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Southwest Chapter
Partners in Amphibian and Reptile
Conservation
Annual Meeting
Marriott Hotel
Tucson University Park
10-13 August 2011
Year of the Turtle
Conservation and Management of Arid-land
Reptiles and Amphibians
www.swparc.org
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2011 Annual Meeting Organizing Committee and Functions
Oversight: Larry Jones
Venue: 2010 steering committee, Trevor Hare, Larry Jones
Program Agenda: Larry Jones, steering committee, planning committee
Website: Tom Giermakowski
Save-the-date announcement: Larry Jones
Program booklet: Larry Jones, Tom Giermakowski
Registration (pre- and during meeting): Janet Jones, Larry Jones
Registration form/costs: Larry Jones, Trevor Hare, and planning committee
Name tags and stickers: Janet Jones
Conservation and Management session: Larry Jones
Year of the Turtle session: Cristina Jones
Workshops: Larry Jones, Jim Rorabaugh, plus other leads
Vendors and Booths: Esther Nelson, Kary Schlick, Polly Conrad
Silent and live auction: Esther Nelson, Priya Nanjappa
Call for Posters, Posters: Tom Giermakowski
Spanish translation: Participants or Tom Giermakowski
Social Events: Doug Duncan, Trevor Hare
SunDay FunDay (at the AZ-Sonora Desert Museum): Stephane Poulin
Tee Shirts: Dennis Caldwell
Year-of-the-Turtle Booth: Brian Aucone
Audiovisual: Tom Giermakowski, Sandy Volentine
Sponsors: Esther Nelson, Kary Schlick
Liaisons, CRHSD V: Trevor Hare, Cristina Jones, Heidi Flugstad
Other: Debbie Sebesta, Glenn Frederick
2010-2011 SW PARC Steering Committee
Brian Aucone (Sr. co-chair)
Larry Jones (Jr. co-chair)
Rob Lovich (outgoing co-chair)
Tom Giermakowski
Jason Jones
Erin Muths
Esther Nelson
Erika Nowa
Kary Schlick
2011 Tucson Annual Meeting Program design, layout, text and photographs by Larry Jones, Coronado
National Forest. Photographs © Larry Jones 2011.
Front Cover (clockwise): Green Toad (Anaxyrus debilis), Eastern Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris),
Sonoran Coralsnake (Micruroides euryxanthus), Sonora Mud Turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense), Bezy’s
Night Lizard (Xantusia bezyi), Saddled Leaf-nosed Snake (Phyllorhynchus browni). All photographs taken
on-site in southern Arizona.
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Vendors and Booths
Bob and Sherry Ashley, Eco/Chiricahua Desert Museum
Dennis Caldwell, wildlife artist, Tucson Herpetological Society
Brian Aucone, Year of the Turtle
Paul Hamilton, Reptile and Amphibian Ecology International
Tom or Cristina Jones, Arizona Game and Fish Department
Stacey Sekscienski, Oklahoma City Zoo
Carianne Funicelli Campbell, RECON Environmental
Financial Support Provided by:
In-kind support provided by:
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Tuesday, 9 August
1600-2000: Registration. FOYER.
1800-1900: Ice-breaker (informal). ATRIUM.
Wednesday, 10 August
0700: Registration. FOYER.
0700: Vendor, poster, and live auction set-up. CANYON A, B, C (check in at Registration).
0800-1700: Presentations and meetings, MADERA ROOM.
Moderator: Brian Aucone
0800: Welcome (Brian Aucone)
0815: This is PARC and SW PARC (Priya Nanjappa, Terry Riley, and Brian Aucone)
0845: Keynote Address by Cecil Schwalbe: A Kid in the Candy Store: Herpin’ the American
Southwest
0945: What we hope to accomplish and how (Larry Jones)
1000-1030:
1030:
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Break. CANYON B and C.
Working Group break-outs (review status, report after lunch)
Outreach to México (Rob Lovich)
Outreach to enthusiasts (Jason Jones)
Southwest Priority Species (Larry Jones, Tom Giermakowski)
Year of the Lizard (Priya Nanjappa, Terry Riley)
1130-1300:
Lunch. On your own (within easy walking distance).
1300: Working Group reports, state reports (if needed)
1400:
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SW PARC Biz (Brian Aucone, Larry Jones)
National PARC Biz (Priya Nanjappa, Terry Riley)
General SW PARC business meeting
Alison Haskell Award
Elections
Next meeting discussion
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1500-1520:
Break. CANYON B and C.
Special Session: Conservation and Management Issues Facing Arid-land
Amphibians and Reptiles. MADERA ROOM.
Moderator: Larry Jones
1520: Still the Wild West? Historic perspectives on southwestern herpetofauna (Robert
Lovich)
1540: Impacts of urbanization and grazing on herpetofaunal communities of the Sonoran
Desert: separating myths from realities (Brian Sullivan)
1600: Impacts of energy development on herpetofauna (Terry Riley)
1620: How will climate change affect functional groups of arid land-adapted reptiles and
amphibians and their habitats? (Larry Jones and Gregg Garfin)
1640: The lessening stream: changing habitat for amphibians and reptiles in aquatic and riparian
systems (Dale Turner)
Poster Presentations
Research and monitoring of amphibians on the Lower Colorado River (Allen Calvert, Taylor
Cotton)
Conservation recommendations for Regal Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma solare) in urban Tucson,
Arizona (Carianne F. Campbell and Philip C. Rosen)
Do differences in release area habitat features affect post-translocation movement? A case study
on Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) (Jennifer Germano, Kimberly Field, Kelly Wallace,
Lindsay Perry, Paula Kahn, and Ron Swaisgood)
Tracking changes in lizard assemblages at an ecotone in southeastern Arizona (Lawrence L. C.
Jones and Hunter Winsor)
Evening Festivities
1800: Poster social. CANYON B and C
1900: Social. CANYON B and C.
2000: Live Auction (Priya Nanjappa, auctioneer extraordinaire). CANYON A.
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Thursday, 11 August
0700: Registration, vendor set-up. FOYER.
All presentations and meetings in MADERA ROOM.
Special Session: Conservation and Management Issues facing Arid-land
Amphibians and Reptiles (continued).
Moderator: Polly Conrad
0800: Invasive species (Tom Jones)
0820: Amphibian disease surveillance: global and western USA progress (Erin Muths and Dede
Olson)
Special Session: Engaging and Interacting with the Public
Moderator: Brian Aucone
0840: Collection and environmental ethics (John Romero)
0900: Challenges and findings in regulating the use of herpetofauna in the U.S. (Priya
Nanjappa, and Polly Conrad)
0920: Promoting Flat-tailed Horned Lizard conservation through community involvement in the
Upper Gulf of California and Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve (E. SotoMontoya, Alejandra Calvo Fonseca, and Osvel Hinojosa Huerta)
0940-1000:
Break. CANYON B and C.
1000: Herpetoculture and the role of conservation of native species in zoological gardens (Kim
Lovich and Stephane Poulin)
1020: A new web-based tool for citizen scientists to record observations of herpetofauna
(David Parizek, Phil Rosen, Kevin Bonine, Brian Powell, and Julia Fonseca)
1040: Organized discussion, open forum from the preceding sessions (and beyond) to discuss
establishing new working groups (tasks, products, leads) and champions
1130-1300:
Lunch. On your own.
1300: Break-out groups for all working groups: identify products, tasks, reporting, and
schedules.
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Special Session: Year of the Turtle, Southwest Style
Moderator: Cristina Jones
1350: Year of the Turtle: a SW PARC update and Overview (Brian Aucone, Priya Nanjappa, and
Terry Riley)
1400: A quantitative analysis of the state of the knowledge of the turtles of the United States
and Canada: how much do we really know (Jeffrey Lovich and J.R. Ennen)
1420: New directions in the recovery of the Mojave (Agassiz’s) Desert Tortoise
(Roy Averill-Murray)
1440-1500:
Break
1500: Species assemblage and community structuring among ectothermic aquatic vertebrates
with an emphasis on turtles (J. Daren Riedle, Richard T. Kazmaeir, and Wes B. Littrell)
1520: Ornate Box Turtle Watch: using citizen science to collect data and increase awareness of
a nongame program (Audrey K. Owens and Cristina Jones)
1540: Mexican tortoise project: status of a neglected population (Taylor Edwards, Mercy
Vaughn, Philip R. Rosen, Alice E. Karl, Robert Murphy, Kristin H. Berry, Ma. Cristina
Meléndez Torres, Martín Francisco Villa Andrade, and Fausto Méndez De la Cruz)
1600: Biology and conservation of sea turtles of the Gulf of California (Jeffrey Seminoff)
1620: Annual Meeting Wrap-up (Brian Aucone, Larry Jones)
1700-1800: Steering committee meeting
Evening Festivities
No formal plans! Relax! Watch Oprah! Go road riding! Take a hot bath! Ride a steer! Sing with
the frogs! Adopt a Morafka’s Desert Tortoise! Wade in a cattle tank! Noose a lizard! You decide!
Gila Monster digging for turtle eggs, Boyce-Thompson Arboretum
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Friday, 12 August: SW PARC Field Workshops
Your name tag will have the field workshop sticker showing which trip you signed up for.
We will meet in the atrium (lobby) of the hotel at 0700 h then separate into the appropriate
groups. We’ll arrange carpools and head out for a jolly good time! Everyone gets a box
lunch and small bottle of water (but bring more)
Sabino Canyon and the Santa Catalina Mountains (Erika Nowak, Larry Jones, Paul Hamilton,
Cristina Jones, Trevor Persons, Abi King, Audrey Owens).
Huachuca Mountains (Jim Rorabaugh, Brooke Gebow, Glenn Frederick, Tom Jones, Mike Sredl,
Christina Akins).
Saturday, 13 August: SW PARC Field Workshops
Pajarito Mountains, Peña Blanca (Larry Jones, Debbie Sebesta, Christina Akins, John Schaefer,
Audrey Owens, Tom Jones).
