[NatureNS] Salamander - dropped tail

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Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 18:23:04 -0300
From: "Randy Lauff" <randy.lauff@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Well, I learned something new today - I do most days, probably everyday, but
this was a relative biggie for me. I think from early on, most kids learn
that some lizards can drop their tails when faced with a predator. The tail
continues to wiggle, diverting the predator's attention and the lizard gets
away.
I did not know that some salamanders can also do this - a very quick Google
search told me that this may be confined to small ones (i.e. we would not
expect our Yellow-spotted Salamanders to do this, I don't think).

Today I was out in the woods with two students. One of them discovered a
Red-backed Salamander with it's dropped tail next to it. Now I've picked up
dozens, if not hundreds of these little guys, and have never had them drop a
tail on me. This one had the dropped tail when discovered...perhaps it had
just been attacked by a snake or larger salamander and the student scared it
off?

Anyway, I had my camera with me and took a picture and a short movie. I've
posted it at: http://people.stfx.ca/rlauff/personel/recent.html.

Enjoy,
Randy
_________________________________
RF Lauff
Way in the boonies of
Antigonish County, NS.

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<div class="gmail_quote">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">
<div>&nbsp;</div></blockquote></div>
<div><br>Well, I learned something new today - I do most days, probably everyday, but this was a relative biggie for me. I think from early on, most kids learn that some lizards can drop their tails when faced with a predator. The tail continues to wiggle, diverting the predator&#39;s attention and the lizard gets away.<br clear="all">
</div>
<div>I did not know that some salamanders can also do this - a very quick Google search told me that this may be confined to small ones (i.e. we would not expect our Yellow-spotted Salamanders to do this, I don&#39;t think).</div>

<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Today I was out in the woods with two students. One of them discovered a Red-backed Salamander with it&#39;s dropped tail next to it. Now I&#39;ve picked up dozens, if not hundreds of these little guys, and have never had them drop a tail on me. This one had the dropped tail when discovered...perhaps it had just been attacked by a snake or larger salamander and the student scared it off?</div>

<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Anyway, I had my camera with me and took a picture and a short movie. I&#39;ve posted it at: http://people.stfx.ca/rlauff/personel/recent.html.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Enjoy,<br>Randy<br>_________________________________<br>RF Lauff<br>Way in the boonies of<br>Antigonish County, NS. </div>

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