Eastern Tiger Salamander - Ambystoma tigrinum

Habitat:
upland and wetland that contain suitable breeding ponds, forests and soil types appropriate for burrowing. Reside in underground tunnels and burrows or beneath logs. Loamy sand and sandy loam soil types are preferred.
Range:
East coast from Southern New York to northern Florida, west from Ohio to Minnesota and southward through eastern Texas to the Gulf.
Activity Cycle:
rarely above ground except in the evening after a rain or during breeding season which begins in March and goes through June.
Features:
dark brown or black upperparts marked with yellow, gold, or olive blotches. The belly is olive or yellow with dark mottling.
Size:
Worlds largest land species of salamander reaching 7-8 ¼ inches, maximum length 13”. Males normally 8” and females 7”
Social Structure:
Solitary
Life Expectancy:
12 – 15 years. Reach sexual maturity at 4-5 years of age.
Diet:
large insects, earthworms, amphibians, and small mice
Reproduction:
Males and females begin a ceremony of pushing and nose rubbing. Females lay 25-50 eggs that will stick to underwater debris. After hatching it takes 3 weeks before they lose their gills and become full adults.
Status:
Endangeredas listed with the USFWS, but listed "least concern" with the IUCN, habitat loss and pollution of breeding ponds
Interesting Facts:
  • Possess broad heads with blunt rounded snouts that help them to burrow underground.
  • Their tails are compressed for propulsion and steering during swimming.
  • Males have longer tails and stouter legs than females
  • They have well developed lungs.
  • Biggest specimen recorded was 13 inches long.
  • Named tiger salamanders after their light spots or bars on a dark body.
  • Easily confused with the spotted salamander which has two rows of regular yellow to orange spots running parallel down its back.  The tiger has irregularly distributed spots.
  • Salamanders do not have fracture zones in their tails as some lizards do, but are able to regenerate entire limbs. Regenerated parts are usually distinguishable by the lack of characteristic pigmentation.
Peoria Zoo

Peoria Zoo