Sabino Canyon and the Santa Catalina Mountains (Paul Hamilton, Cristina Jones, Trevor
Persons, Caleb Loughran, Abi King).
Huachuca Mountains (Jim Rorabaugh, Brooke Gebow, Glenn Frederick, Mike Sredl).
Sunday, 14 August: SunDay FunDay
Optional activities (except the photo workshop) for those staying over or arriving for
Current Research in Herpetofauna of the Sonoran Desert V. Travel is on your own.
Carpool, carpool, carpool! Free admission to the World-famous Arizona-Sonora Desert
Museum! Don’t miss the Ghost Cow social at The Hut (famous for the giant Tiki Head)
tonight!
0800-1200: Photography Workshop (Paul Hamilton). TBA at Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.
Meet at ATRIUM of Marriott at 0700, or check at registration table.
0800-1900: A Day at the Museum (Registrants to either meeting or Workshops are allowed free
admission at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, as part of their registration). Includes behindthe-scenes tours, hosted by staff herpetologist, Stephane Poulin. Those who signed up can
schedule their tour times at the registration desk.
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0900-1030: Three tours, up to 8 participants/tour
1300-1430: Two tours, up to 8 participants/tour
1900-whenever: Ghost Cow (Tucson’s infamous herpetologist rock band!) alive at the Hut!
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Monday, 15 August: Current Research in Herpetofauna of the
Sonoran Desert V
Contributed Presentations Program; refer to their program
Tuesday, 16 August: Current Research in Herpetofauna of
the Sonoran Desert V
Contributed Presentations Program; refer to their program
Lowland Leopard Frogs in a captive breeding program at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Ranid frogs (leopard
frogs, Tarahumara Frog, and non-native American Bullfrog) are the subject of research and focus of management
across most of the northwest. Arizona has the highest diversity of leopard frogs in the United States.
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ABSTRACTS FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS AND POSTERS
AUCONE, BRIAN, S., SW PARC Co-chair, PRIYA NANJAPPA, PARC State Agencies Coordinator,
and TERRY Z. RILEY, PARC Federal Agencies Coordinator
Year of the Turtle
2011 was deemed Year of the Turtle by Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
(PARC) and its respective regional subsets. Partners being the key to PARC, 51 other
organizations and conservation groups all joined PARC in the effort to raise awareness for the
plight of turtles around the world. Bringing together citizens, scientists, natural resource
managers, and the pet and food industries to work together to address issues and help ensure
long-term survival of turtle species and populations. There are many facets to the approach
including newsletters, press releases, photo contests and related events. We will provide a brief
overview of the activities so far this year and of things to come.
The Southwest region of PARC is a little lean on species of turtles, with Texas and Oklahoma
being notable exceptions, but there is a fair smattering of species, such as this Texas Tortoise.
Several of the native turtles and tortoises are of conservation concern.
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AVERILL-MURRAY, ROY. Desert Tortoise Recovery Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
1340 Financial Blvd., #234, Reno, NV 89502, USA. [Invited Speaker]
New Directions in the Recovery of the Mojave (Agassiz’s) Desert Tortoise
The Mojave (Agassiz’s) desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) was federally listed as threatened in
1990, and a recovery plan was published in 1994, as a result of numerous threats to populations
across the range. Management agencies have attempted to address many of these threats without
success. Challenges to recovering the desert tortoise include incomplete understanding of
important threats causing its endangerment, intractability of addressing those threats across a
large range, and insufficient information on effectiveness of management actions. A revised
recovery plan includes measures specifically to address these challenges. The new recovery
strategy emphasizes partnerships and linking management with science to implement, track, and
evaluate recovery. Recovery Implementation Teams, comprised of land managers, stakeholders,
and scientists, will work together to prioritize recovery actions and assess results in a spatial
decision support system (SDSS). The SDSS is an interactive system that computes the output of
a set of models (e.g., effects of threats on the tortoise population) based on underlying databases
(e.g., spatial extent of threats, tortoise habitat, and management actions). The system
incorporates a range-wide geospatial database of current management activities, threats, and
tortoise population parameters, providing a framework for recognizing and implementing
successful recovery actions.
Nuevas de direcciones en la recuperación de la tortuga del desierto de Mojave
(Agassiz)
Las tortugas Mojave (Agassiz) (Gopherus agassizii) fueron declaradas por el Gobierno Federal
como amenazadas en 1990, y un plan de recuperación fue publicado en 1994, como resultado de
numerosas amenazas a las poblaciones en todo su rango de distribución. Organismos de la
administración han intentado controlar muchas de estas amenazas sin éxito. Desafíos para la
recuperación de las tortugas incluyen un conocimiento incompleto de amenazas importantes
causando su estado en peligro, inflexibilidad de hacer frente a esas amenazas a escalas grandes y
la falta de información sobre la eficacia de las acciones de gestión. Un plan revisado de
recuperación específicamente incluye medidas para enfrentar estos desafíos. La nueva estrategia
de recuperación hace hincapié en las asociaciones y vincula la gestión con la ciencia para
implementar, dar seguimiento y evaluar la recuperación. Los equipos de implementación de
recuperación, formados por los administradores de terrenos, gente interesada y científicos
trabajarán juntos para dar prioridad a las acciones de recuperación y evaluar los resultados en un
sistema de soporte de decisión espacial (SDSS por sus siglas en inglés). El SDSS es un sistema
interactivo que calcula el resultado de un conjunto de modelos (por ejemplo, efectos de las
amenazas sobre la población de tortuga) basado en bases de datos subyacentes (por ejemplo, el
alcance espacial de las amenazas, hábitat de la tortuga y acciones). El sistema incorpora una base
de datos geoespaciales de toda la gama de actividades de gestión actual, amenazas y parámetros
de la población de tortuga, y proporciona un marco para el reconocimiento y aplicación de
medidas de recuperación exitosa.
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CALVERT, ALLEN W. (presenter), and COTTEN, TAYLOR,
(AWC) US Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program
Office, Boulder City, NV 89005, USA; (TC) Arizona Game and Fish Department, Research
Branch, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA [Poster]
Research and Monitoring of Amphibians on the Lower Colorado River
The Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) was
implemented by the US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) in 2005. This multi-stakeholder
program satisfies a US Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion that necessitated the
conservation of 31 species of fish and wildlife in order for river operations to continue along the
Colorado River from Lake Mead south to the Mexico border. Three species of amphibians were
included in the program with specific conservation measures that must be met during the 50
years of the program. These species are the relict leopard frog (Lithobates onca), lowland
leopard frog (Lithobates yavapaiensis), and the Colorado River toad (Incilius alvarius). The
relict leopard frog is only found in isolated springs along or near the Colorado River in the Lake
Mead area. The lowland leopard frog and Colorado River toad have not been documented along
the Colorado River south of the Grand Canyon in over 20 years. The Arizona Game and Fish
Department through a cooperative agreement with USBR began conducting surveys for these
two species in January 2011. Methods used to detect these two species include visual encounter
and calling surveys as well as larval funnel traps. Preliminary results will be provided.
Investigación y Monitoreo de Anfibios en el Tramo Inferior del Río Colorado
El Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) (Programa de
Conservación Multi-Especies del Tramo Inferior del Río Colorado) se inició por el US Bureau of
Reclamation (USBR) (Departamento de Recuparación de Tierras de EE.UU.) en 2005. Este
programa abarca varias partes interesadas y está de acuerdo con una Opinión Biológica que fue
decretada por La Dirección de Pesca y Fauna Silvestre de los EE.UU, la cual mandó la
conservación de 31 especies de peces y otros vertebrados para asegurar que las operaciones del
río continúen a lo largo del Río Colorado desde Lake Mead hasta la frontera con México en el
sur. Tres especies de anfibios se incluyeron en el programa y hay medidas específicas para su
conservación que hay que lograr durante los 50 años del programa. Las tres especies son
Lithobates onca, Lithobates yavapiensis, y Incilius alvarius. Lithobates onca sólo se encuentra
en algunos manantiales aislados ó en áreas cerca del Río Colorado en la zona de Lake Mead. No
se ha documentado la presencia de Lithobates yavapiensis e Incilius alvarius en el Río Colorado
al sur del Gran Cañón por más de veinte años. El Arizona Game and Fish Department
(Departamento de Caza y Pesca de Arizona) a través de un acuerdo con USBR inició censos para
estas dos especies en enero de 2011. Los métodos que se utilizan para detectar estas especies
incluyen encuentros visuales, censos con grabaciones, y trampas para larvas. Se presentarán los
resultados preliminares.
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CAMPBELL, CARIANNE F. (presenter) and ROSEN, PHILIP C., (CFC) Recon
Environmental, Inc., Tucson, Arizona; (PCR) School of Natural Resources & the Environment,
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona [Poster]
Conservation Recommendations for Regal Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma solare) in
urban Tucson, Arizona
The Tucson Drainage Area / Arroyo Chico Multi-Use Project is a large-scale, multi-phase
cooperative effort by Pima County Regional Flood Control District, City of Tucson, and U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers to address flooding problems in Tucson. The project area hosts the
strongest known population of the Regal Horned Lizard (RHL) in the urban core of Tucson,
where the species is declining. We identified ways to integrate biodiversity conservation into the
project, with special emphasis on the RHL and other herpetofauna. We collected 182 RHL and
estimated 128 non-hatchling RHL for the 29-acre project site. The RHL were translocated to
seven different urban sites including yards, alleys, vacant lots, urban preserves, and floodwater
retention basins. Sites across Tucson were surveyed for RHL and their ant prey species to
identify other urban populations, potential translocation sites, and contribute to our
understanding of this species’ use of urban open-space habitat. Monitoring was initiated using
telemetry and survey methods. Recommendations were developed specifically for the Arroyo
Chico project as well as for future flood control and restoration projects.
