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<u>NORWICH BULLETIN</u> (Connecticut) 11 June 06 Salamanders need aid (Charlene Perkins Cutler)
At this very moment, somewhere in The Last Green Valley, under a moist, rotting log or a loosely placed stone, one of our most interesting creatures is trying to survive. It is the distinctive blue-spotted salamander; a handsome fellow, indeed.
Ambystoma laterale is a gorgeous, shiny black with blue, almost periwinkle, spots; he is not your usual salamander. Considered by amphibian experts to be small to medium, about 4 inches to 5.5 inches long, Old Blue is a mole salamander with a narrow head.
How important the wildlife habitats are in The Last Green Valley. This special salamander needs damp soils, preferably near woodlands. By far, the undisturbed rural areas of our region are the best environments for the animal, as these are the locations where most of them have been collected and studied.
One can find the blue-spotted salamander more easily in March and April, their breeding season. The eggs are attached to blades of grass within the vernal pools, floodplains and wetlands, which are their breeding sites. One female can produce 500 eggs per year.
They may be small, but are not without defenses. The blue-spotted salamander will whip its tail to and fro when danger is perceived. An unpleasant odor is secreted from two glands near the base of the tail, giving predators second thoughts. If it is attacked and its tail is ensnared, the appendage will break off. The tail regenerates in time.
So why is Old Blue on the state Department of Environmental Protection Threatened Species list? The populations in Connecticut are in only a few locations. While those groups have plentiful members and appear to be thriving, disruptions to their habitats and incursions by humans may reduce their numbers.
There are several prominent populations of blue-spotted salamander in The Last Green Valley, but they are living in especially vulnerable areas where growth is occurring at a rapid rate.
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps...0060611/COLUMNISTS10/606110344/1024/LIFESTYLE
At this very moment, somewhere in The Last Green Valley, under a moist, rotting log or a loosely placed stone, one of our most interesting creatures is trying to survive. It is the distinctive blue-spotted salamander; a handsome fellow, indeed.
Ambystoma laterale is a gorgeous, shiny black with blue, almost periwinkle, spots; he is not your usual salamander. Considered by amphibian experts to be small to medium, about 4 inches to 5.5 inches long, Old Blue is a mole salamander with a narrow head.
How important the wildlife habitats are in The Last Green Valley. This special salamander needs damp soils, preferably near woodlands. By far, the undisturbed rural areas of our region are the best environments for the animal, as these are the locations where most of them have been collected and studied.
One can find the blue-spotted salamander more easily in March and April, their breeding season. The eggs are attached to blades of grass within the vernal pools, floodplains and wetlands, which are their breeding sites. One female can produce 500 eggs per year.
They may be small, but are not without defenses. The blue-spotted salamander will whip its tail to and fro when danger is perceived. An unpleasant odor is secreted from two glands near the base of the tail, giving predators second thoughts. If it is attacked and its tail is ensnared, the appendage will break off. The tail regenerates in time.
So why is Old Blue on the state Department of Environmental Protection Threatened Species list? The populations in Connecticut are in only a few locations. While those groups have plentiful members and appear to be thriving, disruptions to their habitats and incursions by humans may reduce their numbers.
There are several prominent populations of blue-spotted salamander in The Last Green Valley, but they are living in especially vulnerable areas where growth is occurring at a rapid rate.
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps...0060611/COLUMNISTS10/606110344/1024/LIFESTYLE
