Plethodon jordani / glutinosus
along Ball Creek Road, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory
September 10, 2005

Table 1 (of 4)

Scores for white spots at different elevations

Altitude Score for white spots
(feet) 0 1 2 3
2250 - - - 7
2550 - - 7 4
2700 0 4 5 1
2850 6 7 1 -
3150 6 4 - 1
3450 10 1 - -

Explanations of scores . . .

0 -- no white spots anywhere (absence of pigment on undersides does not count as white spots!)
1 -- few white spots near the front legs
2 -- white spots along sides from front to rear legs (small individuals can have a few spots on the back)
3 -- white spots on sides and back

 

Table 2 (of 4)

Scores for red on legs at different elevations

Altitude Score for red on legs
(feet) 0 1 2 3
2250 4 3 - -
2550 8 3 - -
2700 2 4 2 2
2850 1 7 3 3
3150 1 1 3 6
3450 - 1 3 7

Explanations of scores . . .

0 -- no red pigment on any leg
1 -- discontinuous spots of red on fore legs
2 -- continuous red along proximal parts of fore legs and some red on hind legs (more red on hind legs compensates for less on fore legs)
3 -- continuous red on proximal parts of all legs

 

Table 3 (of 4)

Scores for white spots in relation to scores for red on legs
(2550 - 2850 feet only)

Score for Score for white spots
red on legs 0 1 2 3
0 0 3 5 4
1 4 4 6 1
2 4 2 2 0
3 4 6 0 1

 

Table 4 (of 4)

Hairston's index of hybridization (hybrid index)
at different elevations

(hybrid index = score for red on legs MINUS score for white spots)

Altitude Hybrid index (score for red MINUS score for white)
(feet) 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3
2250 - - - - - 3 4
2550 - - - - 2 6 3
2700 - 2 1 1 5 - 1
2850 1 4 3 5 1 - -
3150 4 4 2 - 1 - -
3450 6 4 1 - - - -

Note that the hybrid index varies from 3 to -3.
"Pure" jordani have a score of 3 (leg score = 3, spot score = 0).
"Pure" "glutinosus" have a score of -3 (leg score = 0, spot score = 3).

Other species . . .

Amphibians
Desmognathus ochrophaeus   4
Desmognathus monticola   2
Eurycea longicauda   1 (our second in one day!)
American Toad Bufo americanus   1 photographed in the road
Reptiles
Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus) 1
Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) 1