Marbled Salamander In The Northeast

On the female these bands tend to be a bit more gray.

Marbled salamander in the northeast.

At least 150 salamander species live north of mexico more than in any other region on the planet. It s often gray with a red stripe down its back but it may be entirely red or entirely gray. Disjunct populations are found in eastern missouri central illinois in northwest ohio. Disjunct populations occur along the southern edge of lake.

Ambystoma opacum the marbled salamander is found throughout most of the eastern united states from massachusetts west to central illinois southeastern missouri and oklahoma and eastern texas south to the gulf of mexico and the carolina coast it is absent from peninsular florida. This small salamander may be the most abundant vertebrate backboned animal in the northeast and it s found all across the state. The marbled salamander ambystoma opacum is a species of mole salamander found in the eastern united states. Adults can grow to about 11 cm 4 in small compared to other members of its genus.

It is lungless and breathes through its moist skin. They are also found northward in tennessee kentucky and indiana. The body is dark gray to black with bold white or silvery crossbands. Climate projections for the northeast suggest that higher temperatures and a longer growing season will lead to increases in evapotranspiration evaporation and transpiration from plants 8.

These changes are expected to increase the frequency of short term. The bands of females tend to be gray while those of males are more white. The marbled salamander a member of the mole salamander family ambystomatidae tends to occupy drier more sandy or gravelly habitat than most of pennsylvania s salamander species. The marbled salamander is a stocky boldly banded salamander.

This species is sexually dimorphic males tend to have white crossbands and females tend to have gray silvery crossbands. They may be inactive and underground during the hot summer months. And while most of us have seen salamanders few are aware of their extraordinary diversity. Marbled salamanders are dependent on very specific pool hydrology for reproduction.

Marbled salamanders grow to about 3 5 4 25 in 9 10 7 cm in size and are stout bodied and chubby in appearance. Historical versus current distribution marbled salamanders ambystoma opacum range throughout much of the eastern united states from eastern texas and oklahoma northeast through illinois and indiana to southern new hampshire and central massachusetts and south to north florida. The belly is black and unmarked. Despite its name its color varies.

They live in woodlands near vernal pools where larvae develop.