Spotted salamander
Ambystoma maculatum
Conservation Status:
State Status: Secure
Global Assessment: Least Concern
Photographed by Stephanie Campbell in Warren
Description
Spotted salamanders are the largest terrestrial salamander in Connecticut, growing four to nine inches long. They are either gray or black in color with two rows of yellow or orange spots. The spots closer to the head are generally more orange in color. They have gray bellies and wide snouts. Females can be distinguished from males based on their larger size and brighter colored spots.
Habitat
These salamanders commonly are found in deciduous forests, usually near vernal pools or ponds.
Behavior
Spotted salamanders spend most of their time in burrows underground. They emerge during the breeding season. This
species eats smaller salamanders and invertebrates, like slugs, mollusks, and worms. They catch their prey with their sticky tongues. Larvae eat insects’ larvae and aquatic invertebrates. When threatened, they may headbutt attackers, secrete toxins, or detach their tail to flee. They breed from March to May, and migrate during rainy nights to vernal pools. Around 100 eggs are laid.
Range
Present
