('. A SURVEY FOR THREATENED AND ENDANGERED HERPETOFAUNA IN THE LOWER MARAIS DES CYGNES RIVER VALLEY KELLYJ. IRWIN JOSEPH T. COLLINS F.inal Report to the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks Pratt, Kansas November 1994 Lawrence
' ' A SURVEY FOR THREATENED AND ENDANGERED HERPETOFAUNA IN THE LOWER MARAIS DES CYGNES RIVER VALLEY KELLYJ. IRWIN 2218 West 2nd Street Topeka, Kansas 66606 JOSEPH T. COLLINS ftc Enterprises, Inc. & The Center for North American Amphibians and Reptiles 1502 Medinah Circle Lawrence, Kansas 66047 INTRODUCTION During the spring of 1994, a preliminary survey for threatened and endangered reptiles and amphibians in the lower Marais des Cygnes River valley was initiated. Field work was centered around the Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area, with additional work in the Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge and La Cygne Wildlife Area. Seven trips were made to the area, totaling fourteen days of field work. Of the thirty-eight species of reptiles and amphibians observed during this survey (as reported by Rundquist, 1994), three are officially listed as threatened and designated as (T) below. County records are based on Collins (1993). Common and scientific names are those of Collins (1990). THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES ENCOUNTERED DURING THE SURVEY 16 April1994 Broadhead Skink Eumeces laticeps (T): Linn Co.: NW 1/4 Sec. 20, T21S, R25E: Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge: (KU cat. no. pending): Adult male active on large cedar tree adjacent to collapsed farm house and out buildings. Upland site in old field succession and hardwood forest. Specimen established as county record voucher. 17 April1994 Smooth Earth Snake Virginia valeriae (T): Linn Co.: NW 1/4 Sec. 27, T20S, R24E: Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area: (KU cat. no. pending): Adult (sex undetermined) under limestone rock on east facing hilltop in mature oak-hickory forest.
Eastern Newt Notophthalmus viridescens (T): Linn Co.: NW 1/4 Sec. 27, T20S, R24E: Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area: (KU cat. no. pending): Eft found under limestone rock on southeast facing hillside in mature oakhickory forest. Adults of Carphophis vermis (1) and Diadophis punctatus (1) were found in association with the eft. 23 April1994 Eastern Newt Notophthalmus viridescens (T): Linn Co.: SE 1/4 Sec. 27, T20S, R24E: Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area: Eft under rock in mature oak-hickory forest, on west facing slope of hill. Eastern Newt Notophthalmus viridescens (T): Linn Co.: NW 1/4 Sec. 27, T20S; R24E: Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area: Eft under rock in mature oak-hickory forest, on northwest facing slope of hill. Eastern Newt Notophthalmus viridescens (T): Linn Co.: SE 1/4 Sec. 27, T20S, R24E: Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area: (KU cat. no. pending): Between 2100 and 2400 hours four adults, one male and three females, were observed along the margins of a marsh. All were in breeding condition, as noted by the distended abdomens in the egg-laden females and the swollen cloaca and expanded caudal fin in the male. The newts were in water ca. 10-12 inches in depth, beneath a canopy of young ash and maple ca. 20-25 feet in height. Animals were found suspended in the water column either on or near scattered grass clumps. 7May 1994 Broadhead Skink Eumeces laticeps (T): Linn Co.: NW 1/4 Sec. 11, T21S, R25E: Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge: (KU cat. no. pending): Four individuals were found at this locality, two adult males and two juveniles. The single adult preserved is the new state maximum size record. All individuals were found under corrugated tin roofing from abandoned farm buildings in successional old field and bottomland hardwood forest. 8May1994 Broadhead Skink Eumeces laticeps (T): Miami Co.: SE 1/4 Sec. 8, T19S, R25E: La Cygne Wildlife Area:
