In western North Carolina Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) normally come together for breeding in the first warm spring rains. But this has been a very mild winter in the NC mountain region with no snow so far and daytime temperatures getting into the 60′s and nighttime temperatures are now not getting down to freezing. This has caused breeding to begin early. At one large vernal pool where 80-100 Spotted Salamander egg masses might be found in a typical spring, I found about 50 of their egg masses on February 1. If a prolonged cold snap occurs in coming weeks, or if the pools dry up, total mortality of these eggs or the larva could occur.
A Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)
Other salamander and reptile species are also being effected by the weather. I have recently found Green Salamanders (Aneides aeneus), Crevice Salamanders (Plethodon Yonahlossee) and Carolina Anoles (Anolis carolinensis) active in recent days when they would normally be deep in hibernation.
A normal opaque Spotted Salamander egg mass
A less common completely transparent egg mass
For more information about Spotted Salamanders please check out this post on the Earthshine Nature blog that a friend runs: Spotted Salamanders!
[...] For more information and beautiful photos of Spotted Salamanders and their egg masses check out my friend Alan’s posting on the Wandering Herpetologist Blog. [...]