Spotted Salamander 1 [Ambystoma maculatum]

Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum] 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]

Went to visit what was left of a vernal pool and found just a puddle in the bottom perhaps 1" deep and was surprised to find about a dozen Spotted Salamander larvae in the water and mud.They were so tiny [1 to 1 1/2 "].But they looked like they were ready to leave the pool-like metamorphosis in miniature.Their fore and hind limbs were well developed and their gills are all but gone.Drying pools will speed up metamorphosis but why in mid August there are still larvae so tiny?Nature sure is a wonder and just when you think you understand everything you don't understand anything!And I think that is wonderful,so much to learn![Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.8-16-19

A beautiful 10 week old Spotted salamander larva [Ambystoma maculatum].Tioga County,Pa.7-29-19

A badly damaged 8 week old Spotted Salamander larva [Ambystoma maculatum].Not only servere bite to the tail,also an suffering an injury to its left eye.Most likely done by other larvae.Tioga County,Pa.7-13-19.With all of that the larva seems to be doing well.Larvae and adult salamanders will regenerate injuries.Remarkable!

"Pals for life" 38 week old Ambystoma opacum [Marbled Salamander] larva,metamorphosis almost complete,soon to leave the vernal pool and it's watery home for the last 9 1/2 months as a juvenile Marbled salamander never to return to the water again. Pictured with 8 week old Spotted Salamander larva [A.maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.7-5-19

Vernal pool family picture.38 week old Marbled Salamander larva [bottom],6 week old Spotted Salamander larva [middle],Wood Frog tadpole [top].Dauphin County,Pa.7-5-19

38 week old A.opacum larva.Metamorphosis almost complete,soon to leave the vernal pool as a juvenile Marbled salamander pictured with 6 week old Spotted Salamander larva [A.maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.7-5-19

Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma maculatum] with Wood frog tadpoles [Lithobates sylvaticus].Dauphin County,Pa.6-27-19

It's good to be a Spotted Salamander larvae [A.maculatum],with Wood frog tadpoles [lithobates sylvaticus].Summertime and the livin is easy.Till someone tries to eat you,especially a brother or sister!These are about 6 weeks old and have their hinds limbs.Dauphin County,Pa.6-27-19-I count two how many do you see?

4 week old Spotted Salamander larva.Showing internal organs,stomach,intestines and heart.Dauphin County,Pa.6-21-19 [Ambystoma maculatum]

36 week old Marbled Salamander larva [A.opacum] with a 6 week old Spotted Salamander larva [A.maculatum].Both Ambystoma salamanders,its hard to believe that one day the Spotted larva will be the same size as the Marbled larva,and it won't take nearly as long as the Marbled does to reach this size-Marbled lay eggs in the fall whereas Spotted lay eggs is the spring,this gives the Marbled a big head start,but grow rate through the winter can be very slow.Dauphin County,Pa.6-21-19.

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 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.

Two week old Spotted Salamander Larvae,show heart and digestive track.[Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.6-7-19

4 week old spotted salamander larva with unusual red spot on forehead.[Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.5-28-19

Newly hatched Spotted salamander larvae [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.5-17-19.Less than 1 hour old [I watched them hatch,one right in my tank!]

Spotted Salamander embryos at different stages of development [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.5-17-19.Please notice the Algae growing inside the eggs.The algae and the salamander depend on one another for their survival.The following is from 80beats and by Valerie Ross."Salamander embryos need oxygen,which the algae produces.The algae need lots of nitrogen and a place to stay,and the salamander cells meet both criteria."The algae actually live inside the salamanders cells!They have found this occurring in both Jefferson and Spotted salamanders.Pa.2019

I am a little confused by this tiny vernal pool that I first found in Dauphin County in early April.When first found it only had a few salamander eggs some of which I believed to be Jefferson and some Spotted.Now on May 17,when all Ambystoma eggs I know of are hatched,back at the tiny pool there are a lot more eggs then before and most of which have not hatched yet and some embryos are nowhere near ready to hatch.The ones that have hatched are definitely Spotted [Ambystoma maculatum].The pool is in a very shaded area.But I am surprised to see eggs that have still not hatched.Just when you think you have it all figured out,you don't,and it's great!There is still so much to see and learn.Please notice the Algae growing inside the eggs.The algae and the salamander depend on one another for their survival.The following is from 80beats and by Valerie Ross."Salamander embryos need oxygen,which the algae produces.The algae need lots of nitrogen and a place to stay,and the salamander cells meet both criteria."The algae actually live inside the salamanders cells!They have found this occurring in both Jefferson and Spotted salamanders.Pa.2019

Newly hatched Spotted Salamander larva [Ambystoma maculatum].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

This is one of the largest,heaviest Spotted Salamander that I have ever encountered.[Ambystoma maculatum].Montour County,Pa.4-17-19

Male Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.4-10-19

A beautiful Male Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.4-10-19

Ambystoma maculatum.Dauphin County,Pa.4-4-19

Male Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum].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

Over wintered Spotted salamander larva [Ambystoma maculatum].Meaning they hatched last year but did not metamorphosis.This was the first time I have ever encountered this.Shown to me by my friend Bethe Gettle.Thank you to Brandon M. Ruhe for the identification.Lancaster County,Pa.3-17-19.Please notice the left rear limb regeneration.

