Firebelly deathroll?

[stanleyc]

I just observed one of my Orientalis's, Spot, perform 2 death rolls on an earthworm, a' la crocodile. Spot had one end of the worm in her mouth, and the earthworm was working its way into a crevice between 2 rocks with the other. I was getting ready to help her out when Spot surprised the heck out of me by death rolling as good as any crocodile I've seen. In her second try, she succeeded in tearing the worm in half, splitting the difference with the rocks. I went ahead and got the other half and fed it to her.

Has anyone observed this in firebellies before? Or in any other species of salamander?

 

[Kaysie]

Ambystomatids are fantastic at doing the death roll.

 

[evut]

My Japanese fire-bellies recently did this - one of them got hold of a worm hanging out of another one's mouth. They were both so desperate to keep the worm they were rolling for about 5 minutes.

 

[jewett]

My orientalis do this occasionally too. I think its entertaining!
Heather

 

[stanleyc]

It is entertaining indeed. It was the first time I saw this, made my day, which may or may not be sad....nah it's not.:happy:

 

[Joost]

AW: Firebelly deathroll?

I've seen this in a very large number of species. Aquatic and terrestrial.

 

[fishkeeper]

Anyone know of any scientific papers looking at the biomechanics of this manuever? I am surprised some of you see it in terrestrial salamanders frequently.

All sorts of aquatic salamanders do it and it works quite well. I've had Triturus get arms deathrolled off.

 

[Tasha H]

My blotched tigers do this too. They will do it if given a worm while in water and give it their best on land too. They do not do this with crickets however. impressive how fast certain ones are. Others are more sluggish about it.

 

[JoshBA]

My tiger sals do this all the time, but more in the sense of 'fighting over food'. Usually happens when I feed roaches, and most often ends up with both salamanders comsuming one half of the cockroach. I've even witnessed my juvenile c.e.popei do this with a worm on land.

 

[Aplestris]

Hi
I have seen two of my Orientalis do this when fighting over worms. Also I have seen wild Lissotriton Vulgaris do this occasionally. :happy:

 

[Yahilles]

Like this?
Chinese firebellies gator rolling - YouTube

 

[Chinadog]

My juvenile C. pyrrhogaster sometimes do it to pull the pieces of worm off the end of the cocktail stick at feeding time!