The Movement of Displaced Green Salamanders

Abstract

Previous studies of the green salamander, Aneides aeneus Cope, have revealed that the spatial movement of marked individuals is restricted (Gordon 1952, Tables 3A, B and C). Of 21 marked salamanders (excluding 6 females guarding eggs) recaptured at least once, only 4 nmoved more than 8 feet betxveen point of release and point (or points) of recapture. Of 6 males captured at least 3 times (Male No. 2 was captured twice in 1950, not once as is indicated in Table 3A, Gordon op. cit.), 2 showed no movenment between points of capture and 4 moved an average of 3.2 feet (extremes 2-6). The data suggest a small home range with occasional individuals making dispersal movements. The whereabouts of marked individuals between dates of recapture were un-nown. The habitat of this species (rock crevices, 1 This research was supported by a National Science Foundation grant-in-aid administered by the Highlands Biological Station. produced by fracturing and weathering, frequently deeply penetrating and anastomosing) is not conducive to the capture of every animal observed. The method of capture involves the insertion of a wire into the crevice and behind the salamander. Sometimes much prodding is required before the salamander moves out of the crevice and often a rapid retreat results in no capture. Thus I frequently could record only the presence of an adult or immature individual, without knowledge of its exact identity, in a crevice in which a marked individual was observed repeatedly on previous censuses. The movements of adult females are highly restricted during most of the active portion of the annual cycle. The females remain in the breeding crevices from the onset of oviposition to hatching of the eggs, a period varying from 84 to 91 days (5 females observed, Gordon 1952). This guarding behavior of the female offers an