Vertebrate Ecology and Systematics: A Tribute to Henry S. Fitch

QL 640.$

.vug

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Library of the

Museum

of

Comparative Zoology

Vertebrate Ecology and Systematics A Tribute to

Henry

S.

Fitch

Edited

By

Richard A. Seigel

Lawrence

James

L.

E.

Hunt

Knight

Luis Malaret

Nancy

L. Zuschlag

The University of Kansas

Museum

of Natural History

o

\JkS

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Copies of publications may be purchased from the Publications Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Law-

Secretary, rence,

Kansas 66045.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

H Library of the

Museum

of

Comparative Zoology

Front cover: The head of an adult Osage Copperhead (Agkistrodon contort rixphaeofrom Douglas County, Kansas. Drawing © 1984 by Linda Dryden.

gaster)

University of Kansas Museum of Natural History

Special Publication No. 10 21 June 1984

Vertebrate Ecology and Systematics A

Tribute to Henry

S,

Fitch

Edited

By

Richard A. Seigel

Lawrence

James

L.

E.

Hunt

Knight

Luis Malaret

Nancy

L. Zuschlag

Museum

of Natural History Department of Systematics

and Ecology The University of Kansas Laurence. Kansas 66045

University of Kansas

Laurence 1984

University of Kansas Publications

Museum of Natural History

Editor: Joseph T.

MU5,

Collins

COMR ZOOL LIBRARY

JUL U

HARVARD

Special Publication No. 10 pp. i-viii; 1-278; 79 figures

86 tables; 2 appendices Published 21 June 1984

UNIVERSITV

Copyrighted 1984 By Museum of Natural History University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas 66045 U.S.A.

Printed By Alltn Press, Inc. Lawrence. Kansas 66044 ISBN: 89338-019-0

CONTENTS PART

I.

Henry

INTRODUCTION S.

Fitch in Perspective

William

Duellman

E.

3

The Published Contributions of Henry

S. Fitch

Virginia R. Fitch

PART

II.

5

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY AND POPULATION DYNAMICS

Growth, Reproduction and Demography of the Racer, Coluber constrictor mormon, Northern Utah William S. Brown and William S. Parker

Growth of Bullsnakes

{Pituophis melanoleucus sayi) on a Sand Prairie

in

in

13

South Central

Kansas

Dwight R.

Piatt

Communal Denning

41 in

Snakes

Patrick T. Gregory

57

Parameters of Two Populations of Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) on the Atlantic Coast of Florida Richard A. Seigel

77

An

Ecological Study of the Cricket Frog, Acris crepitans Ray D. Burkett

Female Reproduction

in

>

X)

s

Xj 00

c

I 3 O c

E E 00 00

in 00

.J;

"5

O O

ft

a o

X i,

.

--..

i.

u o u

a

'-£

c

o

i.

V'v

Parti

Introduction

Fig.

1.

Henry

S.

Fitch in the

field.

Photograph by David M.

Hillis.

Vertebrate Ecology and Systematics— A Tribute to Hours S it< h Edited b> R. A. Seigcl. L. E. Hunt. J I Knight. I Malaret and N. L. Zuschlag i "t>84 Museum of Natural History, The University ot Kansas. Lawrence I

I

Henry

S. Fitch in Perspective

William

E.

Who is Henry Sheldon Fitch? This quiet, modest,

unassuming man made

his

first

entrance into

the world of biologists by publishing on birds in the Condor in 1933. Yes, birds!

Oregon Most of

us think of Henry S. Fitch as a herpetologist. Yet, 50 published papers in the past 50 years,

of his

1

only about two-thirds of them deal with amphibians and reptiles. Twenty others have been

on mammals, 12 on birds, and others on spiders, molluscs, and plants. Most of us think of Henry S. Fitch as an ecologist, but 25 of his papers are on systematics and include his classic work on alligator lizards published in 1934 and his highly perceptive study of western garter snakes published in 1940 (doctoral dissertation at the University of California, Berkeley). His more recent systematic work has dealt with Middle American anoles— a field where most systematists have feared to tread. Fitch's best known works are on the natural

From his earliest papers on he has provided extensive field observations. In 1 948, he entered a "naturalist's heavhistory of reptiles. reptiles,

en"— the

University of Kansas Natural History Reservation. There he began intensive studies

on the biota of one square mile of deciduous hardwood forest — studies involving population

movements, food, growth rates, hiberand reproduction — all substantiated with

densities,

nation,

massive quantities of data. Through his efforts square mile is better known herpetologically than any other in the world. His studies on the natural history of reptiles

this

are classics. Outstanding examples are the thorough study of the five-lined skink ( 1954) and the

Duellman erature research are reflected in his syntheses. These traits combined with dogged determination to learn

all

is to know about his subcontinued productivity, and

there

jects of study, his

his willingness to share his ideas, knowledge, and enthusiasm with students have assured him of a permanent place in the herpetological hall of

fame.

At the present time, many biologists commonly are narrow specialists. Henry Fitch doesn't fit

modern pigeon hole. He is a naturalist broadest sense of the word. His breadth

into a

in the

is matched by very few of his contemporaries and scarcely imagined by most of his younger colleagues. An analogy can be drawn

of knowledge

with the story of the hare and the tortoise, with

Henry Fitch as the tortoise steadily plodding along his path of scientific endeavor, frequently being

passed by various biological bandwagons, only them sometimes morassed or abandoned

to find

further

down

the road.

He

has avoided biopolitics. He has not been a vigorous proponent of controversial theories. Instead, he has continued to be a fine naturalist.

But. his published works are among those commonly cited in support of some theories or in the falsification

of others.

Thus, for half a century Henry S. Fitch has been a major contributor to our knowledge of the natural history of diverse kinds of animals.

During

this

time he has introduced innumerable

students to intensive field studies, has thought-

guided the research of many graduate students, and has collaborated with a diversity of fully

colleagues.

A

major factor

in his

remarkable and

exhaustive study of the copperhead ( 1 960). More recently he has worked on the interactions of

successful career has been a collaborator, assis-

behavior and ecology, communities of anoles. and populations and conservation of iguanas.

Fitch.

In addition to these systematic

and ecological

works. Fitch has provided us with important

syntheses— reproductive cycles

in

lizards

and

snakes (1970) and sexual size differences in reptiles (1981). All of his works are characterized

by careful and detailed studies on the existence of populations in nature. Vast quantities of such data combined with extensive laboratory and

lit-

tant, caretaker

Few

and charming lady — Virginia R.

scientists

can

reflect

on such a long and

productive career, and yet upon officially retiring maintain such enthusiasm for an active research

program. Henry Fitch's careful work on natural is well worth emulating. Our knowledge of animals in nature would be far greater if there history

were

many more

biologists in the world

followed in the footsteps of Henry

S. Fitch.

who

Vertebrate Ecolog> and Systematics— Edited by R. A. Seigcl. L. E. Hunt. J. 1984 Museum of Natural Hislorj