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Using Clay Models To Measure Seasonal Predation On Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders, Emma Perry

Honors Program Theses and Projects

One of the many gaps we have in our knowledge of salamanders is that of predation. Most studies suggest that salamanders are eaten mainly by birds and snakes, but there are still several unanswered questions: What other types of animals tend to prey on salamanders? Is there any difference in predator type during different times of the year? In order to answer these questions, I studied predation on one particular species of salamander, Plethodon cinereus (eastern red-backed salamander). Models of the two primary color morphs of P. cinereus (striped and unstriped) were created using impressionable clay to determine types and …