The Herpetofauna of Adams County, Ohio

OhioJ. Sci. PARASITES OF OHIO CATOSTOMIDS Copyright © 1984 Ohio Acad. Sci. 35 OO3O-O95O/84/OOO1-OO35 $2.00/0 THE HERPETOFAUNA OF ADAMS COUNTY, OHIO1 PAUL M. DANIEL, Department of Zoology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056 ABSTRACT. Examination of museum collections and published accounts were combined with visits to Adams Co., Ohio, to determine the occurrence of reptiles and amphibians there. Nineteen salamander, 12 frog and toad, 4 lizard, 15 snake and at least 4 turtle species have been recorded in the county. This is more than has been recorded from any other county in Ohio and further substantiates the unusual nature of this part of Ohio. OHIOJ. SCI. 84(1): 35-43, 1984 INTRODUCTION Several attempts have been made to survey the Ohio herpetofauna in general. Notable and relatively recent among these have been those of Conant (1951) 'Manuscript received 4 April 1983 and in revised form 27 June 1983 (#83-13). and Walker (1946). The detailed herpetological distributions of regions and counties within Ohio include those of Ashton (1976) in Preble Co., Wood and Duellman (1947) for Montgomery Co., Duellman (1951) for Green Co., Blem (1972) for Hardin Co. and Fichter (1947) for Butler Co. in the till plains. Ruffer 36 P. M. DANIEL et al. (1968) lists herpetofauna for a portion of Defiance Co. and Langlois (1964) for the Lake Erie islands of the lake plains physiographic area. A salamander report on southeastern Ohio by Siebert and Brandon (I960) is from the Allegheny plateau, most of it unglaciated. Adams Co. is unique in many ways. Its 1510 km 2 are located in south central Ohio bordered by Brown Co. on the west, Pike and Highland counties on the north, Scioto Co. on the east and the Ohio River and Kentucky on the south and are underlain by, from west to east, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian limestones, dolomites and shales and Mississippian limestones and sandstones. Bedrock provides a wide variety of soil parent materials resulting in a wide variety of soil types. Parts of 3 major physiographic provinces are in the county. The northwestern third lies in the till plains that cover most of the rest of western Ohio. Soils here are derived from Illinoian tills. The topography is rolling, and agriculture is the chief land use. The bluegrass region that occupies much of north central Kentucky is sometimes referred to as the Lexington Plain and has its surface features formed by stream erosion of limestone bedrock. Irregular contours with forest cover on the slopes and agriculture on the terraces are characteristic of this region (Noble and Karsak 1975). The unglaciated plateau is characterized by high narrow ridges and deep valleys with a range in elevation from 180 to 400 m. A highly faulted region with deep-sided narrow valleys lies in Bratton Twp. This area of about 21 km 2 has been explained by both cryptovolcanic and meteoric impact theories (figs. 1 and 2). The unique nature of Adams Co. was recognized by Thomas (1951) in his discussion of boundaries in providing habitat for range extension. This has been further documented by (McCance 1977). The diverse geological features, fauna, and flora within this political entity have attracted and continue to attract many naturalists to FIGURE 1. 