Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi sorry to say it but i dont have a collared. I was just wondering if they really make sounds, seeing that mountain boomer is their nickname. Just wondering...
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Paullywog

If it has scales or smooth wet skin... snatch it!!!

No, they do not make sounds, other than hissing when they feel threatened. They are called Mountain Boomers by many because when the settlers moving west saw them, (By the rivers in the mountains, I think.) they were also hearing the loud call of a certain frog. I'm not sure, but I don't think the frog is around anymore, otherwise we would probably still hear it.
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0.1 Veiled Chameleon
0.1.1 Green Anoles 4 eggs
1.1 Easten Collared Lizards

Let there be Lizardz
- Scott

www.mountainboomer.com/boomers.htm

They are called Mountain Boomers by many because when the settlers moving west saw them, (By the rivers in the mountains, I think.) they were also hearing the loud call of a certain frog. I'm not sure, but I don't think the frog is around anymore, otherwise we would probably still hear it.

I see that story all over the place now (the cliff chirping frog theory etc). I think it's BS.

Basically, the 49ers et al traveled across the Great Plains, passing lots of prime 'boomer habitat, including the canyons in Caddo County, OK, for example. There is a landmark used by the settlers called Rock Mary in that area, named after a woman who used to sit atop the formation and wave at passers-by. You can still find wagon ruts from the well-worn settler's trail in the vicinity.

Rock Mary also happens to be a favorite perch for collared lizards. Imagine you're a pioneer heading west. You hear a loud noise (maybe a hawk, or even something inorganic like far-off thunder). It catches you off-guard, you look around, and see this (relatively) HUGE, fairly mean-looking lizard on a nearby boulder/outcrop. Voila--a mountain boomer.

I would like to see a map of the old settler's trails overlaid with the various suspect frogs' ranges. I don't think the prime candidates are found in the same area. However, it is a hypothesis put forth, and I think people just liked that story and ran with it.

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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

is there actual documentation saying that these people were scared or leery of a collared lizard? i cannot imagine seeing one and being afraid of it, not with all the other strange fauna that they encountered that was so much bigger. perhaps with the animal trade and the popularity of exotics, we have been desensitized as to what constitutes "big and weird" and maybe it really was for them.
so basically the term has always been used but overtime the origins of that term have been lost? has research been done on the word "boom" to see if it has other meanings back then and perhaps it has nothing to do with noises at all?
i have a degree in history so origens interest me, sorry for all the questions
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vonnie
***Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution yet. Mae West ***

>>is there actual documentation saying that these people were scared or leery of a collared lizard?

Well, if the people I've met can be considered documentation, mountain boomers are thought among some circles to be "poisonous" and that they actually do make noises, hence the name. It's been passed down through the time-honored tradition of folklore. I'm sure the stories get more grandiose with each generation.

My site also mentions the loud hissing males use to defend their territory (to include chasing much larger intruders such as humans--did you see the Kansas page?)

I guess being "scared" of a collared lizard might be hyperbole (except for those who are "scared" of other small, relatively harmless animals like spiders). Many small lizards are still called escorpion by Mexican nationals and descendants and are believed to be "poisonous."

i cannot imagine seeing one and being afraid of it, not with all the other strange fauna that they encountered that was so much bigger.

Rattlesnakes are mostly small, but dangerous. I guess with the lack of research during the Manifest Destiny period, caution was the word of the day (when was the type specimen of collaris collected? mid-19th century?).

perhaps with the animal trade and the popularity of exotics, we have been desensitized as to what constitutes "big and weird" and maybe it really was for them.

Assuming most of them had never seen animals like gorillas or even boa constrictors, I'd agree. Mountain boomers certainly are much larger than native lizards "back East," plus what if you saw a lizard running on its hind legs and coming after you (defending its territory)?

>> so basically the term has always been used but overtime the origins of that term have been lost? has research been done on the word "boom" to see if it has other meanings back then and perhaps it has nothing to do with noises at all?

It has to do with noises. The other "boomer" of which I'm aware is the "prairie boomer" (prairie chickens).

