Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

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Phillodactylus
Posts: 170
Joined: August 25th, 2012, 12:56 am
Location: Victorville, CA

Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by Phillodactylus »

Hello all,

My name is Phil Clevinger, and I'm one of those California boys. I was recently in contact with a state herpetologist for Nevada (a fellow by the name of Jason L. Jones, who helped me find NV field herping regs) and he shared with me an opportunity to help the state with a Wildlife Action Plan which includes several Reptiles and Amphibian species. Here is a link, just down a ways for the herp accounts they're trying to map.
http://www.ndow.org/Nevada_Wildlife/Con ... tion_Plan/
Or just look here:
http://www.ndow.org/uploadedFiles/ndowo ... ibians.pdf
http://www.ndow.org/uploadedFiles/ndowo ... ptiles.pdf

I wanted to promote the DB a little, but our records for the state are rather scant. There are 1806 records for the state, period. If you guys are sitting on any records with vouchers, throw 'em in there; it would be a great opportunity for HERP to make this contact, and give the Nevada Department of Wildlife good data, which will help them make educated decisions regarding their herpetofauna. Thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the field!

best regards,
-Phil Clevinger
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BillMcGighan
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
Location: Unicoi, TN

Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by BillMcGighan »

Hello folks,
Forgive this intrusion from an eastern, drooling old fool, but I just felt the need to mention again this outrageous, unvouchered claim that I made in 2011 of a few Sauromalus, very far out of current range maps. (Though unvouchered, confusing a chuck with anything else in this location would be tough for even a beginner herper.)

http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... f=9&t=6893

I thought my wife and I would have made another trip out to/through Nevada by now, but every year it looks less and less probable. You can bet that we would spend the time and resources to voucher this one, but, alas, the probability of us traveling through Nevada in our lifetimes is slim to none.



Sooooo, if you, Phil, or any chapter members who are contributors to the H.E.R.P. data base, I will gladly share in a PM the GPS coordinates and observed details of this incident.
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Jason Hull
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:43 pm

Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by Jason Hull »

I would sure have to imagine that what you saw were large Spiny Lizards. Sceloporous are in that area and have a pattern similar to a young Chuckwalla and can reach good size. These lizards have been the cause of " Chuckwalla " sightings in northern NV for many years. Mainly in the Pyramid Lake area.
I have lived in Reno for 39 years and have spent a great deal of time in the desert here. If there are Chuckwalla in the area you speak of I would eat my boots.
However I do frequent Churchill co. and I would be happy to make a quick search of the area that you observed these lizards if you'd like to share the location.
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BillMcGighan
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
Location: Unicoi, TN

Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by BillMcGighan »

I understand your doubts, Jason. :thumb:
Based on existing range maps and you're experience, your skepticism is well founded, and probably right.
I'd do the same until I saw a voucher, (unless I really knew well the person making the claim).




These we saw were adults.




I'll PM you the coordinates. It's convenient to get to, but probably not near anywhere else you'd need to be! :)
More details in the PM.


Good luck. Let us know if you get out that far. I'm with you all the way, even if I was wrong.





PS
After 58 years of herping all across this country and 30 others, I never stop being amazed to find anomalies to the existing knowledge base.
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Bryan Hamilton
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Joined: June 10th, 2010, 9:49 pm

Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by Bryan Hamilton »

Bill,

Do you mind sharing those coordinates with me? I'm on the east side of the state but I'll be in Jason's area in August.

Some of those Mohave species make it far up the Lahontan trough on the west side of the state (ie magister) but a chuck would be pretty epic. There are persistent rumors of Sauromalus in Railroad Valley. I bet those are magister too but sometimes the animals don't read the field guides.
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Fundad
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Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by Fundad »

Jason is really nice, and if anyone needs his contact info or wants to help please let Phil or I know.

Fundad
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Jason Hull
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Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by Jason Hull »

I went out there Monday morning and searched the area pretty well for lizards and herbivore scat on the rock tops. I saw no Chucks only large Sceloporus o longipes. A healthy population at that. No scat from them on the rock tops either. I'll share some photos after I'm able to pm Bill first.
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BillMcGighan
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
Location: Unicoi, TN

Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by BillMcGighan »

Happy 4th to all, folks,
No scat or nibbled plants is pretty damning, Jason.
Thanks for humoring an old man and for checking it out.

I don't expect you folks to invest time and money in this one; I'd say my wife and I just have to make a trip out there again. :) :)
I understand if you all write this off.... I probably would.

I'll send the info to Bryan as well just for posterity.



But just for the record, there aren't many things that far north that can match the sheer size and bulk of chucks (caught my first in 1967 near the CA/AZ border.) My wife is not a herper, but a birder, and she saw these as well with glass.
We would have never noticed them except when, two or three times, one chased another out into the open, like males sparring or females protecting an egg laying site.
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Bryan Hamilton
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Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by Bryan Hamilton »

Thanks for sending the coordinates Bill. And for checking out the site Jason.

Hey Jason, what do you think about the railroad valley chucks? It seems plausible. There are a lot of Mohave species in that valley.
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Jason Hull
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:43 pm

Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by Jason Hull »

I was going to pm you theses photos first Bill but I'll go ahead and put them up here. Please let us know if the spot looks familiar. Oh and thank you for sharing this with us also!

Bryan, I'm not familiar with Railroad Valley. Is it in Lincoln county ? I'm up to check it out. We should hook up and get out there.


First three are the spot from the turn out. Aside from the large boulders the habitat is way off in my opinion. Pure Great Basin Desert scrub. Not to mention how far north it is. This is one of the coldest areas in our state come winter time.

Image

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Some of the lizards. I saw about eight or so in the time I was there. Between 10 and 11am.

Image

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Cheers and happy fourth!
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BillMcGighan
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:23 am
Location: Unicoi, TN

Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by BillMcGighan »

Well, I can take a hit to my pride, but not to my honor, so I think I have to admit that we probably saw those dark Arnold Schwarzescelops.




Thanks again, Jason, that would have bugged me to the grave.
I owe you big time. If you're ever in the Smoky Mountains, out this way, I'll be glad to show you some special, local snot lizard spots:



Image



And maybe some places that are just "horrible"!

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PS
With 7 grandkids we’re “kid friendly”:

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Jason Hull
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:43 pm

Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by Jason Hull »

It was my pleasure. Way better than spending the morning at work for sure.

I'll look you up if I ever get out there. I'd love to see a Timber.

Cheers!
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DennyZ
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Location: Reno,Nevada
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Re: Calling any Nevada DB contributors, Good opportunity

Post by DennyZ »

I had totally forgotten about that post regarding Sauromalus. I've seen some large Spiny Lizards out in Austin area but nothing as large as a Chuckwalla.
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