Marbled Salamander Juveniles

In general partial harvests and long rotation cycles would benefit salamander populations.

Marbled salamander juveniles.

Like other mole salamanders marbled salamanders are predators of smaller creatures but though they are voracious predators of insects worms and slugs they along with their eggs and juvenile forms provide food for many other hungry animals. Juveniles 1 yr old experienced near zero annual survivorship in old field enclosures compared to 70 in forest enclosures rothermel 2003. About another 15 months are needed for the juveniles to reach maturity. Juvenile marbled salamanders experienced low first year survival 4 5 in old field terrestrial enclosures when compared to survival in forest enclosures 45.

Larvae typically mature as quickly as two months in the southern part of their range but take up to six months to mature in. Adults can get around 4 inches on average. The marbled salamander can be found from southern new hampshire to northern florida and west to southern illinois southeast oklahoma and east texas. Naturally found throughout southeastern america ranging from georgia florida and around the higher areas of the appalachian mountains.

The marbled salamander is one of many amphibians found in the bottomland hardwood forests of mississippi. We have baby marbled salamanders for sale. A long term study conducted at the savannah river ecological laboratory shows that fluctuations in amphibian populations including marbled salamanders can be a natural phenomenon. With proper care these salamanders can live 8 10 years in captivity.

Like other ambystomatids these salamanders spend most of their time underground in burrows and are infrequently seen outside of the breeding season. The body is black with light bands of varying widths running across the back. Marbled salamanders ambystoma opacum urodela. Like many salamanders marbled salamanders have poison glands in their.

It is a threatened species in michigan. September is the peak breeding period in massachusetts for one of its most attractive yet unorthodox amphibian species the marbled salamander ambystoma opacum during rainy foggy or very humid nights adults emerge from underground burrows in the forest and migrate overland to swamps and vernal pools to breed and deposit eggs. Juvenile marbled salamanders hatch early compared to most salamanders and gain a size advantage by feeding and growing for several months before the jefferson salamanders and spotted salamanders hatch later in the spring. It is also found around lake erie and lake michigan and in south west missouri and along the northern border of ohio and indiana.

A small stout bodied salamander this species is easily identified by its distinct black and white patterning across its entire body.