Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Picture)

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Gary N
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Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Picture)

Post by Gary N »

This headless coastal giant salamander, Dicamptodon tenebrosus, was found as shown on a dirt road. Does anyone know what the round white objects that look like eggs are? They seem too close to the head to be unlaid eggs so maybe they are something just eaten by the salamander. I've never looked inside one of these - could they be part of the anatomy of the salamander?

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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by hellihooks »

I'm no authority on salamanders, but those look like eggs, to me... as though (perhaps) it was run over and the eggs were forced out the mouth... and then (again, perhaps) a skunk or something came along and chewed the head off???
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Gary N »

hellihooks wrote:I'm no authority on salamanders, but those look like eggs, to me... as though (perhaps) it was run over and the eggs were forced out the mouth... and then (again, perhaps) a skunk or something came along and chewed the head off???

I thought the eggs might have been forced out the mouth too, but when you look at the full picture below, which I edited previously to show the head area better, you can see that it doesn't look like the salamander was run over on the lower end where I presume the eggs would be stored. There do seem to be some claw marks or something like that which support the idea the salamander was decapitated by a predator.

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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by TurtleTim »

I know little of Salamanders, and even less of California fauna, but maybe it had eaten a batch of snail eggs prior to meeting its end? Kind of looks like snail eggs to me, although far bigger than what I'm accustomed to seeing in the Midwest... just going out on a limb and guessing that if you have giant salamanders, maybe you have giant snails, too. lol
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Kelly Mc »

The weight of an animal foot would easily push abdominal contents out the hole left by the chewed off head. A loop of intestine is also visible by the mass of what looks like early stage ova
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Kelly Mc »

Using a paw for some decent leverage while tearing off parts is common predator table manner.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by rpecora »

My guess is recently ingested banana slug eggs which the sallie was probably regurgitating at the time of predation. Being found in the road it is likely the perp was scared off by a vehicle or just into head. Basically what TT said.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Kelly Mc »

rpecora wrote:My guess is recently ingested banana slug eggs which the sallie was probably regurgitating at the time of predation. Being found in the road it is likely the perp was scared off by a vehicle or just into head. Basically what TT said.

hmm, that would mean that the salamander regurgitated backwards into its thoracic cavity, or the predator ate the stomach but left the 'slug eggs' like a magician pulling a table cloth and leaving the plates and glasses viola.

But then anything can happen during a Zombie Decamptopocalypse.

But seriously looking closely the eggs are still intact in the oviduct membrane. That is why they appear suspended together. In a rather orderly way, I might add.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Gary N »

TurtleTim wrote:I know little of Salamanders, and even less of California fauna, but maybe it had eaten a batch of snail eggs prior to meeting its end? Kind of looks like snail eggs to me, although far bigger than what I'm accustomed to seeing in the Midwest... just going out on a limb and guessing that if you have giant salamanders, maybe you have giant snails, too. lol
There are giant slugs on the west coast including banana slugs which giant salamanders like to eat, as you can see below. Banana slug eggs are about the size of those in the salamander.
rpecora wrote:My guess is recently ingested banana slug eggs which the sallie was probably regurgitating at the time of predation. Being found in the road it is likely the perp was scared off by a vehicle or just into head. Basically what TT said.
I thought they could be banana slug eggs, too, but as Kelly Mc pointed out, the eggs are still connected together like early stage ova while slug eggs are separated after they are laid. So far I'm inclined to think they're the salamander's unlaid eggs.

Whatever they are, maybe we should all start preparing for the Zombie Decamptopocalypse.

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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Kelly Mc »

The very thin membrane that surround ova is very similar in all herps - and ive seen and extracted them before, in recently deceased animals. Also many organ groups are associated by connective and vascular structure, so an animal pulling at one part, or tugging at peritoneum will pull out many goodies and eat what has most value if eating quickly. Most predators from dogs to skunks to lions, eat the liver first. Alphas in packs - get first pick of the liver.

It looks like the liver is missing in that gal, but most of the digestive tract is left. There is intestine showing and a creased tube structure that is probably sallie stomach.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by rpecora »

It just seems that if a predator where to have ate (sucked out so to speak) all the innards that the abdomen would be less broad and be somewhat deflated. Dissect it and see what you find.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Kelly Mc »

Ya know rpcora, she looks kinda deflated to me..

