Bufo nebulifer (Picture heavy)

[John]

Yes we do. To my eye, Kurt tends to accept anything published in a journal as being gospel. Myself, I am a career research scientist and I know better :P. Especially when many authorities aren't swallowing these proposed name changes - and that's all they are Kurt, proposed - they mean nothing if most zoologists don't accept them and use them.

Addition: Further to my last point, this paper has been out for 3 years now and Amphibiaweb is still towing the old line, as are many others. I think that says something.

[Kurt]

I see your point very clearly and I respect it. Do I agree with it? Part of me does, but then part of me doesn't. I am kind of on the fence. To me it makes sense that a genus like Bufo should be broken up to some degree and maybe you can agree with that statement. If I am understanding you, you just disagree with Frost's proposal? Hyla and Dendrobates were also broken up and I support the changes to Hyla even more. With Dendrobates I am on the fence.

Its funny how this all started. Johnny stated he was having a tough time finding info on Bufo nebulifer, so I suggested he try searching using the "new" name Ollotis nebulifer. Never meant to start an argument with John.

[John]

I think of it as a constructive debate!

[SludgeMunkey]

LOL!


These constructive debates are a good thing, I always seem to learn something from them.

I have searched around using both names, but what I have found so far seems to be pretty much all the same stuff. I haven't had time to go through scientific papers yet though. (Starting today I am on 16 hour shifts for the next 9 days.)

Temperature seems to be the hardest for me. These animals are still a bit stressed I think, and ignore their hides in favor of burrowing. I suspect it may be too cool for them in the critter room. I am skipping out on sleeping between shifts today to finish up their outdoor enclosure. That gives a month or so for me to get a proper permanent indoor enclosure built for them.

Currently temp is 70F constant @40% relative humidity. I built a photo sensor unit for their lighting. This way it is linked with daylight on time. I figure that will ease their transition to my standard indoor lighting scheme when they can no longer stay in their out door pen.

[adawinters]

I am in awe of both your toads and your photography skills.

[SludgeMunkey]

I am in awe of both your toads and your photography skills.

Thank you...not much skill there though....I use a cheapo Samsung SL102 camera...and spent weeks taking dark, murky pictures of very blurry critters.

But, after brushing up on digital photography on the web and at the magazine rack in the bookstore...well, the results are pretty good.

I found that the secret to using this type of camera is all about resolution. I set the camera manually to the highest resolution and largest file sizes possible. Then I take multiple pictures of the subject.
When I say multiple, these pictures are the best ones out of 30 or so!

Often, I use Google's Picassa to crop the pictures and/or brighten up the ambient lighting. This is where big picture files come in handy. My eyeball avatar is just a crop from one of the regular pictures.

[John]

Seeing as you are skipping sleeping, I hope there are no sharp implements at your job that you can have accidents with.