Ambystoma maculatum
Status: Not Listed
Classification: Amphibian
Description
An adult spotted salamander is dark brown or black with yellow or orange spots on its back and sides, and its belly is gray. This amphibian has a broad head and smooth skin with vertical grooves on both sides of its torso. Glands on their backs and tails release a sticky toxic liquid when the animal is threatened.
A spotted salamander's appearance differs depending on its life cycle stage. In its larval stage, the spotted salamander lives in the water and has external gills. The back is closer to a dull greenish color, and it has a mottled tail and a pale belly. When they hatch, larvae are approximately half an inch (1.25 centimeters) long. Spotted salamanders grow to be 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimeters) long, with females tending to be larger than males.
Range
Spotted salamanders can be found in the eastern United States along the Atlantic coast and throughout the southeastern states, with the exception of Florida. Their range extends west as far as Texas and north into eastern parts of Canada. They live in hardwood and mixed forests close to stagnant water sources like swamps, ponds, and vernal pools (temporary or seasonal pools of water). Their predators include skunks, raccoons, turtles, and snakes.
Diet
As larvae, spotted salamanders eat insects, small crustaceans, and other aquatic invertebrates. Adults have a sticky tongue to catch earthworms, snails, spiders, centipedes, and other invertebrates they find on the forest floor.
Life History
Spotted salamanders progress through several life stages: egg, larva, juvenile, and adult. Their eggs are laid underwater, so when the larvae hatch they have external gills for breathing in their aquatic environment, a broad tail to help them swim, and weak legs. The larvae feed in the water while they grow into juveniles. Juvenile and adult salamanders live on land and have lungs and strong legs. Spotted salamanders migrate to breeding ponds in late winter and early spring once temperatures begin to warm up and rain showers arrive.
Adult spotted salamanders live about 20 years, but some have been recorded to live as long as 30 years. Due to predators and disease, most spotted salamanders die before they reach the land-dwelling juvenile stage. Larvae in vernal pools will die if the water dries up before they grow into juveniles.
Conservation
The spotted salamander population is considered stable, though some subpopulations are declining due to habitat loss. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates there are more than a million spotted salamanders in North America.
Fun Fact
Spotted salamander eggs sometimes contain green algae. The algae will consume the carbon dioxide that salamander embryos produce and turn it into oxygen that the embryos can use.
Sources
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
NatureServe Explorer
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Americans are about to experience a rare phenomenon for the first time in 17 years: the return of Brood X periodical cicadas!
Get the FactsHear from champions for greater and safer access to the outdoors as they discuss the potential solutions to address the intersectional issues faced by Black communities.
Listen NowBy taking the Mayors' Monarch Pledge, your local leaders can commit to uniting your community around saving the imperiled monarch. Send a message today urging your mayor or head of local or Tribal government to pledge before April 30!
Act NowGet quotes now or call (855) 786-0941
Get Quotes NowMore than one-third of U.S. fish and wildlife species are at risk of extinction in the coming decades. We're on the ground in seven regions across the country, collaborating with 53 state and territory affiliates to reverse the crisis and ensure wildlife thrive.