Salamandra salamandra (czech republic, 2008)

[Quetzacoatl]

Hello, there are some photos from our trip to the woods in october. We were looking for some salamanders and finally we found over 50 specimens! We were surprised, that there was so big population of salamandra salamandra salamandra. Enjoy the photos.

 

[Azhael]

Lovely!!! I bet you had an amazing time
There´s some interesting patterning in the coloration of those animals, the variability of this species is amazing.
Thank you for sharing, it´s a pleasure to see field reports.

PD: It´s fascinating to see how temperate european forests have a pretty homogenous wildlife(specially when it comes to plants).

 

[benw]

Lovely photos.

Always good to see Salamandra (or indeed any animal) in their natural envoironment, and encouraging that you saw a good few specimens.

Thanks for sharing the pics.

Ben

 

[marco]

Very nice photos, and equally useful habitat shots. Some of those S.S.Salamandra's looked quite similar in body shape to the Algerian salamanders, elongated bodies and slender faces.

** By the way, the last shot of the larvae, going off comparison with its surroundings it looked like it was a good few inches? if I'm wrong never mind but if it was a few inches like it looks do wild populations have Neotenic tendencies?

And the shot with the adult partially submerged in the water, was that one giving birth or was it just exiting the water?

 

[Quetzacoatl]

Thanks to all for the comments:happy:

Marco: That larvae was about 5 cm long and I think that some larvaes in this area will morph in this spring. And the salamander near the water was just exiting his environment, because it was male

 

[marco]

Ah, thank you for the that, looks quite large in the picture.