Spotted Salamander

Ambystoma maculatum

The Spotted Salamander is a charming little creature with bright yellow spots. They love to live in damp places and are great at finding food!

Habitat: Forests and wetlands

Appearance

The Spotted Salamander is robust and smooth-skinned, typically black or dark grey with bright yellow or orange spots scattered across its back. These vibrant spots make it distinct from most other salamander species.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAmphibiaOrderCaudataFamilyAmbystomatidaeGenusAmbystoma

Spotted Salamander

Interesting facts

Baby spotted salamanders have feathery gills before they grow lungs!

These salamanders spend almost their entire adult lives hidden underground.

They migrate on rainy spring nights to breed in special ponds!

They sometimes share their burrows with small mammals like mice.

Special abilities

Spotted Salamander can regrow lost limbs, tails, and even jaw parts if they are injured.

Spotted Salamander eggs have a unique symbiotic algae that helps provide them with oxygen.

Spotted Salamander can dig deep underground using their strong snouts, hiding safely for months.

Measurements & details

Length: 15-25 cm
Weight: 0.01-0.03 kg
Lifespan: 10-20 years
Top Speed: 0.1 km/h
Clutch Size: 50-250
Metamorphosis: 60-120 days

Diet & Feeding

Young salamanders eat tiny water creatures, while adults munch on bugs, worms, and slugs.

Age differences: Larvae eat zooplankton and microinvertebrates; adults eat larger terrestrial invertebrates.

Primary Foods

Earthworms
Slugs
Spiders
Crickets
Insect larvae

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

eaten by

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Snakes are major predators of adult salamanders.

eaten by

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Raccoons dig for salamanders hiding under leaf litter.

symbiotic with

Salamander Algae

Oophila amblystomatis

Algae live in eggs, providing oxygen to developing embryos.

hunts

Common Earthworm

Lumbricus terrestris

Adult salamanders find and eat earthworms in soil.

hunts

Leopard Slug

Limax maximus

Slugs are a common and important food source.

Traits

Wildlife

Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.

Insectivorous

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

Ancient Lineage

This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

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.