Blue Spotted Salamander defense pose

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Here's a video I took of a Blue Spotted Salamander in a defense phase. It was mid fall and there were still salamanders out. I found this little guy under a log and it instantly went into defense mode. Most of the time when I find A. laterale they don't ever perform a defense stance. This guy automatically started waving its tail. After a couple minutes it was set free.

YouTube - Michigan Herping Blue Spotted Salamander Defensive

 

[RobM]

Nice video, did you not want to provide confirmation about the taste?

 

[Mark]

Really interesting to see. Thanks for posting.

 

[froggy]

Nice! Is the purpose of this to draw attention to the tail so that predators go for that rather than the head?

C

 

[Azhael]

I bet it is, Chris. Similar behaviours can be found in other creatures. It´s certainly better to be bitten in the tail than in the head xD Specially if you are a salamander with special regenration superpowers

Thanx for sharing! I hope the little guy wasn´t too upset.

 

[Linus]

This is awesome! I remember seeing Linus my full grown Tiger sal doing this one day, and it caught me off guard. I was like ...what are you doing?! 0__0

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

I've seen my full grown Tiger Salamander do a the same thing. I think I have the video of it as well. It was a bit more extreme though. My Tiger Salamander did the whole vertical tail fanning and it was secreting a white gluey substance. Vertical tail fanning and gluey secretion at the same time. Mole salamanders impress me, I love them!

 

[beefsteak]

I think they also do this to keep from getting stepped on by cows, horses, and other larger creatures. Maybe?

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

I think they also do this to keep from getting stepped on by cows, horses, and other larger creatures. Maybe?

Well Ambystomids mostly only crawl around in the rain at night or when its really damp. The only reason they might come into contact with cows is during a mating migration in spring. I really think that the vertical tail fanning is distraction meant for natural predators that cohabits their habitat. Animals like snakes, frogs, toads, and ect. Those animals there can easily be distracted my motion. Not to mention the fact that most those animals just mentioned are triggered by motions that look like wriggling worms or something swimming.

I think farm animals would still graze and proceed forward if they saw a small salamander waving its tail.

 

[Caudae]

How odd! Could be useful when the salamander comes into the sight of a bird. I think the bird would be more apt to eating a 'wiggly worm' than a secreting smelly oozy lizard thingy! =)

 

[MorganLCFowler]

WOW! This was simply amazing. Thank you so much for the opportunity to see this. Salamanders are very scarce in the wild where I live. So jealous.

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

WOW! This was simply amazing. Thank you so much for the opportunity to see this. Salamanders are very scarce in the wild where I live. So jealous.

Nothing like the unken reflex. With Blue Spotted Salamanders they're very prone to perform it.

 

[bhill368]

I see this all the time when I go out looking for them. It is pretty amazing! Tails never fails!