Jefferson Salamander

§ Quick facts

§ Encyclopedia

The Jefferson salamander is a mole salamander native to the northeastern United States, southern and central Ontario, and southwestern Quebec. It was named after Jefferson College in Pennsylvania.

Source: Wikipedia — Jefferson salamander · Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Medium-slender dark gray-brown salamander with light blue flecks on sides (more visible on younger animals); long toes; relatively narrow snout.

Similar species. Blue-spotted Salamander (similar; hybrids exist). Smallmouth Salamander (smaller snout). Other Ambystoma species.

Voice. Silent.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Earthworms, insects, slugs, spiders, smaller salamanders.

Behavior. Spring-breeding mole salamander of northeastern US and southeastern Canada. The "Jefferson salamander complex" includes the bisexual Jefferson Salamander and the unisexual hybrid lineage (J. × jeffersonianum) consisting entirely of females reproducing through kleptogenesis (stealing genetic material from males of other Ambystoma species during mating). The unisexual lineage is among the oldest vertebrate clonal lineages known — over 5 million years old.

§ Range

Northeastern US and southeastern Canada

§ Habitat

Mature deciduous forests near vernal pools

§ Threats

Forest loss, vernal pool destruction, road mortality during migration.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the jefferson salamander is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Build wildlife road crossings. Protect vernal pools. Drive slowly on rainy spring nights.

§ Further reading

• Wikipedia — Jefferson salamander
• www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Ambystoma jeffersonianum
• IUCN Red List · taxon 59056
• iNaturalist · taxon 27544
• GBIF occurrence records
• Encyclopedia of Life — Ambystoma jeffersonianum

§ Sources cited

• AmphibiaWeb
• USGS PWRC
• Unisexual Ambystoma kleptogenesis research (Bogart et al. 2007)
• IUCN Red List 2014