1951). Vol. 84 Physiographic areas of Ohio (Conant FIGURE 2. Physiographic areas of Ohio as they occur in Adams Co., Ohio, with several collecting sites indicated. the area, and fortunately many of these persons have deposited specimens in various museums. It is my purpose to list the herpetofauna combining personal observations, published accounts and museum material. OhioJ. Sci. 37 ADAMS COUNTY HERPETOFAUNA METHODS AND MATERIALS Literature examined includes Walker (1946), Conant (1951) and some of the preliminary drafts being prepared for Salamanders of Ohio by the Ohio Biological Survey (Pfingsten, in press). Collections examined include those at The Ohio State University Museum of Zoology, Miami University, Ohio University, the Dayton Museum of Natural History, and the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History. At least 19 visits were made to the county between 1972 and 1983 and suitable habitat for herpetofauna was searched by the writer and his students. Specimens that represented new records for the county or in some cases the township were deposited in the Miami University Collections but most specimens were examined and released. Records were kept for each species, and these are summarized in tables 1—5. Only one specific locality is given for each township. Others are available from the author. The names utilized are from the Society for Study of Amphibians and Reptiles list of common and current scientific names (Collins et al. 1978). RESULTS SALAMANDERS. Nineteen species are recorded in table 1. Specimens of Ambystoma jeffersonianum may be that species or one of the triploid forms of the complex. Both large aquatic forms, Necturus maculosus and Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, are based on old records, and the present status of these animals in the county is not known. It should be noted that 3 Ohio salamanders designated as rare and endangered in Ohio and offered protection by state law are found in Adams Co. These are Eurycea lucifuga, Aneides aeneus and Hemidactylium scutatum. FROGS AND TOADS. Walker (1946) recorded 2 toads from the family Bufonidae, 3 frogs from the Hylidae and 5 species of Ranidae. Fieldwork since that time has added the hylids Acris crepitans and Pseudacris triseriata to the herpetofauna of the county (table 2). TURTLES. The turtle fauna has probably been least investigated, and a thorough search of aquatic habitats might well add several additions to the fauna such as Chrysemys picta, Chrysemys scripta, Stenotherus odoratus and Trionyx muticus. Four species are recorded in table 3. LIZARDS. Four of the 5 species recorded from Ohio have been recorded from Adams Co. Of these, Eumeces latkeps is the only species not taken since I960, but recent records from adjacent counties indicate that populations within Adams Co. might still exist (table 4). TABLE 1 Salamanders of Adams Co., Ohio. Species Latest Record Townships Selected Specific Localities Museum Number* Family Cryptobranchidae Cryptobranchus alleganknsis 1931 Sprigg Ohio River OSU 668A668 1931 Spngg Ohio River OSU 2263CA668 1963 1963 Jefferson Brush Creek Scott Meigs Tiffin 1983 Jefferson Green Meigs 9.6 km E. of West Union Rt. 125 Blue Creek 1.6 km W. of Buena Vista Mineral Springs Monroe Meigs Franklin Mineral Springs Woodland Alters WeliDeriQcr Family Necturidae Necturus maculosus Mudpuppy Family Ambystomidae Ambystoma texanum Smallmouth salamander Ambystoma opacum Marbeled salamander Ambystoma jeffersonianum Jefferson salamander Ambystoma maculatum Spotted salamander 1982 10.4 km E. of West Union OSU OSU OSU OSU OSU 332A332 4003 3622 3964 2463 OSU 