Marbled Salamander In The Northeast

They can be identified by their black dark brown body including its venter with light white silvery crossbands on the dorsum.

Marbled salamander in the northeast.

The marbled salamander ambystoma opacum is a species of mole salamander found in the eastern united states. This species is sexually dimorphic males tend to have white crossbands and females tend to have gray silvery crossbands. The bands of females tend to be gray while those of males are more white. Despite its name its color varies.

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 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. On the female these bands tend to be a bit more gray. They are also found northward in tennessee kentucky and indiana.

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. Adults can grow to about 11 cm 4 in small compared to other members of its genus. The body is dark gray to black with bold white or silvery crossbands. It is lungless and breathes through its moist skin.

At least 150 salamander species live north of mexico more than in any other region on the planet. Disjunct populations are found in eastern missouri central illinois in northwest ohio. These changes are expected to increase the frequency of short term. Marbled salamanders grow to about 3 5 4 25 in 9 10 7 cm in size and are stout bodied and chubby in appearance.

Marbled salamanders are dependent on very specific pool hydrology for reproduction. 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. The belly is black and unmarked. Disjunct populations occur along the southern edge of lake.

The marbled salamander is a stocky boldly banded salamander. It s often gray with a red stripe down its back but it may be entirely red or entirely gray. Marbled salamanders range from the northeast united states down through georgia and across the gulf states to texas. And while most of us have seen salamanders few are aware of their extraordinary diversity.

This small salamander may be the most abundant vertebrate backboned animal in the northeast and it s found all across the state.