Blue-Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma laterale]

Please remember while out herping in Pennsylvania you need to have a current fishing license and please please remember to follow decontamination procedures as not to spread germs,diseases and unwanted fungus to these important areas!If you not willing do follow these procedures,you should not be out!I personally always wear protective gloves [Nitrile],even if I don't handle salamanders and I do try to never touch them.I also spray myself [boots,waders,gloves,net,photographic tank...] with a chlorhexidine solution.
[Chlorhexidine, is a disinfectant and antiseptic that is used for skin disinfection]

Blue Spotted Salamander. Clearwater County, Minnesota. 7-13-24 [Ambystoma laterale]

A beautiful Blue Spotted Salamander. Clearwater County, Minnesota. 7-13-24 [Ambystoma laterale]

A beautiful Blue Spotted Salamander. Clearwater County, Minnesota. 7-13-24 [Ambystoma laterale] Above & Below]

Blue Spotted Salamander larva [Ambystoma laterale]. Coos County, N.H. 7-11-21

Blue Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma laterale]. Coos County, N.H. 7-11-21. Notice the middle larva is missing most of its right forelimb, due to being preyed upon by another larva. But through regeneration it will grow back.

Blue Spotted Salamander larva [Ambystoma laterale]. Coos County, N.H. 7-11-21

Blue Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma laterale]. Coos County, N.H. 7-11-21

Blue Spotted Salamander larva [Ambystoma laterale]. Coos County, N.H. 7-7-21

Blue Spotted Salamander larva [Ambystoma laterale] and the tiny pool in which it was found. Coos County, N.H. 7-7-21

A beautiful Blue Spotted Salamander larva [Ambystoma laterale]. And the tiny pool in which it was found. Notice the unusual light colored head [lack of pigmentation] compared to the darker portion of its body, this really made the coloration of this beauty really stand out. The feeling of excitement at finding something so beautiful in such a tiny, remote pool is truly an overwhelming privilege to me. To think of these tiny larvae struggling to survive and complete metamorphosis to adult salamanders in these tiny pools is truly a wonder of nature! Coos County, N.H. 7-7-21 [By the time our vacation ended this pool was all but completely dried up, heavy rain had moved in replenishing the water level just in time to save this particular larva and the other larvae that call this tiny pool home]

Blue Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma laterale] larvae in a tiny pool , Coos County, N.H. 7-13-21

The small pool alongside a back road in the Northern New Hampshire wilderness that I found Blue Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma laterale] larvae. I find that most of these tiny pools and puddles associated with these back roads are being used by Ambystoma salamanders to lay their eggs, as vernal pools are very few and hard to come by in this part of the country. It is amazing for me to see the different habitats that are being used by amphibians in different parts of the country to reproduce. Coos County, N.H. 7-6-21

Blue Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma laterale]. Coos County, N.H. 7-6-21

What a wonderful day, Blue Spotted Larvae found in a tiny roadside pool. Notice the darker coloration and those exaggerated long toes can mean only one thing in this area, Blue Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma laterale]. What a beautiful site! Coos County, N.H. 7-6-21

This slide show,shows the images of four different Blue Spotted Salamanders [Ambystoma lateral].Two are juveniles and two adults,including logs where they were found under and habitat of the Blue Spotted Salamander.They are the very first Blue Spotted Salamander that I have ever found.Pa.3-25&3-29-21."After so many years of hoping and dreaming,planning and researching [the habitat requirements].I finally found myself in Blue Spotted Salamander country and to tell you I was excited would be an understatement.It wasn't too long before I moved a log and a juvenile.With tears rolling down my face all I could think of was to say what captain Clark said upon seeing the Pacific for the very first time "Oh the Joy"!I don't think I would change me for anything.I was able to find 4 individuals in two trips [two juveniles and two adults].Undisclosed location.3-29-21 [Ambystoma laterale].They are so very beautiful,everthing I dreamed they'd be and more!"

Blue Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma lateral].Undisclosed location.3-29-21

Juvenile Blue Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma lateral].Undisclosed location.3-29-21

Female Adult Blue Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma laterale].Undisclosed location.3-29-21

Female Adult Blue Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma laterale].Pictured with what is believed to be gastropod [snail] eggs.Undisclosed location.3-29-21

Female Adult Blue Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma laterale].Undisclosed location.3-29-21

Blue Spotted Salamander, juvenile.[Ambystoma laterale].Undisclosed location.3-29-21

My very first Blue Spotted Salamander, juvenile.[Ambystoma laterale].Undisclosed location.3-29-21

After so many years of hoping and dreaming,planning and researching [the habitat requirements].I finally found myself in Blue Spotted Salamander country and to tell you I was excited would be an understatement.It wasn't too long before I moved a log and found this juvenile.With tears rolling down my face all I could think of was to say what captain Clark said upon seeing the Pacific for the very first time "Oh the Joy"!I don't think I would change me for anything.I was able to find 4 individuals in two trips [two juveniles and two adults]. Undisclosed location.3-29-21 [Ambystoma laterale].They are so very beautiful,everthing I dreamed they'd be and more!

The difference between Jefferson Salamander eggs and egg masses [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] first two pictures.And Spotted Salamander eggs and egg masses [Ambystoma maculatum] the last two pictures.Notice on the Jefferson eggs,the embryo fills up most of the inner envelope,on the Spotted eggs the embryo fills a lot less of the inner envelope.The eggs masses of the Jefferson Salamander tend to be smaller with fewer eggs than that of the Spotted.It should also be noted that Blue-Spotted eggs and egg masses are very similar to that of the Jefferson.

Blue-spotted Salamander larva [Ambystoma laterale].Coos County,N.H.9-3-18

The beautiful and amazing Fairy Shrimp [Anostraca].Perry County,Pa.3-10-18.A food source so many vernal pool creatures,salamander larvae,frogs,tadpoles all feed on them.They in turn feed on phytoplankton and protozoans.They swim "upside down" beating their abdominal appendages which also serve as respiratory structures.[from the great booklet a field guide of the animals of vernal pools]

Blue Spotted Larva.Coos County,N.H.9-4-17,missing it's right hind limb.

These three pictures show a Blue-Spotted larvae that has lost its both left side" foot and hand" and these appendages appear to have started to regenerate,although stunted.Coos County,N.H.9-4-17.Please compare the hind foot on the right side to the one on the left in the middle picture.

My first Blue-Spotted Salamanders [larvae] [Ambystoma laterale],possibly Blue\Jefferson hybrid.Coos County,N.H.9-4-17.Notice the dark color and the long hind digit help to identify this species.Notice to it is missing a hind limb.Larvae will and do cannibalize each other.Also on the last three pictures of this sequence there is a second larvae that has lost both left side "hand and foot" and both appendages appear to have started to regenerate,but are stunted-pictures 6,7&8