The Spotted Salamander

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Spotted Salamaner

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.

Spotted Salamander Wikipedia
Description
Habitat
Life Cycle
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Spotted Salamander Wikipedia

The spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) is a mole salamander common in the eastern United States and Canada. The Spotted Salamander is the State Amphibian of South Carolina.

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Description

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.

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.

Some 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.