Long-toed Salamander

Ambystoma macrodactylum

The Long-toed Salamander is a special little creature with long toes that help it swim and dig. It has a smooth body and loves to live in wet places like ponds and marshes.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Long-toed Salamander has a dark body, often black or dark brown, covered with bright yellow to greenish-yellow irregular blotches or a broken stripe down its back. Its most notable feature is the unusually long fourth toe on its hind feet, giving it its name. Its belly is typically dark.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAmphibiaOrderCaudataFamilyAmbystomatidaeGenusAmbystoma

Long-toed Salamander

Interesting facts

Female salamanders can lay hundreds of eggs in a single season!

They can live underwater as wiggly larvae for several months!

They mostly hunt at night, searching for yummy insects in the dark!

Underground burrows are their cozy homes for much of the year!

Special abilities

Long-toed Salamander has super long toes that help them climb over slippery rocks and grab onto plants.

Long-toed Salamander can breathe partly through their moist skin, allowing them to absorb oxygen from water and air.

Long-toed Salamander can drop its tail when grabbed, distracting predators while it slips away to safety.

Measurements & details

Length: 4-12 cm
Weight: 0.002-0.008 kg
Lifespan: 5-15 years
Top Speed: 0.1 km/h
Clutch Size: 50-400
Metamorphosis: 60-150 days

Diet & Feeding

Tiny predators, these salamanders slurp up small insects, worms, and other invertebrates with their sticky tongues.

Age differences: Larvae eat aquatic insects, while adults mostly hunt on land.

Primary Foods

Insects
Earthworms
Slugs
Spiders
Mites
Mosquito larvae

Foraging Methods

Ambush
Foraging

Ecological connections

eats

Common Earthworm

Lumbricus terrestris

a favorite meal in their moist habitat.

eaten by

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

a common predator of adult salamanders.

eaten by

Rainbow Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

predators of their larvae in ponds.

eats

Leopard Slug

Limax maximus

an occasional snack for these amphibians.

Traits

Webbed Feet

Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming.

Spotted

Marked with spots or patches of a different color.

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Burrowing

Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.