Date of Award

1991

Degree Name

Biological Sciences

College

College of Science

Type of Degree

M.S.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Thomas K. Pauley

Second Advisor

Dan K. Evans

Third Advisor

Michael Seidel

Abstract

Much has been written about the ecology of the green salamander, Aneides aeneus (Cope and Packard). The life history and ecology of southern populations of this species have been studied intensively by Gordon (1952), Woods (1968), and Snyder (1971). Gordon collected data in Highlands, North Carolina on distribution, habitat selection, population dynamics, and the ability of aeneus to withstand water loss as compared to Plethodon jordani melaventris. Woods conducted a similar study in Mississippi, and Snyder examined the adaptive brooding behavior of aeneus. In addition to these studies, further research has been conducted by Dr. Paul V. Cupp, Jr. of Eastern Kentucky University and by Dr. J. William Cliburn and students at the University of Southern Mississippi. Cupp (1971, 1979, and (1980) observed territorial behavior, Fall courtship, and mating in aeneus in Kentucky. Cliburn's reseach focused on the comparative climbing abilities and vertical stratification of A· aeneus and - glutinosus (Cliburn and Porter 1986 and 1987).

Cliburn also examined ·aeneus responses to a magnetic field (Cliburn and Pihkala 1986, Pihkala and Cliburn 1986). Baltar (1983), a former student of Cliburn's, found that vertical stratification of some cliff dwelling plethodontid salamanders is related to the competitive survival of the Mississippi population of ,A. aeneus.

Subject

Aneides - West Virginia - Ecology

Subject

Salamanders - Ecology - West Virginia

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