Ambystoma talpoideum (Mole Salamander) larvae

[John]

I collected a few of these eggs of Ambystoma talpoideum, the Mole Salamander, last weekend in East Texas:

The eggs have just hatched and here is one of the larvae (same larva in both photos):

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Wow John, they're gorgeous.

 

[Jan]

John, your photography is simply amazing - the larva shots are outstanding!

 

[Azhael]

Impressive photographs. The colours of that larvae are an absolut joy to my eyes, lovely pattern indeed.
I see the larvae in the first pic do not have this coloration...i guess it appeared post-hatching?

 

[Mark]

Those larva shots blow my efforts out of the water. Would you mind sharing your technique? Container, lighting, exposure, aperture, flash, lens etc...?

 

[coendeurloo]

Those larva shots blow my efforts out of the water. Would you mind sharing your technique? Container, lighting, exposure, aperture, flash, lens etc...?

Yes, yes! More info please, These are one of the most beautiful and clearest shots I've ever seen.

 

[John]

I see the larvae in the first pic do not have this coloration...i guess it appeared post-hatching?

I think that's more of a lighting issue in the pond, though the colouration would not have been as developed at that point. You can see the dark saddles along the back in the unhatched larvae though.

Would you mind sharing your technique? Container, lighting, exposure, aperture, flash, lens etc...?

I'm very flattered by the compliments everyone. At 100% you can see the bloodflow in the gills in that first photo.

I'm using the same lens I've used since 2003 - 60 mm AFD Micro. Camera is a Nikon D90. Manual Focus. The aperture is somewhere in the teens, between f/14 and f/18 most likely. Shutter is 1/200 second. Lighting is from a Nikon flash with a diffuser. The first photo container is a petri dish and the second is a quartz cuvette (I'm not 100% happy with the results I got from that though).

 

[MikeM]

For it being a larvae, it has to be one of the most beautiful things i have ever seen. Simply astonishing.

 

[John]

For it being a larvae, it has to be one of the most beautiful things i have ever seen. Simply astonishing.

You are right but I don't understand why this occurs unless it's some kind of cryptic camouflage. After all, the adults, at their most attractive, look like this:

 

[SludgeMunkey]

I must say John, thank you for the wonderful pictures and updates from your East Texas expedition. We are about three weeks behind Texas climate wise, but your postings from the other day had me out hiking in 45 degree weather in a light rain. Thank you for the camera information also, my wife is the family photographer, and she is absolutely drooling over your pictures.

 

[John]

I must say John, thank you for the wonderful pictures and updates from your East Texas expedition. We are about three weeks behind Texas climate wise, but your postings from the other day had me out hiking in 45 degree weather in a light rain. Thank you for the camera information also, my wife is the family photographer, and she is absolutely drooling over your pictures.

I'm very flattered, thank you. Did you find anything during that hike?

 

[SludgeMunkey]

I found a good deal of mud and a bit of a head cold.

There was still remnants of snow on the ground and the night time temperatures have been dipping below freezing quite a bit. I know its too early, but I had to get out there! However, according to my notes from last year, the "spring peepers" started calling the third week of March so I will try again when I hear them singing. I was able to scout out some new sites, and made contact with the owners of a fish farming operation that have given me season long access to their private ponds. I also checked out some of the new flood control dams the state built last fall- many new man made vernal pools and holding ponds are available now. I suspect it will be a good year for herping!

 

[MikeM]

You are right but I don't understand why this occurs unless it's some kind of cryptic camouflage. After all, the adults, at their most attractive, look like this:

See to me this is still beautiful. But i could understand what you mean since the bright yellow is far more attractive.

 

[b00f]

John, what lense do you use for those shots, they are amazingly perfect focus wise

im envious of you and pretty macro lense

 

[John]

John, what lense do you use for those shots, they are amazingly perfect focus wise

im envious of you and pretty macro lense

I already answered that.

 

[John]

See to me this is still beautiful. But i could understand what you mean since the bright yellow is far more attractive.

It's beautiful to me (well, maybe not that word) but it's such a vastly different animal to the larvae.

 

[newtamander]

You people are so lucky. Where I live there still over a 2 feet of snow. It is starting to melt though. Once I can I want to get some pictures of spotted salamander breeding.:happy:

 

[John]

You people are so lucky. Where I live there still over a 2 feet of snow. It is starting to melt though. Once I can I want to get some pictures of spotted salamander breeding.:happy:

And when you are still able to find salamanders in the middle of summer, I'll be moping around looking for something to do down here.

 

[John]

Just an update. I'm amazed at how cannibalistic Ambystoma maculatum and A. talpoideum larvae are. I've only ever raised Axolotls and medium sized Tiger Salamander larvae before. The hatchling spotted and mole larvae (not kept together and kept in low densities) will ignore Daphnia and ostracods in favour of attacking their siblings. My mind is boggling. I was warned about this but I didn't take it enough to heart. Needless to say my tiny larvae are now living separately! As a side note, the old larvae (several cm long) don't seem interested in attacking each other at all. Interesting stuff!

 

[jbherpin]

Maybe as the larvs get older and bigger, they recognize "real prey" easier. The Ambystoma larv i've kept are pretty quick to bite anything moving close to the mouth. In short, I think that the small larvs are acting in the interest of survival at all costs(i.e. trying to eat anything close to their mouths thats moving!), and the larger larvs are just better sustained and recognize the prey much easier! Let me know what you think!

-jbherpin-