Albino Arboreal

[russ]

Here are a couple of updated pics of that albino arboreal. I'm pretty sure it's a male, the gland doesn't quite show yet but it's teeth do.

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[sarah]

How cute, it has spots and everything

 

[paris]

get him busy! i want one too. you got enough girls for him? the gold spots are very cool in the alabaster white.

 

[TJ]

Really stunning, Russ

 

[ingo]

Hello,

is it really an albino?? I miss the red eyes.

Greetings Ingo V.

 

[russ]

Yes, he's really albino and I should have a few mates for it. I was afraid he wouldn't be large enough by fall but he's really starting to put some size on now.

 

[sherrisixxx]

Wow! How rare is it?

 

[christopher]

grose!!!!!!!! Just kidding but he does look a little bit on the slimy side but eh you gotta love'em....

 

[paris]

chris-these are completely lung-less animals, w/o the damp 'slimy' skin they wouldnt be able to breathe. i think russ sprayed them off before he shot the photo though-so hes extra shiny.

 

[russ]

I didn't spray him, I think the flash just enhanced it.

And I'd say he is fairly rare. Unfortunately most of the albinos or other oddities I hear about are found by people more interested in reptiles and they tend to leave them in the field. The owner of this animals, John Schilling, originally left it in situ until I inquired about it. Luckily is was still under the same log the next day.

 

[samantha]

awwwwwww hes sooo cute...i want an albino one..lol

 

[kieron]

Awww how cool i would love one off them

 

[simon]

Where in CA did you find him? That's an awesome animal, I like the gold spots too.

P.S.- What other species of Aneides do you work with, Russ?

 

[russ]

John Schilling found him, the exact locale escapes me at the moment. I'm also working with vagrans and flavs.

 

[simon]

I have yet to ever find an Aneides in the wild. So far every time I've been in the correct habitat on the Pacific coast I've found some other plethonid. Hopefully I'll go to the Sacramento mtns here in NM sometime or another, A. hardii sounds cool. What kind of habitat do the vagrans like?

 

[russ]

A.hardii are easy to find, they can even be very abundant at some locations at the right time of year (now). Too bad they're protected. I found the vagrans under the bark of downed redwoods and firs.

 

[simon]

What kind of habitat does hardii like? Under bark, downed trees, moss? With all of the rain here in NM I'll bet they're all out at the surface. I'll probably be able to go sometime soon I hope

. Are your vagrans from CA or Vancouver Island/mainland?

 

[russ]

I usually find hardii under pieces of wood or bark on the ground, not under bark on logs. The strangest thing I've seen with them is finding them under rocks along a small brook. They were literally at the waters edge and would jump in and swim away. You won't find that in any literature. The vagrans are form CA.

 

[simon]

I've had that same jumping thing happen with Western Red-Backed Salamanders, Plethodon vehiculum. I was looking for Dicamptodon along a stream bank when I found a large vehiculm (2 1/2-3") under a rock. When, after looking at it and taking photos I went to go return it to its little hideout, it promptly flipped into a small waterfall and I though he had drowned. It turned up unscathed on an emergent rock a few moments later. It's well known that most of the western Plethonids are capable swimmers, but Aneides? That's pretty cool, I've never heard that before.

 

[michael]

wow thats beautiful I've never seen a albino salamander that so amazing