“This is it. We’re launching towards East Texas in search of salamanders. Almost all of which will be new to us.” – RLS, 8 Jan 2021
#herptx21 Status: 3 species
Target Species: Spotted, Marbled, Mole, and Dusky Salamander, Gulf Coast Waterdog, Pickerel Frog
Despite our eagerness, Erin and I got a late launch from Austin. We’re aiming east for Sabine National Forest where we’ll spend the next couple of days seeking out a collection of salamanders that are unique to East Texas. We’re arriving about a week after winter rains queued the breeding season for several species. The peak of breeding activity has likely passed (at least for now) but we’re hopeful there will be plenty of individuals lingering after the breeding frenzy.
I say that these salamanders are unique to East Texas in that several only teeter into East Texas as part of a much wider continental distribution (see an example for Marbled Salamander below). They are secretive in that they are notoriously difficult to find outside of the breeding season. To be honest, I don’t know a whole lot about these animals. I hope to change that. That’s part of the joy in exploring and searching – it’s an opportunity for hands-on learning that more deeply engages the mind’s neurons and synapses (yeah, boo boo… it’s science). And, fortunately, this particular trip will be made all the better by the expertise of Matt Buckingham.
Connecting with Fellow Naturalists
We met Matt, Caro (Matt’s wife), and Adam Black (@adamblackplantnerd) in Lufkin. Matt and I have known each other for a while – mostly from social media – but have never met in person. His blog and photography are inspirational and informative and Matt is among the brightest and most talented naturalists I can think of. I sought out Matt for help kicking off my year-long passion project to find and document as much of Texas’ reptile and amphibian diversity – which I’m calling the 2021 Herps of Texas Big Year or #herptx21. Graciously, Matt answered the call!
After connecting in Lufkin, Matt led our caravan of naturalists east. Half an hour later we were parking at a forest road turn off. Opposite us stands a pool of water – an ephemeral wetland on the edge of the forest. I’m eager to get started. Essentially any salamander we find is going to be a first for Erin and me. Walking along the edge of the wetland, Matt points out various egg masses and explains some of the discrete differences that aid in assigning parentage. Large amorphous eggs clustered loosely are likely Mole Salamander whereas clear tight masses look good for Spotted. Interestingly, female Marbled Salamanders make terrestrial nests under logs or leaf litter and will often guard their eggs.
We Found Salamanders
We all begin flipping logs and fallen branches in search of adult salamanders. I’m not sure what exactly to look for in a good salamander log but key in on what I intuit is an especially nice stump (affirmed by a knowing nod from Matt) just a few feet from the water’s edge. That small stump turns up the first of many derpy four-legged beauties — my first Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum – Big Year Species #4). These things are remarkable. Seeing one in person exceeds my expectations. They are, simply put, beautiful.
Only moments later Matt and Caro turn up several more salamanders including three Spotted Salamanders under one log. This collection provides a small sampling of variability in size, shape, and boldness of these wonderful animals. We continue to search this site and another within walking distance turning up a couple of Marbled Salamanders (A. maculatum – Big Year Species #5) in the process – another lifer for Erin and me. This critter is fairly robust but shorter overall than the Spotted. Look, I know that I literally just professed the beauty of the Spotted Salamander – and it is, no doubt – but, my gosh, this one’s a vision of subtle splendor. That silver-gray banding is difficult to over-appreciate.
Altogether we turned up somewhere around 10 salamanders representing three species at these two sites:
- Spotted Salamander
- Marbled Salamander
- Western Dwarf Salamander (Eurycea paludicola – #6).
Back at Camp
We’re off to a great start, dusk is approaching, and we still need to set up camp. Off we set for Indian Mounds Campground.
The darkness of night quickly overtakes the campground as we set up our sites. Our group comes together at a campfire. Warm, fed, and enjoying a good beer, we strike off on rambling conversation hitting many welcomed topics on natural history, conservation, East Texas ecology, and loose goal-setting for the following day. After so many months of such limited in-person engagement, my content is high. I am energized. But, now late in the night, it’s time for sleep – at least I thought so.
Part 2 coming soon.
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Such amazing pictures! Thanks for showing some real Texas treasures!
Awesome documentation! If any of these salamanders are aquatic, specifically the marbled one, I am pretty sure I almost stepped on one while fly fishing in two feet of crystal clear current in the Brazos River this week near Glen Rose. Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed these posts.
My son has mounds that are recurring in his front yard over the past 2 weeks. My husband says they’re too large for moles. He thinks they’re salamander hills. One mound was 14″-16″ wide; approximately 6″-8″ high. I’ve only seen salamanders 2-3 times in my 33 years here. I know nothing about them. Son’s house is very rural. I’m not familiar with terrain. I don’t know if there’s a creek or big nearby. What do you think?
That burrowing frog is just TOO trippy… it is hilarious!! I am headed to look them up right after writing this!
I still think we can find some chicken turtles around us here in Magnolia…