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1 December 2006 Reproductive Life History of Desmognathus folkertsi (Dwarf Black-bellied Salamander)
Carlos D. Camp, Jeremy L. Marshall
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Abstract

An earlier collection of monthly samples of presumed Desmognathus quadramaculatus from Union County, GA, revealed the presence a previously unknown, sympatric, sibling species. This new form was recently described as D. folkertsi. In this paper, we report on the reproductive life history of this new species from data taken during (1) a 14-month period in 1989–90 and (2) late spring of 1998. Adult males and females mature at approximately the same size (57–58 mm snout–vent length [SVL]), and males reach larger mean (72 versus 66 mm SVL) and maximum (81 versus 75 mm SVL) sizes. Metamorphosis apparently takes place at approximately two years of age, and reproductive maturity is reached at four or more years of age in both sexes. If number of lobes in the multi-lobed testis indicates age, as has previously been presumed in adult male Desmognathus, then the paucity of singly-lobed, presumably young male D. folkertsi in both sampling periods suggest a declining population. Relative measures of density, however, indicated that the population at the study site was stable for eight years between collections. Therefore, testis-lobe data do not appear to be valid estimators of age in desmognathines. Clutch size, estimated from the number of developing follicles, averages approximately 40 eggs and is positively related to female body size. Ova take more than a single year in which to develop to oviposition size. This does not mean, however, that females follow a strictly biennial reproductive cycle.

Carlos D. Camp and Jeremy L. Marshall "Reproductive Life History of Desmognathus folkertsi (Dwarf Black-bellied Salamander)," Southeastern Naturalist 5(4), 669-684, (1 December 2006). https://doi.org/10.1656/1528-7092(2006)5[669:RLHODF]2.0.CO;2
Published: 1 December 2006
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