807A807 OSU A1148A181 MU A360 OSU 182A182 MU A313 MU A317 Vol. 84 P. M. DANIEL 38 TABLE 1 — (Continued) Salamanders of Adams Co., Ohio. Species Latest Record Townships Selected Specific Localities Museum Number* Family Salamandridae Notophthalmus viridescens Franklin Meigs Jefferson Green Woodland Alters Mineral Springs Normandy Orchard MU A326 MU A328 O.U.V.C. 4010 MU A309 1983 Meigs Brush Creek Sprigg Green Mineral Springs Wilderness Preserve Ginger Ridge Vastine Run MU A304 P.O. MU A210 MU A357 1976 Meigs Liberty Tiffin Brush Creek Sprigg Green Franklin Meigs Brush Creek Sprigg Monroe Green On Cedar Fork OSU 2410 OSU 553A553 CMNH 928 P.O. MU A209 OSU 2671 MU A325 MU A107 P.O. MU A211 DMNH 2209 P.O. 1983 Eastern newt Family Plethodontidae Desmognathus fuscus Dusky salamander Plethodon cinereus Redback salamander Plethodon richmondi 1982 Ravine salamander West Union Near Lynx Ginger Ridge Near Co. Rd. 18 in cave Woodland Alters Mineral Springs Near Lynx Slopes of Ginger Ridge 5.6 km W. of Manchester Wycoff Run Plethodon glutinosus Slimy salamander 1983 Franklin Meigs Liberty Tiffin Brush Creek Monroe Green Woodland Alters Lawshe Meigs Green Brush Creek Green Meigs Green Meigs Green Meigs Green Brush Creek Mineral Springs Normandy Orchard Buzzard's Roost Black Hollow Mineral Springs Near Lower Twin Creek Davis Memorial Black Hollow Cedar Run Wycoff Run 3.2 km So. of Lynx Scott Meigs Jefferson Sprigg Green Scott Bratton Franklin Meigs Brush Creek Sprigg Monroe Green Buck Run Mineral Springs West Union Wilderness Preserve Wrightsville Vastine Run MU A323 P.O. OSU 1369A553 CMNH523 P.O. OSU 178A178 MU A356 Hemidactylium scutatum Four-toed salamander 1974 Aneides aeneus Green salamander Gyrinophilus porphyritkus 1983 Spring salamander Pseudotriton ruber 1977 Red salamander Pseudotriton montanus 1963 Mud salamander Eurycea lucifuga 1964 Cave salamander Eurycea longicanda 1980 Longtail salamander Eurycea bislineata Two-lined salamander 1983 Ginger Ridge Vastine Run Tranquility Wildlife Area Serpent Mound Woodland Alters Mineral Springs Cedar Mills Ginger Ridge 4.0 km W. of Manchester Normandy Orchard MU A132 OSU 3489 DMNH 2973 DMNH 2861 MU A3O3 MU A355 MU A227 DMNH 3303 OSU 2437 OSU 2432 OSU 3709 and OSU 3900 P.O. MU A3O3 OSU 221A221 P.O. OSU 3772 P.O. OSU 1397A452 MU A324 MU A302 OSU 286A454 MU A212 DMNH 2215 MU A221 *CMNH — Cincinnati Museum of Natural History; DMNH — Dayton Museum of Natural History; MU — Miami University; OSU — The Ohio State University Museum of Zoology; OUVC—Ohio University Vertebrate Collection; P.O.—Personal observation. OhioJ. Sci. ADAMS COUNTY HERPETOFAUNA 39 TABLE 2 Frogs and toads of Adams Co., Ohio. Species Latest Record Townships Selected Specific Localities Museum Number* Family Bufonidae Bufo woodhousei 1982 Woodhouse's toad Bufo americanus American toad 1982 Bratton Meigs Tiffin Brush Creek Jefferson Monroe Scott Meigs Tiffin Monroe Green Serpent Mound Mineral Springs West Union Buzzard's Roost Btwn. Lynx & Blue Creek Pumpkin Ridge Tranquility Wildlife Area Mineral Springs West Union Island Creek Road OSU 1525A452 MU A215 DMNH 2875 P.O. OSU 1522A431 Mineral Springs Buzzard's Roost Cedar Mills Rome Hill Serpent Mound Woodland Alters Mineral Springs 1.6 km W. of Buena Vista Rome Hill MU A243 P.O. OSU 1989 OSU 2469 P.O. MU A318 MU A314 OSU 1537A92 MU A238 MU A204 MU A216 P.O. P.O. SL 575 (from Walker 1946) Family Hylidae Hyla versicolor 1982 Meigs Brush Creek Jefferson Green Bratton Franklin Meigs