) impaled by Loggerhead Shrikes on Torrey yucca (Yucca torreyi). The impaled horned lizards usually faced outward from the yucca axis with the sharp leaves inserted through the head, neck, or thorax. The internal organs were missing along with the pelvis and hind legs. Other impaled lizard species usually had their head placed on the yucca blade or the entire body was inserted lengthwise through the cloacal area with the leaf point emerging from the thorax (Reid and Fulbright 1981). Some researchers suggest that the shrike plays a part in the evolution of its prey. Young et al. (2004) suggested that Loggerhead Shrike predation drove the evolution of horn length in the Flat-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma mcallii). Shrikes picked the lizards with shorter horns, leaving longer-horned lizards alone, allegedly because lizards with longer horns were more effective in fight off shrike attacks. These longerhorned lizards in turn reproduced, passing the long horns to future generations. However, short-horned lizards were produced from time to time, becoming easy prey for the shrike. Herein I provide a list of reptiles and amphibians reported in the literature as Loggerhead Shrike prey. The impaling behavior allows for easy inventory of Loggerhead Shrike prey items, aiding in the overall diet analysis of these unique birds. Some inventory studies, such as Sarkozi and Brooks (2003), reported that Loggerhead Shrikes impaled frogs, toads, snakes, and turtles, but did not identify them to species. These generalities are not included in the list. Common and Latin names are crossreferenced with Crother et al. (2008). Species occurring in Arizona (Enderson and Bezy 2010) are noted with an asterisk (*). The Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), also known as the Butcherbird, is a medium-sized, gray songbird that ranges throughout most of North America including Mexico. It commonly inhabits open landscapes with scattered shrubs, interspersed with grasses and forbs. Typical habitats include grasslands, scrublands, steppes, deserts, prairies, and savannas. SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 24 (3) 2011 20

Common Name Latin Name Reference ANURA Frogs Northern Cricket Frog Acris crepitans Tyler 1991 Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad Gastrophryne carolinensis Yosef and Grubb 1993 Green Treefrog Hyla cinerea Chapman and Casto 1972 Squirrel Treefrog Hyla squirella Yosef and Grubb 1993 Plains Leopard Frog* Lithobates blairi Tyler 1991 Southern Leopard Frog Lithobates sphenocephalus Yosef and Grubb 1993 Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer Chapman and Casto 1972 Sierran Treefrog Pseudacris sierra Clark, pers. obs. TESTUDINES Turtles Snapping Turtle* Chelydra serpentina Tyler 1991 Diamond-backed Terrapin Malaclemys terrapin Bent 1950 SQUAMATA Lizards California Legless Lizard Anniella pulchra Fisher 1901 Six-lined Racerunner Aspidoscelis sexlineata Tyler 1991 Greater Earless Lizard* Cophosaurus texanus Reid and Fulbright 1981 Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard Gambelia sila Montanucci 1965 Western Alligator Lizard Elgaria sp. Fitch 1935 Texas Horned Lizard* Phrynosoma cornutum Tyler 1991 Blainville s Horned Lizard Phrynosoma blainvillii Jennings and Hayes 1994 Desert Horned Lizard* Phrynosoma platyrhinos Pianka and Parker 1975 Round-tailed Horned Lizard* Phrynosoma modestum Reid and Fulbright 1981 Flat-tailed Horned Lizard* Phrynosoma mcallii Young et al. 2004 Southeastern Five-lined Skink Plestiodon inexpectatus Yosef and Grubb 1993 Common Sagebrush Lizard* Sceloporus graciosus Knowlton and Stanford 1942 Eastern Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatus Reid and Fulbright 1981 Little Brown Skink Scincella lateralis Tyler 1991, Yosef and Grubb 1993 Coachella Fringe-toed Lizard Uma inornata Barrows 2006, Stebbins 1944 Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard Uma notata Stebbins 1944 Common Side-blotched Lizard* Uta stansburiana Reid and Fulbright 1981, Wilson 1991 Carolina Anole Anolis carolinensis Yosef and Grubb 1993 SQUAMATA Snakes Scarletsnake Cemophora coccinea Guthrie 1932 North American Racer* Coluber constrictor Tyler 1991 Ring-necked Snake* Diadophis punctatus Tyler 1991 Harlequin Coralsnake Micrurus fulvius Jackson and Franz 1981 