Ambystoma maculatum
Range
They are found in the eastern part of Southern Canada and the U.S.
Habitat
They live in wet forests near a pond, lake or wetland.
Body Traits
They are one of the largest salamanders reaching 8 inches in length. They are dark grayish-brown with two rows of bright yellow spots running down their body. The spots on their head are often bright orange. Their sides are often lighter in color.
Habits
They are shy salamanders, living under logs, rocks or the leaf litter on the forest floor. They are seen mostly after a hard spring rain.
Diet
They eat insects, worms and other small animals found on the forest floor.
Predators
They protect themselves from predators by having a toxin that comes out on their skin from glands that makes them taste bad. Humans should wash their hands after handling one.
Reproduction
They lay about 200 eggs in a jelly like mass that they attach to an anchored plant underwater, after the first warm spring rain.
Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
- Class: Amphibia
- Order: Caudata
- Family: Ambystomatidae
- Genus: Ambystoma
- Species: A. maculatum