“Stumped by Salamanders: Habitat Use and Reproduction of an All-Female Amphibian ‘Species’” will be presented by St. Lawrence University Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology Kristine Hoffmann at the next Clarkson University Science Cafe at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, at the Best Western University Inn Rushton Room, 90 E. Main St. in Canton, N.Y., and at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, at the St. Lawrence Valley Roasters & Jernabi Coffeehouse, 11 Maple St. in Potsdam, N.Y.
Unisexual salamanders are an all-female lineage that reproduce by “stealing” the sperm of a host species. Little is known about their ecology because they are difficult to identify and study, and a lack of information hinders their conservation.
Join Hoffmann as she describes her work with salamanders at four wetlands in Maine, using a combination of trapping, radio tracking, and genetic analysis. Her results indicate that the communities were almost entirely female. But if there were no males, how were they reproducing? The narrative of this study demonstrates how results can lead to more mysteries.
Science Cafes bring together engineers, scientists, and townspeople in a relaxed, informal setting, such as coffeehouses and pubs. The speaker makes a short presentation about a topic in his or her field and then opens up the floor to discussion.
Find out more about Clarkson’s Science Cafe at http://www.clarkson.edu/sciencecafe.
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https://www.clarkson.edu/news/stumped-salamanders-habitat-use-and-reproduction-all-female-amphibian-species-next-clarkson
