Oregon, April 2013

[Jennewt]

I got to spend several days along the Oregon coast last week.

Site 1: shallow vernal pool next to a major road. Despite the oil slicks, it was full of halfway-hatched Ambystoma gracile egg masses. It looked like the eggs masses hatch around the outside first, with the larvae at the interior emerging later.

One of the eggs fell out of the mass as I picked it up:

Site 2: classic vernal pool, really nice clean-looking habitat. Loads of A. gracile egg masses and some T. granulosa in amplexus.

Site 3: a nasty-looking muddy pond in a golf course. I expected nothing, due to the chemicals, but found a high density of A. gracile egg masses and quite a few T. granulosa. Also had an unidentified frog and some unidentified tadpoles.

Site 4: a very nice (huge) swamp. Not very accessible to humans. No sign of any caudates, but this red-legged frog held still for me to photograph.

Site 5: a lovely wooded area with lots of Plethodon vehiculum. This tree stump was huge; an adult could easily crouch in the hole under it. It looked as if the area was logged many years ago.

 

[Jennewt]

At the 3rd site (golf course pond), I observed a really interesting behavior. A Taricha granulosa was cruising around these two A. gracile egg masses and biting at the egg masses. It didn't look like the newt was having much success, but he was clearly trying to eat the larvae from the egg mass.

 

[Otterwoman]

Those are great pictures!! What a cool experience!

 

[Jennewt]

Those are great pictures!! What a cool experience!

I only wish my Oregon salamander companions could have been along

 

[AquaticEngineer]

What part of the coast did you go to? Are you local to Oregon?

 

[frogman]

The frog is a red legged frog, endangered unfortunately

 

[Jennewt]

The frog is a red legged frog, endangered unfortunately

That is unfortunate. I've heard they are endangered, but why are they the only frogs I ever see when I go to Oregon?

I'm not local, but I like to travel there. It was along the mid-coastal area of the state.

 

[frogman]

There are lots of bullfrogs there and an overabundence of pacific tree frogs. Pacific tree frog croaks are the ones used in all Hollywood movies. It's the classic croak haha!

 

[Yahilles]

Great pics! Looks like A. maculatum aren't the only ones with symbiotic green algae