Green 1963 Green 1982 1976 Brush Creek Green Scott Cedar Mills OSU 1951A476 Smokey Creek OSU 2501 1.6 km S. of DMNH 2814 Highland Co. line on Rt. 247 1938 Franklin 3.2 km W. of Locust Grove Ohio Brush Creek Near Stout 1982 Gray treefrog Hyla crucifer Spring peeper Pseudaeris triseriata OSU 2411 Striped chorus frog Pseudacrisbrachyphona Mountain chorus frog Acris crepitans Northern cricket frog Family Ranidae Rana pipiens Northern leopard frog Rana palustris Pickeral frog Rana sylvatica 1946 (from Walker) 1983 Wood frog Meigs Green Meigs Brush Creek Green Rana catesbeiana 1982 Bull frog Rana clamitans Green frog 1981 Winchester Bratton Meigs Liberty Jefferson Monroe Green Meigs Green Ohio Brush Creek Pond near Bethany Ridge Rd. 8.0 km N.W. of Buena Vista Pond near Rt. 32 Serpent Mound Mineral Springs Turkey Run near Rts. 781 and 386 Pumpkin Ridge Normandy Orchard Mineral Springs Normandy Orchard OSU 2009 OSU 1662A453 UMMZ 88848 OSU 1694A453 MU A308 OSU 2618 MU A327 OSU 1595A452 MU A315 OUVC 4001 P.O. MU MU MU MU A237 A312 A258 A311 *DMNH — Dayton Museum of Natural History; MU — Miami University; OSU — The Ohio State University Museum of Zoology; OUVC — Ohio University Vertebrate Collection; P.O. —Personal observation; SL — Stone Lab; UMMZ — University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. 40 Vol. 84 P. M. DANIEL TABLE 3 Turtles of Adams Co., Ohio. Species Latest Record Selected Specific Localities Townships Museum Number* MU R86 Chlydra serpentina Snapping turtle 1982 Bratton Quarry near Serpent Mound Graptemys geographica Map turtle Terrapene Carolina Eastern box turtle 1970 Brush Creek Meigs Trionyx spinifera 1970 C Cedar Mills Ohio Brush Creek at Rt. 41 OSU 1404 bridge OSU 1273 Mineral Springs CMNH 920 Lynx P.O. Manchester c 5.6 km E. of Manchester DMNH 2249 Normandy Orchard P.O. Ohio Brush Creek at Rt. 41 OSU 1405 bridge 1983 Franklin Meigs Brush Creek Sprigg Monroe Green Meigs Spiny softshell *C— from Conant; CMNH — Cincinnati Museum of Natural History; MU — Miami University; OSU — The Ohio State University Museum of Zoology; P.O.—Personal observation. TABLE 4 Lizards of Adams Co., Ohio. Species Sceloporus undulatus Eastern fence lizard Latest Record 1977 Scincella lateralis Ground skink Eumeces fasiatus Five-lined skink 1963 Eumeces laticeps Broadhead skink 1932 1976 Townships Bratton Franklin Meigs Brush Jefferson Monroe Green Green Meigs Brush Creek Jefferson Green Brush Creek Museum Number* Selected Specific Localities Serpent Mound East of Locust Grove Beaver Pond Buzzard's Roost Buzzard's Rock 9.6 km E. of Manchester Near Sandy Springs 3.2 km E. of Rome near Rt. 52 Mineral Springs Near Lynx Smokey Creek Near Ohio Brush Creek C OSU 801R388 C MUR60 C DMNH 2425 OSU 797R168 OSU 1139 P.O. P.O. OUVC 3717 OSU 1163 OSU R400 *C — from Conant; DMNH — Dayton Museum of Natural History; MU — Miami University; OSU — The Ohio State University Museum of Zoology; OUVC — Ohio University Vertebrate Collection; P . O . — Personal observation. SNAKES. Conant (1951) records 23 species of snakes from Ohio and 14 from Adams Co. Only Storeria occipitomaculata has been added since that time. It is noteworthy that all species have been recorded since I960 (table 5). DISCUSSION The Butler, Preble, Green, Montgomery and Hardin Co. studies are all from the till plains of Ohio, and each contains considerably fewer total species of herpetofauna than is recorded here from Adams Co. This TABLE 5 Snakes of Adams Co., Ohio, Species Nerodia