Plain-bellied Watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster Tyler 1991 Rough Greensnake Opheodrys aestivus Bent 1950 Texas Ratsnake Pantherophis obsoletus Bent 1950 Graham s Crayfish Snake Regina grahamii Tyler 1991 Massasauga* Sistrurus catenatus Chapman and Casto 1972 Dekay s Brownsnake Storeria dekayi Guthrie 1932, Tyler 1991 Terrestrial Gartersnake* Thamnophis elegans Frye and Gerhardt 2001 Western Ribbonsnake Thamnophis proximus Tyler 1991 Common Gartersnake Thamnophis sirtalis Guthrie 1932 Lined Snake Tropidoclonion lineatum Tyler 1991 Parrot Snake Leptophis sp. Guthrie 1932 SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 24 (3) 2011 21

Literature Cited Barrows, C. W. 2006. Population dynamics of a threatened sand dune lizard. The Southwestern Naturalist 51:514-523. Bent, A. C. 1950. Life histories of North American wagtails, shrikes, vieros, and their allies. United States National Museum Bulletin 197:1-411. Chapman, B. R., and S. D. Casto. 1972. Additional vertebrate prey of the Loggerhead Shrike. The Wilson Bulletin 84:496-497. Crother, B. I., et al. 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 6th edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetological Circular 37:1-96. Enderson, E. F., and R. L. Bezy. 2010. A checklist of the species of amphibians and reptiles of Arizona. Sonoran Herpetologist 23:122-126. Fisher, W. K. 1901. Shrike notes. Condor 3:48-49. Fitch, H. S. 1935. Natural history of the alligator lizards. Transactions of the Academy of Science of Saint Louis 29:3-38. Frye, G. G., and R. P. Gerhardt. 2001. Apparent cooperative hunting in Loggerhead Shrikes. The Wilson Bulletin 113:462-464. Guthrie, J. E. 1932. Snakes versus birds; birds versus snakes. The Wilson Bulletin 44:88-113. Jackson, D. R., and R. Franz. 1981. Ecology of the Eastern Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius) in Northern Peninsular Florida. Herpetologicia 37:213-228. Jennings, M. R., and M. P. Hayes. 1994. Amphibian and reptile species of special concern in California. California Department of Fish and Game, Rancho Cordova, California. Knowlton, G. F., and J. S. Stanford. 1942. Reptiles eaten by birds. Copeia 1942:186. Montanucci, R. R. 1965. Observations on the San Joaquin Leopard Lizard, Crotaphytus wislizenii silus Stejneger. Herpetologicia 21:270-283. Pianka, E. R., and W. S. Parker. 1975. Ecology of Horned Lizards: A review with special reference to Phrynosoma platyrhinos. Copeia 1975:141-162. Reid, W. H., and H. J. Fulbright. 1981. Impaled prey of the Loggerhead Shrike in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert. The Southwestern Naturalist 26:204-205. Sarkozi, D. L., and D. M. Brooks. 2003. Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) impaled by a Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus). The Southwestern Naturalist 48:301-303. Sloane, S. A. 1991. The shrike s display advertising. Natural History 100(6):32-39. Stebbins, R. C. 1944. Some aspects of the ecology of the iguanid genus Uma. Ecological Monographs 14:311-332. Tyler, J. D. 1991. Vertebrate prey of the Loggerhead Shrike in Oklahoma. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science 71:17-20. Wilson, B. S. 1991. Latitudinal variation in activity season mortality rates of the lizard Uta Stansburiana. Ecological Monographs 61:393-414. Yosef, R. 1993. Prey transport by Loggerhead Shrikes. Condor 95:231-233. Yosef, R. 1996. Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus). The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, editor). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu.bnaproxy. birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/231 Yosef, R., and T. C. Grubb, Jr. 1993. Effect of vegetation height on hunting behavior and diet of Loggerhead Shrikes. Condor 95:127-131. Young, K. V., E. D. Brodie, Jr., and E. D. Brodie, III. 2004. How the horned lizard got its horns. Science 304:65. Correction in Clark (2009) Howard O. Clark, Jr., Wildlife Division, H. T. Harvey & Associates, Fresno, CA 93711, USA; hclark@harveyecology.com In Clark (2009) I discussed possible reasons for snout differences between the Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia sila) and the Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (G. wislizenii). I attributed the isolation of these two species to