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Caucasian Salamander- II & III


Caucasian Salamander- II & III
Photo Information
Copyright: Bayram Gocmen (boreocypriensis) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5109 W: 178 N: 12535] (34229)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-07-26
Categories: Amphibians
Camera: Nikon D-80, AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED, @ ISO 400
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/250 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Turkish Herpetofauna-II [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-08-03 0:28
Viewed: 633
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 76
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Mertensiella caucasica (Caucasian Salamander) [in Turk. Kafkas Semenderi] (Male)

Another two posting (a adult salamander plus a egg clutch deposited on a leaf in WS) of the Caucasian Salamander but now from the around Sümela (Meryemana) Monastry (Maçka, Trabzon).

TFL and Have a nice week!
Cheers,

©Bayram GÖÇMEN, Ege University, Faculty of Science. All Rights Reserved.

*****************************

This beauty is restricted to north-east Turkey (the cities of Giresun, Rize, Trabzon, Artvin, Kars, Bayburt, and Gumushane) and western parts of Georgia. It is present at altitudes of sea level-1,800m asl.

Costal (rib) grooves well-developed, 11-12 on each side of the body. Body elongated and slender. Tail usually longer than body with head. Adults are able to autotomize and regenerate the tail. Coloration black, dark-brown or brown-orange with oval yellow dorsal and lateral spots arranged in two more or less regular rows. Belly brownish. The extent of the yellow spot development is subject to variation. In contrast to females, the males possess a spike-shaped protuberance (called as Hedonic Protuberance) on the dorsal surface of the tail base and nuptial pads on the forelegs which are best developed during the breeding season.

In Turkey, the species lives mainly in the beech, coniferous, and mixed forests, in the subalpine belt and in alpine meadows. The salamander tends to avoid large streams and lives mainly near the 2nd through 4th order tributaries of rivers, usually no more than 1-1.5 m in width and about 20-30 cm in depth in spring. Such brooks flow in dense shade and their banks are covered with dense arboreal and herbaceous vegetation. Summer water temperatures are about 12ºC, and increase from a brook's source to its mouth. Postmetamorphic salamanders live in very wet conditions on stream banks in places with seepages, under stones, logs, snags, and roots. They also occur in the forest at long distances from the water, up to 200-300 m. The larvae are more frequent in the headwaters of streams, probably because salamanders reproduce there. Sometimes the larvae drift downstream and occur in shallow swampy puddles. Breeding occurs in the late spring - summer. Mating occurs on land or in water. The spike on the male's tailbase probably has no special role in courtship and amplexus. The interval from copulation to egg deposition varies from 3 days to 2 months. The only clutch found in nature contained 92 eggs and was deposited on leaves –which we also observed during our trip- (see also WS) and other submerged plants in a small hole in a stream bottom. Probably, newly hatched larvae stay in their hatching places before the next spring and then appear in streams. The development from fertilized egg to completed metamorphosis seems to take about 2 to 4 years. Metamorphosis evidently occurs throughout the summer. Larvae prey on stream invertebrates, Gammaridae, and larval insects. Adults eat mainly terrestrial invertebrates: Oniscidae, Arachnoidea and insects (Coleoptera, larval Diptera, etc.).

During our trip, we observed some general habitat alteration and loss stemning from road broadenning activities. These modifications or deforestation, or logging related activities may affect seriously the declining of the population here too like around Kackar Mts..

References:

1. Göçmen, B. (Unpub. results). The results of herpetological trips.
2. Budak, A. & Göçmen, B. (2005). Herpetology. Ege Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226 pp. [2nd Edition, 2008].
3. Baran, I. & Atatür, M. K. (1998). Turkish Herpetofauna (Amphibians & Reptiles). Ministry of Environment, Ankara. 214 pp.
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To elif: Selamboreocypriensis 1 08-04 13:03
To KRALKOBRA: .)boreocypriensis 2 08-04 00:13
To rkailas: Hiboreocypriensis 1 08-03 18:27
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Bayram

How are you? This is a beautiful picture! Superb species, excellent composition, great light and nicely captured on the leaf. So the salamadener is endemic to that region?

TFS
Ravi

Hi Dayi, bu dunkunden daha da guzel olmus. Yumurtalarini da koymusssun bu defa. cok ilginc gorunurler. Eline saglik.
Merih

Bayram bey selamlar,
İlginç bir kompozisyon...
Kadraj,renk ve netliği başarılı bir semender.
Emeğinize sağlık,
Seyfi

Kanka hoşgeldin. Herşey istediğin gibi olmuştur umarım. Bu kuyruklu kurbağayı çok güzel çekmişsin. Eminim bazı kişiler kertenkele ile karıştırır:).
Emeğine sağlık.
Gökhan

so nice species, you can be happy tp have all these species there around you

Selam Sevgili Dostum Bayram,
A nice capture of this beautiful Caucasian Salamander. Very well composed with sharp details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hello Bayram,

Impressive macro shot of this adorable salamander!
The sharpness is simply nice from good POV and wonderful DOF. I like the spotted texture on the body of the Salamander. The contrast between the colors of the salamander and the green-colored leaf is just wonderfully shown.
Great composition!

Thanks for sharing.

best greetings from Germany,
Paras Bhalla

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2009-08-03 2:21]

Hello Bayram!

Fantastic animal! I like its very interesting pose, dorsal POV, stylish colours and composition with fresh leaf. As always your note is superb.

Hi Bayram,

Lovely creature this. Very fine capture. Very nice colours. I had never seen something like this before. Very well done.

