A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California
Click on a picture for a larger view
Northwestern Salamander - Amybstoma gracile (Baird, 1859)
Pg. 2 - Eggs and Aquatic Larvae
| Eggs | ||
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| Thes egg masses were found attached to sticks in small ponds in February in King County Washington. | ||
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| Egg mass, Humboldt County © Spencer Riffle |
Egg mass in early February, Humboldt County © Grayson B. Sandy | Egg masses in early February, Humboldt County © Grayson B. Sandy |
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| Close-up of egg mass, Humboldt County © Spencer Riffle |
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| Close-up of freshly laid eggs - 1 | Close-up of developing embryos - 2 | Close-up of developing embryos - 3 |
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| Close-up of developing embryos, ready to hatch - 4 |
Developing embryo, ready to hatch. The eggs of A. gracile often support the growth of algae inside the inner jelly layer. | Recent hatchling, one day old, approx. 1.5 cm in length. |
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| Close-up of developing embryos, Humboldt County © Spencer Riffle | ||
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| Close-up of well-developed embryos © Spencer Riffle | ||
| Hatchlings and Larvae in Water | ||
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| Hatchling, 2 weeks old | ||
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| Larva, 2 months old | Larva, 5 months old | |
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| Larva, 5 months old | Transforming larva with reduced gills, 8.5 months old |
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| Transforming larva with even more reduced gills, 8.5 months old, 3 days later. |
Transformed larva, with no gills and large paratoid gland behind the eye, still living in water, 8.5 months old | Transformed larva, in water, with no gills, shedding skin, 8.5 months old |
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| Mature larvae from a lake at 1600 ft. Del Norte County © Alan Barron | Yellow larva, Del Norte County © Alan Barron. Yellow larvae constituted about 5 percent of all the larvae found in one particular location. The others were dark. |
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| Larva in water of unknown age about 11 cm in total length (4.3 inches) found in a pond in southern Humboldt County © Ross Taylor and Associates | ||
| Recently-Transformed Juveniles Out of Water | ||
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| Recently-transformed juvenile, 10.5 months after hatching. | ||
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| Recently-transformed juvenile, 10.5 months after hatching. | ||
| Breeding Ponds | ||
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| Habitat, breeding pond, Del Norte County |
Breeding pond, Pacific County, Washington |
Breeding pond, Pacific County, Washington |
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| Breeding pond, Pacific County, Washington. |
Egg masses attached to grass in the pond shown to the right. | Breeding pond, King County, Washington |
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| Breeding habitat in early March, Humboldt County | ||
| Short Video | ||
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| A look at a breeding pond during the February breeding season, including several egg masses, and a paedomorph in the water at night. | ||
| Back to Ambystoma gracile, Page 1 |
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