Plethodon jordani
along the ridge north of Heintooga Overlook
September 7, 2007
| Miles |
Altitude |
Score for red on cheeks |
| from start |
(feet) |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
 |
| 0.0 |
5320 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2.0 |
4960 |
8 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| 4.0 |
4800 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| 6.0 |
4700 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
| 8.4 |
4280 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| |
|
P. jordani |
hybrids |
P. glutinosus |
| 8.4 |
4280 |
9 |
1* |
0 |
|
*scores for hybrid individual: cheeks -- 0, spots -- 1
Explanation of scores . . .
- 0 -- no red pigment on sides of head (cheeks entirely gray)
- 1 -- discontinuous spots of red (or orange) at top of cheek
- 2 -- continuous red along top of cheek
- 3 -- entire cheek red
- 4 -- red extends ventrally onto throat
If two sides of head have different scores (happens occasionally), then
animal receives the higher score.
Other species
salamanders
| | |
| Desmognathus ochrophaeus |
8, all typical coloration |
| Desmognathus wrighti |
1 |
| Eurycea (bislineata) wilderi |
4 |
| Gyrinophilus porphyriticus |
1, the first one on these field trips in many years |
others
| | |
| Barred Owl | two pairs hooting |
| large bat Lasiurus species | flying across the road |
| Southern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans | heard squeaking in the treetops at an elevation of
about 5000 feet (so possibly the Northern Flying Squirrel G. sabrinus,
a rare species at high elevations in the southern Appalachians) |
| Southern Red-backed Vole Clethrionomys
gapperi | in the leaves beside the
road |
Notes: no rain for weeks, leaf litter crisp, but soil not dusty dry
|