A Fun Amphibian

Discuss garden critters and wildlife, good or bad, such as birds, mammals, insects, etc.

Moderator: Chris_W

User avatar
Garden_of_Mu
Posts: 4518
Joined: Mar 12, 2002 8:00 pm
USDA Zone: 7
Location: Olympia, WA

A Fun Amphibian

Post by Garden_of_Mu »

I was cleaning up all the potted plants, weeding and rearranging, now that the leaves have died back, and came across this little fella. He is less than 3 inches from nose to tip of tail and could not be any cuter. I relocated him out of reach of the cats after removing his cover. I've never seen one of these before in real life. I believe it is a salamander, but not sure. Anyone know?
Attachments
salamander.jpg
~ Mike

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t
matter and those who matter don’t mind.” - Theodore Geisel, aka Dr.
Seuss
Snow
Posts: 2808
Joined: Mar 13, 2002 8:00 pm
Location: Maine Coast Zone 5
Contact:

Post by Snow »

I love love love finding those guys. I find them in lots of colors and sizes - usually tiny. I'll look and see if I can find that one on enature.
~*Snow*~
Snow
Posts: 2808
Joined: Mar 13, 2002 8:00 pm
Location: Maine Coast Zone 5
Contact:

Post by Snow »

Based on size, description(s) and location, it looks like it's probably the Larch Mountain Salamander Plethodon larselli. From enature.com:

"Family: Plethodontidae, Lungless Salamanders view all from this family

Description 3-4" (7.6-10.3 cm). Smallest western woodland salamander. Ragged-edged back stripe is red to yellow and heavily mottled with small dark flecks, often divided by black line from head to tail. Gold specks on upper sides; large white spots on lower sides. Short 5th rear toe. Costal grooves, 15.

Breeding Habits unknown.

Habitat Prefers lava talus slopes and outcrops in dense Douglas fir stands; 100-3,900' (30-1,189 m).

Range Lower Columbia River gorge, Skamania County, Washington; Multnomah and Hood River counties, Oregon.

Discussion Found under rocks at base of outcrops or under forest litter away from seepages and streams. When discovered, it rapidly coils and uncoils itself several times, perhaps mimicking the numerous unpleasant-tasting millipedes in its habitat. The Larch Mountain shares its habitat with the Western Red-backed Salamander in Washington, with Dunn's Salamander in Oregon. Mites and springtails are common in its diet."




Image
~*Snow*~
Snow
Posts: 2808
Joined: Mar 13, 2002 8:00 pm
Location: Maine Coast Zone 5
Contact:

Post by Snow »

I dunno though - your's looks different to me.
~*Snow*~
KellieD
Posts: 1768
Joined: Oct 29, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Western Washington

Post by KellieD »

Definitely not the same one going by range alone. Mike does have Doug firs surrounding him, but there are several subspecies of salamanders in Washington State.

Regardless of who he is, he's awfully darn cute!

(you are cute too, Mike!) :wink:
User avatar
PNWJudy
Posts: 56
Joined: Sep 18, 2002 8:00 pm
Location: Puget Sound multi-microclimates, in the "other"Washington

Post by PNWJudy »

From Kozloff's book it looks like Western Long-Toed salamander, Ambystoma macrodactylum.
Judy and Frank



So many species, so little time......
User avatar
Garden_of_Mu
Posts: 4518
Joined: Mar 12, 2002 8:00 pm
USDA Zone: 7
Location: Olympia, WA

Post by Garden_of_Mu »

Thanks for the help folks! Ambystoma macrodactylum fits perfectly, from the pics I found on 'the google'. And it appears slugs are on his menu of goodies he's looking for. Huzzah!
~ Mike

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t
matter and those who matter don’t mind.” - Theodore Geisel, aka Dr.
Seuss
User avatar
petal*pusher
Posts: 715
Joined: Aug 07, 2003 9:37 pm
Location: Adrian, Mi.
Contact:

Post by petal*pusher »

Hmmm....such a slippery little cutie you've shared with us! We used to see them often when I was a youngin'.....mostly the spotted salamander.....but it is a rare treat now.

At first, I thought he may be a "newt"....a close relative that has that stocky body and head like your fella....but when I googled Ambystoma macrodactylum....there is an exact match!

Here's a great site.....p :wink:
http://www.californiaherps.com/salamand ... spics.html
New Topic Post Reply