Search found 78 matches

by Brian Folt
April 24th, 2015, 12:34 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2015 so far (Costa Rica, Tennessee, Georgia) lots of photos.
Replies: 6
Views: 3541

Re: 2015 so far (Costa Rica, Tennessee, Georgia) lots of pho

The way we identify a given organism to species is by analyzing specific characters, typically morphological, which allow us to diagnose which species is in question. These characters are referred to as diagnostic characters -- because, in theory, they should allow one to diagnosis an organism to sp...
by Brian Folt
April 23rd, 2015, 10:40 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2015 so far (Costa Rica, Tennessee, Georgia) lots of photos.
Replies: 6
Views: 3541

Re: 2015 so far (Costa Rica, Tennessee, Georgia) lots of pho

Cool post -- that was certainly a lot of pictures! Here are a couple thoughts: I believe your first rainfrog is Craugastor fitzingeri, and the second one is likely Pristimantis ridens (most likely) or P. cruentus. Your Canopy/Pug-nosed Anole (Norops capito) looks a little off to me. I wonder if it m...
by Brian Folt
January 10th, 2015, 1:14 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Costa Rica - August 2014 - Aguas Zarcas - Amphibians
Replies: 8
Views: 3560

Re: Costa Rica - August 2014 - Aguas Zarcas - Amphibians

Cool post! You images are nice, but your audio recordings are terrific! What sort of set-up do you use to collect the audio? I've had a long-time goal of collecting the calls for all the frogs of my study site in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica, and I would be curious to know what goes into col...
by Brian Folt
April 9th, 2014, 9:45 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Two new species of turtle described in the southeastern US
Replies: 1
Views: 2264

Two new species of turtle described in the southeastern US

Thomas et al . (2014) assessed genetic and morphological variation of the Alligator Snapping Turtle ( Macrochelys temminckii ) and found three distinct lineages corresponding corresponding to previously hypothesized genetic groups. Since the holotype of M. temminckii is from the Mississippi drainage...
by Brian Folt
January 7th, 2014, 10:18 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New Field Project aimed at rediscovering the Golden Toad!
Replies: 29
Views: 8981

Re: New Field Project aimed at rediscovering the Golden Toad

Whoa, ambitious first project! Here are a couple thoughts that came to mind while reading this post and your KickStarter proposal. We feel that while the case of the Golden Toad has received a huge amount of attention, there was never a coordinated attempt to rediscover it within its original range,...
by Brian Folt
November 20th, 2013, 7:36 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New Eastern Indigo Snake population (?) found in SW GA
Replies: 8
Views: 2049

New Eastern Indigo Snake population (?) found in SW GA

A private landowner recently found an Eastern Indigo Snake ( Drymarchon couperi ) hanging out in her carport in southwestern Georgia. From what I understand, there are few historic populations from only three counties in southwestern Georgia (Jensen et al . 2008 Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia ),...
by Brian Folt
November 20th, 2013, 7:34 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New Indigo Snake population (?) in southwestern Georgia
Replies: 2
Views: 2042

New Indigo Snake population (?) in southwestern Georgia

A private landowner recently found an Eastern Indigo Snake ( Drymarchon couperi ) hanging out in her carport in southwestern Georgia. From what I understand, there are few historic populations from only three counties in southwestern Georgia (Jensen et al. 2008 Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia ), ...
by Brian Folt
September 3rd, 2013, 1:58 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Save The Date -- 2014 Southeast PARC Meeting! Jamestown KY
Replies: 0
Views: 1325

Save The Date -- 2014 Southeast PARC Meeting! Jamestown KY

Howdy folks, The date and details for the 2014 Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (SEPARC) have been announced! Hooray! :beer: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7288/9664886789_2c85fe2183_b.jpg As you can see, the 2014 meeting will be held at the Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, ...
by Brian Folt
September 3rd, 2013, 1:55 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Save The Date -- Southeast PARC 2014 Meeting!
Replies: 0
Views: 1275

Save The Date -- Southeast PARC 2014 Meeting!

Howdy folks, The date and details for the 2014 Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (SEPARC) have been announced! Hooray! :beer: Save the dates: 13-16 February! http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7288/9664886789_2c85fe2183_b.jpg As you can see, the 2014 meeting will be held at the Lak...
by Brian Folt
August 6th, 2013, 8:28 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Alabama PARC Meeting
Replies: 9
Views: 1915

Alabama PARC Meeting

Hi folks, The Alabama Partners in Amphibian and Reptiles Conservation (ALAPARC) Meeting date has been set for October 3-5, 2013. The meeting will be held at the Solon Dixon Forestry Center in the Conecuh National Forest, Covington County, Alabama. The meeting will feature both research symposia on a...
by Brian Folt
August 1st, 2013, 8:54 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: ...
Replies: 31
Views: 7854

Re: Apalachicola Kingsnakes rare and declining?

Carl D. May wrote:I think that the reality of the situation is that the kings in that area have simply been suppressed by the decade(s) long drought that the region has been going through.
Bingo.
by Brian Folt
July 30th, 2013, 12:46 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Panama and Norway - Photo warning
Replies: 14
Views: 6744

Re: Herping Panama and Norway - Photo warning

Cool photographs! What incredible diversity. I hope to one day photograph a caecilian also, and those pumilio morphs are remarkable as well. I think your Norops humilis is actually N. lemurinus given the dewlap coloration. I believe your craugastorid frog pictured first (immediately following phlebo...
by Brian Folt
July 18th, 2013, 11:50 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Need an ID on a small salamander
Replies: 17
Views: 3830

Re: Need an ID on a small salamander

Cool find. I'll second Kevin on wishing you luck with locating the breeding site (although, it sounds like you've got a solid lead). If it is a county record, you should consider vouching the photographs in a museum database and submitting a geographic distribution note to Herpetological Review ! He...
by Brian Folt
June 30th, 2013, 10:10 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Lizards from Costa Rica
Replies: 21
Views: 9699

Re: Lizards from Costa Rica

Tremendous images! Wow. One day I hope to see a galliwasp. But no limifrons ? Are any of these lizards only (or mostly) found in the canopy? Norops biporcatus and Norops pentaprion are highly arboreal species (crown giant ecomode, trunk crown ecomode, respectively), but can be found near the forest ...
by Brian Folt
May 23rd, 2013, 5:09 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: ID on Tenn Salamander larva
Replies: 11
Views: 3874

Re: ID on Tenn Salamander larva

Nice haul. In the second picture, I believe the top two are Red Salamanders ( Pseudotriton ruber ) and the bottom one is a some sort of two-lined salamander ( Eurycea cirrigera or wilderae , depending where you are). At that size class, Pseudotriton ruber have a dark field with small, light spots. C...
by Brian Folt
April 16th, 2013, 6:58 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New insights into "Psuedemys"
Replies: 0
Views: 898

Re: New insights into "Psuedemys"

What's so cool about the paper? The results fail to resolve monophyly of species that are clearly monophyletic (e.g., Pseudemys alabamensis ). I say this because I have examined the morphology of P. alabamensis in the field and museum, and I refuse to believe this is just some morph of P. concinna ....
by Brian Folt
March 25th, 2013, 6:32 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Poisonous snakes...?
Replies: 26
Views: 8590

Re: Poisonous snakes...?

Thamnophis , Rhabdophis are two examples. The topic of poison sequestration in vertebrates was recently reviewed by Al Savitzky and friends here: Savitzky, A. H., A. Mori, D. a Hutchinson, R. a Saporito, G. M. Burghardt, H. B. Lillywhite, and J. Meinwald. 2012. Sequestered defensive toxins in tetra...
by Brian Folt
February 24th, 2013, 7:07 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Indigo study
Replies: 24
Views: 2903

Re: Indigo study

Are you suggesting there is a wild population of indigo snakes in southeast Alabama? If so, this would be quite a discovery that many people in the state would be interested to hear about. Other than a released repatriation population, I believe no wild indigo snake has been seen in Alabama in over ...
by Brian Folt
February 18th, 2013, 6:17 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Salamander Larva ID Request
Replies: 12
Views: 1879

Re: Salamander Larva ID Request

I am very curious to know the true identity of that salamander. Your description of the locality is near the hypothetical contact zone between P. m. montanus and P. m. diasticus. Allow me to propose a question: was the animal collected in a Tennessee River or Atlantic coast watershed?
by Brian Folt
January 21st, 2013, 7:26 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake core body temps?
Replies: 10
Views: 2568

Re: Snake core body temps?