sipedon Northern water snake Regina septemvittata Queen snake Storeria occipitomaculata Redbelly snake Thamnophis sirtalis Common garter snake Latest Record 1982 1982 1979 1983 Virginia valeriae Smooth earth snake 1963 Heterodon platyrhinos Eastern hognose snake Diadophis punctatus Ringneck snake 1982 Carphopbis amoenus Worm snake 1966 Coluber constrictor Racer 1974 1980 Opheodrys aestivus Rough green snake I960 Elapbe obsoleta Rat snake 1978 Lampropeltis getulus 1982 Common kingsnake Lampropeltis triangulum 1964 Milk snake Agkistrodon contortrix 1963 Copperhead Crotalus horridus 1964 Selected Specific Localities Townships 1.6 km S. of Highland Co. Line Bratton Serpent Mound Meigs Peach Mountain Jefferson Blue Creek Oliver Ohio Brush Creek Scott Tranquility Wildlife Preserve Meigs Peebles Tiffin Ohio Brush Creek Brush Creek Ohio Brush Creek Jefferson Meigs Green Winchester Pond W. of Winchester along Rt. 32 Along Rt. 246, 1.6 km S. of Scott Highland Co. line Meigs • Davis Memorial Monroe Green Co. Rd. 18, 3.2 km S. of Jefferson Rt. 125 on W. side of road Green Smokey Creek Brush Creek Buzzard's Roost Green Franklin Meigs Mineral Springs Monroe 9-6 km E. of Manchester Rt. 52 Green Long Lick Run 4.8 km S. of Locust Grove Franklin Jefferson Smokey Creek Green Winchester Winchester Between Lawshe & Peebles Meigs Brush Creek Near Lynx Prairie 8.0 km S.E. of Manchester Spngg Green Near Stout Meigs Mineral Springs Brush Creek 1.6 km W. of Lynx Green Mineral Springs Meigs Rt. 41 N. of Winchester Tiffin Jefferson Green Brush Creek Near Lynx Jefferson Green Rome Hill Meigs Between Peebles & Lawshe Rome Hill Green 4.8 km S. of Peebles Meigs Dead on Road Jefferson Long Lick Run Green Rome Hill Green Scott Museum Number* DMNH 2203 OSU 454R245 C OSU 453R241 MU R91 P.O. C C MU R89 C OUVC 3456 OSU 1676 MU R88 DMNH 2199 P.O. OSU 1757 C OSU 1656 CMNH 2600 P.O. OSU 198R81 C MU R72 DMNH 2250 OSU 1142 OSU 153R759 OSU 2086 C cMU R26 C c c c c OUVC 4000 MU R62 P.O. OUVC 4009 OSU 1538 P.O. cOSU 1553 OSU OSU OSU C OSU OSU 43R299 1549 1143 1135 1541 Timber rattlesnake *C — from Conant; CMNH — Cincinnati Museum of Natural History; DMNH — Dayton Museum of Natural History; MU — Miami University; OSU — The Ohio State University Museum of Zoology; OUVC — Ohio University Vertebrate Collection; P.O.—Personal observations. 41 42 Vol. 84 P. M. DANIEL TABLE 6 Herpetofauna of Adams Co. and other Ohio regions. Salamander Anuran Species Species Lizard Species Snake Species Turtle Species Total 7 1 13 5 35 10 0 3 33 34 n.a. 29 1 1 1 0 0 12 10 11 12 11 7 9 n.a. 9 7 5 1960 19 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 1983 19 12 4 15 4 54 Region Investigators Date Montgomery Wood and Duellman Duellman Ashton Fichter Blem Langlois Ruffer, Leonard and Sherger Siebert and Brandon Daniel 1947 9 1951 1976 1947 1972 1964 1968 4 n.a.* 3 7 Greene Co. Preble Co. Butler Co. Hardin Co. Erie Islands Tree Farm Defiance Co. Southeast Ohio 12 Counties Adams Co. 8 3 4 4 4 3 3 28 12 *Not available is also true for the Defiance Co. tree farm and Lake Erie islands studies which are included in the lake plains physiographic region. The salamander study in several southeastern Ohio counties contained the same number of species as is found in Adams Co. It is probable that other glacial boundary areas and areas of the unglaciated Allegheny plateau might well yield a high variety of species if sufficiently investigated. Table 6 lists the numbers of species from several studies