First its the egg type, but now its the how many innards. You're funny how you hate my uh .. guts :D

But yes - Dissect! Let the mystery of mutilated sallie be solved!
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Kelly Mc »

The liver is a favorite treat, and pretty easy to get to and pull out. I do tend to digress. There's a lot of pulled out sallie going on. But sure, that could still be tucked in under there. But the thing is, the OP asked a question about what that cluster of orbs is, plainly and seemed to want an answer, so I answered it and I wasn't guessing.


Its a dead jacked up gravid salamander for chrissakes.

It can be eye opening to transcend to how instead of "who" rpcora. Oh, and its a small world ;)
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by rpecora »

You're probably right, and yes a small world indeed.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by hellihooks »

i tend to eat the heart and liver of my enemy's first... :crazyeyes:
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by JAMAUGHN »

Here's a couple of shot of Banana Slug eggs (and hatchlings)...seems like it could be a good match. I have no idea if that's what's in that salamander, though.

ImageBanana Slug Eggs (Ariolimax genus) by J. Maughn, on Flickr
ImageBanana Banana Slug Eggs and Banana Slug Babies (Ariolimax genus) by J. Maughn, on Flickr

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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Gary N »

[quote="JAMAUGHN"]Here's a couple of shot of Banana Slug eggs (and hatchlings)...seems like it could be a good match. I have no idea if that's what's in that salamander, though.

Nice shot of hatchling slugs, but since the eggs in the salamander are connected, not separated like slug eggs after they are laid, that indicates they are not any kind of eggs that have been laid.

I was told today that the salamander was not flattened on the rear and that it was still twitching when found, suggesting that the hikers scared off the predator moments before they found the salamander. This supports the idea that the predator chewed off the head and was pulling out the innards to eat them when it was interrupted, which explains why it did not eat the eggs and the rest.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by hellihooks »

Yolks on you??? :crazyeyes: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Kelly Mc »

I shouldn't have reacted the way I did - im sorry rpcora.

Sometimes I get this thing where I feel that if anyone else would have posted the same input, it would be received with less contention. Ive been very intimate with egg masses like the one shown above, and have even retrieved viable eggs, so its kind of like an injury to a craft I practiced as long and diligently as many have the areas of their familiarity.

Im sorry though. Yolk on my face.

Its an interesting photo and very well presented, my compliments to the OP.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by rpecora »

I wasn't trying to be argumentative, just throwing my thoughts out there. We're good.
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Post by Porter »

You're all fuggn' wrong... don't you know popcorn when you see it...POP...off goes the fuggin head... fug
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Post by Porter »

Ok, got some sleep after 23 hours and now this is my response... :sleep:

Just in case the popcorn theory doesn't hold water... I have to say I'm still 50/50 on this. The slug eggs could have combined and clustered in the stomach or throat by sally saliva or tummy goo...or...the sally eggs look clustered until a male comes along to provide the protective slime that encases each egg. But what I'm pretty sure of is... slug eggs must look clustered like that when they are still within the slug before being laid individually...however, maybe a slugs body processes engage so slowly that it produces one egg at a time...I honestly have no clue. Aside from the pictured clue... does a slug provide its own goo?

I did find this, but my phone won't let me watch it https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p8Vy4T8748w
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Porter »

[youtube]p8Vy4T8748w[/youtube]

Ok, thats it... I am done continually editing this comment to try to get a damn thumbnail with clustered slug eggs to show up :lol: I have removed just about every sensible portion of the link and it still not working I'm done
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Porter »

Also, this is a pretty gross suggested scenario which I doubt will score me any points in finding a woman to cure my singlism but a very likely possibility. I was evening cruising a couple weeks ago by myself in Fresnoish and came across a bird in the road, fresh kill (wasn't there when I drove pass an hour before) looked like some kind of chicken (feet/leg comparison), blueish colored legs, brackish patterned, with no head. I figured must be a roadrunner. At first I thought why the hell would an animal just eat the head and leave the rest...then, maybe car scared the predator... then, I thought...naw, this has got to be a car....truck

