Author Archives: Heidi Kay Smith

Meet the Olm: Salamander Super-Ager

Posted on 28 February 2013 | Leave a comment


The olm is the only species in the genus Proteus within the Proteidae family (the other genus is Necturus). Olms are cave salamanders found in Southern Europe. Like many other derived groups of salamanders the males courts the females before depositing a spermatophore for her to pick up with her cloaca. Fertilization is internal in the olm. Continue reading →

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Meet the Margay

Posted on 22 February 2013 | 1 Comment
Photo credit: http://www.felineconservation.org Please check out the link to donate

Photo credit: http://www.felineconservation.org Please check out the link to donate

Shut the front door.

Seriously this cat is incredible and adorable. The margay (Leopardus wiedii) is a bit like a mini ocelot. They are native to the Americas and there is even a record of one found in Texas over 100 years ago!

These cats are nocturnal and live primary in the rainforests from Argentina all the way to Mexico. They are absolutely striking and unfortunately this has made the margay a target for fur poachers resulting in their IUCN status as near threatened.

Most amazingly, the margay can rotate its ankle 180 degrees to climb trees upside down. margayThe picture to the right cannot do the ankle rotation move justice (watch the video 1:23!). They can climb down trees head first and may even nap upside down. Margays can hang from a branch upside down by a single paw. The video below is absolutely gorgeous and worth the time to watch (full screen).

A Margay and Her Kittens from Phil Slosberg on Vimeo.

Video Credit: Phil Slosberg, a talented wildlife photographer in Costa Rica

“Meet the…” is a collaboration between The Finch & Pea and Nature Afield to bring Nature’s amazing creatures into your home.

 

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Meet the sexually empowered female Texas Blind Salamander

Posted on 21 February 2013 | Leave a comment
Courtship and sperm transfer in pygmy salamanders Desmognathus wrighti. From biocyclopedia.com

Courtship and sperm transfer in pygmy salamanders, Desmognathus wrighti. From biocyclopedia.com

The Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea rathbuni) is in the Plethodontidae family, also known as lungless salamanders. There are over 400 species of plethodontids making them the most speciose family of salamanders. These salamanders have elaborate and stereotyped courtship rituals. Research has suggested that in general, the male initiates the mating ritual in salamanders. While research and data are sparse for Texas Blind Salamander, it has been reported in captivity that the female actually initiates the courtship behavior.

The female has been reported to rub her nose on the dorsum and side of the male near the cloacal region. Next, the female was observed to rub her cloacal region against the rocks on the bottom of the tank nearby the male. The nearby male began to show interest at this point and courtship ensued. The courtship sequence proceeded with the male depositing a spermatophore, leading the female, and finally the female’s cloaca aligned over the spermatophore to pick it up.

This courtship behavior account comes from a lovely paper in 1988 by Bechler in The Southwestern Naturalist.

Learn more about Plethodontidae here on the Amphibiaweb page.

“Meet the…” is a collaboration between The Finch & Pea and Nature Afield to bring Nature’s amazing creatures into your home.

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Meet the Texas Blind Salamander

Posted on 14 February 2013 | Leave a comment

TX Blind Salamander picture 1The Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea rathbuni) is a cave salamander that has adapted to life living in the dark. With extremely underdeveloped eyes, unpigmented skin, and the retention of its juvenile aquatic form, this salamander is perfectly suited to live in the underground cave streams. Found only in caves around San Marcos, Texas these salamanders are actually considered endangered on the State level. Because they live only in specific areas and rely on the Edwards aquifer, the Texas blind salamander is extremely susceptible to changes in water quality. Their size reaches between 3 and 5 inches and they eat a diet of most aquatic invertebrates. Continue reading →

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Meet the Arboreal Salamander

Posted on 8 February 2013 | 1 Comment

There is a recent natural history article in the Journal of Herpetology (click here for the link from D. E. Lee et al., 2012) describing the Arboreal Salamander (Aneides lugubris). The authors have characterized the basic life history traits of this salamander by capture-mark-recapture studies covering a 4 year span. This information is important for many areas of future research, but specifically this will aid in future conservation endeavors.

Oh yeah and this little guy has TEETH!

Basic life-history information like this is still lacking in many species because it is difficult to find funding. Check out the link above to read more about this salamander or click here to see more California salamanders.

“Meet the…” is a collaboration between The Finch & Pea and Nature Afield to bring Nature’s amazing creatures into your home.

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