mountain building events; in this case, the uplifting of the Transverse Range in southern California. It is true that this mountain range, along with the Sierra Nevada, separates the San Joaquin Valley from the Mojave Desert, but the uplifting of the Transverse Range was not responsible for the isolation of these two lizard species. The isolation event was likely due to a climate and vegetation change event. Best et al. (1990) states: With return of less arid conditions at the end of the Xerothermic [8000-5000 years ago], the corridor between the Mojave Desert and the San Joaquin Valley was closed to most desert species. For example, the San Joaquin antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus nelsoni) may have been isolated from A. leucurus by Wisconsin-age [~110,000 to 10,000 years ago] woodland in the Transverse ranges of California (Best et al. 1990). The changes in climate and vegetation within the Transverse Range province are likely responsible for the isolation of these two lizards, as well as a plethora of other species, such as kit foxes, kangaroo rats, and antelope squirrels. The uplift of the Transverse Range occurred 1-2 million years ago (Jahns 1954), long before any of these species existed. I thank D. Germano, of CSU Bakersfield, for bringing this error to my attention. Literature Cited Jahns, R. H. (editor). 1954. Geology of Southern California. State of California, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mines. Bulletin 170. Best, T. L., A. S. Titus, C. L. Lewis, and K. Caesar. 1990. Ammospermophilus nelsoni. Mammalian Species 367:1-7. Clark, H. O., Jr. 2009. Why does the blunt-nosed leopard lizard have a blunt nose? Sonoran Herpetologist 22:50-51. SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 24 (3) 2011 22

H E R P E T O F A U N A O F T H E 1 0 0 - M I L E C I R C L E Zebra-tailed Lizard, Callisaurus draconoides Blainville, 1853 Robert L. Bezy, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; bezy@comcast.net As I carefully inch forward to get a better look at the Zebratailed Lizard basking under a creosote, it arches its tail over the back and slowly wags it side to side (Figure 1), and then suddenly sprints away. This tail-wagging behavior is perhaps the most intriguing feature of the species and has given rise to one of its Spanish names, perrito (little dog). But, why does perrito wag its tail? This question has crossed the mind of nearly anyone who has observed the lizard, but not until 1989 was the question seriously addressed. Oren Hasson, Richard Hibbard, and Gerardo Ceballos (1989), then at the University of Arizona, conducted a series of experiments on free-ranging Zebra-tailed Lizards along the Sonoran coast to test alternative hypotheses about the function of tailwagging in the species. They examined four previously proposed hypotheses, all involving escape from predators: flash concealment (the sudden disappearance of a conspicuous flash when the lizard takes cover and ceases its tail wagging); distraction-autotomy (attracting attention to an expendable tail; Vitt and Ohmart 1977); conspecific warning (signaling other lizards of the presence of a predator); and pursuit deterrent (signaling to the predator a high level of alertness). They gathered data on tail-wagging frequency in various contexts including approaching and throwing a small stick. They conclude that the data reject the first three hypotheses and support pursuit deterrence (via signaling alertness) as the function of tail wagging in Callisaurus draconoides. There is of course a cost associated with tailwagging, that of signaling the lizard s location to the predator. For Zebra-tailed Lizards this cost is likely offset by their speed and wariness. In California s Sonoran Desert, sprints averaged 7.2 m per second (16.1 miles per hour) with a maximum of 9.7 mps (21.7 mph) and covered a distance of 9.1 m to 20.4 m (29.9 ft to 66.9 ft; Belkin 1961). Their sprint speed is Figure 1. Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides) in a tail-wag posture. Yuma Co., Arizona. Photo by Thomas C. Brennan. increased by use of bipedal locomotion (Irschick and Jayne 1998). Wariness is greatest for lizards living in habitats with the least cover (Bullova 1994). Zebra-tailed Lizards can afford the energy expenditure for sprints to escape potential predators. An average of 98.5% of their 10 hr activity period consists of remaining stationary and waiting for insect prey to enter their field of view (Anderson and Karasov 1981). Diet consists of a broad range of insects and other arthropods, with Diptera predominating in Death Valley (Kay 1977), Hymenoptera and Hemiptera at the Nevada Test Site, and Orthoptera and adult Coleoptera dominating the summer diet elsewhere in the species range (Pianka and Parker 1972, Vitt and Ohmart 1977). During spring they consume insects near flowers and are occasionally arboreal (Norris 1948). In southern Arizona juveniles are sporadically active on warm days every month of the year (Roger Repp, pers. comm.). In Death Valley the onset of adult activity appears to be correlated with flowering of the creosote (Kay 1972). As with most desert-adapted lizards, activity is bimodal during the summer. It commences when the ambient temperature reaches 25 C (77 F), which is before sunrise in mid-summer (Kay 1972). Mating takes place in April, May, and June, and clutch size averaged 4.6 (range 1-8) on the lower Colorado River (Vitt and Ohmart 1977) and 4.3 at Burro Creek (Smith et al. 1984) and at 14 localities from As I carefully inch forward to get a better look at the Zebra-tailed Lizard basking under a creosote, it arches its tail over the back and slowly wags it side to side (Figure 1), and then suddenly sprints away. This tail-wagging behavior is perhaps the most intriguing feature of the species and has given rise to one of its Spanish names, perrito (little dog). SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 24 (3) 2011 23

throughout the Southwest (Pianka and Parker 1972). Half of the females lay more than one clutch a year (Vitt 1977). Hatchlings appear in late July and August and grow at the rate of 6.5 mm (0.3 in) per month (Pianka and Parker 1972). In Death Valley reproduction did not occur during an exceptionally dry year (Kay et al. 1970). At the Nevada Test Site, Zebra-tailed Lizards were found to be the most abundant of the four lizards present, with densities ranging from 1-15 lizards/ ha and adult male home ranges averaging 0.35 to 0.50 ha (0.9 to 1.2 acres; Tanner and Krough 1974, 1975). Pianka and Parker (1972) considered the species to be a relatively uncommon desert lizard and its abundance at the 14 sites in the Southwest varied from 0.02 to 1.75 lizards/ha and was not correlated with any of the environmental factors measured. Tanner and Krough (1974, 1975) witnessed predation by a Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii) and Coachwhip (Coluber flagellum). Sidewinders (Crotalus cerastes; Funk 1965) and Greater Roadrunners (Geococcyx californianus; Vitt and Ohmart 1977) also have been documented as predators on Zebra-tailed Lizards. This is a thermophilic species with eccritic body temperature mean of 38.2 C (100.8 F), median of 39.2 C (102.6 F), and 50% of the values falling between 37.9 C (38 F) and 40.6 C (105 F; Brattstrom 1965, Clarke 1965, Packard and Packard 1970, Pianka and Parker 1972, Smith et al. 1987). Postures in the field reflect mean body temperature: prostrate with the head, trunk, and tail resting on the substrate, body dorso-ventrally compressed (Figure 2), 33.9 C (93 F); head and thorax elevated, forelimbs extended, tail and hind limbs resting on the substrate, 40.5 C (105 F); front and hind limbs extended, and body, toes, and tail raised above substrate (Figure 3), 42.7 C (109 F; Muth 1977a, 1977b). Zebra-tailed Lizards are widely distributed in the Sonoran, Mojave, and Great Basin Deserts from Cape San Lucas of Baja California Sur, north through Baja California and southern California to northern Nevada, south through southeastern Utah, Arizona, and Sonora to Sinaloa, and east to extreme southwestern New Mexico. The occurrence of the species in New Mexico was first reported by Lowe (1955) and recently studied by Baltosser and Best (1990). Zebra-tailed Lizards are largely absent from the grasslands and the Chihuahuan Desert of southeastern Arizona (Figure 4), but range up the San Pedro River valley to Fairbank and Fry, and east along the Gila River to Safford, and then south along the western flank of the Peloncillo Mountains to San Simon (Figure 4, Table 1). Figure 4. Distribution of the Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides) in