Maybe a mountain biker when over the head and the nobs of the tread were enough to rip off and toss the head out of sight. Do we know which way the body was facing?
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Post by Antonsrkn »

Porter wrote:Maybe a mountain biker when over the head and the nobs of the tread were enough to rip off and toss the head out of sight. Do we know which way the body was facing?
That certainly sounds like the most parsimonious explanation :crazyeyes:
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Post by Porter »

Antonsrkn wrote:
Porter wrote:Maybe a mountain biker when over the head and the nobs of the tread were enough to rip off and toss the head out of sight. Do we know which way the body was facing?
That certainly sounds like the most parsimonious explanation :crazyeyes:
Not at all. I just about had a heart attack when I had to move out of a sandy trail, crawling with harvester ants, to let mountain bikers pass not once but 3 time, durring an in situ blainsville horned lizard sesh. In fact, that is probably what happened... Gary you should ask the hikers who sent you the pic, if they remember being passed by a biker before finding the sal. The mark on the back, above the decapitation is direct evidence of side tread of a bike tire. anyone who has ever owned mountain bike knows the side tread sits higher....tire went over the head squishing, pulling the body forward, lifting the belly off the ground, and pulling apart from the body and twisting 270 degrees...then the following tire grabbed it up and flung it off the trail. This is an amphibian were talking about here... :?
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Post by Kelly Mc »

The eggs are enveloped in a thin membrane. The only sign of goo are the bits of gravel stuck to the tail, indicating it was predation, that has nothing to do with the eggs.

Amphibians excrete those defensive secretions only in moments of great duress, as it is taxing to the electrolyte balance and a terrific energy expense. Depending on the species they will either position or curl themselves to create a plane of its exposure or lash wildly to perhaps achieve getting a taste of an expendable, nasty tasting part of the body to score a release.

"This thing looked like a lizard but it tastes like total crap."

- Skunk
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Post by Kelly Mc »

and no, you may not see the tacky excrete, but it is easily noticed on handling. I have experienced it when handling injured amphibians and also while treated during frightening or physically uncomfortable procedures. A goal in treating animals like that is to accomplish it without inducing the response. They are more likely to recover if you don't make them do it. And if they have a head.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by hellihooks »

I don't believe a bike tire could or would decapitate a Di-camp. there... i said it. :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Post by Porter »

You don't think getting its head squished and ripped off would be enough duress to trigger that naturally? Wet gravel laying in mud is sticky too... still reasonable doubt

Hooks, find a fresh dead dicamp..a little one, like this guy and ride your bike over the head in a turning motion...rubber because chain saw :(

Was this an evening find? If not, that rules out skunk and coons as possible predator... I WANT THE TRUTH! :x


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UXoNE14U_zM
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Post by hellihooks »

internal connective tissues like ligaments would not allow complete cleavage... while soft outside... tough on the inside... you know... like me... :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Post by Kelly Mc »

Its a very interesting photo, but probably not as unusual as the sheer timing of its discovery.

Its fun to try to figure out what happened, probably would be even without the startling detail of an immaculate mass of eggs but amorphous theories of how it happened can go on forever with specimens like this, and I think its just as fun to start with what you see, investigate that and see what comes together.

An adolescent Bigfoot found a bunch of hoarded disregards from the 80s, in an abandoned shed once owned by an old meth cook named Bic Charlie. He was called that because he always wore the cap from his empty lighters on his nose to pinch it shut, so he wouldn't waste any smoke. A lot of times when he went to 7-11 for more lighters he forgot he had it on. Anyway, The Sasquatch kid became enamored with a size 11 pair of rollerblades and figured them out. He really enjoyed going rollerblading but hid it from the others, as human artifice was frowned apon. So he was rollerblading this one time and he ran over the poor Sallie, decapitating it. He felt the bump and made a U-ee and saw what he had done.
In a deep melancholy he picked up the head of the dicamptodon and went into the forest to bury it, as is the custom of his gentle kind. He buried it among some sticky monkey plants and vowed to stay away from human junk forever.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by daniel »

