Jefferson Salamander 1 [Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] 1

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]

1-Mating [2-18-18]

2-Eggs [2-22-18]

3-Embryos Develop [3-12-18]

4-Embryo Development [3-18-18]

5-Embryo Development [4-1-18]

6-Embryo Development [4-12-18]

7-Embryo Development [4-12-18]

8-Embryo Development & Larvae Hatching [4-16-18]

9-Embryo Development & Larvae Hatching [4-16-18]

10-Larvae Hatched [4-16-18]

11-1 Week Old Larva [4-20-18]

12-1 Week Old Larva [4-20-18],Showing Balancers

13-6 Week Old Larvae [5-25-18]

14-8 Week Old Larva [6-7-18]

15-10 Week Old Larva [6-16-18]

16-11 Week Old Larva [6-21-18]

17-12 Week Old Metamorphosed Juvenile Jefferson salamander

18-Adult Jefferson Salamander

Seventeen pictures showing the 18 week reproductive cycle of the Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma Jeffersonianum].From mating to eggs being laid through embryo development,to larvae hatching,larvae growth and finally the metamorphosis to juvenile Jefferson Salamander.2-18 through 6-28-18.Last picture [18] showing an adult Jefferson Salamander.

Jefferson Larva ready to leave its vernal pool as a juvenile salamander.Pa.7-29-19 [Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

It was amazing to see how just much this rare and beautiful leucistic Jefferson Salamander larva had grown [almost two inches] in just two weeks since first being found [top picture],as the water levels dropped in a vernal pool metamorphosis really speeds up,as larvae sense the drop in water levels and also the drop in oxygen levels.All the larvae in this now tiny vernal pool were constantly coming to the surface for gulps of air.Notice too the amazing changes in body shape as the body lengthens [bottom picture] and the once magnificent gills are all but gone [reabsorbed].The tail takes on the shape it will have for the rest of its life on land.The costal folds and grooves along its sides are more pronounced [ribs],and the once "dainty" toes are now stronger and are better equipped for a life on land and for crawling and digging in soil.Also a gular fold is now present on the sides and under the neck,making movement of the head of the adult salamander more easily accomplished [side to side and up and down].What a privilege it was to find this magnificent creature not only once but twice.Pa.7-29-19 [Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

14 week old leucistic Jefferson Salamander larva compared to a larva with normal coloration.Metamorphosis almost complete to juvenile salamander.Pa.7-29-19 [A.jeffersonianum]

14 week old Jefferson Salamander larva [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Metamorphosis to juvenile salamander is almost complete.Please notice its severed left forearm,which will regenerate.Pa.7-29-19

14 week old leucistic Jefferson Salamander larva [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Metamorphosis to juvenile salamander is almost complete.Please notice its severed left forearm,which will regenerate.Pa.7-29-19

14 week old leucistic Jefferson Salamander larva.Metamorphosis almost complete to juvenile salamander.Pa.7-29-19 [A.jeffersonianum].Please notice its severed left forearm,which will regenerate.

14 week old leucistic Jefferson Salamander larva compared to a larva with normal coloration.Metamorphosis almost complete to juvenile salamander.Pa.7-29-19 [A.jeffersonianum]

14 week old leucistic Jefferson Salamander larva [Ambystoma jeffersonianum],Pa.7-29-19.Please notice its severed left forearm [which will regenerate].This is the last time I was privileged to see this amazing creature.Also notice the gills are almost completely reabsorbed back into the larva,and the gular fold now present under and around the sides of the neck,and the pronounced costal folds and costal grooves on the sides.All signs that this larva is soon [a week or two at the most] ready to leave its watery home for a new life on land.

