Many reptile species are rarely encountered and are thus assumed to be rare in the absence of evidence to the contrary. The sharp-tailed snake (Contia tenuis) is a species about which little is known due to its secretive behavior. This species has been classified as “Vulnerable” in Oregon based on scant data about its distribution and status. We searched extensively for published and unpublished records of its occurrence and conducted field searches for the species to clarify its current distribution and status in Oregon. The information reported here expands the known range and increases the number of reported sightings of this species by almost a factor of ten. We conclude that, contrary to some reports, C. tenuis is not rare in Oregon. The secretive behavior of C. tenuis may have resulted in the species being unnecessarily listed as “vulnerable” as it appears to be more widespread than previously thought.

We sampled terrestrial salamanders in riparian and upland areas within a 40-y-old managed forest site in western Oregon. We found 303 ensatinas (0.015 animals/m²) and 14 nests (0.0007 nests/m², 0.05 nests/ensatina) within 20,280 m² of forested habitat surveyed. Clutch size averaged 8.3 eggs (range 3 to 11), comparable to previous reports from Washington but lower than reported for California. Of 14 nests found, 11 were in upland forest, >30 m from streams. Nests were typically on or under downed wood. Limited downed wood recruitment was apparent from decay class distributions. Managed wood recruitment may be necessary in such young stands to maintain critical life history functions of the ensatina and other terrestrial salamanders.

The use of isolated emergent wetlands by amphibians has been well documented. However, amphibian habitats such as emergent wetlands in floodplains may differ from isolated wetlands because of their high disturbance (water fluctuation) related to riverine flooding, presence of fish species, and increased connectivity among aquatic habitats. We compared the amphibian assemblages at 6 freshwater wetland habitats in the Chehalis River floodplain and examined the effect of wetland restoration on amphibians. We sampled 6 wetlands during the breeding season in 2003 and 2004 and captured over 15,000 adults, tadpoles, and larvae from 6 species. The red-legged frog (Rana aurora) was the most abundant species captured. The rough skinned newt (Taricha granulose) was the only amphibian captured at all sampled sites. Although it is more desirable to prevent wetland degradation from occurring, restored and enhanced wetlands in floodplains do provide breeding habitat for amphibians. Amphibian species captured in reference wetlands were also captured in restored wetlands. Water control structures, which were used to facilitate wetland restoration, did not seem to influence utilization by amphibians; however, hydroperiod seemed to affect amphibian abundances. Wetlands with intermediate hydroperiods had the highest amphibian abundance compared to wetlands with temporary or permanent water. Fish were captured in all wetlands, and those with the greatest abundance of native non-game fishes had the highest abundance of amphibians. Our results suggest that emergent wetlands in floodplains are dynamic habitats that can offer breeding opportunities, but microhabitat suitability needs to be considered when managing amphibian habitats.

The influence of urban development on populations of amphibians has received a significant amount of attention in the recent literature. However, few studies have attempted to obtain demographic data on amphibians in urban landscapes. To assess the influence of urbanization on amphibian life histories, we collected demographic and phenologic data on an urban population of the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) in Sonoma County, California. This population breeds in a single isolated vernal pool nested in a mosaic of urban land uses. We used drift fences with pitfall traps to capture adults migrating to and from the pool over the course of 3 breeding seasons. We estimated the breeding adults at between 65 and 107 annually, which was somewhat surprising given that only 17.5% of the grassland habitat surrounding the pool is currently undeveloped. The study population had similar temporal patterns of migration activity among years. Rainfall triggered migration to the breeding pool, and males remained at the pool longer than females. Migration activity began in November, but most breeding adults were captured in December and January, and captures in February were rare. The migration pattern associated with pool depth showed a trimodal distribution; however, minimum pool depth for breeding occurred when the pool was approximately half full to completely full. Finally, we were able to stimulate colonization by gophers of areas near the breeding pool by constructing large mounds of soil. Our trapping records indicate that some salamanders over-summered in these areas where no suitable upland burrows existed prior to mound construction. Although developed landscapes are less than optimal for the long-term conservation of this species, our study shows that populations may persist with some degree of adjacent development.

Spawning surveys of Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) and western brook lamprey (L. richardsoni) were conducted in the Cedar Creek drainage, a tributary within the Columbia River basin in Washington State. Twenty-seven surveys were conducted in 2001, 50 in 2002, and 53 in 2003. A total of 237 Pacific lamprey nests and 58 western brook lamprey nests were examined to describe nest characteristics (area, excavation depth, and longevity) and their associated habitat (water depth, water velocity, substrate size, and gradient). Spawning behaviors (timing, adult visibility, and courtship rituals) were evaluated to determine if spawning surveys could be used as an indicator of adult abundance. Pacific lamprey nests were larger in area and were excavated deeper than western brook lamprey nests; on rare occasions the 2 types of nests were found superimposed. Although western brook and Pacific lamprey nests displayed overlap in all habitat parameters, each species primarily exploited resources not readily available to or selected by the other. Additionally, the 2 species exhibited within-basin geographic segregation, spawning in different portions of the drainage with minimal overlap. Habitats used by both species were similar to criteria established for Oncorhynchus spp., and it is likely that restoration projects focusing on improving salmonid spawning habitat will benefit lamprey as well. Spawning surveys can be used to monitor and evaluate nest characteristics, habitat use, and behavior, but due to the variability in the number of adults associated with each nest, more information is required before using them to accurately monitor adult abundance.

The sand roller, Percopsis transmontana, is endemic and considered rare in the lower Columbia River drainage, including the Willamette River and its tributaries. Historical records in the Willamette Basin are scarce. In 2005, we surveyed historical and some recently documented locations to determine the current distribution of sand rollers in the Willamette River basin. Sand rollers were found at 41% of the locations sampled, including most Willamette River subbasins. Sand rollers preferred slow-water habitats in low gradient streams and were most frequently associated with roots, other large wood, and undercut banks over sand or gravel substrates. Sand rollers were more common at locations containing only native fishes; larger numbers were collected at locations where nonnative fish were absent. Infrequent reporting of this species is probably related to its secretive daytime behavior and to inefficient gear, rather than to actual rarity.

We describe molars that represent the 1st fossils of Lemmiscus curtatus from Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (HAFO), Idaho. This species figures prominently in the biochronology of North American terrestrial deposits, so the possible ages of these records are discussed in detail. Most fossils from HAFO are from the middle Blancan (middle Pliocene), but these molars are likely from the Pleistocene or Holocene epoch, which is consistent with the temporal distribution of L. curtatus elsewhere.