Re: NANFA--Off Topic: Ambystoma tigrinum

R. W. Wolff (choupiqu_at_wctc.net)
Fri, 6 Jul 2001 00:32:47 -0500

Tigrium, laterale, maculatum and tremblayi do, but its comes out of the
tail skin mostly. The interesting thing about tremblays salamander, its a
relic here in this area from when jefforsonianum lived here. Probably just
after or way before the last ice age, who really knows, the salamanders
aren't talkin'. Anyways, they are all females, mate with the male laterale
( bluespotted) and make all female tremblays again. In the east there is
platnieum, the silvery salamander, it does the same thing with male
jeffersonianum producing all female silvery salamanders. These two triploid
species have been relumped, and sometimes laterale and jeffersonianum have
all been lumped as one specie, but by looking at them its plain to see the
differences between the four, atleast telling bluespotteds/tremblays from
jefferesons/silverys, or vice versa.
Getting back to the secretions, most these species, especially tigers will
only do this when they think they are in grave danger. There is always a
slight bit of this on them though. While handling many salamanders your
hands will be soon coated with a super glue like substance that just has to
wear off on its own, nothing known will take it off, atleast gasoline and
paint stripper hadnt worked on me =). There is a defense posture with the
little blue spots, they wave their tails in the air, and arch their backs.
Somtimes the stuff just spurts out of the skin with an audible noise. The
only time I have seen tigers do it was while finding a couple that had been
hit by cars, but not quite finished off. Its too bad, but maybe less
painful than living in a clear box smaller than they are long, being fed
once a month. I have read this glue will stick in the mouth of the animal,
and its not the taste, but the strange feeling. Its also sligtly toxic, I
have had the misfortune of forgetting and rubbing my eyes after handling
these fella's, and its less powerful than cayenne, but more so than mild
shampoo.

Ray

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