Newly metamorphosed Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Pa.7-13-19

Jefferson Salamander larva ready to leave its watery home of the last 14 weeks for a new life on land.Pa.7-29-19 [Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

Went to check on the leucistic Jefferson larva sometime ago,two week after first finding it,and was amazed at how much it had grown.Metamorphosis almost complete.Gills all but gone,and a gular fold now present around the sides and under the neck [two weeks ago not present].Two weeks previous regeneration had started on it's left forelimb and toes,now the whole left forelimb is severed,but it will regenerate again.It was soon ready to leave a very fast drying vernal pool to a life on land.Ambystoma jeffersonianum.I wished it well and it seemed to be doing great [even without its forelimb,I which is common among larvae].Pa.7-29-19

12 week old Leucistic Jefferson Salamander larva [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Pa.7-13-19

12 week old Jefferson salamander larva,metamorphosis complete ready to leave it's watery home for a life on land.Tioga County,Pa.7-13-19 [Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

12 week old leucistic Jefferson Salamander larva compared to a Jefferson with normal coloration []Ambystoma jeffersonianum] .Also pictured [1,2 &3] with 8 week Spotted salamander larva [Ambystoma maculatum].Tioga County,Pa.7-13-19

12 week old Jefferson Salamander larva.Tioga County,Pa.7-13-19 [Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

12 week old leucistic Jefferson Salamander larva [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.7-13-19

After spending several hours at a vernal pool in mid July in Tioga County observing Jefferson and Spotted larvae,I was starting to lose the light as it was getting late in the day.When out of the shadows I saw on the bottom a larva that I thought was dead,and worried I must have accidentally stepped on.Getting closer I realized it was very much alive!It looked like a ghost in the shadows.A leucistic Jefferson Salamander larva [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Please notice the tail injury that has started to regenerate and also the right rear toes have also started to do the same.I am sure it has metamorphosed by now and I wish it well to a life on land.An amazing,and unique and breathtaking site!Tioga County,Pa.7-13-19

12 week old Jefferson Salamander larva.Metamorphosis is almost complete,those once magnificent gills are all but gone.Now making frequent trips to the surface for air as its lungs are now developed.Tioga County,Pa.7-13-19 [Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

Summertime and the livin is easy.Jefferson Salamander larva,metamorphosis to juvenile salamander and a life on land almost complete.Please notice those long back toes a characteristic of Jefferson Salamanders.Tioga County,Pa.7-13-19 [Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

10 week old Jefferson Salamander larva that has lost it's right hind and forefoot,most likely another larva.[Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.6-29-19

10 week old Jefferson Salamander larva [A.jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.6-29-19

These 10 week old Jefferson Salamander larvae I last saw two weeks ago have grown 1/2 inches in that time-they are up to 2 1/2 inches now and are starting to thinner and longer.Please notice larva in pictures one and two has lost it's right hind and fore foot,most likely another larva.This vernal pool two weeks ago had many Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma maculatum],after searching for 2 hours could not find any.I am sure there are still some hidden,but the Jefferson have eaten a great many.Tioga County,Pa.6-29-19 [Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

I often get asked about telling the different Ambystoma larvae apart.I am not always correct,but over the years of observing many thousands of larvae you start to see see the differences between larvae.Sometimes the differences are small and the smaller the larvae,the smaller the differences and sometimes the smaller the larvae the bigger the differences [so they can be easier to tell apart] .These are the three Ambystoma larvae in my area that I am familiar with and they are all approximately the same age [8 weeks].Picture1 is a Jefferson [jeffersonianum],picture 2 a Spotted [maclutalum],pictures 3 & 4 are a Marbled [opacum].Jefferson larvae the are always broader in both width and height,they are kind of pudgy looking when young but as they get older [11 weeks] they will get narrower as the are starting to through metamorphosis.Their dorsal fin is wider and they have an overall greenish hue.All three have a row of spots on their sides but of the three Jefferson can be the hardest to see.Jefferson toes are always longer than either Spotted or Marbled,more noticeable as they get older. Spotted larvae are narrower at this age [8 weeks] the are usually a lighter color,their spots are more vivid than the jefferson but not near pronounced as the marbled.The Spotteds gills can be more massive and larger than both the Jeffersons and marbled,but you can't always go by the gills.Their dorsal fin is smaller than the jefferson at this age [not as wide].The Marbled is almost always a darker color,and this makes their spots really stand out.I include the last picture to show the grey pigmented chin of the Marbled,none of other larvae have this and is a sure way to tell Marbled.Spotted and Jefferson do not have this,their chins are clean [white].Marbled also have a second row of spots on their sides,as do both Jeffersons and Spotted but again do to their darker coloration the second row is more pronounced in the marbled.In the Spotted and Jefferson this second row can be almost impossible to see.

