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The Spotted Salamander

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Spotted Salamander

The spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) is named after the bright yellow spots on its black back. They live all over the country in vernal pools, or pools that flood only in the spring. The salamanders live in vernal pools in the spring and summer and burrow underground during the autumn and winter.

Contents at a Glance

What are spotted salamanders?
Salamanders on CafePress
Their Habitat
Salamander egg masses hanging on a branc...
Life Cycle
The Spotted Salamander on Amazon

Spotted salamander are six to eight inches long from head to tail. They are black, blue, or gray with yellow spots running in two lines down their back. The spots generally do not run into each other to form blobs, staying as round circles. On some salamanders, there are several orange spots on the head. The lower sides and belly tend to be a light color than the back.

Salamanders on CafePress

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Their Habitat

Spotted salamander live in vernal pools during the spring and summer and underground in burrows during the fall and winter. They lay their eggs in March, when the vernal pools incubate. A spotted salamander always come back to the same pool to breed, always using the same route. When they get to the vernal pool, the females lay eggs in masses, consiting of 1 to 200 eggs.

Salamander egg masses hanging on a branch

Life Cycle

Spotted salamanders are born from egg masses that are layed in March by mature female salamanders. After hatching, the spotted salamanders are called larvae. They are small creatures that start out only eating egg yolk then small, living things. Then the larvae go through metamorphosis. Their limbs develop, then lungs replace the gills. The rest of their body starts to change (digestive track, eyes, other organs, etc.). Then the spotted salamanders are ready to leave the pond. This metamorphosis must be completed before the vernal pool dries up or the salamander will die.

The Spotted Salamander on Amazon

Spotted Salamander News

Wildlands on campaign to preserve additional South Mountain land: The preserve is home to rare and threatened plant species, is a breeding habitat for amphibians such as the spotted salamander and is nesting habitat for more than 59 birds, according to the Wildlands. In addition, the property provides a passive and ...
wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |Behind the scenes at Riverbanks Zoo: The Zoo's back up area is also home to some South Carolina species like the spotted salamander, which the zoo is working to protect. Reptile keepers are also monitoring the population of certain kind of snake found in our state.
Tracking an Ancient Treasure: No, Virginia, there is no Godzilla... but the Japanese Giant Salamander does exist. And we are stalking it. Nocturnal, Andrias japonicus lumbers along the stony beds of clear-running creeks by night, hiding beneath banks and submerged rocks by day.

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dee9179 Mar 23, 2012 @ 1:14 pm | delete

I found a pair of those in my pool. I plan on keeping them. Any suggestions on what they eat

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pawpaw911 Jun 15, 2011 @ 12:25 pm | delete

Salamanders are pretty interesting little critters.

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triathlontraining Sep 12, 2010 @ 12:36 am | delete

We used to find them sometimes by the dozens in window wells when I was growing up. Then they all disappeared...

Thank you for sharing this. :)

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NatureMaven Jul 11, 2010 @ 10:44 am | delete

I've never seen a spotted salamander in the wild, but I'd like to! It seems odd that they lay their eggs in March when the weather is still cold. Thanks for sharing facts about their interesting life cycle.