Kelly Mc wrote:An adolescent Bigfoot found a bunch of hoarded disregards from the 80s, in an abandoned shed once owned by an old meth cook named Bic Charlie. He was called that because he always wore the cap from his empty lighters on his nose to pinch it shut, so he wouldn't waste any smoke. A lot of times when he went to 7-11 for more lighters he forgot he had it on. Anyway, The Sasquatch kid became enamored with a size 11 pair of rollerblades and figured them out. He really enjoyed going rollerblading but hid it from the others, as human artifice was frowned apon. So he was rollerblading this one time and he ran over the poor Sallie, decapitating it. He felt the bump and made a U-ee and saw what he had done.
In a deep melancholy he picked up the head of the dicamptodon and went into the forest to bury it, as is the custom of his gentle kind. He buried it among some sticky monkey plants and vowed to stay away from human junk forever.
This made me smile, thanks Kelly.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Zach_Lim »

This looks like a Dicamp was predated by a skunk or raccoon. Simple as that. I don't think a bike would severe a head so clean and "bite-like" like that. Bikes tend to squish- judging my the body condition (how firm it is), it was most likely alive then killed, rather than dead then decapitated.

Probably a female with eggs.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Zach_Lim »

hellihooks wrote:internal connective tissues like ligaments would not allow complete cleavage... while soft outside... tough on the inside... you know... like me... :lol: :lol: :lol:
Agreed. I have seen many newts crushed by mountain bikes in Northern California. All were smushed into the ground and "smeared"- no clean cuts like the aforementioned Dicamp. Different trail settings from dirt to gravel.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Porter »

Kelly Mc wrote:Its a very interesting photo, but probably not as unusual as the sheer timing of its discovery.

Its fun to try to figure out what happened, probably would be even without the startling detail of an immaculate mass of eggs but amorphous theories of how it happened can go on forever with specimens like this, and I think its just as fun to start with what you see, investigate that and see what comes together.

An adolescent Bigfoot found a bunch of hoarded disregards from the 80s, in an abandoned shed once owned by an old meth cook named Bic Charlie. He was called that because he always wore the cap from his empty lighters on his nose to pinch it shut, so he wouldn't waste any smoke. A lot of times when he went to 7-11 for more lighters he forgot he had it on. Anyway, The Sasquatch kid became enamored with a size 11 pair of rollerblades and figured them out. He really enjoyed going rollerblading but hid it from the others, as human artifice was frowned apon. So he was rollerblading this one time and he ran over the poor Sallie, decapitating it. He felt the bump and made a U-ee and saw what he had done.
In a deep melancholy he picked up the head of the dicamptodon and went into the forest to bury it, as is the custom of his gentle kind. He buried it among some sticky monkey plants and vowed to stay away from human junk forever.
Well, that was definitely grosser than the picture of the headless salamander :? I try to steer clear of those people... however, I have been known ti give them a couple bucks every now and then when I see the standing on the street corner.

In all honesty, I do think the skin across the back at the edge of the wound looks to be chewed on and the indentions above the wound seem to claw inflicted...but the straight edge slices (on the right arm as well) imply that something flat edged like a blade or the edge of a square tire tread made the marks. When the people picked up the sal to carry it back to a table cloth for photos, the may have pushed that top skin back, with whatever they use to pick it up(napkin maybye?) . Because, I know crawfish and even trout look like that before cooking and I definitely didn't chew on it firsr :lol:

Anywho... if anyone witness's a bike run or a frog in front of them (not toad or newt, only thin skinned amphibian) please post a photo for further evidence :thumb: treefrog and bullfrog look that way on rainy nights from car tires, however I don't think that will be size and weight comparable excepted evidence for the skeptics in the jury box.

Until, then... this court is at recess until further notice. This case is adjourned.
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Post by Porter »

Zach_Lim wrote:This looks like a Dicamp was predated by a skunk or raccoon. Simple as that. I don't think a bike would severe a head so clean and "bite-like" like that. Bikes tend to squish- judging my the body condition (how firm it is), it was most likely alive then killed, rather than dead then decapitated.

Probably a female with eggs.
I just saw you posted after I posted last response. I never said I thought it was dead. That was my only Humane suggestion I could come up with to reenact the scenario. and skunks and raccoons do not hunt during the day...period LOL bobcat, maybe? but you guys have to come up with at least a viable suspect.