8 week old Jefferson larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.6-15-19

8 week old Jefferson larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.6-15-19 [Last picture seen with 4 week old Spotted salamander larva [Ambystoma maculatum]

8 week old Jefferson Salamander larvae [bottom] with 4 week old Spotted Salamander [top].[Ambystoma jeffersonianum & maculatum].Tioga County,Pa.6-15-19.Please notice the Spotted larva's hind limbs have just started to emerge.

Jefferson Salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Montour County,Pa.5-7-19

Recently hatched Jefferson Salamander larva [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.5-3-19.Please notice the balancers on its head.

4 week old Jefferson salamander larva [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] top,compared to a newly hatched Spotted salamander larva bottom [Ambystoma maculatum].Perry County,Pa.5-1-19-Please notice the balancers on the head of the Spotted larva.Balancers help the newly hatched larvae from sinking and also help with locomotion until the forelimbs develop.they are eventually absorbed back into the larvae

A really long and thin male Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.3-30-19

Two at one time in the same net [this will never happen again!].Jefferson and Spotted Salamanders.[A.jeffersonianum &.A.maculatum].Tioga County,Pa.3-30-19

Male Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.3-30-19.Almost half his total length is his beautiful and powerful tail.

Male Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.3-30-19

Male Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.3-30-19.Please notice the tiny blue flakes on his lower side.

Male Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.3-30-19

Male Jefferson Salamander and Jefferson Salamander eggs [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.3-30-19

More Jefferson salamander video from February.Central Pa.2019.[Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.2-21-19

Jefferson Salamander [ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.2-21-19

My second [first sighting was on February 16,on a very cold day] of a Jefferson Salamander of the year,but the first I was able to pictures and video of.2-21-19. Perry County.Pa. [Ambystoma jeffersonianum]

After hatching 12 weeks ago,a Jefferson salamander larva [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] has completed metamorphosis to a juvenile salamander and a life on land.Perry County,Pa.6-28-18

11 week old Jefferson Salamander larvae [A.jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.6-20-18

Ambystoma larvae comparison.9 week old Spotted Salamander larva [A.maculatum] top.Bottom 11 week old Jefferson Salamander larva [A.jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.6-21-18

11 week old Jefferson Salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.6-21-18.Metamorphosis is starting to take place.They are losing their once magnificent gills and they becoming longer and leaner in the body vs stocking in appearance.

A nice comparison of two Ambystoma species of salamander larvae.Top picture 6 week old Jefferson [A.jeffersonianum],bottom picture 30 week old old Marbled A.opacum.

10 week old Jefferson Salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.6-16-18

A comparison in Ambystoma salamander larvae.10 week old Jefferson [larger] and a 8 week old Spotted.Perry County,Pa.6-16-18

A comparison in Ambystoma salamander larvae.10 week old Jefferson [right] and a 8 week old Spotted.Perry County,Pa.6-16-18

A 6 week old Spotted Salamander larvae [A.maculatum] bottom,compared to a 8 week old Jefferson Salamander larvae [A.jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.6-7-18

A beautiful 8 week old Jefferson Salamander larvae [A.jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.6-7-18

8 week old A.jeffersonianum larvae.Perry County,Pa.6-7-18

8 week old A.jeffersonianum larvae.Perry County,Pa.6-7-18.Please notice the bite mark in its tail,most likely caused by another larvae.

