Cades Cove, GSMNP, Blount Co., TN (22 May 2009)

I went up to Cades Cove with Ben Fitzpatrick to help him sample salamanders and tadpoles for ranavirus for Megan Todd-Thompson's thesis. Sadly, ranavirus has shown its ugly head as tens to hundreds of ambystomatid larvae and tadpoles were dead or dying.  However, adult newts (at least for the time being) appear unafffected.

Amphibians:

Ambystoma opacum (Marbled Salamander) 10+ large larvae
Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted Salamander) TMTC larvae
Desmognathus conanti (Spotted Dusky Salamander) 1 adult
Eurycea l. longicauda (Long-Tailed Salamander) 12 adults and subadults
Notophthalmus v. viridescens (Red-Spotted Newt) 15+ adults
Plethodon glutinosus (Northern Slimy Salamander) 4 adults and subadults
Pseudotriton ruber schenki (Black-Chinned Red Salamander) 1 adult
Hyla chrysoscelis (Cope's Gray Treefrog) heard calling males
Pseudacris c. crucifer (Northern Spring Peeper) 1 adult and TMTC tadpoles
Rana clamitans melanota (Green Frog) 3 adults and heard calling males

Reptiles:

Pantherophis spiloides (Gray Ratsnake) 1 adult

 
Desmognathus conanti (Spotted Dusky Salamander)


Eurycea l. longicauda (Long-Tailed Salamander)


Plethodon glutinosus (Northern Slimy Salamander)


Pseudotriton ruber schenki (Black-Chinned Red Salamander)


Pantherophis spiloides (Gray Ratsnake)


All images property of Matthew L Niemiller unless noted otherwise.

To use any images on this site please contact me at:  mniemill@utk.edu

© 2009