I use a thermocouple (via cloacal insertion) to measure the internal body temperature of snakes. It's fairly small, and can be easily brought into the field (but, be sure to pack it in a plastic bag in the tropics).
by Brian Folt
January 17th, 2013, 2:29 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Borneo Dispatches #64: Roadcruising Study (HELP REQUEST!)
Replies: 16
Views: 5012

Re: Borneo Dispatches #64: Roadcruising Study (HELP REQUEST!

To quote a buddy of mine: "Never go herping just for fun." I think it's very cool that you will be compiling your field observations into data for analysis. I'm looking forward to reading about your results! I think Jeff provided some quality advice. I also advise that you back up your dat...
by Brian Folt
January 6th, 2013, 6:15 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: TN Herpers
Replies: 18
Views: 6755

Re: TN Herpers

RE: Nick See Frank Burbrink et al . 2008 ( http://www.cnah.org/pdf_files/954.pdf ) for a recent hypothesis about the evolutionary history of Coluber constrictor ( sensu lato ). Their phylogeny (generated from the mitochrondrial DNA cytochrome b gene) found support for six independently-evolving line...
by Brian Folt
January 5th, 2013, 7:13 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: southern Ohio, 2012
Replies: 15
Views: 6513

Re: southern Ohio, 2012

¡Bien hecho!
by Brian Folt
December 5th, 2012, 9:05 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2012 Lagartos - East Coast
Replies: 3
Views: 1324

Re: 2012 Lagartos - East Coast

Nice lizard key! I really like the tree-trunk P. inexpectatus photograph. I would argue that we should always be checking all these characters, irrespective of currently-accepted ranges.... Maybe you'll find a range extension!
by Brian Folt
November 30th, 2012, 6:24 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: RFI: Indigos or Cribos eating Raccoons
Replies: 19
Views: 2907

Re: RFI: Indigos or Cribos eating Raccoons

An interesting thought to entertain. A quick search of "Drymarchon" and "Procyon" in the zoological record database did not reveal any records.
by Brian Folt
November 26th, 2012, 1:40 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2012 Caudata
Replies: 19
Views: 3639

Re: 2012 Caudata

The auriculatus museum specimens I have examined had two rows of lateral white spots that continue onto the extremely-keeled tail, and the underside was dark brown/black. The snout was ~stubby relative to conanti specimens. I would call that animal conanti as well... but, just my cautious speculation.
by Brian Folt
November 18th, 2012, 3:40 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2012 Caudata
Replies: 19
Views: 3639

Re: 2012 Caudata

I'm fairly skeptical that your dusky salamander is Desmognathus auriculatus. Your animal does not appear to have the lateral rows of white spots or the heavily-keeled tail that are characteristic of this species.
by Brian Folt
September 18th, 2012, 4:52 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Turtle ID needed
Replies: 15
Views: 4957

Re: Turtle ID needed

It looks a lot like a Black River Turtle ( Rhinoclemmys funerea ) to me. The shape of the snout and the color of the throat are more suggestive of Rhinoclemmys to me than Batagur . http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/34667_1380568000502_7232808_n.jpg Rhinoclemmys are a riverine species, but p...
by Brian Folt
September 17th, 2012, 8:08 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: I'm embarassed to ask, but I'm dying to know the answer...
Replies: 22
Views: 6077

Re: I'm embarassed to ask, but I'm dying to know the answer.

Bryan, Well, it looks like there is perhaps more than a nugget of truth there. Thanks for sharing that story. Ohio is a historically rich state from a herpetological perspective -- many great folks, academic or otherwise, came from the state. Of course, both Conant and Collins came from OH at some p...
by Brian Folt
September 16th, 2012, 7:46 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: I'm embarassed to ask, but I'm dying to know the answer...
Replies: 22
Views: 6077

Re: I'm embarassed to ask, but I'm dying to know the answer.

