County Record Database?

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MonarchzMan
Posts: 341
Joined: September 8th, 2011, 6:12 pm
Location: Oxford, MS

County Record Database?

Post by MonarchzMan »

I'm not sure if this is the correct spot, but if it isn't I apologize.

I would like to entertain the idea of making range maps base on county records for salamanders (which may extend to herps in general). I figure it would be easy enough to create such a map on ArcGIS, but I'm not sure where I can find a database on county records of different herp species in the U.S. I know things like HerpMapper are collecting recent observations, but do they have historical ones as well?

Essentially, I'm wanting to do this:

Image

Which can be found on AmphibiaWeb. The issue I have with it is that it's old. All of these maps were created 14 years ago, and since then, there have been species splits, and extensions. And while I really like the whole U.S. perspective, for some range restricted species that only occur in a couple of counties, it can be difficult to see the highlighted area.

Anyone know of a spot to get these county records? Or would it involve contacting state natural resource departments?
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Bryan Hamilton
Posts: 1234
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 9:49 pm

Re: County Record Database?

Post by Bryan Hamilton »

Search the back issues of Herpetological Review. Most of the new county records are published there. You could also search HerpNet. I'm guessing that is where AmphiWeb gets their data. The state agencies are another possibility. Most agencies have a non-game database.

Don't forget about HerpMapper and NAFHA . They have a lot of data.

You're probably on your own for sorting out the taxonomic changes and range maps.
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Brian Hubbs
Posts: 4735
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:41 am
Location: "Buy My Books"-land

Re: County Record Database?

Post by Brian Hubbs »

NAFHA is now NAHERP.com as far as the database is concerned, and that would be the first place I would look. Our records are listed by species, state, and county, so that would give you a lot of info right off the bat...then you could check regional field guides, Herp Review, museum lists, etc. Here's a sample of some of the salamanders from KY from the first search page for that state. Also, when you search by species a map will come up showing all the counties that species has been entered from. All you need to do is find those counties on your map and color them in. I think you have a great project there.

Streamside Salamander
Ambystoma barbouri 2011-02-22 00:00:00 Fayette County KY US
2. Streamside Salamander
Ambystoma barbouri 2011-03-18 20:48:00 Hardin County KY US
3. Streamside Salamander
Ambystoma barbouri 2010-12-12 00:00:00 Fayette County KY US
4. Streamside Salamander
Ambystoma barbouri 2011-02-24 21:05:00 Jefferson County KY US
5. Streamside Salamander
Ambystoma barbouri 2011-02-19 00:00:00 Harrison County KY US
6. Streamside Salamander
Ambystoma barbouri 2013-04-10 00:00:00 Fayette County KY US
7. Streamside Salamander
Ambystoma barbouri 2013-04-10 00:00:00 Fayette County KY US
8. Streamside Salamander
Ambystoma barbouri 2011-02-27 19:56:00 Hardin County KY US
9. Streamside Salamander
Ambystoma barbouri 2011-02-24 20:33:00 Jefferson County KY US
10. Jefferson Salamander
Ambystoma jeffersonianum 2013-04-00 00:00:00 Boyd County KY US
11. Jefferson Salamander
Ambystoma jeffersonianum 2011-02-27 20:37:00 Hardin County KY US
12. Jefferson Salamander
Ambystoma jeffersonianum 2011-02-24 21:02:00 Jefferson County KY US
13. Jefferson Salamander
Ambystoma jeffersonianum 2011-03-18 18:16:00 Hardin County KY US
14. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2013-04-10 19:23:33 Meade County KY US
15. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-03-18 21:01:00 Hardin County KY US
16. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-03-06 00:00:00 Rowan County KY US
17. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-03-18 21:15:00 Hardin County KY US
18. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2009-03-24 00:00:00 Calloway County KY US
19. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-03-18 20:52:00 Hardin County KY US
20. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-02-27 20:11:00 Hardin County KY US
21. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2010-03-22 00:00:00 Boyd County KY US
22. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2013-05-10 23:03:03 Menifee County KY US
23. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2010-08-28 00:00:00 Owsley County KY US
24. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-03-18 20:48:00 Hardin County KY US
25. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2010-03-13 17:30:00 Nelson County KY US
26. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-03-18 21:50:00 Hardin County KY US
27. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2010-04-00 00:00:00 Owsley County KY US
28. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-02-24 21:14:00 Bullitt County KY US
29. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-02-24 21:52:00 Bullitt County KY US
30. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-03-18 18:58:00 Hardin County KY US
31. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2010-10-06 00:00:00 Laurel County KY US
32. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-03-18 20:49:00 Hardin County KY US
33. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2013-05-24 19:58:34 Trigg County KY US
34. Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum 2011-03-18 21:02:00 Hardin County
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