Arizona. Numbers refer to localities documenting the limits of known distribution in southeastern Arizona (see Table 1). On the basis of geographic variation in morphology, ten subspecies have been recognized, two of which occur in Arizona: the Eastern Zebra-tailed Lizard (C. d. ventralis) ranging across most of the state, and the Western Zebra-tailed Lizard (C. d. rhodostictus) in the west near the Colorada River. Studies of allozymes and DNA do not support recognition of these two subspecies (Adest 1987, Wilgenbusch and de Queiroz 2000, Lindell et al. 2005, Blaine 2008). The most distinctive subspecies, the Vizcaino Zebratailed Lizard (C. d. crinitus), is found on the wind-swept Zebra-tailed Lizards are widely distributed in the Sonoran, Mojave, and Great Basin Deserts from Cape San Lucas of Baja California Sur, north through Baja California and southern California to northern Nevada, south through southeastern Utah, Arizona, and Sonora to Sinaloa, and east to extreme southwestern New Mexico. Figure 2 (left). Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides) in a basking posture. Figure 3 (right). Zebra-tailed Lizard in a raised posture. Photos by Erik. F. Enderson, Sonora, Mexico. SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 24 (3) 2011 24

Table 1. Specimens documenting the limits of known distribution of the Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides) in southeastern Arizona. Locality numbers are plotted in Figure 4. Locality No. County Locality Collectors Museum No. 1 Pima 6.9 mi W Arivaca A.D. Cecil, III UAZ 01270 2 Santa Cruz Tubac L.H. Cook SDNHM 15457 3 Cochise Whetstone Mts D.S. Turner UAZ 51718 4 Cochise Fairbank R.L. Bezy UAZ 04650 5 Cochise 3 mi NE Fry W.A. Ruc UAZ 01281 6 Graham Sheep Tank Rd J.A. Layton UAZ 30685 7 Graham Soapweed Tank C.H. Lowe UAZ 48055 8 Graham 3.1 mi S Tanque M.D. Robinson UAZ 40733 9 Graham Parks Lake R.J. Knabe UAZ 42680 10 Cochise 8.2 mi E San Simon C.H. Lowe, Jr. UAZ 00010 dunes of the Vizcaino Desert and has fringed toes and a distinctly flattened body. Although there is some evidence from mitochondrial DNA supporting the recognition of a separate lineage in the southern Baja California peninsula (Lindell et al. 2005, Blaine 2008), the Vizcaino Zebra-tailed Lizard does not to differ in nuclear markers (allozymes; Adest 1987) and populations intermediate in morphology have been identified (Grismer 1994, 2000). The striking similarity of the Zebra-tailed Lizard to the Greater Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus) in morphology and their shared tail-waging behavior suggest that these two species may be closest relatives (e.g., Earle 1961, Clarke 1965, Cox and Tanner 1977). However, DNA evidence indicates that Callisaurus is the nearest relative of all earless lizards (Cophosaurus + Holbrookia; Wilgenbusch and de Queiroz 2000). The type locality was originally listed by Blainville (1835) as California and was subsequently restricted by Smith and Taylor (1950) to Cape San Lucas, Baja California. A Comáac (Seri) legend indicates if you become the enemy of a Zebra-tailed Lizard, it will use its power to inject something into your eyes that will turn them red (Nabhan 2003). The genus and species names are derived from Greek; Callisaurus, beautiful lizard; draconoides, dragonlike. Acknowledgements. I thank Tom Brennan and Erik Enderson for use of their photographs, George Bradley for his help and expertise and for access to the amphibian and reptile collections of the University of Arizona Museum of Natural History, and Kit Bezy and Kathryn Bolles for advice on the figures and for helpful suggestions on a previous version of this paper. Literature Cited Adest, G. A. 1987. Genetic differentiation among populations of the Zebratail Lizard, Callisaurus draconoides (Sauria: Iguanidae). Copeia 1987:854-859. Baltosser, W. H., and T. L. Best. 1990. Seasonal occurrence and habitat utilization by lizards in southwestern New Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist 35:377-384. Belkin, D. A. 1961. The running speeds of the lizards Dipsosaurus dorsalis and Callisaurus draconoides. Copeia 1961:223. Blaine, R. A. 2008. Biogeography of the North American Southwest sand lizards. Ph.D. Dissertation. Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri. Blainville, H. M. de D. 1835. Description de quelques espèces de reptiles de la Californie précédée de l analyse d un système general de herpetology et de amphibologie. Nouvelles Annales Muséum National D Histoire Naturelle 3:232-296. Brattstrom, B. H. 1965. Body temperatures of reptiles. American Midland Naturalist 73:376-422. Bulova, S. J. 1994. Ecological correlates of population and individual variation in antipredator behavior in two species of desert lizards. Copeia 1994:980-992. Clarke, R. F. 1965. An ethological study of the iguanid lizard genera Callisaurus, Cophosaurus, and Holbrookia. Emporia State Research Studies 13(4):1-66. Cox, D. C., and W. W. Tanner 1977. Osteology and myology of the head and neck regions of Callisaurus, Holbrookia, and Uma. Great Basin Naturalist 37:35-56. de Queiroz, K. 1992. Phylogenetic relationships and rates of allozyme evolution among the lineages of sceloporine sand lizards. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 45:333-362. Earle, A. M. 1961. The middle ear of Holbrookia and Callisaurus. Copeia 1961:405-410. Funk, R. S. 1965. Food of Crotalus cerastes laterorepens in Yuma County, Arizona. Herpetologica 21:15-17. Grismer, L. L. 1994. The origin and evolution of the peninsular herpetofauna of Baja California, México. Herpetological Natural History 2:51-106. Grismer, L. L. 2002. Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California, Including Its Pacific Islands and the Islands in the Sea of Cortéz. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. Hasson, O., R. Hibbard, and G. Ceballos. 1989. Pursuit deterrent function of tail-wagging in the zebra-tailed lizard (Callisaurus draconoides). Canadian Journal of Zoology 67:1203-1209. Irschick, D. J., and B. C. Jayne 1998. Effects of speed, acceleration, body posture, and hindlimb kinematics in two species of lizard Callisaurus draconoides and SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 24 (3) 2011 25

Uma scoparia. Journal of Experimental Biology 201:273-287. Kay, F. R., B. W. Miller, and C. L. Miller. 1970. Food habits and reproduction of Callisaurus draconoides in Death Valley, California. Herpetologica 26:431-436. Kay, F. R. 1972. Activity patterns of Callisaurus draconoides at Saratoga Springs, Death Valley, California. Herpetologica 28:65-69. Lindell, J., F. R. Mendez-de la Cruz, and R. W. Murphy. 2005. Deep genealogical history without population differentiation: Discordance between mtdna and allozyme divergence the Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 36:682-694. Lowe, C. H. 1955. The eastern limit of the Sonoran Desert in the United States with additions to the known herpetofauna of New Mexico. Ecology 36:343-345. Mosauer, W. 1936. The reptilian fauna of sand dune areas of the Vizcaino Desert and of northwestern Lower California. Occasional Papers Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 329:1-22. Muth, A. 1977a. Body Temperatures and associated postures of the Zebra-tailed Lizard, Callisaurus draconoides. Copeia 1977:122-125. Muth, A. 1977b. Thermoregulatory postures and orientation to the sun: a mechanistic evaluation for the Zebra-tailed Lizard, Callisaurus draconoides. Copeia 1977:710-720. Nabhan, G. P. 2003. Singing the Turtles to Sea. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. Norris, K. S. 1948. Arboreal Habits and Feeding of the Grid-Iron Tailed Lizard. Herpetologica 4:217-218. Packard, G. C., and M. J. Packard. 1970. Eccritic temperatures of zebra-tailed lizards on the Mojave Desert. Herpetologica 26:168-172. Pianka. E. R., and W. S. Parker. 1972. Ecology of the iguanid lizard Callisaurus draconoides. Copeia 1972:493-508. Smith, D. D., P. A. Medica, and S. R. Sanborn. Ecological comparisons of sympatric populations of sand lizards (Cophosaurus texanus and Callisaurus draconoides). Great Basin Naturalist 47:175-185. Smith, H. M., and E. H. Taylor. 1950. An annotated checklist and key to the reptiles of Mexico exclusive of snakes. Smithsonian Institution United States National Museum Bulletin 199:i-v, 1-253. Tanner, W. W., and J. E. Krough. 1975. Variations in activity as seen in four sympatric lizard species of southern Nevada. Herpetologica 30:303-308. Tanner, W. W., and J. E. Krogh. 1975. Ecology of the Zebratailed Lizard Callisaurus draconoides at the Nevada Test Site. Herpetologica 31:302-316. Vitt, L. J., and R. D. Omart. 