Haha. Classic. I can't say for sure, but I'm skeptical there's any truth there. Here in Alabama, an incredibly common rumor for decades is that "venom researchers at Auburn will pay good money for rattlers." This is not true for Auburn or any other university in the state. As far as we kno...
by Brian Folt
September 10th, 2012, 7:27 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Trip to Costa Rica, August 2012
Replies: 25
Views: 11354

Re: Trip to Costa Rica, August 2012

Wow. I'm glad to see Anotheca spinosa are still holding on at Rara Avis/BCNP, because I've heard that species has declined significantly in the last 25 years. Your 'Common Tink Frog' appears to be a Craugastor megacephalus . Note the characteristic "inverted parentheses" )( on the dorsum. ...
by Brian Folt
September 8th, 2012, 8:57 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Trip to Costa Rica, August 2012
Replies: 25
Views: 11354

Re: Trip to Costa Rica, August 2012

David, Thanks for sharing your phenomenal experiences and images. Interesting observation on the Motmots -- I [presumably] noted those birds and that nest along the Sendero Tres Rios (STR) in 2010 and again in February of 2012. I wonder how long lived those birds and nest cavities are? That rufitell...
by Brian Folt
September 7th, 2012, 2:48 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Alabama PARC Meeting
Replies: 2
Views: 1085

Re: Alabama PARC Meeting

Cool, Coluber! Looking forward to meeting you there. Here is an updated list of presentations: Talks: David Nelson: Road - kill survey of Alabama red-bellied turtles on the Mobile Bay Causeway - XI. Craig Guyer: Get ready for name changes: emerging taxonomic issues in Alabama’s herpetofauna. Andrew ...
by Brian Folt
August 29th, 2012, 7:55 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Alabama PARC Meeting
Replies: 2
Views: 1085

Alabama PARC Meeting

The Alabama Chapter of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ALAPARC) is holding its annual meeting September 28-30, 2012 at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Mobile County, AL. I've heard there was a great FHF showing at a recent trip to a field site in southern AL, and perhaps some of the sa...
by Brian Folt
July 3rd, 2012, 9:28 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Costa Rica/Nicaragua June 2012.
Replies: 19
Views: 4862

Re: Costa Rica/Nicaragua June 2012.

Pete, Beautiful images. Your kids are very lucky to have such a phenomenal experience! I too have visited the La Selva Cantarana during torrential downpours at the start of the wet season.... and also was awed. While some of your animals are common sights during such nights, the Ungaliophis is rare ...
by Brian Folt
June 27th, 2012, 6:21 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Costa Rica, June 2011 (New Post- a Year Later!)
Replies: 14
Views: 4237

Re: Costa Rica, June 2011 (New Post- a Year Later!)

Thanks for sharing your trip report here. You made some really nice finds. I like the Dipsas and Eurotheca a lot -- two species which have evaded me thus far. You did really well with most your IDs, but your "crassidigitus" is a fitzingeri.
by Brian Folt
June 27th, 2012, 6:33 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: OT: Herp Professors
Replies: 33
Views: 7409

Re: OT: Herp Professors

The Stearns/Carsons/Huey articles are phenomenal resources.

Here's a tip: use a telephone. Some faculty are more reliable with email than others, but all are best contacted by phone.

I also recommend attending the joint herp meetings.

Good luck with your studies.
by Brian Folt
June 2nd, 2012, 1:33 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Salamander ID
Replies: 7
Views: 2165

Re: Salamander ID

RE: species complex. Using multiple mitochondrial and nuclear genes, a recent molecular analysis found support for TX and LA dwarf salamanders to be a distinct clade (=species) from E. quadrigitata in NC/SC. They also found two other new clades -- one in the FL panhandle and one in AL/GA. A neat evo...
by Brian Folt
May 8th, 2012, 6:31 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Nicaragua snake ID
Replies: 10
Views: 3364

Re: Nicaragua snake ID

I apologize for being wrong. Definitely L. annulata. According to this survey and another I read in Spanish, L. annulata and L. nigrofasciata are the only Leptodiera species to occur on the island. Just because L. septentrionalis is not known from the island, we can't rule it out as the snakes iden...
by Brian Folt
April 30th, 2012, 9:24 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Nicaragua snake ID
Replies: 10
Views: 3364

Re: Nicaragua snake ID

Without taking a look at any references, it looks like L. annulata to me.
by Brian Folt
April 8th, 2012, 3:32 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Recent Trip to Costa Rica Nov/Dec 2011
Replies: 9
Views: 3473

