Taricha torosa
Salamandridae
Salamandridae
OK, what are they feeding the amphibians at this preserve? Good golly, they're fat and huge, just like the Pacific chorus frog we found. Seriously, no one is actively feeding these wild-found animals, but there must be plenty of food stuff available and plenty of comfortable habitat. In one month's time, the CA newts have gone from skin and bones, like at nearby Stevens Creek on February 10, 2014, to fat, fat, fat. Ya, the two locations have very different habitats, but still! I'm unsure if the one in my hand is male or female. Are those male nuptial pads on the toes? Do you know?
a Rubenesque California newt
2 comments:
Whoa what an underbelly on that one! Maybe they're full of eggs?
I accidentally interrupted a couple in amplexus and was very sorry for my reach into the cloudy pond. Both were quite plump. If those are indeed nuptial pads and it's a boy, then no eggs.
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