Tiger Salamander
Ambystoma tigrinum · Amphibian, Vertebrate, Cold-blooded, Wild
Animal Family
Ambystomatidae, order Caudata, class Amphibia
Animal Category
Reptile/Amphibian
Breed / Variety
Eastern Tiger Salamander
Conservation Status
Least Concern globally, though certain local populations face threats from habitat fragmentation and acidification of breeding pools
About This Creature
Robust-bodied amphibian with a broad head, small eyes, short legs, and a long tail. Typically measures 15 to 33 cm in length. Dark brown or black background with prominent yellow or olive spots, blotches, or stripes across the back and sides
Physical Characteristics
Squat, sturdy body with four front toes and five back toes, smooth and slimy glandular skin, wide snout, and distinct costal grooves along the sides of the body
Behavior & Temperament
Solitary and secretive, mostly nocturnal and crepuscular, spends daylight hours burrowed underground, relies heavily on a keen sense of smell to locate prey, and secretes toxic milky substances from parotoid-like glands when threatened
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
North America, ranging across much of the United States and parts of southern Canada
Habitat
Wetland/Marsh, Terrestrial and semi-aquatic, highly fossorial spending most of their time in underground burrows
Diet & Nutrition
Carnivore, feeds on a wide variety of invertebrates including insects, worms, slugs, and spiders, as well as small vertebrates like mice and frogs for larger adults
Lifespan & Health
Lifespan ranges from 12 to 15 years in the wild, up to 25 years in captivity; vulnerable to habitat destruction, pollution, and introduced predatory fish in breeding ponds
Special Characteristics
Capable of facultative neoteny in some environments, where individuals may reach sexual maturity while retaining larval external gills, allowing them to remain permanently aquatic
Ecological Information
Acts as both predator of various insects and prey for larger mammals and birds, contributing to nutrient cycling and pest control within its native woodland and grassland ecosystems