It may depend on how recently the caudate has eaten as well as how much it has eaten and how much it was handled.
I have had a wide variety of caudates puke on me over the years after capture. Some of the salamanders were collected for measurements and puked during measuring etc and some regurged in the bag before measuring or after measuring but before release.
I'm glad to see the study being discussed here. First, I'd like to post a note as to why we used the name Eurycea spelaea - (=Typhlotriton) (Typhlotriton was sunk into Eurycea by Bonett and Chippindale, 2004 and subsequently gender corrected on Amphibian species of the world online - to E. spelaea)(see http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.php).
Interesting comments on regurgitation in Eurycea spelaea. We only observed larvae doing this and not all larvae. Many observations involved the salamanders actually eating guano (with it in their mouths) when captured. I have mainly seen regurgitation in larval salamanders but have observed it from time to time in adults. (e.g., Once I saw an adult Dicamptodon ensatus regurgitate a mole cricket after capture).
I'm sure the factors listed by Ed, "how recently the caudate has eaten as well as how much it has eaten and how much it was handled" are absolutely valid. We captured individuals and placed them into plastic bags on the way into the cave, marking them and recording morphometrics on the way back out. In as much, they had plenty of time to regurgitate. Once we knew what we were looking for, we were able to do focal observations in shallow areas and actually observed salamanders eating guano off of the waters' surface.
Glad you guys are enjoying the story!
Cheers,
Dante
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