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Fire Salamander


Fire Salamander
Photo Information
Copyright: Emmanuel Boitier (emmari) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 105 W: 0 N: 387] (3105)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-02-13
Categories: Amphibians
Camera: Nikon D200, Sigma 150mm F2.8 APO Macro DG HSM
Exposure: f/14.0, 1/10 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Amphibians - Salamanders & Newts 1 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-04-10 17:30
Viewed: 2402
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Salamandra salamandra
La Salamandre tachetée in French
The Fire Salamander in English

I did not use the flash but a reflector: sunlight for the right side of the animal, and silver reflector for the head.

Hope you like it!
_________________________

The Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is probably the most well-known salamander species in Europe. It is black with yellow spots or stripes to a varying degree - some specimens can be nearly completely black while on others the yellow is dominant. Shades of red and orange may sometimes appear, either replacing or mixing with the yellow according to subspecies. Fire Salamanders can have a very long lifespan. In the German natural history museum of Alexander Koenig a salamander lived more than 50 years.

Habitat and diet
Fire Salamanders live in forests in the hilly parts of southern and central Europe. They prefer deciduous forests, as they like to hide in the fallen leaves, but also at mossy tree trunks. They need clean small brooks in their habitat for the development of the larvae. Whether on land or in water, fire salamanders are inconspicuous. They spend much of the time hidden beneath stones, wood or other objects.

Fire Salamanders are active in the evening and the night, but on rainy days they are active in daytime as well. Their diet consists of various insects, spiders, earthworms and slugs, but they also eat sometimes small vertebrates like newts and young frogs. Small prey will be caught within the range of the vomerine teeth or by the posterior half of the tongue, which adheres the prey.

Toxicity
Salamanders may actively defend themselves once they are grasped by a predator. Besides various antipredator postures, S. salamandra adults are able to extrude heavy toxic skin secretions, e.g. the neurotoxic alkaloid Samandarin. This alkaloid causes strong muscle convulsions and high-blood pressure combined with hyperventilation in all vertebrates. The poison glands of the Fire salamander are concentrated in certain areas of the body, especially around the head and the dorsal skin surface. The colored portions of the animals skin usually coincide with these glands. Most of these secretions might be effective against bacterial and fungal infections of the epidermis, but some secretions could also be dangerous to human life.

Distribution
Fire Salamanders are found in most of southern and central Europe. They are most commonly found at altitudes between 400 and 1000 m, only rarely below (in Northern Germany sporadically down to 25 m). However on the Balkan or in Spain they are commonly found in higher altitudes as well.
nglen, deblink, lovenature, pauljk, elefantino, honza, jmp, cicindela, peter_stoeckl has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2916 W: 34 N: 8651] (32250)
  • [2007-04-10 17:33]

Hi Emmanuel. Great close up shot. very good detail and bright colours, good Pov well done TFS.. with great notes.

Nick

Que bela foto Emmanuel, cores e nitidez muito boas pena que a cauda ficou fora de foco, mas meus parabéns òtima captura.
Henrique-Brasil

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2264 W: 10 N: 2633] (15577)
  • [2007-04-10 18:19]

Hola Emmanuel,
bella captura,
original colore y excelentes detalles y nota,
saludos

Hi Emmanuel,
What a fantastic shot of this superb looking lizard. The colours are just glorious as is the quality of the image. Very nice indeed.
Cheers,
Debbie

Hello Emmanuel
You've captured a wonderful pose of this Salamander in his natural environment. The image is nice an sharp with vivid colours. Well done. Great notes.
TFS Janice

Hi Emmanuel,
Great image and excellent lighting without the use of flash. Good strong composition with natural colour.
CHeers
Paul

bonjour
très bonne qualité d'image, une composition très esthétique, bravissimo !
amicalement
jo

Amazing shot of this lovely anphibian.
Colors and details are great.
The low POV works fine.
Bye,
Andrea

  • Great 
  • honza Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 537 W: 0 N: 716] (4191)
  • [2007-04-11 2:40]

Superb photo of the interesting amphibian. I like composition very much, focusing and colors are just perfect.

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1060 W: 290 N: 3953] (13364)
  • [2007-04-11 3:18]

Bonjour Emmanuel,
this is a beautiful, well-focused and nicely composed picture of the salamander. Colours are natural and light - as described by you - is professionally managed. The environment, the mosses add to the attractivity of the picture.
Best wishes, Peter

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1740 W: 95 N: 2273] (8411)
  • [2007-04-11 7:53]

Hi Emmanuel,
Nice to see a salamander: the last time I saw one I was fifteen year old! Excellent pov, pose, details and composition.
TFS, José M.

Fantastic shot of this gaudy coloured salamander
Great POV and good use of reflective light.
Excellent DOF and compostion
great work
Chris

Hello Emmanuel!
This is really great shot! I like all parts of this presentation, from interesting note to very nice pose of this amphibian species. Great colours, very good DOF and POV (!!!).
TFS and best greetings,
Radomir

Hello Emmanuel,
excellent frontal approach from a truly amphibically low point of view. Wonderful depth. I can smell the odour of damp forest. Colours are perfectly naturalistic. Charming image, great document!
With thanks, and best regards,
Peter

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