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Long-toed Salamander - Ambystoma macrodactylum
Eggs, Larvae, and Young

Baird, 1849



observation link

 
Long-toed Salamander Eggs
Western Long-toed Salamander Western Long-toed Salamander eggs Western Long-toed Salamander eggs
Female Western Long-toed Salamander laying eggs underwater and attaching them to a stick at night in early February, King County, Washington. Western Long-toed Salamander eggs on underwater stick laid by female to the left, soon after she finished. Western Long-toed Salamander eggs attached to a stick laying in pond, early February, King County, Washington
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs Western Long-toed Salamander eggs Western Long-toed Salamander eggs
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs, King County, Washington
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs close-up, King County, Washington Western Long-toed Salamander eggs, King County, Washington
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs Western Long-toed Salamander eggs Western Long-toed Salamander eggs
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs, King County, Washington Western Long-toed Salamander eggs, King County, Washington Western Long-toed Salamander eggs, King County, Washington
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs Western Long-toed Salamander eggs Western Long-toed Salamander eggs
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs, covered with silt,
King County, Washington
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs, King County, Washington
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs, King County, Washington
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs Western Long-toed Salamander eggs Western Long-toed Salamander eggs
Western Long-toed Salamander eggs with well-developed
embryos close to hatching.
Close-up of an embryo from the egg cluster seen to the left.
   
Long-toed Salamander Larvae
Western Long-toed Salamander hatchling Western Long-toed Salamander hatchling Western Long-toed Salamander hatchling
Western Long-toed Salamander hatchling, just hatched. Western Long-toed Salamander hatchling, about 1 month old
Central Long-toed Salamander Larva Central Long-toed Salamander Larva Southern Long-toed Salamander larva
Western Long-toed Salamander young larva, Yakima County, Washington Western Long-toed Salamander large older larva, Pierce County, Washington Mature larva eating a Boreal Toad tadpole, 5,800 ft. Shasta County
© Ryan Aberg
Southern Long-toed Salamander larva Southern Long-toed Salamander larva Southern Long-toed Salamander larva
Older Southern Long-toed Salamander larva, Siskiyou County.
Southern Long-toed Salamander larva Southern Long-toed Salamander larva Southern Long-toed Salamander
Old Southern Long-toed Salamander larva, with legs tucked in for swimming, Siskiyou County
Old Southern Long-toed Salamander Larva, Alpine County Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander
larva in water, USFWS
Southern Long-toed Salamander Southern Long-toed Salamander
Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander larva in water, Monterey County © Dave Feliz Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander larva in water, Monterey County © Dave Feliz
     
The following pictures are of two Central Long-toed Salamander larvae in two aquatic phases -
first with long gills, then with reduced gills, and then after full terrestrial transformation.
Central Long-toed Salamander Larva Central Long-toed Salamander Larva  
Western Long-toed Salamander larva 1 Western Long-toed Salamander larva 2  
Central Long-toed Salamander Larva Central Long-toed Salamander Larva Central Long-toed Salamander Larva
Transforming Western Long-toed Salamander aquatic larvae (note the reduced gills and tail.)
Central Long-toed Salamander Young Central Long-toed Salamander Young Central Long-toed Salamander Young
Western Long-toed Salamander juvenile, just after transformation Western Long-toed Salamander juvenile,
1 month after transformation
Central Long-toed Salamander Young Central Long-toed Salamander Young  
Western Long-toed Salamander juvenile 6 months after transformation

 
Comparison with sympatric Pseudacris  (Treefrog) tadpole
Central Long-toed Salamander larva with tadpole Central Long-toed Salamander larva with tadpole Western Long-toed Salamander larva
Comparison of young sympatric aquatic amphibian larvae:

Pacific Treefrog Tadpole (bottom)

 Eastern Long-toed Salamander larvae (top)


Western Long-toed Salamander Larva with only one leg developed so far
Short Videos of Western Long-toed Salamanders and Eggs at a Breeding Pond
Western Long-toed salamander Western Long-toed salamander Western Long-toed salamander
A Western Long-toed salamander crawls into the breeding pond on a cold February night in King County, Washington, Western Long-toed salamanders swim around underwater at night in a King County, Washington breeding pond during the breeding season in early February. Two female Western Long-toed salamanders underwater lay their eggs on submerged sticks at night in King County, Washington. After the first one is finished we see the eggs she left behind.
Western Long-toed salamanders Western Long-toed salamander Eggs  
Unlike the much more visible Pacific newts, who breed in full daylight, Long-toed salamanders do their breeding and egg laying at night, and they seem to do it under the cover of leaves on the bottom of the pond. Here we can see a couple interacting under some leaves in a breeding pond in early February in King County, Washington. Views of some Western Long-toed salamander eggs on submerged sticks. Some of the eggs are pulled out of the water for a better look.  
   

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