AaronK
2010 Research Grant Donor
- Joined
- May 7, 2007
- Messages
- 142
- Reaction score
- 11
- Points
- 18
- Location
- California
- Country
- United States
- Display Name
- AaronK
This spring I had the pleasure to witness the migration and mating of Taricha torosa in Southern California. My observations and pictures are from 2 days about 3 weeks apart, 4/7/07 and 4/29/07. The breeding habitat is a slow moving cold spring shaded by trees.
On 4/7 the newts were migrating in mass away from the breeding stream. It was a cool spring day with light misting and a few sprinkles, the ground and air was damp. There were so many newts walking it was amazing. I had to be extremely careful where I walked. The forest floor was moving and every step could result in a crushed torosa. They were well camouflaged in the leaf litter but could be easily spotted by their movement. It was difficult to spot the newts in the water because the glare was too strong.
The second day, 4/29, I returned expecting to find egg masses but instead found many newts still in the breeding stream, most in amplexus. There were pairs with the male on top grasping the female. Then there were groups in tangled balls. It appeared there were many gravid females hanging around. I did not see any egg masses either.
I will return soon to look for larvae or newly morphed newts. This was a great experience and I’m looking forward to continually observing these great little animals.
Aaron
On 4/7 the newts were migrating in mass away from the breeding stream. It was a cool spring day with light misting and a few sprinkles, the ground and air was damp. There were so many newts walking it was amazing. I had to be extremely careful where I walked. The forest floor was moving and every step could result in a crushed torosa. They were well camouflaged in the leaf litter but could be easily spotted by their movement. It was difficult to spot the newts in the water because the glare was too strong.
The second day, 4/29, I returned expecting to find egg masses but instead found many newts still in the breeding stream, most in amplexus. There were pairs with the male on top grasping the female. Then there were groups in tangled balls. It appeared there were many gravid females hanging around. I did not see any egg masses either.
I will return soon to look for larvae or newly morphed newts. This was a great experience and I’m looking forward to continually observing these great little animals.
Aaron