1977. Ecology and reproduction of lower Colorado River lizards: I. Callisaurus draconoides (Iguanidae). Herpetologica 33:214-222. Vitt, L. J. 1977. Observations on clutch and egg size and evidence for multiple clutches in some lizards of the southwestern United States. Herpetologica 33:333-338. Vitt, L. J., J. D. Congdon, and N. A. Dickson. 1977. Adaptive strategies and energetics of tail autotomy in lizards. Ecology 58:326-337. Wilgenbusch, J. C., and K. de Queiroz. 2000. Phylogenetic relationships among phrynosomatid sand lizards inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences generated by heterogeneous evolutionary processes. Systematic Biology 49:592-612. A N N O U N C E M E N T S 2011 Annual Meeting for Southwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Mark your calendars! The 2011 Annual Meeting for Southwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (SW PARC) will be in August 2011, at the University Marriott Hotel in Tucson, Arizona. The themes are Conservation and Management of Arid-land Reptiles and Amphibians and Year of the Turtle. This promises to be a very exciting PARC meeting because the working group activities will be interspersed with informative presentations, there will be field-based workshops in herp hotspots, and the meeting is back-to-back with another herp meeting that all PARCsters will want to attend! Here s the overview: 10-11 August: SW PARC meeting. For the Conservation and Management Session, invited speakers will teach us what the main conservation and management issues are in the arid lands of the Southwest, including some success stories (it s not all doom and gloom!). The authors will produce an online pdf publication that will be available on the SW PARC website. The Year of the Turtle session will feature well-known authorities talking about turtle conservation, Southwest style from mud turtles to sea turtles and arid land tortoises. Of course, PARC is a time for colleagues to network and discuss strategies for amphibian and reptile conservation, so this will be highlighted in a streamlined, productive fashion. Because there are invited speakers for the sessions, we encourage participants to submit posters to discuss at our poster social, and participants may want to give oral presentations at the CRHSD V meeting on 15-16 August. 12-13 August: SW PARC Field Workshops. Southeastern Arizona is nationally famous for its diverse and unique herpetofauna, including 35 species of lizards (the most in the US), 43 species of snakes, 15 amphibians, and 5 turtles. And August is peak herp season. Our workshops on Friday and Saturday will target some of the best herping grounds, which will form as the backdrop for learning about the conservation and management issues we heard about the SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 24 (3) 2011 26

previous two days. Participants will get hands-on instruction on techniques, conservation and management, and identification of native herps. Tentative field workshops will target the Santa Catalina Mountains and Sonoran Desert, Pajarito Mountains, and Huachuca Mountains. Let s face it how often do you get the chance to see a Brown Vinesnake during a workshop? 14 August: SunDay FunDay. This is the nexus between the two meetings, when participants of both can network in leisure. There will be a herp photography workshop, behind-the-scenes tours of the Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum (space may be limited), a free day at the museum (admission free with registration to either meeting), and an evening social for participants of both meetings (you only need to be registered for at least one of the two meetings). 