Tumlison et al. (1992) noted that the vertebrate fauna of southwestern Arkansas was less well known than that of other regions of the state. The same situation exists in southeastern Arkansas. Occasional papers have attempted to better document this southern Arkansas vertebrate fauna (McAllister et al. 2008, 2009, Robison and McAllister 2007, Tumlison 1992). This report documents new records of
... [Show full abstract] distribution and provides notes on the natural history of selected vertebrates from southern Arkansas. Southwestern Arkansas lies almost entirely within the West Gulf Coastal Plain natural division (Foti 1974) whereas southeastern Arkansas includes part of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and the influence of the Ouachita Mountains occurs in the northern part of the region. Field observations and collections were made by the authors and students at Henderson State University and Southern Arkansas University. Fishes were obtained by the use of seines, amphibians and reptiles were taken by hand, and mammal records were obtained by use of museum special traps or observations of road hit animals. Specimens of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles were fixed in 10% formalin, stored in 40-50% isopropanol, and are housed at Southern Arkansas University (SAU) and Henderson State University (HSU). Small mammals collected by traps were prepared as museum specimens or, in the case of roadkill, were vouchered via digital photography. Birds also were recorded with digital photography. Due to several recent changes in nomenclature, scientific names of reptiles and amphibians follow "Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles, and Crocodilians, 2009" (http://www.cnah.org/nameIntro.asp). Class Osteichthyes: Ichthyomyzon castaneus Girard – Chestnut Lamprey. Robison and Buchanan (1988) initially provided lamprey records for Arkansas. Robison et al. (2006) reported additional lamprey records for Arkansas including some from southern Arkansas. The 2 records presented here provide additional documentation of this rarely taken parasitic species.
