Habitat selection and its relation to reproductive development of the rough skinned newt, Taricha granulosa (Skilton) on southern Vancouver Island
Date
1974
Authors
Oliver, Marlene Gail Saks
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The rough-skinned newt was studied from 1970 to 1973 at a permanent pond near Victoria, British Columbia, to determine its reproductive development, especially during the nonbreeding season, in relation to habitat selection differences observed be tween males and females. Newts were sampled on land by hand and trapping, in the lake during SCUBA dives and by attraction to a nightlight. Animals were toe-clipped for easy recognition on recapture. The data indicated that normally adult males are permanently aquatic, while adult females are terrestrial during the nonbreeding season, from September to March, and that individuals could breed in successive years. In 1972, a year of low rainfall, some males overwintered on land while some females remained in the lake. Analyses of morphologic secondary sex character and gonad histology suggested that males overwintering in the lake and females overwintering on land could fully mature reproductively the following breeding season. Males overwintering on land and females overwintering in the lake could not. It is speculated that climatic factors partly account for these observations.