Can anyone I.D this?

[Jus10]

While deer hunting today(in northeastern Mississippi) I was walking through a slough and noticed several of these little guys darting around.

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Larvae this small are very hard to ID. Maybe you can dwindle the possibilities by checking state range maps for salamanders/newts. Although not all states have public range maps or accurate range maps.

Doesn't seem like a Plethodon larvae. I'd say Ambystoma judging from head shape. Definitely has the body shape and gills of a vernal pond amphibian. I wouldn't exclude Notophthalmus/Eastern Newt either.

 

[Jus10]

I figured it would be pretty hard to ID one this small. Im quite interested to find out what these are! I havent seen a salamander around here in a few years and what I used to find I believe were slimy salamanders,which these couldnt be because of the gills right?

 

[Lamb]

What you've got is definitely an Ambystoma larva. But without a better close up, I'm not sure what species it is. You're right about why it can't be a slimy salamander (Plethodon mississippi) - they have direct development, and so don't hatch with gills.

I'm a MS resident as well, although I'm in the southern half of the state most of the time. I know that Ambystoma opacum larvae were out and about by Jan 1st near Clinton, MS, and Ambystoma talpoidium had laid eggs around that time. Ambystoma maculatum started migrating about mid-January near Clinton. In NE MS, there should be 4 spp of Ambystoma; maculatum, opacum, talpoidium, and texanum.

 

[Todd Pierson]

The only larvae in the water right now should be marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum), and that's consistent with its appearance. Here are a few photographs I have of them:

 

[frogman]

Amazing photos

 

[Jus10]

I went back to where I found them to see how they have been devoloping. I plan on brining a jar next time just so I can take some better pictures of them.