Date of Award

2002

Degree Name

Biological Sciences

College

College of Science

Type of Degree

M.S.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Thomas K. Pauley

Second Advisor

Charles C. Somerville

Third Advisor

Suzanne G. Strait

Abstract

Over the past 60 years little natural history information on Ambystoma texanum (Small-mouthed Salamander) has been collected in West Virginia, the eastern most location for the species. Three historical breeding populations of A. texanum have been documented in the state, but salamanders from 2 of these locations have not been documented for the past 30 years. Searches of historical sites and favorable habitat in Mason, Jackson, and Wood counties yielded no evidence for the presence of A. texanum, except for the known breeding site in Wood County. Information on time of breeding and egg development was collected at the Wood County breeding site. Eggs were in late stages of development with one clutch hatching on April 17, 2001. Six of the 24 captured adult A. texanum at the Wood County site showed various limb and eye malformations. Data collection ended when the breeding pool dried up on May 13, 2001.

Subject(s)

Salamanders - West Virginia.

Ambystoma texanum - West Virginia.

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