Literaturdatenbank
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Rosen, P. C., Sartorius, S. S., Schwalbe, C. R., Holm, P. A., & Lowe, C. H. , Herpetology of the sulphur springs valley, cochise county, arizona. Unpublished paper presented at The future of arid grasslands: identifying issues, seeking solution.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (06 Jul 2014 16:17:17 UTC) |
| Resource type: Conference Paper BibTeX citation key: Rosen1998 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Amphibien - amphibians, Echsen - saurians, Habitat - habitat, Nordamerika - North America, Schildkröten - turtles + tortoises, Schlangen - snakes, Testudinidae, Testudo horsfieldii Creators: Holm, Lowe, Rosen, Sartorius, Schwalbe Collection: The future of arid grasslands: identifying issues, seeking solution |
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| Abstract |
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The valleys of southeastem Arizona exemplify the biological diversity of the desert grassland. Among them, the Sulphur Springs Valley has especially significant amphibian and turtle populations, at least two of which (plains leopard frog and yellow mud turtle) are presently in danger of extirpation. It has one remaining key Chiricahua leopard frog population, but has already lost other populations of this threatened species. Based on our work 1993-6 and earlier, and on museum records, we present an annotated checklist of the 61 species (11 frogs and toads, 1 salamander, 3 turtles, 211izards, and 25 snakes) confirmed from the valley. Based on habitat use and geographic distribution, this fauna has a core of (Chihuahuan) Desert Grassland taxa (many of which also occupy plains grassland and Chihuahuan desertscrub), and a smaller number of widespread North American Desert species. Sonoran Desert species are either rare or restricted to low arid slopes, and Madrean Woodland species enter the valley only peripherally. Long utilized for farming and ranching, the Sulphur Springs Valley now faces suburbanization and increasing traffic. This could rapidly close its open spaces and eliminate the potential for native ecosystem restoration. This is so even though the herpetofauna is still robust--except for aquatic species and the massasauga. We recommend a conservation program that includes land acquisition, cooperative work with landholders, state protection, and additional survey and research as needed. WESTERN Box TURTLE--Terrapene ornata luteola (Desert Box Turtle). Seen in numbers in several areas of the SSV, which, together with the San Bernardino Valley, is the species core in Arizona. During routine summer field work we often saw 2-3 per day. They were found in far greater numbers, especially at the hills east of Pearce, prior to severe highway mortality in the 196o•s- 1980•s. Box turtles are not common north of Sunsites. Although we didn't record them in Chihuahuan desertscrub in the SSV, they occur in and near sacaton bottoms in desertscrub at the lowest elevations of the San Bernardino Valley. YELLOW MuD TURTLE--Kinosternon f. f/avescens (Yellow Mud Turtle). Rare, and only seen in the flats of the lower valley (from Elfrida south). This attractive mud turtle is in danger of disappearing from the SSV. We also discovered this taxon in Graham Co., in thriving populations in the San Simon and Whitlock valleys, also on the valley floor. Appropriate wetland management may be required to prevent the extirpation of this subspecies from Arizona. SONORAN MuD TURTLE--Kinosternon sonoriense. Rare in the valley, and known only from just south of McNeal to near Douglas. The presence of this turtle is consistent with historical reports of perennial flow in lower Whitewater Draw. In contrast, the yellow mud turtle thrives in ephemeral and fluctuating summer waters further up-drainage, just as observed for the plains leopard frog
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich |