Plethodon jordani / glutinosus
along Ball Creek Road, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory
September 15, 2007

Table 1 (of 4)

Scores for white spots at different elevations

Altitude Score for white spots
(feet) 0 1 2 3
2250 - - - 10
2550 - - 6 6
2700 - 8 8 -
2850 5 6 2 -
3150 3 6 2 -
3450 4 7 - -
3780 3 8 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 8 2 - -
2550 5 7 - -
2700 2 8 5 1
2850 2 5 4 2
3150 2 4 5 -
3450 - 2 6 3
3780 - 5 3 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 - 2 4 3
1 4 4 9 3
2 1 5 3 -
3 1 2 - -

 

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 - - - - - 2 10
2550 - - - - 4 5 3
2700 - 1 2 6 7 - -
2850 1 2 6 2 - 2 -
3150 - 2 3 3 3 - -
3450 1 5 3 2 - - -
3780 1 2 6 3 - - -

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 quadrimaculatus   1
Desmognathus aeneus   1
Eurycea (bislineata) wilderi   1
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus   1 (first time ever on back-to-back trips!)
Reptiles
Worm Snake Carphophus amoenus   1 (feeds mostly on earthworms)