Exploring under rocks

I love turning over rocks! Beneath rocks are homes, tunnels, trails, hiding places... there's life, struggle, drama, love, and death... there's mystery... there's a whole mini ecosystem to explore. Sometimes turning over a rock reveals a worm or a nest of ants; sometimes it's a slug or a cricket; sometimes it's a centipede and even occasionally a snake... The other day I was carefully lifting rocks along the creek to see if I could find any cool creatures. Under one, a small black beetle scurried away; under another, a spider flattened himself to the grey stone. Knowing that there are often spiders underneath, I'm always careful when I overturn rocks to be sure of where I'm putting my fingers. This bit of wisdom has only come with age and greater awareness. As a kid I would reach under objects or into dark nooks and corners... not thinking about whose house my fingers were intruding.

Northern Dusky Salamander

Well, after turning over half a dozen rocks or more, I finally spotted a salamander. It was a dark greyish-brown with some lighter reddish-brown splotches along its back. I scoured the internet for clues as to its identity and finally something caught my eye. Under the description for the Northern Dusky Salamander was the notation "Dusky's are easily identified by the light line that extends from the eye to the angle of the jaw." I looked closely at the picture I had taken, and sure enough, there was a light-colored line extending from the corner of the eye.

Dusky salamanders are most common where water is running and they will hide under various objects either in or near the water. Some interesting facts about these salamanders include:

• They remain hidden from sight for 70% of their lives
• They have an immovable lower jaw, so they must lift their heads in order to open their mouths
• They are a lung-less salamander, which means they absorb the oxygen they need through the skin and mouth. 

PS. There's a neat book for elementary science teachers or parents that discusses the fascinating habitats that can be found under rocks. It's called Under One Rock: Bugs, Slugs, and other Ughs

 


"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled." ~Plutarch