Salamandra s. fastuosa

[iberian_guest]

Some pics of this ssp., present in the slopes of the cantabrian coast, on the temperate/rainy forests of Quercus robur.

In some populations red individuals are frequent...

 

[Azhael]

Wow, that first one has to be one of the most yellow fastuosas i´ve seen. Very beautiful animal. The red one is obviously a little gem. Wish i had found some there...i was really impressed on how many larvae there were this year, so maybe this fall will be a good time to try again.

 

[tdimler]

Ruben,

Thanks so much for posting these photos! The sals are great and the red one is particularly stunning. If you were wager a guess, how common (percentage wise) would you say the red variants occur? Also, were these animals found moving at night, or did you find them underneath cover?

Travis

 

[John]

Lovely post and great photos, thank you Rubén. I'm particularly interested in hearing the answers to Travis' last question.

 

[iberian_guest]

Thanks to all. Nice to see this thread is interesting for someone...

I would say that, for every 20 "normal" individuals I found 6/7 red (more or less). This, if we talk about the low places of the forest, between 200/300 m. of altitude.

I found the animals under stones, but then I waited till the night and, with a long drizzle, a lot of animals came out to the road.

In higher zones (600/800 m.) where the pure forest of Quercus robur becomes a typical mixed forest of Quercus robur/Quercus petraea/Fagus sylvatica, and the weather is quite colder and humid (2.000 mm/year) the salamanders are clearly smaller, darker and the percentage of red individuals decrease (3 individuals after an intense search).

Then, in higher zones of these mountain (1.200/1.400 m.), where rests of snow and ice where still surrounding the road (in may) I have found very dark, thin and amazing small individuals. It was the southern limit of fastuosa... stopped geographically (in most of these zones) by the axial summits of the cantabrian mountain range (2.200/2.600 m. of altitude)

I will post more photographs soon...

 

[inshi]

Hello Ruben,

great photos from you again!
Some day I should travel to cantabria myself to see them "live"... - if I only had the time

Greetings, Ingo

 

[tdimler]

Ruben,

Many thanks for your answers. You have certainly found at least one person that is interested in your post ;-) I think the density of red individuals in this popultion you mention is remarkable. I have heard of people finding red terrestris in both France and Germany, but I was under the impression that these animals were few and far between, even in an area that had a known population. How much area would you say that this population with red animals covers? I was always under the impression that most naturally occuring morphs inhabited only a tiny pocket within a population.

Please keep the photos coming.

Travis

 

[Kaysie]

That truly is incredible, Ruben. You're lucky to have found such stunning animals.

 

[carpy]

wow rubén, thats fantastic!

great pics, and stunning salamanders, especially that red one, that is a beut!

well done mate, keep them coming, i think we are all eager for more!

Alex

 

[iberian_guest]

Thanks to all again...

Travis:

It would be too dared give you a density/percentage with a scientific knowledge. Some years I haven't found red indivuduals, and others (like this) I found a noticeable density of them. This is, I think, due to the simple fact that the phenomenon affects more to the females. Then, the temperature plays an important rule on this sense (presence of females is higher with could temperatures), so... this could be the reason.

And, about the area occupied by this population, I would say... around 10/12 km. along a valley, in Cantabria.