Unfortuately short-tailed longtail

While herp-hunting on April 8th, 2010, a windy, cloudy day at a cool 52 degrees, we stopped at a swiftly moving stream near the horseman's camp at Hueston Woods. While searching along the rocky bank of the stream, I flipped over a rock about the diameter of a dinner plate and spotted a longtail salamander (Eurycea longicauda.) This species is common in the area and their habitat ranges from New York and New Jersey in the northeast to western Tennessee and Missouri in the southwest. They can be found most commonly near streams and like to hide under rocks, rotted logs, and in shale banks. Because the longtail salamander breeds in the fall, I would say that this salamander was just hanging out, trying to find food, and trying to not get eaten or found by any passing herpetology classes. The individual I found was a great specimen with one exception; it was missing its namesake. Where there should have been a long, beautiful tail, there was only a stump. The longtail salamander, as well as many other species of salamander has the ability to pinch off its tail when being pursued by a predator in order to distract the predator long enough for the individual to make its escape. The detached tail will even continue to twitch well after its owner has fled. This seemed to be a recent occurrence as the tail had not yet begun to grow back at all. Despite looking for it, I did not find the little guy's tail so I can only hope that it served its intended purpose and allowed my small, currently tailless friend to live another day.

(Posted by:Julia Steinbach)