Giant! Giant Salamanders

[SaraSalamander]

Earlier this week I got the chance to see my first metamorphosed Pacific giant salamanders (Dicamptodon tenebrosus) at a state park in Portland, Oregon. I had seen the larvae and paedomorphs before but never a metamorph. On Monday I found a small metamorph under a rock near a creek.

Then Tuesday I got a call from one of the park rangers saying that some nature damp campers had found "something interesting". I rushed over to the park to see the biggest terrestrial salamander ever. It was at least a foot long. It was all I could do not to bring him home!

 

[FRANCOIS]

Amazing pictures! Great Job!

 

[ozzytrott]

wow what a beast he is! great pictures!:happy:

 

[SaraSalamander]

Thanks! This guy was just amazing and super photogenic. What a beast!

 

[FrogEyes]

There are zillions of them in that park. Just gotta pick the right stream. I've also found Plethodon vehiculum, many P.dunni, one Aneides ferreus, some Pseudacris regilla, and a few Rana aurora. Have yet to find Rhyacotriton there [would be a range extension southward], nor Ascaphus or D.copei. Ensatina have been hit and miss - don't think I've found them there. Ambystoma macrodactylum are nearby, haven't seen A.gracile, and haven't seen Taricha there yet. I have also seen Lithobates catesbeianus, Thamnophis sirtalis concinnus, and Thamnophis ordinoides nearby, but not in the park.

 

[Minniechild]

*Wails* I WANT ONE!!!!

 

[SaraSalamander]

Wait, you've seen an Aneides ferreus? I wasn't sure if the habitat was to their liking there. We've found a ton of Redbacks, Dunn's, Ensatinas, and garter snakes too. And reports of Rough-skinned newts, NW Salamanders, Long-toed Salamanders, Red-legged Frogs, and Pacific Chorus Frogs (I've not actually seen any of these species at the park yet). But never a Clouded Salamander. The rangers are trying to verify which species are in the park but don't have a confirmed siting of a Clouded Salamander. Would I be able to get the information on where in the park you found one and maybe a photo if you have one? (e-mail wanderingherpetologist@gmail.com). Thanks!

 

[eljorgo]

Colossal and Superb salamander, thx for sharing with us!
cheers,

 

[SaraSalamander]

Apparently there are quite a few of these behemoth salamanders in the park. And yesterday I found two more of the smaller metamorphs. I guess this is the place to be if your a Pacific Giant Salamander.

 

[FrogEyes]

Aneides ferreus in Forest Park, from the middle of a large pile of fallen bark. I have GPS data. It's the only Aneides I've found anywhere, and at the time I was actually looking for Ensatina.

Rana aurora and Pseudacris were along the lower reaches of larger creeks.

This redback was also found in the park, perched as you see it on the top of a leaf a couple of feet above the streambed:

 

[SaraSalamander]

Thanks for the A. ferreus info. I knew they were suppose to be in Forest Park but haven't seen one there yet. Guess I need to go check out the park. All the A. ferreus I've found were near Corvalis or in Southern Oregon. It seems they are rare up here at the edge of their range.

 

[Alley]

Hello Sara

Great pictures of the salamander! I grew up in British Columbia near Hope, and in the spring when it was quite wet outside I would find these wonderful, not so little critters in amongst my window wells hiding under rocks. I have found from experience that they are definitely always a hungry bunch and will eat whatever you give them.

The largest I have seen was about 13-14 inches. So very cool to see these again as I have not been in their region for some many years now.

 

[FrogEyes]

The giants have an extremely limited range in BC near Chilliwack. I've looked in the area, briefly, without luck. The wandering salamanders [A.vagrans] are widespread on the Island and a small part of the adjacent mainland north of the Sunshine Coast, where they were introduced from California a century ago. So far, there is no way to tell them apart physically from clouded salamanders found in Oregon. Western redbacks are common in parts of BC, and Couer D'Alene salamanders probably have half their known range in BC, though east of the interior. Several of the remaining western species range well north along the BC coast.

 

[Niels D]

D. tenebrosus absolutely my favourite salamander. It's too bad you don't see them often in Europe. Beautifull!

 

[SaraSalamander]

Alley,

How fun that you used to find these guys. I bet they'll eat anything you give them. I hear they can give you a nasty bite too but this guy was super sweet.