A beautiful 14 week old Spotted Salamander larva [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.8-23-18

A.maculatum larva in the process of defecating.Dauphin County,Pa.8-23-18

Spotted Salamander larvae are really growing fast now [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.8-23-18.These hatched around the first of May 2017.Approximately 14 weeks old.

I found this interesting behavior,this Spotted Salamander larva [A.maculatum] had defecated in my photographic tank.It could not rid itself of the feces.After quite a while it let out a "yawn" [this is something I have never witness before,a larva "yawning"] in a effort to rid itself,I believe,of the feces.It worked it soon fell off.Dauphin County,Pa.8-23-18

A.maculatum larva [top] with A.opacum.Dauphin County,Pa.8-18-18

Ambystoma maculatum larvae.Dauphin County,Pa.8-18-18.Please notice the damaged tail on larva on left,from unknown predator,most likely another larva.

Comparison pictures of two Ambystoma species of larvae.A.opacum [top] and A.maculatum [bottom] first two pictures,A.opacum bottom last picture.Dauphin County,Pa.8-18-18.Please notice the pigmented chin on A.opacum.A.opacum is the only Ambystoma species to have this distinguishing characteristic.Where as A.maculatum does not have a pigmented chin and is much lighter from the chin through the underside.

A.maculatum larvae approximately 14 weeks old [Hatched in mid April].Dauphin County,Pa.8-1-18.Notice the bite mark on the tail of larva on the right,from another larva.And please notice those beautiful massive gills.

Nice comparison pictures of larvae.A.opacum larva [Marbled Salamander,top [picture above], and left two pictures below] and A.maculatum [Spotted Salamander,bottom [picture above] and right two pictures below].Dauphin County,Pa.8-1-18.Notice how the A.opacum is more heavily spotted along sides and has a row of spots on the tail whereas A. maculatum does not have these spots.Also notice that maculatum has more massive gills,this is noticeable even when young [newly hatched].

9 week old Spotted Salamander larva [A.maculatum].Perry County,Pa.6-20-18

9 week old Spotted Salamander larva [A.maculatum].Perry County,Pa.6-21-18

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

8 week old Spotted Salamander larva [Ambystoma maculatum].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

6 week old Spotted Salamander larvae [A.maculatum].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

Newly hatched salamander larvae comparison.Marbled Salamander [Ambystoma opacum] top.Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum] bottom.Please notice the pigmented chin on the Marbled [Marbled are the only Ambystoma to have this] vs the clean or white chin of the Spotted.Also notice the more prominent row of spots on the side of the Marbled.

Newly hatched Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.5-26-18.please notice the balancers projecting from the heads of the larvae.Balancers help the larvae in locomotion until the forelimbs develop,then they are absorbed back into the larvae.

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

Four week old Spotted salamander larvae [Ambystoma maculatum].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

Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum] eggs and embryos.Tioga County,Pa.5-5-18.One to two weeks from hatching.The following is a great reading 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

Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum] eggs and embryos.Tioga County,Pa.5-5-18.One to two weeks from hatching

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

6 month old Marbled Salamander larvae with Spotted Salamander egg & embryo.Dauphin County,Pa.4-29-18

Spotted Salamander [A.maculatum] eggs & embryos.Dauphin County,Pa.4-29-18.You can see their eyes and gills developing.Unknown age.

6 month old Marbled Salamander larvae [Ambystoma opacum] with Spotted Salamander eggs and embryos [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin,County,Pa.4-29-18

6 month old Marbled Salamander larvae [Ambystoma opacum] with Spotted Salamander egg and embryo [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin,County,Pa.4-29-18

6 month old Marbled larvae feeding on the membrane [matrix] of Spotted salamander eggs [A.maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.4-29-18

Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.4-14-18

Ambystoma maculatum.Dauphin County,Pa.4-14-18

Two different Spotted Salamanders [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,Pa.4-14-18

Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum].Perry County,Pa.3-18-18

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.

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]

Male Spotted Salamander spermatophores [A. maculatum].Dauphin County,3-4-18.Males produce an average of about 40 spermatophores during courtship.The female usually mounts 15-20 spermatophores to fertilize herself during courtship.