Recomendaciones de Conservación del Lagarto Coronado Real (Phrynosoma
solares) en la zona urbana de Tucson, Arizona. Drenaje de Tucson / Área de Arroyo
Chico de Usos Múltiple: es un proyecto a gran escala, de fases múltiples, y de esfuerzos
cooperativos por parte del Distrito Regional de Control de Inundaciones del Condado de Pima, la
Ciudad de Tucson, y el Cuerpo de Ingenieros de EUA para hacer frente a los problemas de
inundaciones en Tucson. La zona del proyecto alberga la mayor población conocida del Lagarto
Coronado Real (RHL, por sus siglas en inglés) en el núcleo urbano de Tucson, donde la especie
está disminuyendo. Identificamos formas de integrar la conservación de la biodiversidad en el
proyecto, con un énfasis especial en la herpetofauna de la RHL y otros. Recogimos 182 RHL y
estimamos que 128 RHL no eran neonatos en el lugar de proyecto que ocupa 29 acres. RHL
fueron trasladadas a siete sitios urbanos diferentes, incluyendo patios, callejones, terrenos
baldíos, reservas urbanas, y lugares para la retención de las cuencas de agua de la
inundación. Sitios en Tucson fueron examinados en cuanto a la presencia de RHL y especies de
hormigas que sirven de presa para identificar otras poblaciones urbanas, sitios potenciales de
translocación, y para contribuir a nuestra comprensión de como la especie utiliza el espacio
abierto del hábitat urbano. El monitoreo se inició con telemetría y varias técnicas de
relevamiento. Las recomendaciones fueron desarrolladas específicamente para el proyecto de
Arroyo Chico, así como para el control de inundaciones y proyectos futuros de restauración.
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EDWARDS, TAYLOR, MERCY VAUGHN, PHILIP R. ROSEN, ALICE E. KARL,
ROBERT MURPHY, KRISTIN H. BERRY, MA. CRISTINA MELÉNDEZ TORRES,
MARTÍN FRANCISCO VILLA ANDRADE, FAUSTO MÉNDEZ DE LA CRUZ, (TE)
University of Arizona Genetics Core, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ; (MV) Paso Robles,
CA; (PRR) School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson,
AZ; (AEK) Alice E. Karl and Associates, Davis, CA; (RM) Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto,
Canada; (KHB) U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center , Riverside, CA;
(MCMT, MFVA) CEDES (Comisión de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable del Estado de
Sonora), Sonora, Mexico; (FMC) Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México [Invited
Speaker]
The Mexican Tortoise Project: Status of a Neglected Population
In 2005, a team of Mexican, Canadian and American collaborators began an ambitious effort to
study Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) throughout their range in Mexico. The primary
purpose of this study is to investigate the status of the desert tortoise south of the international
border to aid in conservation of the species throughout its geographic range. This project is a
multi-faceted, multinational, and cooperative effort that focuses on crucial aspects of desert
tortoise health, genetics, general biology and ecology in Mexico. We have collected data on over
100 tortoises from three main geographic regions in Sonora representing three different
vegetation types: tropical deciduous forest, foothill thornscrub, and Sonoran desertscrub. One of
the challenges currently facing the conservation efforts of Gopherus agassizii is reexamining the
taxonomic definition of Desert Tortoises. Our genetic data distinguish a unique, “Sinaloan”
Gopherus found in foothill thornscrub and tropical deciduous forest in southern Sonora.
Preliminary results suggest a complex evolutionary history of Sinaloan and Sonoran lineages
along vegetative transition zones and we aim to better describe geographic distribution of
tortoises in Mexico. The Sonoran population of the Desert Tortoise was designated a candidate
for endangered species protection by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and since Mexico
contains approximately 2/3 of the Sonoran population’s range our efforts will help to inform this
process.
El proyecto de la tortuga mexicana: Estado de una población olvidada
En 2005, un equipo de colaboradores mexicanos, canadienses y estadounidenses inició un
ambicioso esfuerzo para estudiar las tortugas del desierto (Gopherus agassizii) en toda su rango
de distribución en México. El propósito principal de este estudio es investigar el estado de la
tortuga de desierto al sur de la frontera para ayudar en la conservación de las especies a lo largo
y ancho de su rango geográfico. Este proyecto es un esfuerzo de cooperación polifacética y
multinacional que se centra en aspectos cruciales de la salud de tortugas, su genética y su
biología general y ecología en México. Hemos recopilado datos sobre más de 100 tortugas de las
tres principales regiones geográficas en Sonora que representan tres tipos diferentes de
vegetación: bosque tropical caducifolio, bosque de púa y bosque desértico de Sonora. Uno de los
desafíos actuales a los esfuerzos de conservación de Gopherus agassizii es reexaminar la
definición taxonómica de tortugas del desierto. Nuestros datos genéticos distinguen un único,
Gopherus "Sinaloense" que se encuentra en los bosques tropicales caducifolios y de púa en
Sonora del Sur. Los resultados preliminares sugieren una historia evolutiva compleja de los
linajes sinaloenses y sonoros a lo largo de las zonas de transición vegetativa y nuestro objetivo es
describir mejor la distribución geográfica de las tortugas en México. La población de Sonora de
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la tortuga del desierto fue designada como candidata a la protección de especies en peligro de
extinción por el US Fish and Wildlife Service y como México abarca aproximadamente 2/3 del
rango de distribución en el estado de Sonora, nuestros esfuerzos están ayudando a informar este
proceso.
The tortuga formerly known as the Desert Tortoise was recently split into two species: Sonoran (or Morafka’s)
Desert Tortoise and Mojave (or Agassiz’s) Desert Tortoise. Both are of conservation concern: The Mojave Desert
Tortoise is federally listed as threatened, while the Sonoran Desert Tortoise is listed as a federal candidate for listing
as threatened or endangered.
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GERMANO, JENNIFER; FIELD, KIMBERLEIGH; WALLACE, KELLY; PERRY,
LINDSEY; KAHN, PAULA; SWAISGOOD, RON [Poster]
Do differences in release area habitat features affect post-translocation
movement? A case study on desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii)
The Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) occupies a variety of habitats, within which soil
burrows and caves are used as shelter. In particular, caliche caves, which are found in higher
densities within desert wash systems, are an easily mapped, long-lasting habitat feature that
provides refuge from predators and thermal extremes. Tortoises that occupy flats and sloping
bajadas commonly rely on more ephemeral soil burrows, either pre-existing or newly
constructed. The goal of this study was to determine if releasing tortoises into washes with high
densities of caliche caves would influence the movement of these repatriated tortoises. Eighteen
tortoises were released into washes and 18 were released into flats located 1-1.5 km away.
Movements were monitored using radio telemetry with GPS fixes taken once a day for the first
10 days and three times a week for the following 3.5 weeks. No significant difference was found
between animals released in washes versus flats in total distance moved during the first ten days
or in distance between the location of the tortoises on day 10 and the release site. After five
weeks post-translocation however, tortoises released in washes were found significantly closer to
their release site than those released on the flats.
¿Se ve el movimiento de post-desplazamiento afectado por las diferencias en el
hábitat de liberación? Un estudio sobre las tortugas del desierto (Gopherus
agassizii)
La tortuga del desierto de Mojave (Gopherus agassizii) ocupa una amplia variedad de hábitats,
de los cuales, las madrigueras y cuevas son utilizados como refugio. En particular, las cuevas de
caliche, que se encuentran en grandes cantidades dentro de los sistemas intermitentes de
riachuelos del desierto, constituyen un hábitat duradero y fácilmente localizable, que provee
refugio y protección de los depredadores y extremas temperaturas externas. Las tortugas que
habitan en terrenos planos o laderas inclinadas utilizan madrigueras de tierra menos estables, ya
sean previamente construidas, como recientemente construidas. El objetivo de este estudio fue
determinar si la liberación de tortugas en estos sistemas intermitentes de riachuelos, que
contienen numerosas cuevas de caliche, influye en el movimiento de dichas tortugas. Dieciocho
tortugas fueron liberadas en estos sistemas y otras 18 fueron liberadas en terrenos planos,
ubicados a 1-1.5 Km aparte. Los movimientos fueron monitoreados utilizando radiotelemetría
con coordenadas GPS tomadas una vez al día durante los primeros 10 días y 3 veces por semana
durante las próximas 3.5 semanas. No se encontró diferencia significativa en el movimiento total
entre los animales liberados en los sistemas intermitentes de riachuelos versus los terrenos planos
en los primeros 10 días, ni se encontró diferencia significativa en las distancias de ubicación de
las tortugas desde el día de liberación al día 10. Sin embargo, cinco semanas después de el post
desplazamiento, las tortugas liberadas en los sistemas intermitentes de riachuelos fueron
encontradas significativamente más cerca a sus sitios de liberación que aquellas liberadas en los
terrenos planos.
17
JONES, LAWRENCE L. C. and HUNTER WINSOR, (LLCJ) Coronado National Forest, 300
W Congress, Tucson, AZ 85701, USA. (HW) Eastern Arizona College, Safford, AZ. [Poster]
Tracking changes in lizard assemblages at an ecotone in southeastern Arizona
The lower Marijilda area near Safford, Arizona, has amongst the highest diversity of lizards in
the United States, with 20 species being recorded. The reason for the diversity is due to its
setting at an ecotone between two deserts, two montane ecoregions, and Mexican highland
grasslands. Abundance of lizards is also seemingly high. This study site was qualitatively
surveyed in the late 1960’s, and then systematic surveys were conducted in 2003, 2010, and
2011. The systematic surveys were road-transect tallies. From June 2010 through May 2011,
1,448 lizards were detected in 26 surveys. Detections ranged from 0 to 108 individuals (mean =
55.7 lizards/visit). Lizards were detected year-round, reaching peak abundance after the arrival
of monsoonal rains. The most commonly detected lizards in 2010/2011 were Urosaurus ornatus
(n = 579, 40%), Uta stansburiana (n = 367, 25%), Sceloporus magister complex (n = 236, 16%),
Aspidoscelis tigris (n = 64, 4%), Crotaphytus collaris (n = 58, 4%), S. clarkii (n = 38, 3%), and
Cophosaurus texanus (n = 38, 3%). Observed trends suggest an increase in the relative
abundance and distribution of U. stansburiana and decrease in Cophosaurus texanus.
Rastreando cambios en asambleas de lagartijas en un ecotono situado en el
sudeste de Arizona
El área baja de Marijilda, cerca de Safford, Arizona, muestra una diversidad de lagartijas de las
más altas en los Estados Unidos, con 20 especies registradas. La razón de la diversidad es debida
a su colocación en un ecotono entre dos desiertos, dos ecoregiones montañosos, y altas praderas
mexicanas. La abundancia de lagartijas está también aparentemente alta. Este sitio del estudio
fue inspeccionado cualitativamente a fines de los años 1960, y desde entonces inspecciones
sistemáticas fueron realizadas en 2003, 2010, y 2011. Las inspecciones sistemáticas fueron en
base a transectas marcadas por caminos. Desde junio 2010 hasta mayo de 2011, 1,448 lagartijas
fueron detectadas en 26 relevamientos. Los relevamientos tuvieron un rango de 0 a 108
individuos (promedio de 55.7 lagartijas/visita). Las lagartijas fueron encontradas durante todo el
año, alcanzando su abundancia máxima después de la llegada de lluvias veraniegas. Las
lagartijas más comunes durante 2010 y 2011 fueron Urosaurus ornatus (N = 579, 40%), Uta
stansburiana (N = 367, 25%), complejo de Sceloporus magister (N = 236, 16%), Aspidoscelis
tigris (N = 64, 4%), Crotaphytus collaris (N = 58, 4%), S. clarkii (N = 38, 3%), y Cophosaurus
texanus (N = 38, 3%). Las tendencias observadas sugieren que hay un aumento en la abundancia
de U. stansburiana y disminución de Cophosaurus texanus.
18
Giant Spotted Whiptail, an impressive southwestern Arizona specialty. It will be interesting to see how whiptails
fare under a climate change scenario. Many native species (not this one) are parthenogenetic (all-female).
19
JONES, LAWRENCE L. C. (presenter), and GARFIN, GREGG M., (LLCJ) USDA Forest
Service, Coronado National Forest, 300 W. Congress, Tucson, AZ, 85701, USA; (GMG)
Climate Assessment for the Southwest, Institute of the Environment, The University of Arizona,
Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. [Invited Speaker]
How will climate change affect functional groups of arid land-adapted reptiles and
amphibians?
This synthesis examines the potential effects of climate change on amphibians and reptiles in
areas of the American Southwest with two rainy seasons. The abiotic focus is on temperature,
evapotranspiration, and precipitation. The biotic focus is on the projected effects of climate shifts
on different functional groups of amphibians and reptiles. Some species rely upon winter
moisture for spring forb and insect production, while other species may only emerge during the
summer monsoon. Climate change models confidently project increasing temperatures during the
21st Century, with the highest projections for the summer season. Increases in temperature alone
will likely cause changes in herpetofaunal assemblages. Increasing temperatures will
undoubtedly enhance regional aridity and increase the likelihood of drought. The most credible
precipitation projections show decreases in winter and spring precipitation. In combination, these
factors will narrow the window of opportunity for amphibians and reptiles to feed and breed. A
large number of amphibian and reptile species, from western Texas to southern Arizona, have
evolved traits to coincide with the intense summer monsoon season. Most arid-adapted
amphibians breed in ephemeral summer stormwater ponds, but only if sufficient surface water is
available at the right time of the season.
¿Cómo el cambio climático afectará grupos funcionales reptiles y anfibios
adaptados a tierras áridas?
Esta síntesis examina los posibles efectos del cambio climático en anfibios y reptiles en las zonas
del sudoeste con dos estaciones lluviosas. El enfoque abiótico es precipitación,
evapotranspiración y temperatura. El enfoque biótico es sobre los efectos previstos de cambios
de clima en diferentes grupos funcionales de anfibios y reptiles. Algunas especies dependen de la
humedad de invierno para la producción de insectos y hierba en primavera, mientras que otras
especies sólo pueden surgir durante las lluvias de verano. Modelos de cambio climático
proyectan con confianza un aumento de temperaturas durante el siglo XXI, con las más altas
proyecciones para la temporada de verano. Aumentos de temperatura probablemente resultarán
en cambios en conjuntos de herpetofauna. Aumentos de temperaturas sin duda aumentarán la
aridez regional y aumentarán la probabilidad de sequía. Las proyecciones más creíbles de
precipitación muestran disminuciones en precipitación de invierno y primavera. En combinación,
estos factores reducirán las oportunidades que tienen los anfibios y reptiles para alimentarse y
reproducirse. Un gran número de especies de anfibios y reptiles, del oeste de Texas hasta el sur
de Arizona, ha evolucionado rasgos de su historia de vida que coinciden con la temporada de
lluvias intensas de verano. La mayoría de anfibios adaptados al desierto se reproducen en
estanques efímeros de agua de lluvia de verano, pero sólo si suficiente agua superficial está
disponible en el momento apropiado de la temporada.
20
LOVICH, J.E. (presenter), and ENNEN, J.R., U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological
Science Center, 2255 North Gemini Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA [Invited Speaker]
A quantitative analysis of the state of knowledge of turtles of the United States
and Canada: how much do we really know?
Although knowledge about turtles, as measured by numbers of published papers, has been
growing rapidly, this taxonomic group remains highly imperiled. Therefore, the paradigm that
effective conservation and protection strategies of a species can only be formulated through the
acquisition of knowledge may not be the case for turtles. Published papers on turtles have grown
exponentially since 1970. Our analysis demonstrates a publication bias towards larger species
and those with larger geographic distributions. Although the mean number of citations/species in
2009 was greater for species listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) than for those
that were not, the results were insignificant after removing the effect of body size. All other
analyses investigating the influence of conservation status on the acquisition of knowledge were
insignificant. Interestingly, the dispersion of knowledge was statistically identical from 1994 to
2009 suggesting that poorly studied species tend to remain in that category over time. Despite the
exponential increase in knowledge of turtles in the United States and Canada, no ESA-listed
species of tortoise or freshwater turtle has ever been de-listed. Therefore, increased knowledge
does not appear to contribute appreciably to recovery of threatened turtles.
Un análisis cuantitativo del estado de conocimiento de las tortugas de Estados
Unidos y Canadá: ¿cuánto sabemos realmente?
Aunque el conocimiento acerca de las tortugas, medido por el número de artículos publicados, ha
estado creciendo rápidamente, este grupo taxonómico sigue siendo en peligro de extinción. Por
lo tanto, el paradigma que sólo se puede formular estrategias eficaces de protección y
conservación de las especies a través de la adquisición de conocimiento puede no ser el caso de
las tortugas. Artículos publicados sobre las tortugas han crecido exponencialmente desde 1970.
Nuestro análisis muestra un sesgo de publicación hacia especies más grandes y con mayor
distribución geográfica. Aunque el número promedio de citas/especie en 2009 fue mayor para las
especies con protección legal para especies en peligro de extinción en Estados Unidos (ESA)
que para los que no, los resultados eran insignificantes después de quitar el efecto del tamaño del
cuerpo. Todos los análisis que investigan la influencia del estatus de conservación en la
adquisición de conocimiento eran insignificantes. Curiosamente, la dispersión del conocimiento
era estadísticamente idéntica desde 1994 a 2009, sugiriendo que especies poco estudiadas
tienden a permanecer en esa categoría a través del tiempo. A pesar del aumento exponencial en
conocimiento sobre las tortugas en los Estados Unidos y Canadá, ninguna especie de tortuga o
tortuga de agua dulce ha sido quitada de la lista en peligro. Por lo tanto, mayor conocimiento no
parece contribuir notablemente a la recuperación de tortugas amenazadas.
21
KIM LOVICH (presenter) and STEPHANE POULIN, (KL) San Diego Zoo, San Diego,
California, USA; (SP) Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona, USA. [Invited
Speaker]
Herpetoculture and the Role of Conservation of Native Species in Zoological
Gardens
Zoological institutions have been involved in captive husbandry of reptiles and amphibians for
many years. Although their focus species may have changed, their ability to adapt basic
herpetocultural skills to the needs of critically endangered native species has enabled them to be
key players in the conservation efforts of some of our rarest local herps. With the added benefit
of connecting people to wildlife they are able to educate the general public to the conservation
needs of our indigenous herpetofauna. We hope to show that zoological institutions truly are
committed to being partners in amphibian and reptile conservation.
Herpetoculture y el papel de la conservación de especies nativas en el Jardín
Zoológico
Instituciones zoológicas han estado involucrados en la cría en cautividad de reptiles y anfibios
durante muchos años. A pesar de su especie enfoque puede haber cambiado, su capacidad para
adaptar las habilidades básicas de herpetocultural a las necesidades de las especies nativas en
peligro de extinción que les ha permitido ser actores clave en los esfuerzos de conservación de
algunos de nuestros herps locales más raras. Con la ventaja añadida de conectar a las personas a
la vida silvestre que son capaces de educar al público en general a las necesidades de
conservación de nuestra herpetofauna indígenas. Esperamos demostrar que las instituciones
zoológicas realmente estamos comprometidos a ser socios en la conservación de anfibios y
reptiles.
This Gila Monster was found free-ranging on the grounds of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It was safely
removed and translocated a short distance away. During the capture, a large crowd gathered and were educated
about conservation of these magnificent organisms.
22
ROB LOVICH, San Diego, California, USA
Still the Wild West? Historic Perspectives on Southwestern Herpetofauna
The American Southwest has undergone significant change in the last couple hundred years. It
historically included some of the most remote wilderness areas in the United States, but is now
home to some of the largest urban centers in the United States, and Mexico. In keeping with the
changes on the landscape as the population has swelled, the relative wildness of this region has
been marginalized as once-continuous landscapes have become increasingly fragmented, altered,
and/or transformed completely. The diversity of herpetofauna in the American Southwest has
been subjected to the same changes. Historic observations of herps might be considered
extraordinary today. What were common and mundane in some instances now border on the
fantastic, if not unfathomable. The abundance and diversity of herpetofauna has transformed, and
herein I provide examples of historic observations to help guide perspectives on the past in order
to guide our paradigm for management, conservation, and research on herpetofauna for the
present and future.
