Burrow Use by Salamandrella keyserlingii (Caudata: Hynobiidae)

We determined the use of refugia by salamanders during daytime in summer and characteristics of these refugia in Salamandrella keyserlingii at Shaamar, Mongolia. Refugia were located at mean distance of 4.17 m from the edge of the water. Among these refugia, blind tunnels within grasslands (mean distance = 7.50 m) were farther apart than open burrows distributed along a steep slope of a pond-shore (2.49 m). Subterranean burrows having mean depth of 15.4 cm were utilized temporarily (individuals captured only once) with proportional habitat use of 0.704 (19/27 refugia). Mean temperature was lower In burrows/under logs (16.22 degrees C) than in ambient air (26.70 degrees C) or among grasslands (25.10 degrees C). Mean relative humidity was higher in burrows/under logs (85.54%) or among grasslands (75.53%) than in ambient air (48.33%). Mean illumination intensity was 27.0 lx in burrows/under logs and 17,188.1 lx on the surface out of refugia. Mean soil pH was 7.52 beneath salamanders In refugia.