An Inventory of the Herpetofauna of Hawthorne Army Depot, Mineral County, Nevada

Espinoza, Robert; Tracy, C.

The herpetofauna of the Great Basin is dominated by xeric-adapted amphibians and reptiles that can withstand extended periods of drought, extremely hot summers, and, in some cases, below-freezing winters. In western Nevada, the herpetofauna is primarily composed of these xeric-adapted species but also includes, especially in the northwest, several taxa that prefer more mesic environments. The mesic-adapted species tend to be associated with riparian habitats and higher elevations (above 1200 m [4000 ft]) such as those found in the foothills of the Sierra. Unlike the more xeric-adapted species, mesic-adapted amphibians and reptiles tend to be active when ambient temperatures are cooler. Hence, characterizing the herpetofauna of western Nevada requires an understanding of the habitat, microhabitat, and activity cycles of the animals found in the region. Prior to this study, little was known about the species diversity and population status of the herpetofauna of the Hawthorne Army Depot (hereafter, HWAD), Mineral County. Indeed, no comprehensive survey of amphibians and reptiles had been conducted on the property. Surveys conducted previously from adjacent regions in Nevada and California (e.g., Nevada Test Site Survey, Macey and Papenfuss 1991a,b) suggest that the herpetofauna on the HWAD is likely to be diverse. This expectation is further supported by the geological and floristic diversity of the region. Moreover, unlike much of Nevada, which has recently been subjected to commercial harvesting of its herpetofauna (Albert et al. 1999), the amphibians and reptiles of the HWAD have not been collected for either commercial or scientific purposes. Therefore, the herpetofauna of the depot is expected to be both diverse and abundant relative to populations outside of the military property. Here we describe the results of a single season-long survey aimed at characterizing the herpetofauna of the HWAD.

An Inventory of the Herpetofauna of Hawthorne Army Depot, Mineral County, Nevada

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