Blue-spotted Salamander
(Ambystoma laterale)
ADULTS
L. Lee Cerny
Blue-spotted salamanders are one of the smaller species of mole salamanders (family Ambystomatidae) having a slender build and rarely exceeding 5.5 inches in total length. It is also one of Ohio’s rarest salamanders, found only in a few northwestern Ohio counties.
Quick Look Size: 4-6 inches (10-15 cm). Habitat: Sandy soil; under logs and other debris in forests and wet prairies. Distinguishing Feature: Blue flecks on its bluishblack body. C of C: 10.
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Blue-spotted salamanders prefer to live in areas of sandy soil, as they are only found in the Oak Openings Region southwest of Toledo and in Williams County near the Indiana and Michigan borders. For this reason, the species is listed as endangered by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. The most distinctive characteristic of the bluespotted salamander is the bluish flecking that is found on the sides of the body. While this flecking is found on other salamanders, they only have some of the genetic material of the bluespotted salamander. (Refer to the unisexual ambystoma complex on page 40 for how to distinguish the blue-spotted from a unisexual salamander.)
Blue-spotted salamanders can often be found outside of the breeding season, which is unusual for most Ambystomid salamanders. Presumably they are poor burrowers and therefore are often found under logs and other debris in forests and wet prairies. REPRODUCTION Like all of Ohio’s mole salamanders, the bluespotted salamander relies on temporary bodies of water for reproduction. Unlike other species, they appear to more often use non-forested wetlands, such as the twig-rush wet prairies found in the Oak Openings Region. Blue-spotted salamanders will also breed in vernal pools, swamp forests, and possibly even ditches. Reproduction takes place in late March or early April, when temperatures exceed 50 degrees F and snowmelt or rain fills the breeding pools. At this time, male salamanders leave their underground retreats and move to shallow pools where they attempt to entice females. A male salamander will clasp onto a female, rubbing his chin against her snout.