15-16 August: Current Research on Herpetofauna of the Sonoran Desert (CRHSD V). Every three years, the CRHSD meeting is held somewhere in southern Arizona. There is always a good turnout of famous herpetologists (many retire in Arizona, especially Tucson) and fabulous presentations. Even though it makes for a long week, this meeting will surely stimulate your herpetological passions. We encourage PARCsters to attend and submit oral or poster presentations (if applicable to the greater Sonoran Desert). Keep an eye on the website for registration, a call for posters, local information, field workshop updates, and rules for the photo contest. But mark your calendar now! Come to the SW PARC meeting and be part of the solution! Visit us at: http://www.swparc.org The C. H. Lowe, Jr., Herpetology Research Fund: Proposals due April 1st The Charles H. Lowe, Jr., Herpetology Research Fund was established to support research that contributes to the conservation of the herpetofauna of the Sonoran Desert, including the states of Arizona, southern California, Sonora, and on the Baja California peninsula and gulf islands. Dr. Cecil R. Schwalbe spearheaded the fund in honor of the many contributions to our understanding of herpetology in the Sonoran Desert by Dr. Lowe. The fund was inaugurated at the Current Research on the Herpetofauna of the Sonoran Desert II Conference, April 2002. Application procedures can be found here http:// tucsonherpsociety.org/chlowefund.html or by email Trevor Hare at trevor@skyislandalliance.org. M E M B E R S H I P U P D A T E As of 10 February 2011 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, email Robin Llewellyn, Membership Secretary, at robinia2@msn.com Time to Renew Your THS Membership? This is a friendly reminder for those of you whose membership is due. Please send your check and a membership form (especially if information has changed) to THS, P.O. Box 709, Tucson, AZ, 85702. Renewals Due in January 2011 Marcia Lincoln & Victor Ong Hugh McCrystal Kristine Klewin Paul, Steven & Lorna Condon Scott Trageser Trevor Persons Dennis & Gracie Jex Bill & Beth Woodin Young Cage Renewals Due in February 2011 Cheryl & Bob Goodberg David Bertelsen Robert Villa Jay Loughlin John Reiss Kevin Bonine & Angela Urbon-Bonine Krystyn Pozarowski Steve & Maxine Murray Livy Williams III Lawrence Jones Margaret Fusari Matt Goode & Remi Tuijl-Goode Philip & Barbara Brown Robert Brandner & Susan Basford Thank you to those individuals who are new members and those who are renewing. We appreciate the support and look forward to a successful new year. SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 24 (3) 2011 27

Sonoran Herpetologist is the newsletter-journal of the Tucson Herpetological Society, and is Copyright 2011. 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, 1988-1991. Editor-in-Chief Howard Clark, editor.sonoran.herp@gmail.com Associate Editors Roy Averill-Murray, averill-murray@sbcglobal.net Don Swann, donswann@dakotacom.net Robert Bezy, bezy@comcast.net Tim Allen, tallen@elmontgomery.com Art Editor Dennis Caldwell, dennis@caldwell-design.com Book Review Editor Philip Brown, philipandbarbara@earthlink.net Information for Contributors Authors should submit original articles, notes, book reviews to the Editor, either via email 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, at editor.sonoran.herp@gmail.com. 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 Trevor Hare, trevor@skyislandalliance.org Vice President Robert Villa, herpsandviolin@aol.com Secretary Open Treasurer Heidi Flugstad, heidi_flugstad@hotmail.com Directors: Robin Llewellyn (2011-2012), robinia2@msn.com Travis Boswell (2010-2011), sndscooters@yahoo.com Tim Allen (2010-2011), tallen@elmontgomery.com Robert Nixon (2011-2012), sapo1047@msn.com Kris Ratzlaff (2011-2012), kris.ratzlaff@gmail.com Dennis Caldwell (2011-2012), dennis@caldwell-design.com Past President Taylor Edwards, taylore@u.arizona.edu Society Activities Monthly Members Meeting Robert Villa, Program Chair 3rd Tuesday, 7:15 PM Board of Directors Meeting Last Tuesday of each month (except December), 7:00 PM University of Arizona, BIO5/Keating Building 1657 East Helen Street Speakers Bureau (scheduled presentations) Robert Villa, Director Ed Moll, Director Conservation Committee Dennis Caldwell, Director Tu c s o n H e r p S o c i e t y. o r g Herpetological Information Hotline Bob Brandner 760-0574 Jarchow Conservation Award Taylor Edwards, Chairperson Publications: Sonoran Herpetologist, Backyard Ponds brochure, Living with Venomous Reptiles brochure, THS Herp Coloring Book, THS Collected Papers, 1988-1991 THS Internet World Wide Webpage http://tucsonherpsociety.org Marty Tuegel, Webmaster, mtuegel@cox.net Deadline for Sonoran Herpetologist 24(4): April 15 For more information about the THS and the reptiles and amphibians of the Tucson area visit tucsonherpsociety.org SONORAN HERPETOLOGIST 24 (3) 2011 28