A gravid adult female was found under limestone rock in oak-hickory forest, on east facing hillside above Elm Creek. COUNTY RECORDS Broadhead Skink Eumeces laticeps (T): Linn Co.: NW 1/4 Sec. 20, T21S, R25E: Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge: (KU cat. no. pending): 16 April 1994: Adult male Ouachita Map Turtle Graptemys ouachitensis: Linn Co.: Sec. 22, T20S, R24E: Marais des Cygnes River, Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area: (KU cat. no. pending): 18 June 1994: Adult male. River Cooter Pseudemys concinna: Linn Co.: Sec. 22. T20S, R24E: Marais des Cygnes River, Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area: (specimen photographed and released; KU Color Slide cat. no. pending): 18 June 1994: Adult female. THREATENED AND ENDANGERED OR SPECIES IN NEED OF CONSERVATION (SINC) These species have either been recorded from or can be expected to occur in the area, but were not observed during the course of this survey. Crawfish Frog Rana areolata (SIN C) Common Map Turtle Graptemys geographica (T) Eastern Hognose Snake Heterodon platirhinos (SINC) Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus ho1tidus (SINC)
COMMENTS Eastern Newt This new locality is only the third known for the Eastern Newt in Linn County, represents the first voucher from the county in 44 years, and is the second published breeding population of Eastern Newts in the Marais des Cygnes River Valley (Gloyd 1932). We urge the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to attempt to develop a conservation easement, Partners for Wildlife agreement, or similar arrangement with landowners whose property borders the southern boundary of Unit G in the Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area. This area is a series of heavily forested ridges and one half of a marsh, both habitats of which are necessary for the development of the terrestrial eft stage and the required habitat and breeding site for the fully aquatic adults and their larvae. The outright acquisition or conservation easement of this land would provide the habitat and protected watershed quality necessary for maintaining a stable local population. Of the nine previous specimens from Miami and Linn Counties, seven are recorded from Pigeon Lake (no longer in existence) (Gloyd 1932), which was located in the vicinity of the current Miami County State Lake. Conversations with local residents (KJI) indicated that Eastern Newts have been seen at Miami County State Lake in recent years. This locality was not checked during this survey and given its close proximity to the historic Pigeon Lake locale, it warrants further investigation. Broadhead Skink Based on our survey, five out of the six encountered individuals were found at sites which contained collapsed or dilapidated farm homes and associated out buildings. Four individuals were utilizing debris from these buildings as cover and undoubtedly profit from its presence in the form of thermoregulation sites, foraging areas, potential egg deposition sites, and cover from predators. In the future, we recommend that any old building debris that poses no threat to the environment (i.e., boards, corrugated roofing tin, stones) be left on-site to provide habitat for these lizards (and many other species of wildlife).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank Ken Brunson, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks for making funds available for this project. Our appreciation to Karl Karrow, Manager, Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area and La Cygne Wildlife Area, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, for his valuable contributions to the survey. Karl was responsible for providing one of us (KJI) the means to survey lands in his care. He obtained funds for field work and check list production, made available for our use equipment and facilities in his care, gave freely of his knowledge and expertise of the area and its fauna, and most importantly showed an interest in these less than fully appreciated creatures. William Busby, Kansas Natural Heritage Survey, provided (KJI) with much needed maps. Dan Mulhern, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Manhattan Office, encouraged our efforts in the newly created Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge. We thank Suzanne L. Collins for her field assistance and expert photographic abilities. We also thank Emily Moriarty and Susan Lila for their assistance in the field. LITERATURE CITED Collins, Joseph T. 1990. Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Third Edition. Soc. Stud. Amphib. Rept. Herp. Circ. 19: 1-41. Collins, Joseph T. 1993. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. Third Edition. Univ. Kansas Nat. Hist. Mus. Pub. Ed. Ser. 13:1-397. Rundquist, Eric M. 1994. Results of the Sixth Annual KHS Herp Counts Held 1 April-31 May 1994. Kansas Herp. Soc. Newsl. 97:5-14.