Northern Woodlands’ columnist Bryan Pfeiffer pulled this branch out of the water for a closer look. What are those whitish bumps? (Photo by Bryan Pfeiffer.)
Answer
Salamander Spermatophores.
These tiny gelatinous packages contain salamander sperm. In the springtime, males migrate to vernal pools and deposit spermatophores. The females then show up and a slithery, orgiastic mating ritual, called a congress, ensues. The female takes up the spermatophore through her cloaca, then later deposits fertilized eggs on submerged vegetation.
As one reader pointed out, it’s a particularly interesting mating ritual because it has nothing to do with male fitness – no song, or plumage, or spots – it’s simply a genetic lottery. Deposit your sperm in the right place and you win the gene pool!
Another took this a step further and suggested that Father’s Day must be a very confusing holiday for young salamanders.
Thanks to our friend Byran Pfeiffer for sharing this photo. Check out Bryan’s blog here.
This week’s contest winner was Alicia Bergeron of Newbury, NH