Mystery Amphibian eggs Help ID Please

[Dieselhybrid]

What's up MFK? I was out hiking some trails behind my house and stumbled upon this "glob" of eggs in the woods. They look a lot like frog eggs, but weren't very close to water. The area are old logging trails, I was walking through a semi swampy clearcut area. My Lady almost stepped on the glob the we investigated. probably 20' from the nearest puddle/stream.

Any idea? Oh yes location is Olympia Washington area, up near summit lake.

All input appreciated!

 

[Dieselhybrid]

I hate to interfere with nature, but I'm wondering if I should move them closer to a puddle or the creek.

 

[Thekid]

I hate to interfere with nature, but I'm wondering if I should move them closer to a puddle or the creek.

I'd leave them. They were probably put there intentionally.

I would guess they're Salamander eggs.

 

[krichardson]

I'm thinking some type of toad or salamander maybe and I would just leave them alone..Where do you live to be finding such things this time of year?

 

[Frank Castle]

I actually don't know of too many amphibians that lay eggs OUT of water....there are a few, but at the same time it is likely they simply laid in standing water that later dried up. There are some types of frogs, I think mainly treefrogs that "skip" certain parts of the larval stage and hatch with fully formed lungs. I will look into it, but since you are in the ONLY rainforest in North America, the possibilities of a treefrog or even something from the "lungless" salamander family could be a prime culprit

 

[Dieselhybrid]

This is in Olympia Washington area. Back in the woods behind the house. It's been an unusually warm winter, I heard frogs on the trail and we usually don't hear them until later in the winter/spring.

How you been Krich?

 

[Dieselhybrid]

very possible the area was underwater in the last few days/weeks. Yes the only temperate rainforest in the world I've been told

I'll leave them alone and keep checking on them. If i see them develop into tadpoles or dry out only then will I try moving them. Thanks for looking into it, I appreciate the help.

I also saw all kinds of mushrooms which again is really early in the year to see. we usually don't start collecting until march

 

[Frank Castle]

ok, I researched a bit, and classed my suspects into groups based on breeding information:
1.)Native to Olympic Peninsular Area, No Aquatic Larval Stage:
Ensatina [Oregon, Painted ssp.] (Ensatina eschscholtzi)



2.) Native to Olympic Peninsular Area, Breeding Habits Unknown:
Cope's Giant Salamander (Dicampton copei)
Dunn's Salamander (Plethodon dunni)
Larch Mountain Salamander (Plethodon larselli)
Washington Van Dyke's Salamander (Plethodon vandykei)


3.) Aquatic-Breeding Salamanders of the Olympic Peninsular Area THAT LAY IN WINTER:
Rough-Skinned Newt [Crater Lake and Northern ssp.] (Taricha granulosus)
Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum)
Northwestern Salamander [Brown and British Colombian ssp.] (Ambystoma gracile)
Long-toed Salamander [Western, Eastern and Northern ssp.] (Ambystoma macrodactylum)
Blotched Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinium melanostictum)
Dunn's Salamander (Plethodon dunni)
Western Red-backed Salamnder (Plethodon vehiculum)

4.) Native to Olympic Peninsular Area, Fully Aquatic, Gills Retained Entire Life:
Cope's Giant Salamander (Dicampton copei)

5.) Olympic Peninsular Area, DOES NOT BREED IN WINTER:
Olympic Salamander (Rhyacotriton olympicus)
Pacific Giant Salamander (Dicampton ensatus)
Ensatina [Oregon, Painted ssp.] (Ensatina eschscholtzi) NO AQUATIC LARVAL STAGE

Start narrowing it down, Buddy. Frogs and Toads coming up next... Dieselhybrid

 

[Frank Castle]

FROGS AND TOADS

1.)Aquatic Breeders of Olympic Peninsular Area:
Tailed Frog (Ascaphus truei) - breeds May to Sept.
Great Basin Spadefoot (Scaphiophus intermontanus) - breeds April to July
Cascades Frog (Rana cascadae) - breeds May to August
Bullfrog (Rana catesbiena) breeds May to July
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) breeds March to June
Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa) breeds March to June "egg clusters free" (whatever that means)
Woodhouse's Toad (Bufo woodhousei) breeds March to August

2.) WINTER Aquatic Breeders of Olympic Peninsular Area:
Northern Red-legged Frog (Rana aurora aurora)
Boreal Toad (Bufo boreas)
Pacific Treefrog (Hyla regilla)


NOTE: ALL SPECIES OF FROGS AND TOADS LISTED BREED IN WATER. Dieselhybrid

So my guess is we have it narrowed-down to some type of newt or salamander, likely, but again, the water simply may have dried up. Did you find them in a low spot that could have held a few inches of water for quite some time and when was the last time you had a good rain?

I have seen toads breeding in temporary pools, with no guarantee it would stay filled with water.....they actually TIRE TRACKS, literally from a Bulldozer, and I counted over 75 pairs in amplexus at once in the same little pool, however I believe most TOADS lay eggs in STRINGS, not clusters like you have there

EDIT: The Tiger Salamander does NOT lay in Winter, it lays March to June in the North
FLATWOODS SALAMANDER NOT NATIVE TO Western U.S.

Sorry, I screwed up, too much stuff going on at once

 

[krichardson]

Frank,I have salamanders in my backyard and I am quite aways away from the nearest creek.I have never seen their egg clusters but I come across the salamanders regularly hile I am doing yard work.I have never bothered to identify them though.