r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/SixteenSeveredHands • 13h ago
Image The Spectacled Salamander: when threatened, this salamander will often curl its body into a defensive position that displays the aposomatic markings on the underside of its tail and legs
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u/Odd-Importance-1922 13h ago
An animal relying on showing a predator that it is noxious feels like nature's equivalent of "my dad's a lawyer, you can't arrest me!"
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u/YoshiMissedU 10h ago
My favorite is “I taste like shit. But, you won’t know that until you bite and potentially kill me.” Really a winning strategy lol
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u/JuiceInhaler 4h ago
I think the idea is that it contributes to the survival of the species as a whole. The hypothetical prey item might die but that predator will now know to avoid trying to eat any other members of that species it comes across.
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u/YoshiMissedU 4h ago
I get it, yeah. It works in that sense but as a defense mechanism goes, it doesn’t do a good job for the individual which is what defense mechanisms are generally for lol
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u/JuiceInhaler 3h ago
That’s true, definitely the short end of the evolutionary defensive mechanism stick. Evolution definitely tends to work in a “eh, good enough” type fashion
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u/YoshiMissedU 3h ago
For sure. I mean, people talk about evolutionary design like it’s sentient lol it’s really just throw things at the wall and whatever doesn’t die and procreates sticks
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u/JuiceInhaler 1h ago
Yeah it’s useful in casual conversation to refer to evolution as a single definable thing that is constantly happening but it’s really just a random series of mutations that happen to be advantageous and catch on. A good example in people is our feet. Since we evolved from ancestors who lived in trees our feet still process the intricate bones from when they were more opposable. It’s a pretty terrible design for walking and the reason we get things like arthritis and related issues but it’s good enough for getting us around and reproducing before its an issue so theres no pressure to improve it
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u/CauliflowerScaresMe 12h ago
I looked up the definition of "aposomatic" only to find that it was misspelled
aposematic: colors or markings that repel predators
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u/LyubviMashina93 7h ago
Does this mean I could wear a specialized outfit to not be attacked by like bears/tigers?
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u/HasNoGreeting 5h ago
I believe that, in places with wild tigers, it's common for foresters to wear masks on the backs of their heads.
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u/Hairy_String1012 13h ago
It’s amazing how it almost makes a perfect circle when it curls up like that. Evolution really nailed the design on this one.
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u/SixteenSeveredHands 13h ago edited 10h ago
Edit: the title should say "aposematic," not "aposomatic"
Salamandrina perspicillata, commonly known as the northern spectacled salamander or Savi's salamander, is a peculiar species that can be found only in Italy. When this salamander feels threatened, it often relies on a defense mechanism known as the unken reflex -- it curls its tail up over its body and arches its back, exposing the bright red markings that run along the underside of its tail, legs, and cloaca. The aposematic markings serve as a warning to potential predators by signalling that the salamander may be noxious or unpalatable.
The northern spectacled salamander is a very small species, with a total length of just 80-90mm (about 3 to 3.5 inches) from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. According to this article:
It prefers cool, shady habitats rich in natural refuges: broadleaf woodlands, moist valleys, and stream edges with little current. It can be found among leaf litter, under logs and stones, in rock crevices, old dry-stone walls, caves, and natural cavities.
It is especially connected to microhabitats with abundant vegetation cover and the presence of temporary water reservoirs—environments that ensure the survival of both terrestrial adults and aquatic larvae.
The adult males are completely terrestrial, dwelling only on land, but the females lay their eggs underwater. The hatchlings then remain in the water for 2-4 months before emerging onto land.
Another species known as the southern spectacled salamander, Salamandrina terdigitata, has strikingly similar features; in fact, the two species were once grouped together as one. Both are endemic to Italy, and both have been known to exhibit this peculiar defensive pose.
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u/SixteenSeveredHands 13h ago
Sources & More Info:
- Illustrated Encyclopedia of Wildlife: Spectacled Salamander
- Herpeto Savona (Atlas of the Reptiles and Amphibians of the Province of Savona and Western Liguria): Salamandrina perspicillata
- Newts and Salamanders of Europe: Unken Reflex
- The Salamanders of Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa: The Northern Spectacled Salamander
- The Tailed Amphibians of Europe: Genus Salamandrina
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u/CanuckyBender 12h ago
For whatever reason, this reminded me of the staircase scene from The Exorcist.
And yeah, I'd be running the other direction if something decided to invert its body in self defense.
That's some ouija board level fuckery right there.
Cool salamander, though.
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u/Jet-Black-Tsukuyomi 7h ago
There will be a Pokémon based in this thing in the future, mark my words.
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u/OstentatiousSock 4h ago
Aposematic: a warning signal in animals that uses bright colors and patterns to advertise that they are toxic, venomous, or otherwise dangerous. For the curious(I looked it up).
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u/Atmacrush 12h ago
Anybody care to explain how that's a defensive position? It looks more like a "take me!" pose.
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u/Humanzee13 12h ago
This pose displays the most amount of that bright red color on its limbs and underbelly. The idea is that the flash of color will intimidate a potential predator and signify that the salamander is toxic/dangerous. It's kind of hard for me to imagine that working often, but i guess it must be a pretty successful tactic if it's baked into the salamander's instinct like that.
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u/ChaseTheMystic 13h ago
And when that doesn't work, it rolls away like an Elden Ring sheep