Plethodon jordani / glutinosus
along Ball Creek Road, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory
September 16, 2006

Table 1 (of 4)

Scores for white spots at different elevations

Altitude Score for white spots
(feet) 0 1 2 3
2250 - - - 12
2600 - 1 7 2
2750 - 8 3 -
2850 3 7 1 -
3150 2 9 3 -
3450 3 6 3 -
3740 2 4 5 -

Explanations of scores . . .

0 -- no white spots anywhere (absence of pigment on undersides does not count as white spots!
1 -- few white spots along sides
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 7 5 - -
2600 3 5 2 -
2750 - 8 2 1
2850 1 8 1 1
3150 - 5 7 2
3450 - 3 3 6
3740 1 5 1 4

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 2 1
1 3 15 9 -
2 1 7 2 1
3 1 2 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 - - - - - 5 7
26000 - - - 2 5 2 1
2750 - 1 2 5 3 - -
2850 1 1 1 6 2 - -
3150 - 1 8 5 - - -
3450 1 5 3 2 1 - -
3740 1 1 4 1 4 - -

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 . . .

Amphibia
Eurycea longicauda, 1
Desmognathus ochrophaeus, 3 (all typical)
Rana sylvatica, 1

Reptiles
Ringneck Snake Diodophus punctatus, 1 shedding

Birds
Barred Owl, 1 hooting

Mammals
White-footed or Deer Mouse Peromyscus leucopus or P. maniculatus, 1
unidentified bats

Notes: soil slightly damp