Marbled Salamander Defenses

The marbled salamander is one of many amphibians found in the bottomland hardwood forests of mississippi.

Marbled salamander defenses.

This species is sexually dimorphic males tend to have white crossbands and females tend to have gray silvery crossbands. A small stout bodied salamander this species is easily identified by its distinct black and white patterning across its entire body. Adults can grow to about 11 cm 4 in small compared to other members of its genus. This secretive salamander spends most of its time under rocks logs or forest debris preferring forested areas.

The body is black with light bands of varying widths running across the back. Marbled salamanders are keystone predators in new england ponds but adaptation by the smaller spotted salamander can dramatically change the composition of the ponds. Like most of the mole salamanders it is secretive spending most of its life under logs or in burrows. They can be identified by their black dark brown body including its venter with light white silvery crossbands on the dorsum.

The tail of the salamander has the ability to be removed without hurting the salamander itself well the tail is removed and wriggles about in front of a predator the salamander can run away and seek a place to. Marbled salamander in boone county. 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 salamander ambystoma opacum description.

Habitat and tank requirements. Mark urban cc by nd. The marbled salamander is a stocky boldly banded salamander. Marbled salamanders and the department of defense the marbled salamander ambystoma opacum is one of the more commonly found mole salamanders on military installations.

This and many other amphibians require small fishless woodland. This salamander can be found in moist to mesic forests of lowland areas and to a lesser extent uplands. Marbled salamanders are black with white splotches and bands giving them a marbled appearance. The salamanders from ponds with the predatory marbled salamander adapted to the predator by becoming gluttonous eat and get big so you don t get eaten yourself.

Defense mechanisms like all salamanders the marbled salamander has the ability to remove its tail with an ability called autotomy. Apparently both conifer and deciduous forests are used equally wilson 1995. The latin word opacum means shaded dark obscure or dim and refers to the adult dorsal color pattern. The bands of females tend to be gray while those of males are more white.

They typically grow to about 4 inches long.