Lab #10

Date: 4/6/16

Location: Lumber River Conservancy

Lab Activity: Searched under coverboards and checked pitfall traps

Habitat: Pine/Hardwood Forest

Temperature: 68 F

Wind: 3.2 mph

Humidity: 33.7%

Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor)

    We found this snake underneath one of the metal coverups, which is exactly what you expect because snakes favor the metal covers because they are warmer and drier underneath.

    Like the name suggests the Black Racer is very fast as far as snakes go and they need to be because when they grow up to be adults they prey on animals such as nesting birds, squirrels and even rabbits.

    The Black Racer are nonvenomous but you should still be careful if ever handling one of these snakes because they have several teeth and will draw blood if they bite you. Also these snakes are typically very aggressive and may try to wiggle themselves out your hands so grip them tightly behind the head and the near the end of the tail.

Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)

    You will know that you have picked up an Eastern Fence Lizard by the loose feeling on skin resulting from the arrangement of the lizard's scales which will also appear to be spikey. You will know that you have a male by the bright blue/green colorations on the throat and flanks on the underside of the lizard.

    Although sometimes the females can have slight colorations on their underside as well. The colored females are less desired by the males, but these females are often more aggressive and will sometimes be the one to initiate mating. The advantage for a male to mate with one of these colored females is that they typically have more "handsome" male offspring.

    These lizards can live a semi-arboreal life style living in wooded areas although they can also be found in grasslands. 

Eastern Five Lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus)

    Able to reach lengths of 20 centimeters, the Five Lined Skink is the second largest skink in North Carolina. They are named after the five yellow/cream colored lines which run down their body. The juveniles are more easily identified by their tail which is blue in color in order to force the attention of a predator on to that spot. If a Five Line feels threatened it will drop its tail which will remain twitching to keep the predator distracted while it runs away.

 Juvenile

    The Five Lined Skink live in wooded areas and many live a semi-arboreal lifestyle, but many also prefer to be in open areas such as a field or recently burnt section of a forest where they will be looking for insects to eat.

    

Atlantic Coast Slimy Salamander (Plethodon chlorobryonis)

    This species was found underneath one of the pre-setup coverboards probably using it for shelter and gather up some moisture. It may have also been looking for some food. The slimy's main diet consists of spiders, harvestmen, and other such small terrestrial arthropods.

    You can identify this species by its solid black colored body which is covered in several tiny white dots. Adults of this species can be anywhere from 4.5 inches or as long as 8 inches from head to tail. 

    The slimy is a member of the Plethodontidae family of salamanders, commonly known as the lungless salamanders. The slimy doesn't breath with gills either as it is a terrestrial species, they instead breath through their skin and membranes lining their mouths and throats.

Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)

    The green anole is that lizard species that I find all over my property near the coast, but you can find them throughout the southern USA and the Caribbean Islands. We didn't find this species underneath a pre-setup coverboard like the other species we found during this lab. 

    Green Anoles are capable of changing colors, they can switch between green and brown. The change color as a means of temperature control. When the lizard is cold it will turn brown to maximise the amount of the sun's rays that it absorbs and when its warm it turns green to reflect the rays. These colors also have the added bonus of being the primary colors of their habitat.

    Male Green Anoles are extremely territorial and when they encounter another male will extend their dewlap and begin doing pushups. The dewlap is the red structure located on the underside of the male anole's neck, the purpose of this is to act as a warning. In the scenario that the opposing male did not back down, the two males will end up fighting. 

    

Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis)

    Ground skinks can be found throughout most of the southern United States and prefer areas with loose soil and plenty of leaf litter cover. You are likely to find them underneath something like a log or a coverboard, in the case of this skink under the leaf litter. 

    

    Ground skinks have proportionally tiny legs and even though they use them their means of locomotion is best described as a wiggling like motion. Skinks move through the leaf litter similarly to how a crocodile moves through the water.