Family: Ambystomatidae
Common name: spotted salamander
Scientific: Ambystoma
maculatum
The
spotted salamander has been my favorite herpetological find so far this
spring. Upon finding one for the first
time, I was very surprised at how large it was!
I had always thought of salamanders as small worm-like creatures with
short slimy legs. The spotted salamander
was rather large (approximately 6-7 inches) and easily fit in my hand. It was really neat and fun to find!
Description:
The spotted salamander is grows to the lengths of 6-10”. It is stoutly built and is often black,
blue-black, dark gray, or dark brown, with 2 irregular rows of round, yellow or
orange spots. These spots begin on the
head and continue to the tail tip. The
belly of a spotted salamander is usually slate-gray. There are usually 12 costal grooves. Their diet includes insects, spiders,
millipedes, slugs, and worms. Some
distinguishing features of the spotted are 1) the round, bright yellow spots in
two rows, 2) light gray belly with possibly silver flecks, and 3) adults have a
light gray lower lip and throat.
Habitat/Range:
Spotted salamanders are often found in hardwood forests and hillsides
around pools and flooded depressions.
They range from south-central Ontario to Nova Scotia, south to Georgia,
and east to Texas. Spotted salamanders
are rarely found south of Georgia. This
species of salamander is often confused with the tiger salamander. The tiger is similar in body size and color
except for the spot pattern. Thes spotted
salamander has spots arranged in rows, while tiger salamanders have blotches of
spots.
Life History/Breeding: The spotted salamander is an aquatic breeder;
meaning all courtship, breeding, and egg-laying occur underwater. The salamanders hit the pools for breeding
during the first warm rains of spring.
In the north, this breeding event can occur between March and April,
while in the South and in the Smokey Mountains, it can be anywhere between
December and February. Each female lays
a compact, clear mass of approximately 100 eggs. This glob of eggs is usually attached to
twigs or branches submerged in the pond.
The larvae hatch 4-7 weeks later and are approximately 0.5” long. Then these small larvae transform via
metamorphosis 2-4 months later at some point in the summer. After metamorphosis, sexual maturity is not
reached until 4-5 years old and the spotted salamander may live to be over 20
years old.
Fun Fact: Spotted salamanders return to the same mating
pool via the same route every year.
1 comment:
Thanks, Chris. They are hard not to love.
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