salamander

Salamanders can be a proxyindicator for climate change. Changes in salamanders have been linked to climate changes during ancient times, and in a very recent study, salamanders in the US Appalachians seem to have changed in relation to anthropogenic global warming. In fact, the changes observed in these Appalachian salamanders is quite large, very rapid, and thus, alarming. I’m going to describe this study in some detail, and as a bonus for sticking with me on this, I’ll throw in some entertaining Climate Science Denialism near the end. As an additional bonus prize, you’ll get a nice new…
With springtime comes the urge to head to the river.  These California newts are obeying urges of their own.  Also known as Taricha torosa, this newt is an amphibian and a member of the Salamander family. Just as beautiful as the newts is the surface of the water.  I wish I could breathe under water! I counted more than a hundred of these along a small creek that flows into the Yuba river.  According to Wikipedia, these animals are land-dwelling for the hotter parts of the year, but prefer "slow-moving water" while breeding.  Between December and May, they can be found in little orange…
National Geographic reported this weekend that three new species of salamander have been discovered in distant cloud forests of Costa Rica's La Amistad National Park. Just like X-Men, each salamander seems to have a special power: "one with a bold streak, one with a 'ballistic' tongue, and one no longer than a fingernail," according to Nat'l Geographic. La Amistad is the largest wildlife reserve in Central America, and... ...much of it has yet to be explored. This salamander has markings reminiscent of a poison dart frog, possibly an environmental ruse. In the article, Alex Monro of…
We get a lot of requests to feature friends pets on Zooillogix. Some people just don't seem to get the fact that their golden retriever does not belong on a site devoted to bizarre zoology (you know who you are Mike Tippet of 2 Third St., Farfield, CT). However, Jennifer's axolotl, Big Ben, is a welcome guest. Axolotl's are Mexican neotenic mole salamanders, which fail to go through metamorphosis as larvae and therefore retain their gills and aquatic nature. The axolotl was native to Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco in central Mexico, the latter of which no longer exists. However, lucky (?)…