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Identification help please.

Cantthinkofone

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Hi all! I'm a brand new member on here and I joined for one reason(so far). To access the wealth of knowledge online forums often are. So here's the story.
I live in Arizona and am in Idaho, near the town of Driggs, temporarily working on my parent's property. I was instructed to clean up this pond full of algae and low and behold, there are hundreds of these salamander larvae in and amongst the algae. I'd really like to know what species they are. I have a suspicion, but would rather let the experts here tell me what they are.
So without further ado, here are the pictures!
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nr37qlnjvlrlflb/AABQEiJlDTKQ-jA4I1lysLKla

I've been nice and "missed" some algae so I don't completely destroy their hiding places. I've looked in several other ponds in the area and they're full of these guys too!
Thanks guys for your help, and any other ancillary information you can provide about them would be wonderful. I am considering taking a few home with me.
 

Sir Jagger

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They look like tiger salamander larvae to me. Given the location I would guess blotched tigers. I could be wrong though.
 

Cantthinkofone

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They look like tiger salamander larvae to me. Given the location I would guess blotched tigers. I could be wrong though.

Thank you for your reply Sir Jägger. I thought they were tiger salamanders as well. Is the "blotched" surname a natural color morph or a different species from Ambystoma tigrinum?
Do I need a permit to collect?
 

Sir Jagger

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I believe Ambystoma tigrinum refers to tiger salamanders in general of which there are subspecies. Such as eastern, western, blotched, California ect. The full Latin binomial for the blotched is: Ambystoma tigrinum melanostictum I believe but I'm no Carl Linnaeus. The best I could find regarding legalities was this site here. Although I want to say that generally with tigers you can catch and keep them, you just cant sell for profit or release in other areas so if you keep any I would plan on keeping them. Hope this helps.

https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/docs/rules/amphibsReptiles.pdf
 

Sir Jagger

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Oh, and I guess that site says you must have a valid Idaho hunting license, have heard this about other states requiring fishing license to take newts from the wild ect.
 

Sir Jagger

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Another correction, the tigrinum refers to the eastern tiger, Ambystoma mavortium refers to the western or barred, so the blotched could just be a color morph?
 

RPM

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Blotched tigers are Ambystoma mavortium melanostictum and Eastern tigers are Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum.
 

Cantthinkofone

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Thanks everyone for your help with identifying them. I'll go pick up a hunting license and collect a few before I hit the road back to Arizona.:D
 

Cantthinkofone

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I'm back home in AZ and it appears my little one has completed his metamorphosis. Here "he" is taking on a worm. It would appear Ambystoma mavortium melanostictum is correct. Would anyone care to confirm this?
Also still a newb here, so enclosure criticisms are welcomed.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/3rq5fc1jl3uq8vy/AAD9PoJCUYg6IbieYh7rO--Wa
The enclosure:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/94814381/DSCF1132.JPG
The little one is almost always hiding under that rock which is slightly elevated and supported by the two other slate rocks on either side. Is this reclusive behavior a cause for concern? I brought five others down with me to give to friends, and they tell me their sals are rather gregarious.
Thanks for your insight.
 
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