This is a long-tailed salamander (Eurycea longicauda), which can be easily identified by its unique pattern and long tail. The tail of the long-tailed salamander can measure up to the twice the length of the body. This species is stream-adapted, meaning that the larvae are fully aquatic and live in streams.
Charles Shafer
Charlie is a Biological Science Technician located at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge (formerly Patuxent Wildlife Research Center) in Laurel, MD.
Charlie has worked with the Northeast Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (NEARMI) since 2017. He is tasked with coordinating wetland and stream amphibian monitoring within the National Capital Region Network national parks and other fieldwork studies conducted in the DMV area. Charlie manages collected field data and coordinates permitting and reporting of data from field work each year. He administrates multiple wildlife databases on center and conducts spatial analysis on collected data using GIS and other coding methods. Charlie currently serves as Executive Secretary for the Center's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
Science and Products
Collaborative Project to Understand Red-backed Salamander Population Dynamics and Climate Change Adaptation
In 2013, the Salamander Population and Adaptation Research Network started as a partnership between researchers at Penn State University and the USGS Northeast Amphibian and Research Monitoring Initiative with the intention of creating a research network to address climate adaptation and population dynamics across multiple scales. Our goals are to understand impacts of land use and climate change...
Northeast Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Eastern Ecological Science Center is home to the Northeast Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (NEARMI), one of 7 ARMI regions across the United States. NEARMI works on public lands in thirteen states from Maine to Virginia, including many National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges.
Assessing amphibian communities in the National Capital Region
The National Capital Region Network (NCRN) has identified amphibians as a priority taxonomic group for its Inventory and Monitoring program. Amphibian monitoring was initiated in 2005, and is currently concentrated in Antietam National Battlefield (ANTI), Catoctin Mountain Park (CATO), Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (CHOH), George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP), Harpers...
Monitoring Vernal Pool Amphibians in the Northeast
In 2004, the Northeast Amphibian Research Monitoring Initiative (NE ARMI) in collaboration with National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service initiated a region-wide study on the distribution of vernal pools and estimate the proportion of pools that were occupied by pool-associated amphibians (specifically, wood frogs, Lithobates sylvaticus , and spotted salamanders, Ambystoma maculatum )...
Pre-listing Science Support in the Northeast
We are working closely with multiple partners to provide updated information, model potential outcomes, and identify key uncertainties relevant to amphibian and reptile species proposed for listing in the northeast US. We also provide timely science to partners to assist in recovery of listed species, which may involve field research, data analysis, or decision support.
Long-Tailed Salamander
This is a long-tailed salamander (Eurycea longicauda), which can be easily identified by its unique pattern and long tail. The tail of the long-tailed salamander can measure up to the twice the length of the body. This species is stream-adapted, meaning that the larvae are fully aquatic and live in streams.
Northern cricket frog on wet leaves
This Northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) was encountered while conducting dipnet surveys in Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, VA. These amphibian surveys support NPS goals of monitoring amphibians throughout all parks in the National Capital Region Network.
This Northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) was encountered while conducting dipnet surveys in Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, VA. These amphibian surveys support NPS goals of monitoring amphibians throughout all parks in the National Capital Region Network.
Science and Products
- Science
Collaborative Project to Understand Red-backed Salamander Population Dynamics and Climate Change Adaptation
In 2013, the Salamander Population and Adaptation Research Network started as a partnership between researchers at Penn State University and the USGS Northeast Amphibian and Research Monitoring Initiative with the intention of creating a research network to address climate adaptation and population dynamics across multiple scales. Our goals are to understand impacts of land use and climate change...Northeast Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Eastern Ecological Science Center is home to the Northeast Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (NEARMI), one of 7 ARMI regions across the United States. NEARMI works on public lands in thirteen states from Maine to Virginia, including many National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges.Assessing amphibian communities in the National Capital Region
The National Capital Region Network (NCRN) has identified amphibians as a priority taxonomic group for its Inventory and Monitoring program. Amphibian monitoring was initiated in 2005, and is currently concentrated in Antietam National Battlefield (ANTI), Catoctin Mountain Park (CATO), Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (CHOH), George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP), Harpers...Monitoring Vernal Pool Amphibians in the Northeast
In 2004, the Northeast Amphibian Research Monitoring Initiative (NE ARMI) in collaboration with National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service initiated a region-wide study on the distribution of vernal pools and estimate the proportion of pools that were occupied by pool-associated amphibians (specifically, wood frogs, Lithobates sylvaticus , and spotted salamanders, Ambystoma maculatum )...Pre-listing Science Support in the Northeast
We are working closely with multiple partners to provide updated information, model potential outcomes, and identify key uncertainties relevant to amphibian and reptile species proposed for listing in the northeast US. We also provide timely science to partners to assist in recovery of listed species, which may involve field research, data analysis, or decision support. - Multimedia
Long-Tailed Salamander
This is a long-tailed salamander (Eurycea longicauda), which can be easily identified by its unique pattern and long tail. The tail of the long-tailed salamander can measure up to the twice the length of the body. This species is stream-adapted, meaning that the larvae are fully aquatic and live in streams.
This is a long-tailed salamander (Eurycea longicauda), which can be easily identified by its unique pattern and long tail. The tail of the long-tailed salamander can measure up to the twice the length of the body. This species is stream-adapted, meaning that the larvae are fully aquatic and live in streams.
Northern cricket frog on wet leavesThis Northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) was encountered while conducting dipnet surveys in Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, VA. These amphibian surveys support NPS goals of monitoring amphibians throughout all parks in the National Capital Region Network.
This Northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) was encountered while conducting dipnet surveys in Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, VA. These amphibian surveys support NPS goals of monitoring amphibians throughout all parks in the National Capital Region Network.
- Publications