Re: Recent Trip to Costa Rica Nov/Dec 2011

Nice post. You saw some great animals. I love the Corytophanes cristatus and Porthidium nasutum ... those are two of my favorite species. Feel free to post any other natural history pictures you have as well! I have a few corrections with IDs. Your first frog looks like Scinax elaechroa , while frog...
by Brian Folt
March 29th, 2012, 7:21 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Taking a trip to AZ....Advice?
Replies: 12
Views: 2356

Re: Taking a trip to AZ....Advice?

elj wrote:If anyone can shoot me tips/hints/advice it would be great.
Make sure you purchase the proper licenses.... Good luck!
by Brian Folt
March 29th, 2012, 7:18 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Request for images of Cribo habitat
Replies: 9
Views: 2666

Re: Request for images of Cribo habitat

In Costa Rica, at least, cribos are found in a bunch of habitats - Savage says, "Found in a wide variety of situations, but most commonly near riverbeds, swamps, and seasonal marshes, in Lowland Moist and Wet Forests and Premontane Moist and Wet Forest and Rainforest; marginal in Lower Montane...
by Brian Folt
March 9th, 2012, 9:51 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Game: Name that Costa Rican Craugastor
Replies: 9
Views: 2137

Re: Game: Name that Costa Rican Craugastor

1. L. poecilochilus 2. Craugastor rugosus 3,4,6,7,11,12. I would call these C. fitzingeri. Next trip, check for a mid-gular stripe to identify this species. The posterior of the thigh is usually light-spotted/speckled, also. 14,17,19. C. stejnegerianus 16. Cool frog! 18. Might be Diasporus vocator? ...
by Brian Folt
January 3rd, 2012, 11:16 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Southern Ohio, 2011
Replies: 23
Views: 5763

Re: Southern Ohio, 2011

As always, excellent. Brings back some great memories. You always set the bar high and taught me so much over the last four years, which I'm very appreciative of. Come spring, I'll miss southern Ohio.... but right now, I don't miss the snow. Any Heterodon this year? How about that Athens County deka...
by Brian Folt
November 4th, 2011, 12:52 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Great Smoky Mountains - October, 2011
Replies: 23
Views: 3993

Re: Great Smoky Mountains - October, 2011

Thanks for posting. A lot of cool stuff here, but the wilderae shot was my favorite. I love the pronounced nasal cirri; super neat morphology! Anyways, I traveled to the Great Smoky Mountains not to long ago with a friend to look for salamanders. As opposed to most of my other trips, this one was ki...
by Brian Folt
October 7th, 2011, 9:58 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: A Busy and Productive Week - THS and AlaPARC
Replies: 5
Views: 1446

Re: A Busy and Productive Week - THS and AlaPARC

Nice post and nicer pictures. I heard ALAPARC was a great time, and I am really bummed I couldn't make it. I've got SEPARC on my to-do list for February, though. Really cool that y'all saw aeneus and depressus , as those are both protected species in AL. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/users/guyercr/herpli...
by Brian Folt
September 18th, 2011, 7:05 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: ID Help on Michigan Colubrid - just another Thamnophis?
Replies: 9
Views: 2928

Re: ID Help on Michigan Colubrid - just another Thamnophis?

I can't be sure from that picture, but it looks a bit like a Thamnophis butleri to my eye. If so, that's a pretty good find, as they don't turn up too easily in MI.
by Brian Folt
April 12th, 2011, 7:41 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Help: Costa Rica Herp Ideas (?)
Replies: 9
Views: 2031

Re: Help: Costa Rica Herp Ideas (?)

1. Looks like Norops limifrons to me. Do you have a lateral photo? The tail strikes me as rather long for N. oxylophis , although I do see similarity with the bold countershading coloration 2. I don't have experience with Guanacaste anoles. 3. Unquestionably Craugastor fitzingeri . 4. Don't know the...
by Brian Folt
March 15th, 2011, 9:36 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: walkers and hoppers
Replies: 4
Views: 1492

Re: walkers and hoppers

Hey Joe! I saw Bufo fowleri walking across roads at night in Meigs County a few times last spring. Maybe this paper by some good folks here at OU could help you: Reilly, S.M. & Jorgensen, M.E. The evolution of jumping in frogs: Morphological evidence for the basal anuran locomotor condition and ...