A handsome black-and-yellow mole salamander that spends most of its life underground, emerging in late winter rains for one explosive night of breeding in vernal (seasonal) pools.

Also called: Yellow-spotted Salamander

Native status: Native; widespread in eastern North America

§ Quick facts

SizeAdult length 15–25 cm (6–10 in)
Weight12–24 g
LifespanWild typically 20–25 years; some documented over 32
OrderCaudata
FamilyAmbystomatidae

§ Encyclopedia

The spotted salamander, also known commonly as the yellow-spotted salamander, is a species of mole salamander in the family Ambystomatidae. The species is native to the eastern United States and Canada. It is the state amphibian of Ohio and South Carolina. The species ranges from Nova Scotia, to Lake Superior, to southern Georgia and Texas. Its embryos have been found to have symbiotic algae, Chlorococcum amblystomatis, living in and around them, the only known example of vertebrate cells hosting an endosymbiont microbe.

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

§ Identification

Field marks. Large stout black salamander with two rows of large bright yellow spots (sometimes orange near the head) running down the back from head to tail; gray belly.

Similar species. Tiger Salamander (mottled yellow blotches, much larger). Marbled Salamander (silver/white bands). Jefferson Salamander (no spots).

Voice. Silent.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Earthworms, insects, slugs, snails, spiders. Larvae eat aquatic invertebrates and even small fish.

Behavior. Among the most-studied US salamanders. Adults spend most of life underground in mole tunnels and burrows of small mammals. Migrate en masse to vernal pools on the FIRST warm rainy night of spring — often "big nights" with hundreds crossing roads simultaneously. The only known vertebrate-algae symbiosis: algae (Oophila amblystomatis) live INSIDE the eggs and embryos, providing oxygen via photosynthesis; researchers are studying whether this symbiosis persists in tissues of adult salamanders.

§ Range

Eastern North America from Nova Scotia to Texas

§ Habitat

Mature deciduous forests with vernal pools for breeding

§ Threats

Vernal pool destruction, forest fragmentation cutting off migration corridors, road mortality on rainy spring nights.

§ Conservation status

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

§ What helps

Protect vernal pools and surrounding upland forest. Volunteer for "Big Night" salamander crossings. Avoid road salts that drift into pools.

Support our work More ways to help

§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • AmphibiaWeb
  • USGS PWRC Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative
  • Salamander–algae symbiosis (Kerney et al. 2011)
  • IUCN Red List 2014