¿Todavía el oeste salvaje? Perspectivas históricas sobre la herpetofauna del
suroeste
El suroeste de Norteamérica ha sufrido cambios significativos en los últimos doscientos años.
Históricamente, la región incluía algunas de las zonas naturales más remotas en los Estados
Unidos, pero ahora contiene algunos de los centros urbanos más grandes tanto en los Estados
Unidos como en México. Con los cambios del paisaje acompañados de un aumento en la
población, la parte natural ha sido marginada con un cambio de paisajes continuos cada vez más
fragmentados, modificados o transformados completamente. La diversidad de herpetofauna del
suroeste de Norteamérica ha sido sometida a los mismos cambios. Observaciones históricas de
reptiles y anfibios podrían considerarse extraordinarias hoy. Lo que era común y mundano en el
pasado, ahora se considera fantástico, si no insondable. La abundancia y diversidad de
herpetofauna han sido transformadas, y aquí proporciono ejemplos de observaciones históricas
para ayudar a formar la perspectiva del pasado, con el fi
n de orientar nuestro paradigma de gestión, conservación e investigación sobre herpetofauna
tanto para el presente como el futuro.
23
MUTHIS, ERIN (presenter); and DEANNA H. OLSON, (EM) USGS Fort Collins Science
Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA; (DHO) US Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station,
Corvallis, OR, USA
Amphibian Disease Surveillance: Global and Western USA Progress
Through global surveillance, our understanding of the amphibian chytrid fungus,
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has increased tremendously and has helped to guide the
science and management of Bd. As of February 2011, the Global Bd Mapping Project had
compiled records detecting Bd in: 508 of 1055 species sampled; 41 of 50 families sampled; 51 of
76 countries sampled; and at almost half of >4,000 sites. Bd has been detected in all western
USA States, although relatively few samples (< 100) of native amphibians are documented for
Washington, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico. Regression analyses of world and USA
data reveal environmental correlates with odds of Bd occurrence, including temperature and
precipitation metrics. These are logical correlates given Bd is an aquatic fungus with a narrow
temperature range. Although Bd is showing a widespread distribution in many areas, and is not
always a lethal infection, its interaction with amphibians and their environment remains little
understood. New efforts to initiate a Ranavirus Reporting System are underway, modeled after
the Global Bd Mapping Project; ranavirus is an emerging infectious disease in amphibians, and
like Bd is listed as ‘notifiable’ by the International Wildlife Health Organization (OIE).
Enfermedad de Anfibios Vigilancia: Global y Estados Unidos Occidental Progreso
Gracias a la vigilancia global, nuestro entendimiento del hongo quítrido de anfibios,
Batrachochtrium dendrobatidis (Bd), ha aumentado tremendamente y ha colaborado con la
ciencia y el manejo de Bd. Para Febrero del 2011, el Proyecto de Mapeo Global de Bd (Global
Bd Mapping Project) ha compilado registros detectando Bd en: 508 de 1055 especies
muestreadas; 41 de 50 familias de muestras; 51 de 76 países muestreados; y en casi la mitad de >
4.000 sitios. Bd ha sido detectado en todos los Estados occidentales de Estados Unidos, aunque
se documentan relativamente pocas muestras (< 100) de anfibios nativos en Washington, Idaho,
Utah, Nevada y Nuevo México. Análisis de regresión de datos de Estados Unidos y el mundo
revelan correlaciones entre variables ambientales y la probabilidad de ocurrencia de Bd,
incluyendo mediciones de temperatura y precipitación. Estas correlaciones son lógicas, dado que
Bd es un hongo acuático que ocurre dentro de un rango estrecho de temperatura. Aunque Bd está
ampliamente distribuido en muchas áreas y su efecto no siempre es letal, su interacción con los
anfibios y su medio ambiente todavía es poco entendido. Nuevos esfuerzos para iniciar un
sistema de presentación de informes de Ranavirus, semejante al Proyecto de Mapeo Global de
Bd, están en marcha; ranavirus es una enfermedad infecciosa emergente en anfibios y, al igual
que Bd, está catalogada como 'declaración obligatoria' por la organización internacional de salud
a la vida silvestre (OIE).
24
NANJAPPA, PRIYA and CONRAD, POLLY (presenter), (PN) Association of Fish & Wildlife
Agencies, 444 N. Capitol St. NW, Suite 725, Washington, D.C., 20001, USA; (PC) Nevada
Department of Wildlife, Diversity Division, 4747 Vegas Drive, Las Vegas, NV, 89108, USA.
[Invited Speaker]
Challenges and Findings in Regulating the Use of Herpetofauna in the U.S.
Unsustainable use is one of the largest threats to herpetofauna resources that has the greatest
potential to be managed by wildlife agencies. To begin to address the use of herpetofauna
resources in the U.S., regulations were collected from each state wildlife agency on uses
including, but not limited to, scientific, educational, hobby, commercial and aquaculture use.
Based on information gathered from state wildlife agencies, scientific collection is the most
consistently regulated use of native herpetofauna across the continental U.S. Laws and
regulations pertaining to other uses vary widely, with broad ranges in limits, reporting
requirements, penalties and fines. While the majority of states allow some form of commercial
use, in most cases multiple other restrictions were in place (species limits, bag limits, sex or size
limits or seasons). Law enforcement, biologist and policy-making personnel as well as other
stakeholders have been engaged to assess regulatory efforts and needs within and among the
states. A working group has been formed with the objective to create recommendations to the
states on sustainable use of herpetofauna resources.
Desafíos y Conclusiones en la Reglamentación del Uso de la Herpetofauna en
EE.UU
El uso insostenible es una de las principales amenazas a los recursos de la herpetofauna que tiene
el mayor potencial para ser administrado por agencias de vida silvestre. Para comenzar a abordar
el uso de los recursos de la herpetofauna en Estados Unidos, reglamentos fueron recogidos de
cada agencia estatal de vida silvestre en usos, incluyendo, pero sin limitarse a, científico,
educativo, uso de afición, comercial y de la acuicultura. Basado en información recopilada de
agencias de vida silvestre del Estado, colección científica es el uso más regulado de herpetofauna
nativo a través de los Estados Unidos continentales. Las leyes y reglamentos relativos a otros
usos varían ampliamente, con amplios rangos de límites, requisitos de información, las sanciones
y multas. Mientras que la mayoría de los Estados permite algún tipo de uso comercial, en la
mayoría de los casos a varias otras restricciones fueron en lugar (límites de especies, límites de
bolsa, sexo o límites de tamaño o temporadas). Policiales, biólogo y formulación de políticas de
personal, así como otras partes interesadas han sido contratados para evaluar los esfuerzos
regulatorios y necesidades dentro y entre los Estados. Se ha formado un grupo de trabajo con el
objetivo de crear recomendaciones a los Estados en el uso sostenible de los recursos de
herpetofauna.
25
OWENS, AUDREY K. (presenter) and JONES, CRISTINA A., Turtles Project, Nongame
Branch, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 5000 West Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086,
USA [Invited Speaker]
Ornate Box Turtle Watch: Using Citizen Science to Collect Data and Increase
Awareness of a Nongame Program. The ornate box turtle appears to be declining in
Arizona, but rigorous surveys for the species have proven inefficient due to its secretive nature.
To acquire information on the species, the Turtles Project developed the Ornate Box Turtle
Watch program (Watch), a citizen science project in which we ask the public to report their
encounters with box turtles. Since the Watch started in September 2009, we have acquired over
80 box turtle observations. The Watch allows the Department to passively gather data, which we
anticipate will build a long-term database on the distribution, abundance, and habitat use of this
cryptic species. The Watch also serves a public relations function; with increased scrutiny due to
budget cuts, governmental agencies (particularly nongame programs) are searching for proactive
ways to maintain relevancy and a positive image in the public’s eye. Citizen science projects
such as this one provide an opportunity for the public to participate in tangible conservation
efforts which are perceived as “making a difference,” and therefore valuable and worthy of
support by the public.
Avistamientos de tortuga de caja ornamentada: uso de ciencia popular para
recopilar datos y aumentar la conciencia de un programa dedicado a especies no
cazadas
La tortuga ornamentada de caja parece estar disminuyendo en Arizona, pero estudios rigurosos
de la especie han sido ineficientes debido al carácter secreto de la tortuga. Para adquirir
información sobre las especies, el proyecto de tortugas ha desarrollado un programa orientado a
la tortuga de caja ornamentada, un proyecto de ciencia popular en la que pedimos al público que
nos informe de sus encuentros con las tortugas de caja. Desde que comenzó el programa en
septiembre de 2009, hemos adquirido más de 80 observaciones de tortuga de caja. El programa
permite que el departamento junte datos de forma pasiva, y esperamos que a largo plazo nos
ayude a construir una base de datos sobre el uso de hábitat, la abundancia y la distribución de
esta especie críptica. El programa también cumple una función en cuanto a relaciones públicas;
con mayor control debido a recortes presupuestarios, agencias gubernamentales (y especialmente
programas dedicados a especies no cazadas) están buscando formas proactivas para mantener la
relevancia y una imagen positiva con el público. Proyectos de ciencia ciudadana como este
proporcionan una oportunidad para que el público participe en los esfuerzos de conservación, y
que a su vez son percibidos que "hacen una diferencia" y por lo tanto este tipo de programa es
valioso y digno de apoyo por parte del público.
26
PARIZEK, D; ROSEN, P.C. (presenter); BONINE, K.E.; POWELL, B.F.; FONSECA, J.
