1 Topic by kaptainkory

  • kaptainkory
  • kaptainkory
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  • From: Bella Vista, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2002-04-16
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Topic: In search of Grottos...

As a late season herp outing, Cyndi and husband Steve came up from central Arkansas this weekend to search for some cave-dwelling critters of the Ozark mountains.  We ended up surveying three caves and found the following:

Cave Salamander (9 adult)
Dark-sided Salamander (1 adult)
Grotto Salamander (1 adult, 2 subadult, 2 larva)
Ozark Zigzag Salamander (1 juvenile)
Unknown Larval Salamanders (3)

Obviously, the adult Grotto was the highlight of the adventure and primary target species.  Plenty of pictures were taken, but all specimens were returned unharmed.

http://www.herpsofarkansas.com/galleries/11909-2/2C3V5614.jpg

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2 Reply by bobbyneal

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Re: In search of Grottos...

When I get back to school I'll see if I can find the photos...  I have access to a few caves/mines on private properties that are littered with grottos.  I've probably seen 20-30 adults on a short 10 minute trip in... sometimes finding 5+ adults in the same small pool of water with a radius of only a few feet.  When crawling into one crevice to look up for more I no joke had them falling off the walls and onto me.

Also good populations of cave salamanders etc around.

There are a few good places left, but not a whole lot.

I forgot to show this photo... this is Phillip going back up (actually coming back out of) one of the crevices in search of grottos.

http://www.snakesandstuff.com/phillip.jpg

The Flying Spaghetti Monster is TRUTH

3 Reply by ksuglennj

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Re: In search of Grottos...

NIce finds. If you go out again let me know. I have never seen Grottos.

4 Reply by bobbyneal

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Re: In search of Grottos...

http://www.snakesandstuff.com/grotto/4.jpg
Here is the entrance...

http://www.snakesandstuff.com/grotto/1.jpg
Not a good pic, but a grotto

http://www.snakesandstuff.com/grotto/2.jpg
Another..

http://www.snakesandstuff.com/grotto/3.jpg
And another in a pool of water

The Flying Spaghetti Monster is TRUTH