Natural History of the Marbled Salamander

Common Name: Marbled Salamander or “Banded Salamander”
Family Classification: Ambystomatidae
Genus and Species: Ambystoma opacum

             Marbled salamanders are a small and distinct species that can be found in a variety of moist habitats in forests and woodlands. They range on the east coast from southern New England to the northern part of Florida and as far west as Texas. The marbled salamander shown was found at Caw Caw County Park in Ravenel South Carolina just south of Charleston. However, the smaller larva marbled salamander was found at Dixie Plantation in Hollywood South Carolina. Adults spend most of their lifetime under logs, leaf litters or in burrows only emerging for breeding. This particular one was found underneath a log in the forest while the larvae were found in a swamp.  
            Marbled salamanders are usually 3-4 inches long and have light markings or crossbands along the length of the back and tail that vary in shape and arrangement. The body color and belly is typically black. What makes these salamanders unique is the contrast of the light colored bands against the black body. One way to distinguish males from females is by the color of the crossbands. Females have gray, silvery markings and males have white markings. The marbled salamander caught on the field trip is an adult female because of the gray or silver colored bands. A few characteristics to distinguish this species besides the patterns and colors are the costal grooves, eyelids, five toes, four fingers and a stout body with a large flattened head.  
            Marbled salamanders are nocturnal and extremely solitary except during breeding. Their diet consists of worms, slugs, snails, crickets, etc. The marbled salamanders breed in the fall and females lay clusters of eggs which hatch in the spring. Salamanders are metamorphic and once the eggs hatch the larvae will be in an aquatic environment for 5-9 months until metamorphosis is complete then the larvae leave the water as juveniles. The juveniles will reach maturity 15 months after leaving the water. To distinguish the marbled salamander larvae, they will have external gills, a tail fin, small light speckles, four limbs, and costal grooves. Encountering the few larvae marbled salamanders at Dixie Plantation was no surprise since the timing was right.              
            One the first few field trips our herpetology class found many local species that we were able to identify. The marbled salamander was one of my favorites that we found. Field trips are a great way to observe amphibians and reptiles in their natural environments around our city.

 

Peterson Field Guides: Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern/Central North America; pp 433-434.

By; Chelsea Taylor
College of Charleston