(DP) Biotechnology Computing Facility, University of Arizona, 1657 East Helen Street,
Tucson, Arizona 85721; (PCR, KEB) School of Natural Resources & Environment, University
of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721; (BFP, JF) Pima County Office of Sustainability and
Conservation, 201 N. Stone Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705 [Invited Speaker]
A New Web-based Tool for Citizen Scientists to Record Observations of
Herpetofauna
Assessing current distributions and long-term trends for most herpetofauna is hampered by a lack
of data and the high cost of its collection by traditional means, especially for uncommon species
and in limited-access environments such as urban areas. To facilitate data collection for a
number of research and conservation efforts in southern Arizona, we have developed—and are
refining—an online platform, HerpCount.org. This tool allows citizens to record herpetofaunal
observations by inputting data such as: date and time encountered, location, and species.
HerpCount.org also provides a means to upload one or more photographs of the animal and its
habitat. Photographic vouchering is an essential element, as it provides a verifiable record of
observation that can be museum curated. Because of the potential for location data to be used by
would-be poachers, safeguards on the site prevent specific locations of some species from being
displayed to public users. We welcome all herpetofauna observations from southern Arizona, but
data that contribute to a suite of current focal projects are especially welcome, including Pima
County’s effort to obtain sightings of desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in eastern Pima
County, Gila monsters in and near Saguaro National Park, and selected species such as snakes
and regal horned lizards in metropolitan Tucson. In the future we plan to increase the
functionality of the website and database by launching a mobile “app” that will allow for easier
and more precise data collection and thereby increase the number of high-quality observations
submitted.
Una nueva herramienta en internet para que científicos entusiastas registren
observaciones de herpetofauna
La determinación de distribuciones actuales para la mayoría del herpetofauna es obstaculizada
por una carencia de datos y del alto coste de su colección por medios tradicionales,
especialmente para especie infrecuente y en ambientes como zonas urbanas. Para facilitar la
colección de datos para un número de proyectos de la investigación y de la conservación en
"Baja Arizona", tenemos desarrollar- HerpCount.org. HerpCount.org permite que los ciudadanos
registren observaciones del herpetofaunal por datos de entrada por ejemplo: fecha y tiempo
encontrados, localización, y especie. HerpCount.org también proporciona medios de cargar una o
más fotografías del animal y de su habitat. El vouchering fotográfico es un elemento esencial,
pues proporciona un expediente comprobable de la observación que pueda ser colocado en un
museo. Debido a el potencial para que los datos de la localización sean utilizados por los
cazadores furtivos supuestos, las salvaguardias en el sitio evitan que las localizaciones
específicas de un ciertas especies sean exhibidas a los usuarios públicos. Damos la bienvenida a
todas las observaciones del herpetofauna de Baja Arizona, pero los datos que contribuyen a una
habitación de proyectos focales actuales son especialmente agradables, incluyendo esfuerzo del
condado de Pima para obtener vistas de la tortuga de desierto (Gopherus agassizii) dentro del
condado, Monstruos de Gila en y cerca del parque nacional del Saguaro, y especie seleccionada
tal como serpientes y lagartos de cuernos reales en Tucson metropolitana. En el futuro
27
planeamos aumentar la funcionalidad del Web site y de la base de datos poniendo en marcha un
"app móvil" que permita una colección de datos más fácil y más exacta y de tal modo aumente el
número de observaciones de alta calidad presentadas.
During a previous SW PARC meeting, a field trip took us to the Armendaris Ranch, where Ted Turner and his
conservation partners captively breed Bolson Tortoises for re-introduction into their native hábitat. 2011 is PARC’s
Year of the Turtle, a program to emphasize conservation needs of turtles and tortoises—hence, the symposium at the
2011 SW PARC meeting.
28
RIEDLE, J. DAREN (presenter), KAZMAIER, RICHARD T. and LITTRELL, WES B.,
(JDR) Department of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Lincoln University, Jefferson
City, MO 65101, USA; (RTK) Life, Earth, and Environmental Science, West Texas A&M
University, Canyon, TX 79015, USA; (WBL) Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area,
Tennessee Colony, TX 75861, USA. [Invited Speaker]
Species Assemblage and Community Structuring Among Ectothermic Aquatic
Vertebrates with an Emphasis on Turtles
While studies of turtle assemblages are increasing, we still know little about community
structuring of diverse groups of aquatic turtles, particularly in relation to other taxa. We sampled
turtle populations at Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area, Anderson County, TX between
2007-2009. At each net set we collected the following suite of habitat variables: flow, substrate
composition, depth, presence of downed woody debris, percent emergent vegetation, and
overhead canopy. We sampled for 1,084 net nights, making 481 captures of 8 species of turtles.
We used Detrended Correspondence Analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis to
determine habitat dimensions important to dictating turtle community structure. Turtles
segregated along both a flow and vegetative gradient. We also made 2,650 captures of 31 species
of fishes within net gear set for turtles. Using Co-correspondence Analysis and Canonical
Correspondence Analysis we compared species distributions of fish and turtles. Turtles and fish
exhibited similar distributions, with most species occurring within a lotic system or its adjacent
backwater scours. Flow and emergent vegetation were important in determining species
distributions, but results from Monte Carlo Permutation tests run simultaneously with the
Canonical Correspondence Analysis also showed that downed woody debris was equally
important in determining community structure for both taxa.
Ensamladuras de especies y la estructura comunitaria entre vertebrados
ectotérmicos acuáticos, con énfasis en tortugas
Mientras que los estudios de las ensambladuras de la tortuga están aumentando, todavía sabemos
poco sobre la estructuración de la comunidad de los grupos diversos de tortugas acuáticas,
particularmente en lo referente a otras taxus. Muestreamos las poblaciones en el área de la
gerencia de la fauna del Gus Engeling, condado de Anderson, TX de la tortuga entre 2007-2009.
En cada red fijada recogimos la habitación siguiente de las variables del habitat: flujo,
composición del substrato, profundidad, presencia de ruina arbolada tragada, el por ciento de
vegetación inesperada, y pabellón de arriba. Muestreamos por 1,084 noches netas, haciendo 481
capturas de 8 especies de tortugas. Utilizamos análisis de la correspondencia de Detrended y
análisis canónico de la correspondencia para determinar las dimensiones del habitat importantes
para el dictado de la estructura de la comunidad de la tortuga. Tortugas segregadas a lo largo de
un flujo y de gradiente vegetativo. También hicimos 2,650 capturas de 31 especies de pescados
dentro del engranaje neto fijado para las tortugas. Usando análisis de la Co-correspondencia y
análisis canónico de la correspondencia comparamos distribuciones de la especie de pescados y
de tortugas. Tortugas y distribuciones similares exhibidas pescados, con la mayoría de la especie
ocurriendo dentro de un sistema lótico o de sus fregados adyacentes del remanso. El flujo y la
vegetación inesperada eran importantes en la determinación de distribuciones de la especie, pero
los resultados del funcionamiento de pruebas de la permutación de Monte Carlo con el análisis
canónico de la correspondencia también demostraron simultáneamente que la ruina arbolada
29
tragada era igualmente importante en la determinación de la estructura de la comunidad para
ambas taxus.
RILEY, TERRY Z., PARC Federal Agencies Coordinator, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Impacts of Energy Development on Herpetofauna
Federal public lands play critical roles in meeting the country’s timber, forage, water, energy and
recreation needs and in sustaining a wide variety of fish and wildlife. As a result of these
competing demands, the establishment of management policies historically has generated
philosophical debates about the appropriate priority given to each of the uses. Recently, these
tensions have been exacerbated by fact that our federal land management agencies have
accelerated the issuance of leases and permits on millions-of-hectares of these public lands for
oil, gas, coal, wind, solar and geothermal energy development in an attempt to produce more
energy domestically. For many years energy development on federal public land has been
underway in several western states, particularly those in the Rocky Mountains. Tens of
thousands of wells and other developments currently are active in this region, and thousands
more are forecast for the coming decade. More recently, millions-of-hectares of federal public
lands are being prepared for solar energy developments. There are legitimate concerns for the
welfare of our fish and wildlife resources that are important to the general public, a large fishing
and hunting community, and local economies. Currently, there are 74 million acres of federal
land in the West that have not yet been leased for energy development, 25 million acres that have
been leased but where the development has not yet begun, and 11 million acres where resource
extraction is in full development. These developments by themselves may not be the primary
causes for significant impacts on fish, wildlife and water, but they perhaps are in the unenviable
position of being the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back.” Livestock grazing, timber
management (or lack thereof), catastrophic fires, human developments on adjacent private land,
and now extensive energy development, all combine to significantly impact the public’s fish,
wildlife and water. While PARC recognizes that energy development on federal lands will go
forward, it is essential that the partnership express its firm belief that domestic energy resources
must be developed without sacrificing our nation’s precious herpetofauna. There is concern that
the pace of development, the lack of scientific data and monitoring, and the uneven application
of environmental restrictions will jeopardize herpetofauna and their habitats, particularly in the
Desert Southwest Region. There is a vital need to engage the herpetological community more
effectively in these debates. Our partnership should seek to protect amphibians, reptiles and their
habitats from irresponsible energy development by addressing resource concerns specific to the
varying stages of development on federal lands throughout the Rocky Mountain and Desert
Southwest Regions.
30
ROMERO, JOHN, Law Enforcement Programs Coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish,
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Collection and Environmental Ethics
John Romero, Department has been an officer for over 23 years. During his tenure, John has
been involved in reptile and amphibian collection enforcement all over the world and specializes
in the illegal collection and trade of animals found on the Sky Islands of Southeastern Arizona
and Northern Mexico.
The illegal collection of native Arizona reptile species is very popular and financially lucrative.
The lure of fast, easy money can seduce even the most ethical collector to take restricted or
endangered species for sale on the black market. The second-most serious threat to reptile
species is the loss of habitat. Not from development, but from unethical collecting practices. This
presentation will discuss the current problem of illegal collection, and stress the need for selfpolicing of the collector ranks. It will also discuss the mindset of the ethical collector . The
greatest enforcement tool the wildlife officer can possess is knowledge from collectors in the
field.
