Spotted Salamander
Ambystoma maculatum
Summary 5
The spotted salamander or yellow-spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) is a mole salamander common in the eastern United States and Canada. The spotted salamander is the state amphibian of Ohio and South Carolina. This salamander ranges from Nova Scotia, to Lake Superior, to southern Georgia and Texas. Its embryos have been found to have symbiotic algae living inside them.
Description 6
The spotted salamander is about 15–25 cm (5.9–9.8 in) long. They are stout, like most mole salamanders, and have wide snouts. The spotted salamander's main color is black, but can sometimes be a blueish-black, dark grey, dark green, or even dark brown. Two uneven rows of yellowish-orange spots run from the top of the head (near the eyes) to the tip of the tail. Interestingly, the spotted salamander's spots near the top of its head are more orange, while the spots on the rest of its body are more yellow. The underside of the spotted salamander is slate gray and pink.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Michael, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3382/3412678086_e54b25a203.jpg
- (c) 2002 Henk Wallays, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=121396&one=T
- (c) 2010 Todd Pierson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=313548&one=T
- (c) Brian Gratwicke, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3979528449_5cc665863c.jpg
- Adapted by Jenn Mercer from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambystoma_maculatum
- Adapted by Jenn Mercer from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_salamander
