Marbled Salamander [Ambystoma opacum] 3

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]

Male Ambystoma opacum patiently waiting to intercept a female. Pa. 9-11-22. Maybe she will be impressed with his camouflage!

An incredible male leucistic Ambystoma opacum. Pa. 9-11-22

Male Marbled Salamander with its foot on a Viscid violet Cort Mushroom [Cortinarius iodes]. Pa. 9-5-22 [above & below]

After seeing around 70 males at this vernal pool on two different nights [9-5 & 9-11, both rainy nights] this is the is the first female seen at this particular pool, I ending up seeing three females and one male, again a rainy night. Pa. 9-22-22. On the two non rain nights at this pool not one salamander was observed. It would seem rain plays a key part in Ambystoma opacum breeding season, and is necessary for Marbled to become active, and there for breeding to take place.

I don't see anything! A male Ambystoma opacum has a good hiding spot. Pa. 9-11-22

Two male Ambystoma opacum crossing paths, looking for a territory to stake out and call their own in hope of intercepting a female. Pa. 9-5-22

A large male after the rain, just listen to those Katydids! In two nights I saw 70+ males at one vernal pool, I am sure some were the same. Ambystoma opacum. Pa. 9-5&11-22. Still not one female or nest seen.

Don't ever let anyone tell you that salamanders are slow! Ambystoma opacum. Pa. 9-5-22

What amazing find, a male leucistic Marbled Salamander [Ambystoma opacum]. I was struck by so many things upon seeing this beautiful creature, not only the unique coloration but the pink limbs instead of the usual black. You can see veining in the left hind limb, as the limbs almost appear translucent. I had gotten to watch a leucistic larva grow and reach metamorphosis to land in this very pool a few years ago. And I have always wondered since if he made it facing all the perils that go along with not only being a young salamander, but a salamander with such unusual markings. So I would like think this is the very same salamander, but of course there is no way to tell that, so I will just imagine it! Pa. 9-11-22 

Two male Ambystoma opacum on their territories waiting to intercept females on their way to the vernal pool. Pa. 9-5-22. I never saw anything like this, 40+ males in one night!

Four male Ambystoma opacum in a steady rain. After a very long dry spell this rain really seem to stimulate them make them active, at least the males anyway. Of the 40+ Marbled Salamanders seen of this night all were males, as they are the first to arrive and stake out a one foot square territory in and near the vernal pool and wait for the females to arrive. Pa. 9-5-22

Two male Ambystoma opacum in the rain. Pa. 9-5-22. Notice the male on left has lost the tip of its tail. Notice too the vent check the two males make for just a fraction of a second, the other can be seen testing the air for scent before moving on. Very interesting interaction and behavior.

Two [above and below] uniquely patterned and beautiful male Ambystoma opacum. Pa. 9-5-22

These two male Marbled Salamanders checked each others vents for only a fraction of a second and immediately a intense battle ensued, tail slaps and pushing each other around and trying to get under one another to gain an advantage. A Very heated struggle to claim a one foot square territory outside the vernal pool in hopes of intercepting females on their way to the pool. This behavior is something that I have never witnessed before. Upon listening to the video later I could audibly hear "squeaks and barks and chirps" associated with the battle. I am not aware of salamanders making sounds and I cannot say for sure if the sounds are emanating from the salamanders or an unknown source, such as me or my cell phone. More study is definitely needed. But nevertheless to be able to capture this behavior after so many years of studying this salamander was to say the least, very overwhelming for me.. All of this was in the dark and in a driving rain. Pa. 9-5-22, 9:00 pm [Ambystoma opacum]. Note I have since learned that when salamanders become agitated they can and do make sounds such as described above, "squeaks and barks and chirps". So it is entirely possible the sounds heard in the video are in fact emanating from the salamanders.

First Marbled Salamander of the breeding season, a male in a steady rain. Pa. 9-5-22 [Ambystoma opacum]

Only a few of the 40+ males seen in the rain waiting to intercept females on their way to the vernal pool. Pa. 9-5-22 Ambystoma opacum. And this was only at one corner of the vernal pool, I did not venture further for fear of stepping on a salamander as they were everywhere underfoot. I have never witness anything remotely like Monday night! 8:00-9:30 pm