Some T. torosa photos

[mike]

Hola Folks, I've been updating my T. torosa photo gallery (http://www.mister-toad.com/photos/salamander/Tarichatorosa.html) and have a few new newt photos that I haven't posted before. Its nice to look at them and think of the nice CA winters.

Hope you enjoy,

Mike

T. torosa on the road one rainy night

Newt eggs in a small stream:

Polite Courting

Mating ball

A pond that was filled with newt larvae, and then dried up:

One of the little metamorphs hiding in cracks in the dried pond:

 

[chris]

poor lil guy.....did you try to save him?

 

[mike]

The metamorph? Better to let it have its shot in the wild.

 

[jeff]

Those are awesome pictures Mike. I especially like the Newt Ball ( I hope that doesn't make me a newt pervert!).

 

[josh]

i love your pics! very very beautiful shots! great job!

-josh

 

[mike]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them. I don't know about being a newt pervert, but I did find that same photo of mine reposted on someone else's website with the commentary that they found it disgusting. I didn't think it was bad at all!

 

[garrison]

Does the top newt in the "mating ball" photo have bloat? It has some awfully fat little fingers!

 

[mike]

No bloat - the breeding males develop enlarged hind limbs, smooth skin and keeled tails, while the females don't. So in that photo there is one female in the middle, and three males around her.

 

[uwe]

Great Pictures Mike,

the animals laying egg-masses are definite T.torosa, not T.granulosa.
in what region are the places?

Uwe

 

[mike]

Hi Uwe,

The T. torosa photos were all taken in Napa County, California. The site is in the coast range, at about 100 to 400 meters in elevation.


Mike

 

[uwe]

perfect torosa territory.
T.rivularis must be close

 

[david]

I found mine in the Napa mountainous region too.

 

[david]

Holy smokes.
I just looked at your pics on your site.
I know EXACTLY where that pond is! At least I think so. Could be wrong, but it seems to me I've hiked by it several times and my good friend lives nearby. It is not where I found my newts; I found mine a couple mountains away in a private pond of another friend. But yes, my buddy says there are newts in the pond you photographed.
Wow. Small world...'Net style.

(Message edited by todas_abiyoyo on October 24, 2005)

 

[mike]

That would be interesting if it's the same pond. Without disclosing the exact site, what major road gives you access to hike to the pond?

 

[david]

Mt. Veder Rd.

 

[mike]

Oh, if that's the case, it must be a different pond.

 

[pin-pin]

Wonderful photos as always Mike!

For future note, if you do want to ask for specific sites (especially the road), please do so in private messages. I know the level of disclosure is fuzzy, but I think naming the road is a little too specific. Keep it to cities or counties please. Even for "common" creatures like Tarichas.

(Message edited by apples on October 26, 2005)

 

[terry]

That mating ball is an eye opener. I have never observed Tarichas in the wild before. Thanks for the pictures! Eww and Ooh at the same time!
Greetings,
Terry

 

[mike]

Hi Pin-pin, that's a reasonable request and I'll follow it in the future. It can't hurt to err on the side of caution. However, based on how common Taricha torosa is, asking for a major road doesn't give anything away.

Glad you all enjoyed the photos.

Mike

 

[david]

that sounds so funny to me to hear that Taricha torosa is so common, Mike. I grew up in the high desert of southern Cal and never once encountered them in 33 years.
I used to only read about them as a kid and wish in vain that i could encounter one.
then, about 4 years ago, I moved to Northern Cal, and finally encountered them (and even then I had to go out of my way and LOOK for them), and it was a delight. After decades of only seeing them in books, they struck me as exotic.
I'm taking your guys' word that they are common up here; however, just know that, for a southern Cal amphi-nerd, they ain't so common at all.