nena masthead
SENA Home Staff & Editors For Readers For Authors

Reproductive Phenology and the Larval Period of the Western Dwarf Salamander (Eurycea paludicola) in Southeastern Louisiana

Florence Wen1, Oliver Ljustina1, Wren Vicknair1, Brooke Perrera1, and Jennifer Y. Lamb2,*

1Department of Biological Sciences, Southeastern Louisiana University, 808 N. Pine Street Hammond, LA 70402. 2Department of Biology, St. Cloud State University, 720 Fourth Avenue South, St. Cloud, MN 56301. *Corresponding author.

Southeastern Naturalist,Volume 20, Issue 1 (2021): 37–50

Abstract
Cryptic species are often lacking in basic natural history data, which makes it difficult to effectively manage and conserve populations of these taxa. Eurycea paludicola (Western Dwarf Salamander) is a newly designated cryptic species that is endemic to the southeastern US Coastal Plain. Despite the ubiquity of this salamander in many mesic habitats, descriptions of the natural history of this species are lacking compared to other taxa within the Dwarf Salamander complex. Here we describe the reproductive phenology, habitat, and developmental period of a population of Western Dwarf Salamanders in southeastern Louisiana. We include descriptions of the color and pattern of larvae and metamorphs based on our observations of 192 individuals and provide comments on sampling strategies for plethodontid larvae in microhabitats that can be difficult to survey. Reproductively active adults of the Western Dwarf Salamander were found from mid-November through late December and larvae were present at least from mid-March to mid-May. Individuals complete metamorphosis in the summer, and recent metamorphs can be found along wetland margins from late April through early June. This is the first study to highlight the reproductive and developmental timing of the Western Dwarf Salamander, and our results indicate that these salamanders exhibit similar life-history traits to other members of the Dwarf Salamander complex.

pdf iconDownload Full-text pdf (Accessible only to subscribers. To subscribe click here.)

 

 



Access Journal Content

Open access browsing of table of contents and abstract pages. Full text pdfs available for download for subscribers.

Issue-in-Progress: Vol. 23 (1) ... early view

Current Issue: Vol. 22 (3)
SENA 22(3)

Check out SENA's latest Special Issue:

Special Issue 12
SENA 22(special issue 12)

All Regular Issues

Monographs

Special Issues

 

submit

 

subscribe

 

JSTOR logoClarivate logoWeb of science logoBioOne logo EbscoHOST logoProQuest logo