Abstract1_14 (Hasumi)

Hasumi, M., and F. Kanda: Breeding habitats of the Siberian salamander (Salamandrella keyserlingii) within a fen in Kushiro Marsh, Japan. Herpetological Review (USA, International) 29(3): 150-153, September 1998.

Abstract: Our study objective was to examine breeding habitat requirements, focusing on oviposition site depth, for the Siberian salamander Salamandrella keyserlingii (family Hynobiidae) in Japan, by determining water depths of natural breeding habitats within a low marsh fen and comparing these depths with water depths of nonbreeding habitats within the same fen. Fen water depth was determined by measuring depths across a grid-system placed in a 50 x 13.5 m fen divided into 0.5 x 0.5 m plots (N = 2700). Females oviposited neither in shallow sites nor in deep sites. In addition, they also did not oviposit in sites with moderate depths (i.e., about 40 cm) but small overall areas (0.5 x 0.5 m). These disproportionate depth associations strongly suggest that relatively large areas (1.5 x 1.5 m), having a water depth of around 40 cm, are used as breeding habitats by this species. Only two of the 2700 plots were utilized for egg sac deposition over three consecutive breeding seasons. This low overlap of "microsites" (plots) used among years presumably reveals the plasticity of breeding habitat use in the Siberian salamander.