A federally Threatened (and locally Endangered) salamander endemic to California — utterly dependent on the state's now-rare vernal pools and the burrows of California ground squirrels.

Also called: California Tiger

Native status: Native; federally threatened (Sonoma County subspecies endangered)

§ Quick facts

SizeAdult length 16–22 cm (6.3–8.7 in)
Weight20–50 g
LifespanWild typically 10–15 years
OrderCaudata
FamilyAmbystomatidae

§ Encyclopedia

The California tiger salamander is a vulnerable amphibian native to California. It is a mole salamander. Previously considered to be a subspecies of the tiger salamander, the California tiger salamander was recently designated a separate species again. Historically, they were endemic to the San Joaquin-Sacramento river valleys, although their range has now contracted into three distinct population segments that are geographically isolated and genetically distinct from one another. The California tiger salamander distinct population segment (DPS) in Sonoma County and the Santa Barbara County DPS are listed as federally endangered, while the Central California DPS is listed as federally threatened. The Sonoma County, south San Joaquin, and the Santa Barbara County DPS have diverged from the rest of the California tiger salamander populations for over one million years, since the Pleistocene and they may warrant status as separate species.

Source: Wikipedia — California tiger salamander Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Stout dark salamander with bold yellow or cream blotches on black background; broad rounded head; protruding eyes.

Similar species. Eastern Tiger Salamander (different range; hybridizes here with introduced individuals). Other Ambystoma species (different ranges).

Voice. Silent.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Earthworms, snails, insects, smaller frogs, other salamanders.

Behavior. Endemic to California; federally threatened. Spends 95%+ of life underground in California ground squirrel and pocket gopher burrows. Migrates to breeding ponds on rainy nights between November and March; egg laying produces 700–1,300 eggs per female. Larvae develop 3–6 months before metamorphosis. Has hybridized extensively with introduced Eastern Tiger Salamander (used as fishing bait, escaped/released since the 1940s), creating "supersized" hybrid lineages that outcompete pure California tigers.

§ Range

California Central Valley and Coast Ranges

§ Habitat

Annual grasslands and oak savanna with seasonal vernal pools

§ Threats

Vernal pool conversion to agriculture, loss of squirrel burrows from rodenticide use, hybridization with introduced barred tiger salamanders.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the california tiger salamander is currently classified as Vulnerable.

§ What helps

Support vernal pool conservation easements. Avoid second-generation rodenticides. Drive carefully on rural roads in winter rains.

Support our work More ways to help

§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • USFWS California Tiger Salamander Recovery
  • AmphibiaWeb
  • UC Davis One Health Institute
  • IUCN Red List 2014