Salamander Eggs

[caudatadude28]

I found these eggs on Ward's. I wonder what species they are, they look like ambystoma maculatum to me. Just wondering. They are only available during the breeding season so they must be wc.

http://wardsci.com/product.asp?pn=IG0013580

 

[caudatadude28]

No one has any idea?!? That is odd.

 

[Kaysie]

From the pictures, probably not ambystomatid. My guess would be Notos.

 

[Jennewt]

Definitely not Notos. My guess would be some kind of Ambystoma. How's that for contradictory advice? :crazy:

 

[Kaysie]

Lol, Jenn. Okay, how about 'definitely not spotteds'? I suppose it could be some of the weaker massed ambystomatids. Laterale? Where is Wards based?

 

[Otterwoman]

I think they could be spotteds. Some are in a mass, but they can be broken apart to take pictures. Who knows what they've done to them in the collection and breaking up to sell.

 

[onetwentysix]

My best guess would be spotteds. It's obviously not the best photo, and giving that it could be tiger eggs, but it's definately one of those two. The photo makes me think tigers due to the loose eggs, but the photo is not necessarily going to be representative of what they send, either, and given distribution and the ease of finding maculatum eggs, that's most likely it.

They're definately not Notos; Noto eggs are small and laid singly on plants like Triturus eggs.

Laterale eggs are generally laid singly, or in small groups. Here's a photo of some of eggs laid in captivity by a pre-fertilized female:

 

[achiinto]

I phoned them before couple years ago, I remember they said that they randomly pick up wild eggs in pond. So, the final product might be a mix of things.

And I dont think they ship to Canada. At least not Axolotl.

 

[Kaysie]

Shows what I know. It never even occurred to me that they would break the mass up. I'll quit answering questions when I haven't slept in 2 days. :wacko:

 

[caudatadude28]

Is it possible that Ward's would collect from another country, like Europe? What could they be besides Ambystomids?

 

[Nathan050793]

Is it possible that Ward's would collect from another country, like Europe?

No, Wards definitely doesn't collect from Europe or any other country for that matter. They most likely collect eggs from vernal pools in their area (New York I believe) during the breeding season (thus the seasonal availability of the eggs, mudpuppies, etc.).

My vote goes for some species of Ambystoma, probably maculatum. It's usually whatever egg masses they manage to find.

 

[Azhael]

No chance they are european. Not only it would be completely ilegal, but there´s also no european species that lays egg masses like that.

 

[slowfoot]

Some eggs that Wards has sold in the past (~5 or more years ago) turned out to be A. maculatum. Though, as others have mentioned, it's most likely whatever they can collect in mass quantities.