Plethodon jordani / glutinosus
along Ball Creek Road, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory
September 9, 2006

Table 1 (of 4)

Scores for white spots at different elevations

Altitude Score for white spots
(feet) 0 1 2 3
2250 - - 2 7
2550 - - 4 7
2700 1 4 4 2
2850 5 8 1 -
3150 5 5 2 -
3450 8 2 2 -

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 6 3 - -
2550 6 3 2 -
2700 4 4 3 -
2850 - 9 4 1
3150 1 2 5 4
3450 1 3 3 5

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 1 5 1 5
1 5 7 3 3
2 3 3 6 1
3 2 2 1 0

 

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 - - - - 1 3 5
2550 - - - 2 1 3 5
2700 - - 1 2 7 1 -
2850 1 1 5 7 - - -
3150 1 4 4 3 - - -
3450 3 3 5 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   2
Desmognathus aeneus   1
Eurycea bislineata   1
Wood Frog Rana sylvatica   1
Pickerel Frog Rana palustris   1
Reptiles
Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus) 1