With your degree in history, maybe you could compile some info for me? I'd like to have more substantial stuff for my site.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

thanks for all the info. i have been to your website before briefly but i have never read it in depth so i will have to do that now.
if there is one thing that i am good at, it is research. i am working on my masters in latin american studies and all i ever do is research so if you ever need help finding something i could most likely look it up and find something in SDSU's library/database system. we are linked to several other universities too so there is alot of stuff. i saw you mentioned mexicans. i don't know how much work you do with that but if you ever need something read in spanish i can do that also. just send me an email if you ever need anything
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vonnie
***Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution yet. Mae West ***

>>thanks for all the info. i have been to your website before briefly but i have never read it in depth so i will have to do that now.

There's not a terrible amount of depth to it, as far as the lizards go, since the site is SUPPOSED to be for my music business. I would like to expand on all the etymology/history/folklore though.

>> if there is one thing that i am good at, it is research.

I'd be better at it if I had the time to put into it! If you want an assignment, how about pinging McGuire to see if he's uploaded his 1996 paper to his site yet?

i saw you mentioned mexicans. i don't know how much work you do with that

I don't go to Mexico too often. I bring up Mexicans due to the escorpion thing, which I've heard about being applied both to skinks (even among European settlers who thought the blue-tailed young were harmful) and banded geckos (my current lizards), which were believed to be baby Gila monsters (and still are believed to be so by the uninformed).

but if you ever need something read in spanish i can do that also.

I need a book translated. It's called "Halsbandleguane." Oh wait, that's in German.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

I need that book translated also. I just love the pics it would be so wonderful to know what it says!

Robert tells me its not that much different than english, hehehhehheeh, funny Robert

Awesome Book
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Eve / PHEve

hmm...if only my friend christiane had not moved to qatar for an internship perhaps we could have certain parts translated
i am assuming the mcguire thing is a facetious request because i think i have seen posts on here about getting his paper online
so music and lizard folklore. that is an interesting combination.
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vonnie
***Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution yet. Mae West ***

Some people thought they were poisonous because when they got bit, the bite would get infected. (Since then we've thought up some interesting solutions to this problem, like washing the bite.) I am not surprised thet they would run at people, considering we were not very common at the time and nobody knew much about us... But that old folklore like this stuff is still around just shows how old assumptions never die.

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0.1 Veiled Chameleon
0.1.1 Green Anoles 4 eggs
1.1 Easten Collared Lizards

Let there be Lizardz
- Scott

This is perhaps my biggest pet-peeve. Yes, even more than making incorrect use of binomial nomenclature! =)

Venomous= toxin is injected (scorpions, snakes, lizards, spiders, etc)

Poisonous= toxin is injested, or enters the system through a cut or open wound. (amphibians, plants, etc)

Fabian

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Fabián Aguirre
Zookeeper/ Freshwater Aquarist
Department of Herpetology and Freshwater Biology
The Dallas World Aquarium
(214) 720-2224
fabian@dwazoo.com
www.dwazoo.com

Have to get my yellowheads back to being called C. auriceps

Hahhahahaha ! Right Fabian
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Eve / PHEve

First get it to be C. c. auriceps... then once you do that, aim for C. auriceps. Good luck with that though......

Also, Eve, I received your email. Thank you for that (My last exam of the week was yesterday, I'll respond soon).

Fabian
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Fabián Aguirre
Zookeeper/ Freshwater Aquarist
Department of Herpetology and Freshwater Biology
The Dallas World Aquarium
(214) 720-2224
fabian@dwazoo.com
www.dwazoo.com

I may not do well with the C. ccccccccc's but I do understand it all, hehehheheheheehehe

Genus, species /sub You know what the heck I mean!

Good luck with exams!
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Eve / PHEve

The mountain booming was not known to be a byproduct of the Marfa Lights until long after the day of the wagon trains. Curiously, the settlers never correctly identified the Collared Lizards as the real source of the "Taos Hum" in the Western part of the lizards range.

"This new learning is amazing!"

-DC
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I've got the blues...LOL...them screamin' yellow-head blues...