The largest and darkest Spotted Salamander that I have ever found [A.maculatum].Coos County,N.H. 9-9-17

Here we are in mid September and there are still plenty of spotted salamander larvae in this particular pool,I believe this one is about ready to leave.[A.maculatum].Dauphin County,9-18-17

A recently metamorphic Spotted salamander [A.maculatum].Dauphin County,9-18-17 [I just love those toes,they look so delicate and dainty]

Other Spotted Salamander larvae [A.maculatum] from yesterday.Younger than the one pictured below.Dauphin County,8-9-17

Saw many hundreds of Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma maculatum] yesterday.Found this one that is metamorphosing and will soon be leaving the water.Notice the gills are all but gone,and the once aquatic tail is more like the adult tail it will be.What a great & wonderful and beautiful transformation to watch!Dauphin County,8-19-17

Hundreds of Spotted Salamander Larvae [Ambystoma maculatum] seen yesterday in a very full vernal pool!Hatched sometime in in late May,notice the one starting to lose his gills.Dauphin county,8-13-17.What a great birthday present!I believe its several years in this and many other vernal pools that the spotted's are going to be able to complete metamorphosis to adults due to this years abundant rain fall,its so wonderful to see.

Just a week earlier [July 28] this vernal pool had hundreds of Spotted salamander [Ambystoma maculatum] larvae,hatched in mid May,now on August 6 this was the only one I saw and felt fortunate to to see that one.Have the others gone through metamorphosis and left the pool?If so they leave the water sooner and smaller than the Marbled salamanders do.Notice the bite mark on the tail [most likely from another salamander].Dauphin County.2017

Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma maculatum].These hatched in mid May.They are really growing fast now.This will be the first time in a good many years [at least in the vernal pools I have been watching] that they will be able to complete metamorphosis to adults, because all the vernal pools are filled with water and it looks wonderful!Its a rare sight this time of year.The one pool did dry up [in the same area as this pool] before the rains came and hundreds of larvae perished.Dauphin County,7-28-17

Two different Spotted Salamander larvae [ambystoma maculatum].You can see the intestinal track in some of the pictures.I don't know when these hatched.Dauphin County, 7-20-17

Three different Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma maculatum].hatched around the May 20th.Dauphin County,7-16-17

Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,6-27-17

Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maclutam] larvae hatched around the 14th May,compared to Marbled Salamander larvae [A.opacum] [larger],hatched around the 1st of March.Notice the bite marks on the tail of A.macutlatum,from eating [cannibalizing] each other,not only different species but also from the same species-Its a tough world being a larvae! DauphinCounty

Newly hatched Spotted Salamander larvae [Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County.5-19-17

Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum].Potter County,5-13-17

Four week old Ambystoma maculatum larvae compared to an adult.Tioga and Potter Counties,5-13-17

Approximately four week old Ambystoma maculatum larvae,same vernal pool as below.Tioga County,5-13-17

Two week old Ambystoma maculatum larvae.Tioga County,4-29-17

Developing Ambystoma maculatum larvae inside the eggs.Soon ready to hatch.And a two week old A. maculatum larvae.Tioga County,4-29-17

Developing Ambystoma maculatum eggs.Dauphin & Tioga Counties,4-15 & 4-18-17

Ambystoma maculatum.Dauphin County,4-12-17

Ambystoma maculatum,"winking" [cleansing his eye].Dauphin County,4-5-17

Ambystoma maculatum spermatophores.Dauphin County,3-29-17.After courting the males deposit the spermatophores [40 on average] for the females who in turn will pick them up [up to 15-20 spermatophores],to fertilize their eggs.In 2 to 3 days the females will start to lay their eggs.

Spotted Salamanders coming up for air [approximately every five minutes],[Ambystoma maculatum].Dauphin County,4-5-17

Spotted Salamander [Ambystoma maculatum].Schuylkill County,4-2-17

Ambystoma maculatum.Dauphin County,4-2-16

Ambystoma maculatum larvae.Coos County,N.H.,9-9-16

Spotted salamander [Ambystoma maculatum] spermatophores,vernal pool.Dauphin county,3-11&4-15-16.After courting the males deposit the spermatophores [40 on average] for the females who in turn will pick them up [up to 15-20 spermatophores],to fertilize their eggs.In 2 to 3 days the females will start to lay their eggs.

Spotted salamander [ambystoma maculatum] eggs.Dauphin county,5-8-16

Ambystoma maculatum.Dauphin county,4-2-16

Ambystoma maculatum [no.3] & [no.3] in a vernal pool .Dauphin county,4-2-16

Ambystoma maculatum [no.1]

Ambystoma maculatum [no.2]

Ambystoma maculatum [no.3]

Three Ambystoma maculatum all with different spot patterns.Dauphin county,3-31 & 4-2-16

Ambystoma maculatum [no.2].Dauphin county,4-2-16

Ambystoma maculatum [no.1].Dauphin county,3-31-16

Spotted Salamanders [Ambystoma maculatum] coming up for air [approximately every five minutes] in a vernal pool.Dauphin county,4-2-16

Ambystoma maculatum eggs,vernal pool.Dauphin county,4-2-16

Ambystoma maculatum eggs, vernal pool.Dauphin county,4-2&25-16