8 week old A.jeffersonianum larvae.Perry County,Pa.6-7-18

A 6 week old Spotted Salamander larvae [A.maculatum] bottom,compared to a 2 month old Jefferson Salamander larvae [A.jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.6-7-18

Six week old A.jeffersonianum larvae.Perry County,Pa.5-24-18.Please notice those magnificent gills and long toes.The long toes helps to identify this species from all other Ambystoma species in our area,[Pa.].

Six week old A.jeffersonianum larvae.Perry County,Pa.5-24-18.

Six week old A.jeffersonianum larvae.Perry County,Pa.5-24-18

6 week old Jefferson salamander larvae [A.jeffersonianum] ,bottom.Compared to 4 week old Spotted salamander larvae [A.maculatum],top.Perry County,Pa.5-24-18

A six week old A.jeffersonianum larvae eating a large earthworm.Perry County,Pa.5-25-18

6 week old Jefferson salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.5-25-18,Please notice its heart [the large dark area]

Ambystoma jeffersonianum larvae with unusually white mark on its head [injury?].Perry County,Pa.5-25-18

Beautiful 6 week old Jefferson salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.5-25-18

6 week old Jefferson salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.5-25-18

Comparison pictures of 6 month old Jefferson salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] vs 4 week old Spotted salamander larvae,the smaller larvae in the pictures [Ambystoma maculatum].Perry County,Pa.5-25-18

6 month old Jefferson salamander larvae bottom [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] vs 4 week old Spotted salamander larvae top [Ambystoma maculatum].Perry County,Pa.5-25-18

Three week old Jefferson salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.5-19-18

Three week old Jefferson salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.5-19-18.Also pictured Wood Frog tadpoles [Lithobates sylvaticus].

Three week old Jefferson salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Tioga County,Pa.5-19-18

Jefferson Salamander Larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum],two and three week old.Tioga County,Pa.5-19-18.Also please notice the Wood Frog tadpoles [Lithobates sylvaticus].

It's amazing how much these Jefferson Salamander larvae have grown in just two weeks [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Picture on the left taken on 5-5-18 [notice the balancers on it's head],picture on right taken 5-19-18 [balancers are gone].The same vernal pool,Tioga County,Pa.5-19-18

Jefferson [A.jeffersonianum] embryos soon ready to hatch.Tioga County,Pa.5-5-18.Notice you can see a balancer on the right side of the larvaes head.The following is a great read By Valerie Ross in 80beats.It also has been shown to occur in Jefferson eggs-Very interesting!"Endosymbiotic" Algae Live Within the Cells of Salamanders.By Valerie Ross.
Spotted salamander embryos,a recent study found,have green algae lining inside their cells.While scientists have long known that the two species are symbiotic,each helping the other to survive,the new fings show that the arrangement is,in the reachers' words "more intimate than previously reported."In fact,it's the first such organism-within-cell partnership-known as endosymbiosis-ever observed in vertebrates.
Salamanders lay their eggs in ponds,also home to algae of the species Oophila amblystomatis,whose genus means "egg loving".It may be that that's when the algae burrows into the cells of the salamander embryos.Alternatively,parents might pass the algae on to their offspring.
However it happens ,algae takes up residence throughout a salamander embryo early on,when different tissues are still differentiating.Later on,the algae is mostly in the cells in the salamander's digestive tract.
while this is the first time endosymbiosis has been found in vertebrates,it's been observed in lots of other living things,like the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that line on roots of some plants.
By Valerie Ross

Newly hatched Jefferson larvae [A.jeffersonianum] ,within the last week.Tioga County,Pa.5-5-18.Notice the balancers on its head,balancers help with locomotion until the forelimbs develop,the are not permanent.

Newly hatched Jefferson larvae [A.jeffersonianum],within the last week.Tioga County,Pa.5-5-18.Notice the balancers on its head,balancers help with locomotion until the forelimbs develop,the are not permanent.

