CATESBEIANA
Bulletin of the Virginia Herpetological Society Volume 27 Spring 2007 No. 1
Contents
Opportunistic Anuran Surveys in Southeastern Virginia:
Looking for Oak Toads, but Finding Spadefoots!
Paul Sattler and Jason Daniel Gibson 3 Herpetological Records from the First Annual Herp Blitz at Fairy
Stone State Park and Fairystone Farms Wildlife Management Area Jason Daniel Gibson and Paul Sattler 15 The Upland Chorus Frog (Pseudacris feriamm) in Virginia:
A Species in Decline?
Carol A. Pollio 24 Status and Distribution of the Mediterranean Gecko
(Hemidactylus turcicus) in Virginia
Paul Sattler, Cynthia Lane, and Kyle Harris 36 Field Notes 40 Obituary: Roger Henry de Rageot 47 President's Corner 54 Minutes of the Fall 2006 VHS Meeting 56 Treasurer's Report 59
See pages 54-55 for information on upcoming meetings and field trips
FIELD NOTES
Bufofowleri (Fowler's Toad). VA: Accomack Co., Assateague Island, (37° 54' 37.8" N; 75" 21' 19.9" W). 4 January 2007. Storrs L. Olson and Johanna R.
Humphrey.
The first part of the winter of 2006-2007 was notable for abnormally warm temperatures in northeastern North America. Although it would not be unexpected that this would have an effect on terrestrial poikilotherms, it is nevertheless worth documenting. On 4 January 2007 between 1100 and 1200 h, Johanna R. Humphrey and I observed and photographed a small (ca. 40 mm) Fowler's Toad (Bufofowleri) hopping over a bare patch of sandy soil about 30 m north of the hghthouse on Assateague Island. The surrounding habitat was loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forest. At this time the temperature was about 62" F (16.7° C) with a clear sky and light wind. At nearby Wallops Island on the same date the minimum, maximum, and mean temperatures were 41°, 65°, and 53° F (5", 18.3", and 11.7 °C).
Fowler's Toad is the only species of Bufonidae recorded from Assateague Island, where surface activity in this species has been observed from 16 April to 9 October (Mitchell and Anderson. 1994. Amphibians and Reptiles of Assateague and Chincoteague Islands. Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville, VA. 120 pp.). Thus, our observation falls squarely in the middle of the known period of normal winter inactivity of this species at this location.
STORRS L. OLSON
National Museum of Natural History P.O. Box37012
Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC 20013-7012
Gastrophryne carolinensis (Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad). VA: Franklin Co., Ferrum, Ferrum College Campus. 0,4 km (0.25 miles) NW of Chapman Pond (36° 56' 22" N, 80° 01' 64" W). Elevation 422 m (1370'). 14 September 2006. Todd Fredericksen and Mary Beth Webb.
On 14 September 2006 at 1300 h, an Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad {Gastrophryne carolinensis) was captured in a pitfall trap established to monitor the abundance and diversity of small vertebrate animals in areas with differing levels of coarse woody debris. In Virginia, this species primarily occurs in the Coastal Plain region with only a few records west of the Fall Line. This is the first documented occurrence of this species in Franklin County (Mitchell and Catesbeiana 27: 40-46 (2007) 40
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