Activity and Reproductive Cycles in Northern Populations of the Red-backed Salamander, Plethodon Cinereus

Abstract Surface foraging activity of terrestrial urodeles in northern climates is restricted by unfavorable conditions during extended portions of the year. Thus, salamanders should forage intensively during the short active season in order to reach maturity rapidly and gain sufficient energy to ensure an optimized reproductive frequency. We examined whether the Red-Backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus, conforms to these predictions at the Mastigouche Reserve (Quebec, Canada) near the northern limits of the species' distribution. During one active season (1997), we monitored surface movements in four subpopulations by a system of drift fences and pitfalls, and we analyzed reproductive traits (testis and follicle sizes) in two of these subpopulations. Age of specimens was determined by skeletochronology. Salamanders captured during the first two weeks of October represented 63.6% of a total of 775 salamanders found in pitfalls in the four study sites for the entire sampling period. None or very few were ...