Ambystoma Maculatum egg masses

[saglines]

Last week I documented a "Big Night" Migration of the spotted salamander. Well, I visited the vernal pools and there are lots of egg masses. I will be monitoring these until they transform. I will periodically post updates with there progress.
There were thousands of spermatophores at the vernal pools today which was somewhat disappointing. I expected there to be many more egg masses.

Male spotted salamanders head to the vernal pools first to deposit spermatophores. Females then arrive and collect these spermataphores to fertilize their eggs.
Females will then lay eggs. A firm thick jelly will surround the egg masses that are usually attached to submerged vegetation.

 

[eljorgo]

My god, those are a hell of some hundreds! Maybe even up to one or two thousand! I wonder how they will do that overcrowded in a pond like that...

 

[Kaysie]

That's a lot of spermatophores!

Eljorgo, they actually do pretty well. The females who don't get the 'prime' spots will lay their eggs on higher vegetation, which can be emergent if the pond starts to dry out. But with this species, you get a lot of cannibalism.

Saglines, are there any Ambystoma opacum larvae in the ponds?