Comparing eggs and embryos of two Ambystoma salamander species.Jefferson's [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] the left,ready to hatch.Spotted [Ambystoma maculatum] on the right,one to two weeks from hatching.Notice the larger space between the inner envelope of the egg and the vitelline membrane in the Spotted egg.Tioga County,Pa.5-5-18

This picture shows the larvae of Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum],newly hatched.Please notice the rod like projections on the head of the larvae.These are called balancers,they help the newly hatched larvae from sinking and also maintain their balance.They are only on for a short while,till the larvae develops its forelimbs for use in locomotion.

These pictures show the larvae of Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum],both inside the egg [embryo] and newly hatched.Please notice the rod like projections on the head of the larvae both inside the egg and out.These are called balancers,they help the newly hatched larvae from sinking and also maintain their balance.They are only on for a short while,till the larvae develops its forelimbs for use in locomotion.

This series of pictures [44] shows the development of Jefferson eggs [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] and embryos from mating to one week old hatched larvae in 2018,Perry County,Pa..The first 5 pictures shows Jefferson salamanders gathered at a vernal pool on February 18 [you can see ice in the pictures].The next two pictures 6 & 7 shows Jefferson eggs after being laid February 22.Pictures 8,9,10 & 11 shows the embryos starting to develop,March 12.Pictures 12 & 13 were taken on April 1 shows how fast the embryos develop,you could witness the embryos moving inside the eggs and you can see their gills taking shape.The next 10 pictures [14-23] taken on April 12 shows even more embryo development inside the egg,you can see their eyes and gills.The next set of 6 pictures [24-29] taken on April 16 shows more pictures inside the eggs and embryos ready to hatch [the last of these pictures 29 & 30 does show an embryo that has hatched].The last 14 pictures [31-44] shows Jefferson larvae that have hatched and are one week old and are approximately 13.9 mm in length.Also there are two pictures [40 & 41] of one week old Jefferson larvae compared to 5 1\2 month old Marbled salamander larvae [Ambystoma opacum] both species of Ambystoma salamanders.This series of pictures from mating to larvae took approximately 8 weeks.Please notice the rod like projections coming from the larvaes head [picture 44],they are called balancers,you can even see them on the larvae inside the egg [pictures 26 & 27] ."Balancers are paired ,rod like lateral projections that develop on the head of many pond-type larvae.In some species they are resorbed before the larvae hatch.In others they persist until the developing forelimbs have become fully functional.During the interim,the balancers [along with the extended forelimbs] seem to keep the larvae from sinking into the muddy substrate and help the larvar to maintain its balance during its first feeble attempts at locomotion using the forelimbs".From the wonderful book "Biology Of Amphibians" by William E.Duellman and Linda Trueb.

5 1/2 month old Ambystoma opacum larvae compared to a 1 week old Ambystoma jeffersonianum larvae.Perry County,Pa.4-22-18

Newly hatched A.jeffersonianum larvae.Perry County,Pa.4-14-18

Jefferson Salamander larvae inside egg,you can clearly see the gills.Unlike Marbled and Spotted salamander larvae Jefferson larvae hatch without forelimbs.

Jefferson Salamander larvae [embryos] ready to hatch [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.4-14-18.One actually hatched in my photographic tank.

A comparison between newly hatched larvae.A.jeffersonianum on left approximately 13.9 mm,Perry County,Pa.4-14-18 and A.opacum on right at approximately 19 mm,Dauphin County,Pa.11-1-17.A.opacum has visible forelimbs where as A.jeffersonianum does not

Jefferson Salamander embryo ready to hatch [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.4-14-18.Six weeks after being laid.Most of eggs that I saw were already hatched,there were just a few like this one still in the egg.In fact one hatched in my photographic tank.In the water the larvae are so tiny,they look like insect larvae.Compared to A.maculatum and A.opacum,they are the smallest salamander larvae that I have ever seen.