Species such as the vividly colored Thornscrub Hook-nosed Snake draw reptile enthusiasts to southern Arizona from
all over the world. Searching for this species with a hunting license is a legal activity, but unfortunately, there are
also unscrupulous poachers and drug runners in the borderlands of the American Southwest.
31
SATO-MONTOYA, E, ALEJANDRA CALVO-FONSECA, AND OSVEL HINOJOSA
HUERTA , (ESA) Avenida Jalisco 903, C.P.83440 The Upper Gulf of California and Colorado
River Delta Biosphere Reserve (CONANP), Avenida Jalisco 903, C.P.83440, San Luis Rio
Colorado, Sonora, México; (ACF and OHH): PRONATURA NOROESTE Avenida Jalisco 903,
C.P.83440, San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, México.
Promoting the Flat-tailed Horned Lizard conservation through involvement of the
communities of the Upper Gulf of California and Colorado River Delta Biosphere
Reserve
A management strategy is not only an important tool to generate information and conservation
activities to protect habitat and recover populations of the Flat Tailed Horned Lizard (Prynosoma
mcallii) in Mexico, but also a mechanism to facilitate the implementation of the management
plan of the Upper Gulf of California and Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve. As a first step
to accomplish this goal in Mexico, Pronatura Noroeste conducted a project for the evaluation of
status and the development of an environmental education campaign for the protection of the
flat-tailed horned lizard, through technical and economic support of US agencies (U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service through the (ICC) Interagency Coordinating Committee and ( MOG)
Management Oversight Group and with the collaboration of the Mexican Government
(CONANP) and Centro Intercultural de Estudios de Desierto y Océanos, A.C. As a result of this
effort, the distribution for the FTHL in Mexico was defined, habitat conditions were assessed and
characterized, potential impacts were determined and informative materials were developed.
Considering the binational interest for conservation of FTHL populations and its habitats, the
Biosphere Reserve has adopted the framework created by the ICC (Interagency Coordinating
Committee) and MOG (Management Oversight Group) in order to be the Mexican agency that
will lead the process of the development of a México-specific FTHL Management Strategy. The
creation and implementation of a FTHL Management Strategy for Mexico will be the instrument
that will provide the structure to focus the conservation and management actions to benefit
FTHL populations and will provide guidelines to minimize the impacts related to projects
proposed or underway within the range of the species. The following steps are the creation of a
committee that lead the actions for the FTHL conservation and promote a standard monitoring
protocol to detect long-term population trends and habitat evaluation.
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SCHWALBE, CECIL, US Geological Survey, Tucson, Arizona [Keynote Speaker]
A Kid in the Candy Store: Herpin’ the American Southwest
The southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico is an area of incredible biodiversity,
with biomes ranging from creosotebush desert scrub through thorn forest, grasslands, chaparral,
pine and oak woodlands, coniferous forest, and alpine tundra. These varied communities support
a diverse herpetofauna that attracts scientists and other enthusiasts from all corners of the globe.
We will visit many of these creatures in their natural – and some unnatural – habitats, delving
into what we have learned about them and sharing some of the adventures and misadventures
along the way. Some of the species groups are spectacularly represented in the SWPARC region.
Rattlesnake diversity here is unmatched anywhere in the world. All of the horned lizards and
whiptail lizards in the United States are represented in our area. For an area often referred to as
“the desert Southwest,” our region supports a surprising diversity of anurans. We will consider
why they have been so successful. I will address current threats to the persistence of some of our
amphibians and reptiles and offer some points to consider for the future if these fascinating
creatures are to remain a part of our natural world.
Un niño en la tienda de golosinas: herpetología en el sudoeste de EE.UU.
El sudoeste de Estados Unidos y noroeste de México es un área de biodiversidad increíble, con
biomas desde matorral desértico de Larrea hasta bosques de púa, pastizales, bosques de pino y
roble, bosques de coníferas y tundra alpina. Estas comunidades variadas apoyan una
herpetofauna diversa que atrae a científicos y otros entusiastas de todos los rincones del mundo.
Visitaremos a muchos de estos animales en sus hábitats naturales (y algunos no tan naturales),
compartiendo lo que hemos aprendido sobre ellos y algunas de las aventuras y desventuras por el
camino. Algunos grupos de especies están muy bien representados en la región de SWPARC. La
diversidad de serpientes de cascabel aquí es inigualable a cualquier parte del mundo. Todas las
especies de lagartijas cornudas y lagartos del género Aspidoscelis de los Estados Unidos están
representadas en nuestra zona. Para un área conocida como "el desierto del sudoeste", nuestra
región está repleta con una sorprendente diversidad de anuros. Hablaremos por qué han tenido
tanto éxito. Voy a cubrir las amenazas actuales a la persistencia de algunos de los anfibios y
reptiles y ofrecer algunos puntos para considerar en el futuro, para que estas fascinantes criaturas
sigan siendo una parte de nuestro mundo natural.
Like many herpetologists living in southern Arizona, our keynote speaker, Cecil Schwalbe, was frequently lured to
neighboring Sonora, México, by its exquisite herpetofauna. Pictured is a Sinaloan Milksnake from Alamos, Sonora.
33
SEMINOFF, JEFFREY A., NOAA - National Marine Fisheries Service; Southwest Fisheries
Science Center, 3333 N. Torrey Pines Ct., La Jolla, California 92037 USA [Invited Speaker]
Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles of the Gulf of California
The Gulf of California has long been known as an important area for sea turtles. Diverse habitats
including coastal reefs, shallow lagoons, open water, and sandy beaches provide critical habitat
for both foraging and nesting activity. Of the seven species found worldwide, five occur in the
region: the green turtle, hawksbill, olive ridley, leatherback, and loggerhead. Local populations
of all five species are depleted relative to historic levels based on quantitative and/or anecdotal
information. These declines are largely due to overexploitation of eggs and turtles at distant
nesting areas, the hunting of turtles locally, and incidental mortality in marine fisheries. While
these impacts have been highlighted on numerous occasions, often not discussed are cultural
dimensions associated with the declines, nor the multifaceted approaches that promote sea turtle
population recovery. In this presentation, I explore the biology and population status of marine
turtles in the Gulf, with emphasis on the green turtle - a species whose struggles have come to
symbolize the spectrum of challenges for sea turtles in the region. In addition to describing the
unique ecologies, I will discuss the array of conservation strategies that have been undertaken to
promote sea turtle recovery.
Biología y conservación de tortugas marinas en el Golfo de California
El Golfo de California ha sido conocida como un área importante para las tortugas marinas.
Diversos hábitats como los arrecifes costeros, lagunas someras, aguas abiertas, y playas arenosas
son hábitats críticos para la anidación y alimentación de las tortugas. De las siete especies que se
encuentran en todo el mundo, cinco estan presente en la región: la tortuga verde, tortuga carey,
tortuga golfina, laúd y tortuga amarilla. Las poblaciones locales de las cinco especies que se
agoten en relación con los niveles históricos basados en cuantitativos y / o información
anecdótica. Estos descensos se deben principalmente a la sobreexplotación de los huevos y las
tortugas en distantes zonas de anidación, la caza furtiva de tortugas a nivel local, y la mortalidad
incidental en las pesquerías marinas. Mientras que estos impactos se han destacado en numerosas
ocasiones, a menudo no se discuten las dimensiones culturales asociadas a las bajas, ni los
enfoques multifacéticos que promueven la recuperación de las poblaciónes de las tortugas
marinas. En esta presentación, voy a explorar la biología y el estado de la población de tortugas
marinas en el Golfo, con énfasis en la tortuga prieta - una especie cuyas luchas han llegado a
simbolizar el espectro de desafíos para las tortugas marinas en la región. Además de describir las
ecologías único, voy a discutir la matriz de estrategias de conservación que se han comprometido
a promover la recuperación de las tortugas marinas.
34
SULLIVAN, BRIAN K., Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Arizona State
University, PO Box 37100, Phoenix, AZ 85069, USA.
Impacts of Urbanization and Grazing on Herpetofaunal Communities of the
Sonoran Desert: Separating Myths from Realities
Impacts of urbanization and arid-land grazing have been well-documented for amphibians and
reptiles of the Southwest. Recent assessments suggest that preserves established without regard
to habitat variation important to various life history aspects of herpetofaunal elements fail to
retain all components of historic communities. Ongoing efforts with alterations to long-standing
cattle-industry approaches to grazing of cattle in the Sonoran Desert similarly fail to account for
impacts on aquatic communities even though availability of water for wildlife has been
artificially increased dramatically over the past century. The complex interactions among biotic
and abiotic factors, and anthropogenic impacts, reveal that the preservation of amphibians and
reptiles requires species-specific natural history information that can only be obtained by longterm study of individual taxa.
Los impactos de la urbanización y pastoreo en comunidades de herpetofauna del
Desierto de Sonora: Separando mitos de la realidad
Los impactos de la urbanización y el pastoreo de tierras áridas han sido bien documentados para
los anfibios y reptiles del suroeste. Las evaluaciones recientes indican que las reservas
establecidas sin tener en cuenta la variación del hábitat importante para diversos aspectos de la
historia de vida de los elementos de herpetofauna no mantienen todos los componentes de las
comunidades históricas. Los esfuerzos en marcha con modificaciones a las prácticas antiguas de
la industria de ganadería para el pastoreo de ganado en el desierto de Sonora de manera similar
no tienen en cuenta los impactos sobre las comunidades acuáticas a pesar de que la
disponibilidad de agua para la vida silvestre ha sido artificialmente aumentado dramáticamente
durante el siglo pasado. Las interacciones complejas entre factores bióticos y abióticos, y los
impactos antropogénicos, revelan que la conservación de los anfibios y reptiles se requiere
información de historia natural de cada especie que sólo se puede obtener por el estudio a largo
plazo de los distintos taxones.
TURNER, DALE S. The Nature Conservancy, 1510 East Fort Lowell Road, Tucson, AZ 85719
The Lessening Stream: Changing Habitat for Amphibians and Reptiles in Aquatic
and Riparian Systems
While many wildlife species in the Southwest face serious threats to their persistence, those that
depend on flowing water may be the most imperiled. Herps are no exception to that. The list of
stressors is long, and generally well-known. I will not be depressingly exhaustive, but will
present a few recent data sets showing trends and predictions for aquatic habitat, with an
emphasis on Arizona and Sonora. While it would be easy to get overwhelmed by the bad news,
there are bright spots on the landscape. I will describe several case studies where conservation
actions and good management practices have made a positive difference, with promise for
broader application in the region.
35
El Rio Disminuido: El cambio de hábitat de anfibios y reptiles en los sistemas
acuáticos y ribereños
Mientras que muchas especies de vida silvestre en el suroeste Norteamericano se enfrentan a
amenazas graves a su persistencia, los que dependen del agua que fluye puede ser el mayor
peligro. Anfibios y reptiles no son una excepción a eso. La lista de factores de estrés es larga, y
son bien conocidos. No voy a presentar una lista completa, pero presentará datos recientes que
muestran las tendencias y predicciones para el hábitat acuático, con un énfasis en Arizona y
Sonora. Tambien, voy a describir varios estudios de caso en que las acciones de conservación y
buenas prácticas de manejo han hecho una diferencia positiva, con la potencial de una aplicación
más amplia en la región.
For such and arid place, Arizona has a rather high diversity of amphibians, especially those that
respond to monsoonal rains by breeding in ephemeral ponds. The Lowland Burrowing Treefrog,
a largely Mexican species, is one of the more frogs of Arizona.
36
The threats facing amphibians and reptiles during our times are many. For example, the federally listed Coachella
Valley Fringe-toed Lizard has lost much of the habitat throughout its range because of the need to accommodate a
burgeoning human population. With the help of devoted collaborators and conservation champions, we can make a
difference. This is the mission of PARC.
37
Draft checklist of 81 amphibians and reptiles found in the vicinity where field trips will be
during SW PARC meeting in Tucson, Arizona, 2011. This list is imprecise due to the uncertain
extent of the field trips. Yellow = thought or known to occur in vicinity; green = occurs nearby.
Common Name
Scientific Name
Great Plains Toad
Green Toad
Arizona Toad
Red-spotted Toad
Sonoran Green Toad
Woodhouse's Toad
Barking Frog
Great Plains Narrow-mouthed Toad
Canyon Treefrog
Arizona Treefrog
Plains Leopard Frog
Chiricahua Leopard Frog
Relict Leopard Frog
Northern Leopard Frog
Tarahumara Frog
Lowland Leopard Frog
Sonoran Desert Toad
Anaxyrus cognatus
Anaxyrus debilis
Anaxyrus microscaphus
Anaxyrus punctatus
Anaxyrus retiformis
Anaxyrus woodhousii
Craugastor augusti
Gastrophryne olivacea
Hyla arenicolor
Hyla wrightorum
Lithobates blairi
Lithobates chiricahuensis
Lithobates onca
Lithobates pipiens
Lithobates tarahumarae
Lithobates yavapaiensis
Ollotis alvaria
Pseudacris
hypochondriaca
Pseudacris triseriata
Scaphiopus couchii
Smilisca fodiens
Spea bombifrons
Spea intermontana
Spea multiplicata
Ambystoma marvortium
Arizona elegans
Chilomeniscus stramineus
Chionactis occipitalis
Chionactis palarostris
Coluber bilineatus
Coluber constrictor
Coluber flagellum
Coluber taeniatus
Baja California Treefrog
Western Chorus Frog
Couch's Spadefoot
Lowland Burrowing Treefrog
Plains Spadefoot
Great Basin Spadefoot
Mexican Spadefoot
Barred Tiger Salamander
Glossy Snake
Variable Sand Snake
Western Shovel-nosed Snake
Sonoran Shovel-nosed Snake
Sonoran Whipsnake
Racer
Coachwhip
Striped Whipsnake
Western Diamond-backed
Rattlesnake
Sidewinder
Arizona Black Rattlesnake
Rock Rattlesnake
Speckled Rattlesnake
Black-tailed Rattlesnake
Western Rattlesnake
Tucson Sabino/
Paja- HuaArea
Catalinas ritos chucas
Crotalus atrox
Crotalus cerastes
Crotalus cerberus
Crotalus lepidus
Crotalus mitchellii
Crotalus molossus
Crotalus oregoni
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Twin-spotted Rattlesnake
Mohave Rattlesnake
Tiger Rattlesnake
Prairie Rattlesnake
Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake
Ring-necked Snake
Chihuahuan Hook-nosed Snake
Thornscrub Hook-nosed Snake
Mexican Hog-nosed Snake
Desert Nightsnake
Chihuahuan Nightsnake
Hooded Nightsnake
Common Kingsnake
Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake
Milk Snake
New Mexico Threadsnake
Western Threadsnake
Desert Rosy Boa
Mexican Rosy Boa
Sonoran Coral Snake
Brown Vinesnake
Saddled Leaf-nosed Snake
Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake
Gophersnake
Long-nosed Snake
Eastern Patch-nosed Snake
Western Patch-nosed Snake
Green Ratsnake
Massasauga
Ground Snake
Smith's Black-headed Snake
Plains Black-headed Snake
Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake
Yaqui Black-headed Snake
Black-necked Gartersnake
Terrestrial Gartersnake
Mexican Gartersnake
Checkered Gartersnake
Narrow-headed Gartersnake
Sonoran Lyresnake
Arizona Whiptail
Giant Spotted Whiptail
Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail
Gila Spotted Whiptail
New Mexico Whiptail
Pai Striped Whiptail
Sonoran Spotted Whiptail
Tiger Whiptail
Crotalus pricei
Crotalus scutulatus
Crotalus tigris
Crotalus viridis
Crotalus willardi
Diadophis punctatus
Gyalopion canum
Gyalopion quadrangulare
Heterodon kennerlyi
Hypsiglena chlorophaea
Hypsiglena jani
Hypsiglena species
Lampropeltis getula
Lampropeltis pyromelana
Lampropeltis triangulum
Leptotyphlops dissectus
Leptotyphlops humilis
Lichanura orcutti
Lichanura trivirgata
Micruroides euryxanthus
Oxybelis aeneus
Phyllorhynchus browni
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus
Pituophis catenifer
Rhinocheilus lecontei
Salvadora grahamiae
Salvadora hexalepis
Senticolis triaspis
Sistrurus catenatus
Sonora semiannulata
Tantilla hobartsmithi
Tantilla nigriceps
Tantilla wilcoxi
Tantilla yaquia
Thamnophis cyrtopsis
Thamnophis elegans
Thamnophis eques
Thamnophis marcianus
Thamnophis rufipunctatus
Trimorphodon lambda
Aspidoscelis arizonae
Aspidoscelis stictogramma
Aspidoscelis exsanguis
Aspidoscelis flagellicauda
Aspidoscelis neomexicana
Aspidoscelis pai
Aspidoscelis sonorae
Aspidoscelis tigris
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Desert Grassland Whiptail
Plateau Striped Whiptail
Red-backed Whiptail
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Western Banded Gecko
Greater Earless Lizard
Great Basin Collared Lizard
Eastern Collared Lizard
Sonoran Collared Lizard
Desert Iguana
Madrean Alligator Lizard
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
Gila Monster
Elegant Earless Lizard
Common Lesser Earless Lizard
Texas Horned Lizard
Goode's Horned Lizard
Greater Short-horned Lizard
Flat-tailed Horned Lizard
Round-tailed Horned Lizard
Regal Horned Lizard
"Gilbert's" Skink
Mountain Skink
Many-lined Skink
Great Plains Skink
Western Skink
Common Chuckwalla
Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard
Clark's Spiny Lizard
Southwestern Fence Lizard
Common Sagebrush Lizard
Yarrow's Spiny Lizard
Desert Spiny Lizard
Slevin's Bunch Grass Lizard
Plateau Fence Lizard
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
Striped Plateau Lizard
Yuman Fringe-toed Lizard
Mohave Fringe-toed Lizard
Long-tailed Brush Lizard
Ornate Tree Lizard
Common Side-blotched Lizard
Arizona Night Lizard
Bezy's Night Lizard
Desert Night Lizard
Painted Turtle
Desert Tortoise
Arizona Mud Turtle
Aspidoscelis uniparens
Aspidoscelis velox
Aspidoscelis xanthonota
Callisaurus draconoides
Coleonyx variegatus
Cophosaurus texanus
Crotaphytus bicinctores
Crotaphytus collaris
Crotaphytus nebrius
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Elgaria kingii
Gambelia wislizenii
Heloderma suspectum
Holbrookia elegans
Holbrookia maculata
Phrynosoma cornutum
Phrynosoma goodei
Phrynosoma hernandesi
Phrynosoma mcallii
Phrynosoma modestum
Phrynosoma solare
Plestiodon "gilberti"
Plestiodon callicephalus
Plestiodon multivirgatus
Plestiodon obsoletus
Plestiodon skiltonianus
Sauromalus ater
Sceloporus bilmaculosus
Sceloporus clarkii
Sceloporus cowlesi
Sceloporus graciosus
Sceloporus jarrovii
Sceloporus magister
Sceloporus slevini
Sceloporus tristichus
Sceloporus uniformis
Sceloporus virgatus
Uma rufopunctata
Uma scoparia
Urosaurus graciosus
Urosaurus ornatus
Uta stansburiana
Xantusia arizonae
Xantusia bezyi
Xantusia vigilis
Chrysemys picta
Gopherus agassizii
Kinosternon arizonense
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Yellow Mud Turtle
Sonora Mud Turtle
Ornate Box Turtle
Kinosternon flavescens
Kinosternon sonoriense
Terrapene ornata
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