done in the till plains, lake plains and Allegheny plateau as well as numbers from Adams Co. It should be recognized, however, that studies of political entities are not necessarily of equal size nor is the effort to collect and compile the lists necessarily equal. Conant (1951) indicates the fewest number of reptile species (14) within the bluegrass physiographic area of Ohio but further indicates that this may be due to its small area in Ohio and to its agricultural usage and that greater collecting effort might increase this number. This has been demonstrated here if collections from Sprigg, Monroe, Green, Brush Creek, Tiffin, Oliver, Meigs, Franklin and Bratton Twps. are considered to be in or adjacent to the bluegrass physiographic region. Many good collecting sites for reptiles and am- phibians are associated close to the boundary between bluegrass and unglaciated Allegheny plateau. These include Woodland Alters in Franklin Twp., Mineral Springs and Davis Memorial in Meigs Twp., Cedar Mills, Lynx and Buzzard's Roost in Brush Creek Twp. and Normandy Orchard in Green Twp. (fig. 2). Adams Co. is a region of physiographic boundaries which provide diverse habitats. Green Twp. has the greatest number of species recorded. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Thanks are due to David Stansbery and John Condit of The Ohio State University Museum of Zoology for cooperation in using museum material. I thank Henri Siebert of Ohio University, Gary Coovert and Diana Morse of the Dayton Museum of Natural History, and Richard Davis of the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History for the use of their collections. Finally, I thank the many students and friends who assisted in the field portions of the study over several years. LITERATURE CITED Ashton, R. E. 1976 The herpetofauna of Preble County, Ohio. OhioJ. Sci. 76: 33-38. Blem, C. R. 1972 An annoted list of the amphibians and reptiles of Hardin County, Ohio. OhioJ. Sci. 72: 91-96. Collins, J.T., J.E. Huheey, J. L. Knight and H. M. Smith 1978 Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. Herpetological Circ. No. 7, Soc. Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. OhioJ. Sci. ADAMS COUNTY HERPETOFAUNA Conant, R. 1951 The reptiles of Ohio, 2nd ed. Amer. Midi. Natur. Notre Dame, IN. Duellman, W. E. 1951 Notes on the reptiles and amphibians of Greene County, Ohio. OhioJ. Sci. 51: 335-341. Fichter, G. S. 1947 Preliminary list of the reptiles of Butler County, Ohio. Herpetologica 4: 71-73. Langlois, T. H. 1964 Amphibians and reptiles of the Lake Erie islands. OhioJ. Sci. 64: 11—25. McCance, R. M. 1977 Ohio natural heritage program technical report. Div. Natur. Areas and Preserves, Ohio Dept. Natur. Prog., Columbus. Noble, A. G. and A. J. Karsak 197 5 Ohio — An American Heartland. Bull. 65 Ohio Geol. Surv. Pfingsten, Ralph, (ed.) Salamanders of Ohio. Ohio 43 Biol. Surv. (In Press). Ruffer, D. G., D. Leonard and G. Sherger 1968 Checklist of amphibians, reptiles and mammals of the Tree Farm Natural Area, Defiance County, Ohio. OhioJ. Sci. 68: 312-315. Siebert, H. and R. Brandon I960 The salamanders of southeastern Ohio. Ohio J. Sci. 60: 291-303. Thomas, E. S. 1951 Distribution of Ohio animals. OhioJ. Sci. 51: 153-167. Walker, C. F. 1946 The amphibians of Ohio: Part I. The frogs and toads. Ohio State Mus. Sci. Bull. I: 3. Wood, J . T . and W. E. Duellman 1947 Preliminary herpetological survey of Montgomery County, Ohio. Herpetologica 4: 3—6.