Jefferson Salamander egg and embryo.Perry County,Pa.4-10-18.This egg was laid the week of 2-19-18,approximately 7 weeks old,you can see the eyes and gills.Please notice the unknown insect larvae in some of the pictures.

Ambystoma jeffersonianum embryos.Perry County,Pa.4-10-18.These eggs were laid the week of 2-19-18

Jefferson embryos taken eleven days apart.picture at top taken 3-30-18,picture at bottom taken 4-10-18.Perry County,Pa.

Developing Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] embryos.Perry County,Pa.3-30-18.Laid the week of 2-19-18.You can start to see their gills developing

Developing Jefferson Salamander embryos [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.3-18-18.It shouldn't be long now till they hatch

A very good example of the difference in salamander eggs.Spotted Salamander eggs [A.maculatum] on the left and Jefferson on the right [A.jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.3-18-18.Notice the embryos of the Jefferson eggs are much more developed those of the Spotted embryos.Jefferson [these were laid the week of 2-19-18] eggs are almost always laid before the Spotted [these were laid the week of March 5] .Also notice the vitelline membrane surrounding the Spotted eggs is much further from the embryo compared to that of the Jefferson eggs.The white masses are more Spotted eggs that are alright [some just turn opaque white]

The beautiful and amazing Fairy Shrimp [Anostraca].Perry County,Pa.3-20-18.A food source so many vernal pool creatures,salamander larvae,frogs,tadpoles all feed on them

The beautiful and amazing Fairy Shrimp [Anostraca].Perry County,Pa.3-20-18.A food source so many vernal pool creatures,salamander larvae,frogs,tadpoles all feed on them.Please notice the eggs she is carrying inside her.

Jefferson Salamander eggs showing various stages of embryo development.Perry County,Pa.3-10-18.Embryos hatch within 4-6 weeks after being laid,and may become greenish from algal growth.

Developing Jefferson Salamander embryos inside eggs [A.jeffersonianum].Perry County,Pa.3-10-18.Please notice the fairy shrimp.

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]

Female Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,2-21-18.The long toe on the hind foot,indicative of this species.

Female Jefferson Salamander.Perry County,2-21-18-She's a beauty and she knows it!

Jefferson Salamander eggs.Perry County,2-21-18

Jefferson Salamander eggs [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,2-21-18

Jefferson Salamanders under water and ice,you have to look close to see them all!Perry County,2-18-18

A female Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] in the snow.Perry County,Pa.2-18-18

A group of Jefferson salamanders [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] in mating season.Perry County,2-18-18

A male Jefferson Salamander.Perry County,2-16-15.Please notice the broad tail used for swimming in mating season [on left] and the long toe on the hind foot,indicative of this species [pictures on right].

Male Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,2-16-18.Also shown the location where he was found.

On a recent trip to Perry County I was fortunate [very] to catch a Jefferson salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] [which is why I was there,on previous trips I thought I was seeing them [Jefferson's] with the Marbled larvae,only a few and I was determined to get some pictures in my photographic tank,to make identification easier].I always set up on a log that is there, perfect for sitting the tank on.I started taking pictures and out of the corner of my eye I saw a Green Frog [lithobates clamitans] coming out on the log and every time the larvae moved he came closer,until he finally he was throwing himself [jumping] against the glass trying to catch the the larvae inside!I just left him there until I got all the pictures I wanted.When I put the larvae back in the vernal pool he was still there,and when I left he was still there on the log wondering what happened to his meal!You just never know what you will see in the great outdoors! 7-3-17

Jefferson Salamander larvae [Ambystoma jeffersonianum].Perry County,7-3-17

Ambystoma jeffersonianum larvae.Perry County,5-22 & 6-2-17

Jefferson Salamander [Ambystoma jeffersonianum] under a log with a Northern Slimy Salamander [Plethodon glutinosus].Perry County,6-9-17