Geographic Variation in Southern Populations of Desmognathus ochrophaeus
Martoff BS and Rose FL. 1963. Geographic Variation in Southern Populations of Desmognathus ochrophaeus. The American Midland Naturalist. 69(2):376-425
ABSTRACT: Over four thousand specimens were collected in 21 localities in the southcrn Appalachian Mountains. They were measured and examined closely, and their variation was plotted on maps. The largest adults averaged 47 mm in snout vent and were from Mount Mitchell; the smallest ones averaged only 28 mm and were from Ocoee Gorge. In general, body size correlated well with altitude but only poorly with latitude. Males averaged 12 % larger than females and 62 % of all adults were males. The greater abundance of males was in large part due to their occupying habitats more accessible to collec- tors. The number of lobes per testis correlated closely with body size. The tail averaged about 18% longer than the snout-vent length; no sexual dimorphism was evident. The longest tailed specimens were from Toccoa Falls (33%) and the shortest from Ocoee Gorge (11%) and from Mount Mitchell (9%). There was no evidence of a biennial laying cycle....
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Martoff, Bernard; Rose, Francis
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- Amphibia, APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, Caudata, Desmognathus ocoee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, GRSM-00592, salamander, SER, Southeast Region, taxonomy