Trip to Yellow Creek State Park in Indiana Pa.

[katie]

My Friend and I went to Yellow Creek state Park in Indiana County today. It's near IUP (Indiana University of Pa), where I go to school. We found three different species of salamanders, Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted salamander), Plethodon cinereus (Redback salamander), and a juvenile Necturus maculosus (mudpuppy). I found the mudpuppy in about 40 F water. It was sooo cold, but well worth it!!!

A male spotted sal....

same male..

This was just way to cute not to post!!!

The 1st female of the day...

same female....

The 2nd female of the day....

A small spotted...

eggs....

 

[katie]

Here are a few more pics....

Redback salamander

Juvenile Mudpuppy...

same mudpuppy....he/she bit me right after the picture...must not like to have his picture taken!

 

[andy]

My knowledge on mudpuppys is minimal,never even seen one in the flesh, but that is so cool!
Thanks for the pictures!

 

[kim]

There great pictures!! Well done!

 

[katie]

Andy, I never saw one before today!!! Very cool!!

I am planning to go back to the same spot to try to find an adult....i'll post some more pics if i find one

!!! Wish me luck!

 

[kyle]

Definitely a very awesome shot on that young Necturus. Not too many people get to see that too often. Keep the good pictures coming!

 

[ralf]

Nice ones.

 

[peter]

Wow, photographs of young Necturus like that are rare, I've only seen a couple online, and have never encountered one in person. Was it just walking along the bottom, or did you have to overturn cover objects?

The other pictures are nice as well.

 

[katie]

It was under a rock... I had heard that you can find them where we were at, but it was rare to actually see one. I was in the water for about 45 min to an hour and only found that one.

 

[joshua]

Where are you from Katie? I think the place you went was only about 2 hours away from me.

 

[katie]

Yellow Creek is about 15 min. from IUP. in Indiana Pa....Your prob right about the 2 hours...I know where Wheeling is and that seems about right!

 

[ana]

they are sooo beautifull...very nice

 

[nicholas]

interesting. good pictures.

 

[katie]

I don't have any shots.....but i plan on going back soon, so i will get some. Sorry about telling where i saw it, i guess i just didn't think about people collecting at the time!

 

[edward]

Hi Katie
Do you go to the university in Indiana PA?
Have you met Dr. Hulse? I think he has retired now but if he is still there he is a good contact for locations to go and see things.

Ed

 

[katie]

Yes, i do. My friend that went with me was in his class. He showed me all the good spots that they went to when they had their field trip. And yes he is retiring, i wish i would have taken his class this semester!!

 

[grant]

Wow that is a cool shot of a mudpuppy. I live in California so don't see any of those lol, but my brother lives in Alabama and swears that he has seen a few. But, he has never taken pictures. Do they live anywhere in that region? He said he's seen them on a few occasions and the ones he say were about 10 inches long! But no pictures so I have no idea what it was if not a mudpuppy. But great pictures!

 

[peter]

The Alabama waterdog (Necturus alabamensis) can be found in that area, but I'd think you'd almost have to be looking for them to find one. Ten inches would be the upper range for their size; Petranka states that they reach 15-22cm (~6-9 inches). I can't think of any aquatic salamanders or larvae of that size that could be confused with them.}

 

[grant]

Yea. Well he was looking for something (I think it was some type of toad). He was in an area with a pond and a small creek in (I think) southern Alabama. He said he will take some pictures of some when he goes back (he is here now). I will then post them up here.