TFS,
Kedar

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1343 W: 0 N: 2585] (9117)
  • [2009-08-03 3:25]

Merhaba MF Bayram,
this is a classical shot of the salamander. The pose and S shape of the body and tail is very special, The colour contrast really give this capture a brilliant look.
A dark subject on green canvas.
Really nice.

Regards,
foozi

Merhaba Bayram Bey,

Çok güzel bir tür. Göremediklerimizi sizin sayenizde görebiliyoruz. Elinize, emeğinize sağlık. selamlar
ilker

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 657 W: 15 N: 1636] (6365)
  • [2009-08-03 3:52]

Hello Bayram
Another excellent capture with this scpecies. Well done
Regards
Razvan

Elinize sağlık hocam, demek Karadeniz'e gittiniz. :)
Sevgiler
Gökhan

Hi Brother..
Another excellent picture...Information and composition very good...Very interesting photo...TFS.
I hope you better...Wish you well...
Leyla

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3002 W: 162 N: 991] (2901)
  • [2009-08-03 5:09]

Hello Bayram,
You've captured this wet little Salamander in a lovely pose. Excellent focus and fine details. Also nicely composed!
TFS and best wishes, Ulla

Bayram merhaba,
Ne kadar da küçük bir semendermiş bu,yaprak üstündeki çekim boyutu konusunda fikir vermese kocaman bir şey sanılır.Renkleri,netliği ve pozu ile harika bir kare olmuş.Eline emeğine sağlık.
Dûrzan

Hi Bayram

Great shot of this beauty, I would love to see a salamander in teh wild one day.
Excellent composition and sharpness. TFS, I like the WS too.

Chris

Salam Bayram,

This is an excellent shot of this Salamander with excellent coloration, sharpness & fine details. Excellently & skillfully done. TFS & efforts.

Best regards

Umar

Hello Bayram! very interesting animal! I've never seen this species before. I guess it's a male cause of the "thorn" on the tail's base.
Thanks for sharing!
Ilias

Bu da harika olmuş Bayram hocam. Yumurta kümesini görmek de çok güzel.
Emeğinize sağlık.
Nazım

Superb shots of this salamander, Big Bro!
As I mentioned last night, you've especially done great with bringing out the sheen of its skin!
Bravo!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 417 W: 0 N: 1039] (5576)
  • [2009-08-03 10:01]

Very good macro of this interesting species!

Hello Bayram

Wow what a lovely pose,the tail is wonderful.
Excellent detail and sharpness as usual.
Terrific natural colour,great use of the light.
Well done.
TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • Nilson Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 442 W: 0 N: 427] (3110)
  • [2009-08-03 12:31]

Hello Bayram

Wonderful shot with good sharpness, details, lightinga and exposition. The color of this species is amazing. The pose is great. I like the background.
Well done
Nilson

Hello Bayram,
What a beauty! Beautiful colours and sharp details. Excellent composition... and note, of course! Best regards,
Catherine

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-08-03 16:37]

Hi LBB,

The salamander looks even better on the green leaf! Wonderful colors and details once again. I love the curled tail and the spotted feet. The egg clutch is fascinating - I have never seen anything like that before. Looks like you are having a successful trip!

Jane

Hello MF Bayram,
another splendid picture of this Salamander, superb sharpness and very good contrast of the colours, i like the lovely posture on the leaf, well composed.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

Hello Bayram,
An other great photo of this beautiful salamander
TFS
Albert

So small and so cute! :> This salamander looks really great! Beautiful picture Bayram, nothing to add :>
All the best,
Radek

PS. Thanks for phone number :>

  • Great 
  • elif Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 169 W: 0 N: 98] (458)
  • [2009-08-04 12:58]
  • [+]

Hocam ,Sümera'nın altında çok aradım ama bir türlü bulamamıştım. Şimdi kıskandım keşke ben de bu kadar güzel bir semender fotoğrafını çekebilseydim.
Selamlar.
Elif

Merhaba Bayram
another beautiful shot of this Caucasian Salamander, wonderful POV and pose for this one, the green leaf makes a nice BG, colors and sharpness are splendid
the egg clutch have the same color and markings as the adults
Have a good night
Jacqueline

Harika bir tür, harika bir fotoğraf.
Söylecek söz yok vallahi.
Ellerinize sağlık hocam.

En nadir türlemizden biri. harika çekmişsiniz hocam. Yumurta kümesi karesi de ayrı bir güzellik.
Emeğinize sağlık.
Deniz

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1069 W: 0 N: 162] (870)
  • [2009-08-05 7:22]

First class çalışma olmuş hocam. Her açıdan süper bir çalışma. Yumurta kümesi konusunda ise tam bir yenilik. İnternette böyle bir kaynak yok. Emeğinize sağlık.
Mehmet

Tam bir bilimsel çalışma hocam. Emeğinize sağlık. Kaçkarlarda bu güzele diz bölgenizi burkdunuz ama değmiş. Ayağınıza sağlık.
Bahadır

Merhaba Bayram hocam,

İlginç bir semender fotoğrafı. Çok net olan makro çekiminizden semenderin derisinin yapışkan ve aynı zamanda kaygan bir madde ile kaplı olduğu izlenimi uyandırıyor. Elinize ve emeğinize sağlık üstadım.

Saygı ve selamlarımla.
Mehmet

Preciosa Bayram !!

Merhaba Hocam,
Bu kare de çok güzel olmuş, elinize sağlık.
Saygılarımla, Naşit

Omurgalıdan hatırladığım bir tür hocam. Çok güzel durmuş. Elinize sağlık.
Saygılarımla,
Özgür

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