Im sick and going back to bed...lol Defense rests until further evidence
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Zach_Lim »

Could the salamander have gotten predated by a skunk or raccoon in the early morning before day light ? And then the body found a tad later on? Or during the middle of the night then found later the next day?
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Post by Kelly Mc »

There's a raccoon with no tail that Ive seen during the day walking through my back yard and I live in the avenues. In the east bay I have seen raccoons in the Hayward hills during the day.

So, now that slug eggs have been rendered void we've moved on to what kind of predator. Or are we still taking tire prints?

Dicamptodahmer
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by hellihooks »

Porter wrote: Until, then... this court is at recess until further notice. This case is adjourned.
Judge not, unless ye be judged... :crazyeyes: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Zach_Lim »

Kelly Mc wrote:There's a raccoon with no tail that Ive seen during the day walking through my back yard and I live in the avenues. In the east bay I have seen raccoons in the Hayward hills during the day.

So, now that slug eggs have been rendered void we've moved on to what kind of predator. Or are we still taking tire prints?

Dicamptodahmer
Kel,

I have seen this very raccoon and for a spilt second my mind told me "Bob Cat" haha
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Porter »

Kelly, that's not a raccoon... it's a tanuki. Take a pic of the day coons and post. No pic, no proof. Although I wouldn't be surprised to see a city raccoon so outt-a-wack from learning to eat garbage that it denies it's own natural instincts as much as urbanize humans. Mcdonalds anyone...?

Gary N wrote:
I was told today that the salamander was not flattened on the rear and that it was still twitching when found
Zach, I love ya to death, but if you don't show Gary some respect I'm gonna have to beat datass. Screaming compotition...Go! Jk...please don't hurt me :( :cry:

This jumping into posts without reading the whole story has gone far too far. Everyone check yer self before you reck yer self. Here I go jumping into a post to stick up for a woman with egg in her face and she becomes the attacker... :crazyeyes:

We already established that it still could be slug eggs...just not the species on jmaughn's pics. What, do you think I just post these links for nothin' :roll:

I'm exhausted... I'm sick and going back to bed :sleep:
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Post by Porter »

Ive been saving this for the right moment...that moment is now

Image20160502_151737 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr
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Post by Kelly Mc »

Not attacking, but lots of things happen we don't see. Animal behavior has few absolutes and human presence can be a great deceiver
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Post by Kelly Mc »

Yes Zach its kind of small, it doesn't know I can see it from here as it walks across the yard
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Kelly Mc »

Porter if we are looking at the same photo it is impossible for them to be slug eggs. Its exposed egg tract of a female dicamptodon, 100%

That in itself is a visual gift to get to see.
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Porter »

Kelly Mc wrote:Not attacking, but lots of things happen we don't see. Animal behavior has few absolutes and human presence can be a great deceiver
Nor did I ever think you were been attacked ;)

This is all just literature. Same as book. Porter is a forum character that I write things for him to say... Simple as that. I realize others use it as a serious representation of themselves. I'm not the brave. There's a lot to be learned from, "porter" :beer:
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Porter »

Kelly Mc wrote:Porter if we are looking at the same photo it is impossible for them to be slug eggs. Its exposed egg tract of a female dicamptodon, 100%

That in itself is a visual gift to get to see.
The video link shows slug eggs in a cluster hatching. I posted the link to show that some species of slug eggs are in fact, in clusters and not singular outside of the slug. Thats why i need the damn thumbnail to be showing :lol:
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by Porter »

This whole internet thing is somewhere between a book and television... I use it just to teach people. give an alternative view, ect... I stopped taking it serious when I realized how confusing it can be. No worries "Who we are when no one is looking, is our true selves" - quote unknown

The guy who writes for porter is about as morally "good" as they come 8-) peace

However, i do think theres a possiblity its your neighbors tanuki :lol: 8-)

...JK (an intelligent joke based on the subject at hand)
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Re: Headless Giant Salamander Question (Beware - Gory Pictur

Post by hellihooks »

Chug some Nyquil and go the hell to bed, dude... :lol: :lol: :lol:
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