About Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum)

Comic credit goes to this site.

Spotted Salamanders are one of the most common ambystomids. I've only seen them run in the Eastern Panhandle once. It was on March 27th of the year. It wasn't a rainy night if I recall correctly, but it was pretty warm. I saw the spotties in a permanent pond in Sleepy Creek that just happens to be fishless (no connecting streams).
I've caught them in drift fences more often than any other ambystomid and almost as often as Red Efts (Notophthalmus v. viridescens).  But this next one was under a coverboard.

Spotted Salamander larvae (and most likely other ambystomid salamander larvae, and other candidates) also have  an interesting mutualistic relationship with  algae.
Now's the time to see these guys migrating to breeding ponds but if you miss that (awesome) event you can steal find the product of all that activity much easier.

Photo reference

Eggs are aggregated into globular masses that are surrounded by a clear mass of gelatinous membrane. The outer membrane will help you to determine if the egg mass if from Spotted Salamanders or Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus). Jelly on the outside = Spotted Salamander. Eggs on the edge of the mass = Wood Frogs.

A new "ugly salamander" discovered in Equador...

If these people could just see a hellbender what would their definition of ugly become? It's rediculous.
This salamander may be "bug-eyed", but does anyone notice from the video that it appears to have its nose minimized and its eyes forward facing. This would give the salamander excellent depth preception. This is the velociraptor of the salamander world. A clear stalking visual hunter.
Also note the enlarged "whisker" or "mustache" hanging from the rostrum. Enhanced sense organ! Channeling chemical (smell) data much like the plethodons and their nasolabial grooves.



"Conservation International has announced the discovery of 12 animal species -- four amphibians, seven insects and one lizard -- believed to be new to science. The species were found during a survey of the Upper Nangaritza River Basin in southeastern Ecuador and include a bug-eyed salamander that's been termed simply "the ugly salamander," a poison arrow frog, and an insect intriguingly named the white-faced gnome katydid. (Continues at link...)"

Link for the article... this stuff is fresh...