Ambystoma maculatum pics

David Tobler

Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Messages
53
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Country
United States
I snapped some shots of one my spotties today. I picked up a group of 10 about 2 months ago, and finally got around to taking a picture today. I only snapped pictures of one of them. Hope you guys like them.

abymac61808a.jpg


abymac61808close.jpg


abymac61808.jpg
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

Those are really pretty! Even the leaf is really pretty!
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

Great pictures. Ahhh, it makes me love my own spottie even more.:D
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

beautiful animal, looks very healthy, you must be extremely proud.
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

beautiful animal, looks very healthy, you must be extremely proud.


Thanks, I got 9 more just like it. I only feed them a couple crickets every 7 to 10 days. I'm trying to keep them lean before attempting to breed them. I plan on bulking them up at the start of the breeding process.
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

Where did they come from, that they have that orange?
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

They look happy, plump, but not overly so. Did you ever take photos of the suspect spermatophores?
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

They are really beauty!!!
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

Where did they come from, that they have that orange?

Well, I'm not sure what location they came from. I'd think that they are fairly polymorphic with any given population. Not all of my spotties have orange spots on the head, just 5 out of the 10. I deffinately prefer the orange-spotted heads over the others. 1 has the pale spotting, and the others have all yellow spots.

I wonder if there's any field herpers in here that could give a guess on the locale?
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

They look happy, plump, but not overly so. Did you ever take photos of the suspect spermatophores?


Hey, thanks. I never took a photo, I jumped the gun in assuming they were spermatophores. I think that the little white clumps were just broken up feces, or shed. I don't know, they disappered after a few days. Regardless of what they were, no eggs were produced by the females.

I'm going to attempt to breed these beasties following the natural reproductive pattern of our local Ambystomatid salamander, A.californiense. I've spent some time in the field observing the start of their migration, which usually starts around December in Central California.
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

very nice spotted, is your spotted more outgoing then the shy ones most people know?

As for locals, Im pretty sure orange spots on the head doesn't seem to only occur in one place, so it could be from anywhere.
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

Nice shots of a very cool salamander. Too much WC herping for you. For the most part our eastern herps cannot be guessed to locality by color patterns. You guys can guess what road some of your herps come from! The orange in the head spots just happens in various populations (and unfortunately, it seems not in any populations near me).

Andy
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

very nice spotted, is your spotted more outgoing then the shy ones most people know?

As for locals, Im pretty sure orange spots on the head doesn't seem to only occur in one place, so it could be from anywhere.


All of mine are very skittish. It took awhile to get that spotted to sit still. He just wanted to crawl and hide underneath something.
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

Nice shots of a very cool salamander. Too much WC herping for you. For the most part our eastern herps cannot be guessed to locality by color patterns. You guys can guess what road some of your herps come from! The orange in the head spots just happens in various populations (and unfortunately, it seems not in any populations near me).

Andy

How true, with the "what road" comment! I thought I recognized the name, you're from FHF. See what us WC (West Coast) herpers keep? Central and Eastern species!! Haha..
 
Re: A. maculatum pics

Great pics! Everything came out clear. I really liked the background you put him in.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Re: A. maculatum pics

In addition to what others have said, be sure to enter some of your photographs into our Calender competition!
 
Well, I've entered the photo competition. I think a few have asked about my camera and flash setup previously. As John stated in the competition thread, and I'm sure I've posted before on here, my camera is a Sony F828. I use an auxilery (screws on the end, like a filter) Canon 500d close-up lens. I use the onboard flash, set at it's lowest power. I diffuse the light using a plastic milk container mounted with a few elastic straps around the body and lens. I place the plastic diffuser as close as I can to the end of the lens barrel to minimize lens shadow.

meandjefflemm.jpg


You can catch a glimpse of my camera and diffuser in this picture.
 
I do wish I had a DSLR with a true 1:1 macro lens for these little guys...

Bmajor08.jpg


bmajormajorclose.jpg


Batrachoseps m. major - Garden Slender Salamander
 
I place the plastic diffuser as close as I can to the end of the lens barrel to minimize lens shadow.
And that gives you pretty awesome diffusion because you're diffusing already diffuse light. I need to rig something like that for my flash because the diffusion dome doesn't cut it for close-up.
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • hhlarmore:
    Had a question that I just want to be sure of. My marbled newt is a little over a year old and has started to develop and I noticed that he is starting to swell a little below his abdomen. I guess I’d like to know if they are his testes or if I need to be concerned.
    +2
    Unlike
  • FragileCorpse:
    Guess no one answers anything here, gonna have to make a post I gues
    +2
    Unlike
  • SkudulfXD:
    Hello!!! I'm new to this website and idk how to ask a proper question on the designated spot yet, so I'll ask here, I'm a first time Axolotl owner, and my dad used to run an aquarium store, anyways... Orca, my Axolotl, seems to loose parts of her toes on one limb from time to time, I can't seem to find the problem. Tempature is well, she doesn't seem to have any infections or anything, though. And I'm not sure if I'll be able to find a vet in Brazil for amphibians that are in a reasonable distance to drive without stressing Orca out too much
    20241201_124749.jpg
    20241201_124838.jpg
    +1
    Unlike
  • Toast69:
    Hello, I’m hoping for some advice please. Our Axolotl is about 7 months old. Till now no problem. Eating, growing and happy. He’s simply stopped eating. Everything looks fine, his gills look healthy and no apparent signs of sickness. He just swims past the pellets and bloodworm like he can’t smell it. I don’t think it’s a blockage either. Any ideas and suggestions for treatment would be much appreciated. Thank you!
    +1
    Unlike
  • Olivia:):
    what is the best thermometer for my axolotl tank? preferably on Amazon, and can you show me a picture or a link:) thank you!
    +1
    Unlike
  • Olivia:):
    Also should I have a fan hitting my axolotl tank 24/7?
    +1
    Unlike
  • thenewtster:
    does anyone know how to care for mud salamanders:)thanks.
    +1
    Unlike
  • thenewtster:
    hello
    +1
    Unlike
  • thenewtster:
    how long do mud salamanders live
    +1
    Unlike
  • thenewtster:
    im new to the salamaner comunity
    +1
    Unlike
  • thenewtster:
    hey guys, again im resarching mud salamander babys and there care:)
    +1
    Unlike
  • Katia Del Rio-Tsonis:
    Dear All, I would appreciate some help identifying P. waltl disease and treatment. We received newts from Europe early November and a few maybe 3/70 had what it looked like lesions under the legs- at that time we thought maybe it was the stress of travel- now we think they probably had "red leg syndrome" (see picture). However a few weeks later other newts started to develop skin lesions (picture enclosed). The sender recommended to use sulfamerazine and we have treated them 2x and we are not sure they are all recovering. Does anyone have any experience with P. waltl diseases and could give some input on this? Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
    +1
    Unlike
  • Katia Del Rio-Tsonis:
    sorry I am having a hard time trying to upload the pictures- I have them saved on my hard drive... any suggestions-the prompts here are not allowing for downloads that way as far as I can tell. Thanks
    +1
    Unlike
    Katia Del Rio-Tsonis: sorry I am having a hard time trying to upload the pictures- I have them saved on my hard... +1
    Back
    Top