Or not... hehe
Well, I must say it really is a love story for me and the magnificent Spring Salamander! Before this year, I had never seen this species. It had never been among my top priotrities...
Earlier in june, I was able to enjoy some specimens when a friend showed me one of his spot. In a matter of minutes, we had 2 adult specimens and 5 larvae. It was then that I realized that not only was it the most beautiful salamander ever, but I was also surprised by how big they are... I then searched the species and found that we don't know much about them... I find them literally fascinating!
So far this summer, I've managed to had two more localities to the ones I was showed. And that I am pretty proud of as they are far from being common here in Quebec.
So here are pictures of the ones I've seen so far this summer. Some pictures are more oriented towards quality while others are oriented more towards documenting what I find...
This is from the first locality. These are the specimens that gave me the purple salamander bug! hehe
The three species of plethondid salamanders were found in the same spring
Here an adult with a very large larvae
Here you can compare size
This specimen is from the first locality which I identified by myself:
And this is from this past weekend. I was able to identify another locality. 2 larvae and 1 adult were identified. Again the habitat was also packed with two lined and northern dusky salamanders and salamander larvae which I have no doubt serve as an all you can eat buffet for the purples! hehe
Spring larvae with northern dusky larvae ( I definately need a set-up to photograph larvae!!!)
Adult Spring salamander
After realaesing, I tried some picture through the water... The result is interesting, but I'm gonna work on it...
That's it for now, but I hope not for the summer! hehe Can't wait to find more Purple salamander!!
Also, go ahead and post your own Spring salamander photos! I really enjoy the variation in coloration on these guys!
PS: Sorry for my english!
If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
Moderator: Scott Waters
Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
I haven't seen one in person yet either, but understand your enthusiasm. The pics were very good, you shouldn't discount yourself. By the way your english is as good if not better than many who only speak it!
- Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
Very nice! How big are they? Three, four inches?
Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
They can grow up to 8-9 inches. These specimens were between 5 and 7 inches.
Thanks for the comments!!
Thanks for the comments!!
Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
Here are some G. p. duryi shots from Kentucky caves. I stuck my hand in one for a size reference, but they get much bigger than that.
They tend to turn up in some very unexpected places and I've found them well away from water on several occasions.
They tend to turn up in some very unexpected places and I've found them well away from water on several occasions.
Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
I still need to find Springs. One of my last in my area to find. Nice pics.
- MHollanders
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Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
When I went to the Smoky Mountains, spring salamanders were on of my main target. The first rock I flipped in the first stream had an adult under it. I was ecstatic, but that proved to be the last on in the park. I later found an adult and a few larvae in the Pisgah NF.
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
Nikon D300
Nikkor 105mm f/2.8
SB-800
Later, Matt
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
Nikon D300
Nikkor 105mm f/2.8
SB-800
Later, Matt
Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
I think you've got a two-lined larvae in here, not a dusky.
- BillMcGighan
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Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
Southern Smokies
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Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
I certainly like them. As of yet i haven't located any. I will probably have to travel to find them.
Anyways, I finally located this old spring at one of my urban herping spots the other day. A remnant from an early farm, the foundation of the spring house is all that is left. I suspected that some unique species would be present. I was excited to see that some cave salamanders were utilizing the micro-climate. Maybe there are other species present.
The Spring
Eurycea lucifuga | Cave Salamander
Nice shots of those Gyrinophilus.
Anyways, I finally located this old spring at one of my urban herping spots the other day. A remnant from an early farm, the foundation of the spring house is all that is left. I suspected that some unique species would be present. I was excited to see that some cave salamanders were utilizing the micro-climate. Maybe there are other species present.
The Spring
Eurycea lucifuga | Cave Salamander
Nice shots of those Gyrinophilus.
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Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
Sometimes I open posts just to learn a new scientific name... VERY glad I did this time... awesome pics!! jim
Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
That is very possible... I'm not that good at identifying two lined and dusky larvae... But the specimen pictured definately had the typical "zipper" pattern I see on what I identify as dusky's... If anybody as good pictures, it could help me.spinifer wrote:I think you've got a two-lined larvae in here, not a dusky.
KevinS, I love the G. p. duryi shots! They are very different looking that the northern sub species.
Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
I agree, compared to the Gyrinophilus, that larva just seems too large to be a Desmognathus since they transform at much smaller sizes (at least around here). I think the duryi look pretty distinct as well. Most of West Virginia is supposed to be a zone of intergradation between G. p. duryi and G. p. porphyriticus. Here's a shot of one of these "intergrades" from a WV county bordering Kentucky.Nir wrote: That is very possible... I'm not that good at identifying two lined and dusky larvae... But the specimen pictured definately had the typical "zipper" pattern I see on what I identify as dusky's... If anybody as good pictures, it could help me.
KevinS, I love the G. p. duryi shots! They are very different looking that the northern sub species.
As a rule, all specimens I find around here are dark and brownish, though sometimes more red/orange than this one. Just 50 miles to the west in Kentucky, they all look like this though:
Someday I should try to find some within that 50 mile stretch to see if they're intermediate in apperance or if there's a sharp delineation between these forms.
Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
Actually the Gyrinophilus larvae was by far the smallest I have ever seen. The Gyrinophilus larvae was like 2 inch or less. So the other larvae is really small.
Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
Understandable, but when I say Desmog larvae are small, I mean small. I can probably get pics of some tonight to illustrate this, but in the meantime here's one that had already transformed. It seems to me that the one in your picture is somewhere around the same size as this one, though I could be wrong. Yours doesn't look close to transformation though, which makes me think it still has some growing to do.Nir wrote:Actually the Gyrinophilus larvae was by far the smallest I have ever seen. The Gyrinophilus larvae was like 2 inch or less. So the other larvae is really small.
- Carl Brune
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Re: If you like G. porphyriticus, clap your hands!
Congrats, Nir, on your success. Spring Salamanders are one of my favorite species.
The animals below are from Ohio. The following are G. p. p. -- I've found the color (red/orange versus brown) to depend on the locality.
Biggun.
Anerythristic?
Ugly end of the spectrum.
G.p.p. and G.p.duryi are disjunct in Ohio. I've only seen a few G.p.d.:
The animals below are from Ohio. The following are G. p. p. -- I've found the color (red/orange versus brown) to depend on the locality.
Biggun.
Anerythristic?
Ugly end of the spectrum.
G.p.p. and G.p.duryi are disjunct in Ohio. I've only seen a few G.p.d.: