Marbled Salamander
Ambystoma opacum
Conservation Status:
State Status: Apparently Secure
Global Assessment: Least Concern
Photographed by Severin Uebbing
Description
Marbled salamanders are three to five inches long. They are black with lighter bands running horizontally down their back, creating a marbling pattern that they get their name from. In females, these bands are gray, and in males they are white. These markings also will become more distinct with age. Their stomachs are also black, and they are stocky with stubby tails.
Habitat
These salamanders live in deciduous forests, most often with oak trees. They can also be found near rocky bluffs or swamps.
Behavior
Marbled salamanders spend most of their time underground, coming to the surface during breeding season. However they may be found hiding
under rocks, logs, or leaf litter. They eat worms, mollusks, insects, and other invertebrates. Larvae primarily eat zooplankton. When threatened, they will raise their tail and thrash it around, releasing toxins. Their breeding season is in the fall, and 50 to 200 eggs are laid either on the bottom of vernal pools or places soon to be filled with water. In this case, mothers may sometimes stay with their eggs, although they will readily abandon their nest after a disturbance.
Range
Present
