North America is home to several types of amphibians, and various types of salamanders. One of the most common salamanders found on the continent, the tiger salamander, is also one of the largest amphibians in North America. Keep reading to learn some more neat facts about tiger salamanders.
12 Facts About Tiger Salamanders
There are plenty of fun facts about tiger salamanders, and learning more about these amphibians is a great way to find out what makes them so unique.
1. Their Coloring Can Vary
In general, tiger salamander bodies are dark brown, olive, or black. They have bright yellow, olive, or cream-colored spots, bars, or blotches on their back and sides. This “tiger” patterning gives them their name, though the specific pattern varies by subspecies and region. Some types of tiger salamanders might not have any markings at all!
2. Large Size
The tiger salamander is the largest land-dwelling salamander in North America, with its size being one of its most recognizable features. Adults can reach lengths from 6 to 14 inches, making them impressively large for a terrestrial amphibian.
3. There Are Six Subspecies in North America
In North America, there are up to six recognized subspecies of tiger salamanders. These subspecies exhibit regional differences in appearance, size, and sometimes habitat preference. Here are the main subspecies found across the continent:
- Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum): Found primarily in the eastern United States.
- Western Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium mavortium): Widespread across the western U.S. and Canada.
- Barred Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium mavortium): Common in the Great Plains and some areas of the western U.S.
- Blotched Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium melanostictum): Found in the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada.
- Gray Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium diaboli): Found in parts of the northern Great Plains.
- Sonoran Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium stebbinsi): Endemic to specific areas in Arizona and listed as endangered.
4. Burrowing Habits
Even though tiger salamanders are common in North America, they can be hard to spot in the wild because they like to burrow underground. These amphibians dig burrows and tunnels for shelter and may burrow as deep as two feet in soft soil.
They are part of the mole salamander group due to their burrowing lifestyle, and some may even take over abandoned burrows left by other animals. Despite spending so much time underground, they do need access to water and are typically found near ponds, streams, or lakes.
5. They Live In Diverse Habitats
Tiger salamanders can be found in the forests, grasslands, wetlands, and prairies of North America, adapting to a variety of environments as long as they have access to water and soft soil for burrowing. They depend on seasonal or permanent pools, such as vernal ponds, for breeding, as these water sources provide a safe place for their larvae.
Outside of the breeding season, they seek out moist, cool microhabitats under logs, rocks, or leaf litter to avoid dehydration. Burrows provide essential refuge from predators, extreme temperatures, and dry conditions. In colder regions, tiger salamanders may hibernate in deep burrows below the frost line during winter.
6. They can live 10 years or more
In the wild, the tiger salamander has a lifespan of up to a decade or more, though in captivity, they have been known to live over 20 years. Adults of this species typically engage in mating rituals in early spring, with females laying an impressive clutch of 100–200 eggs in ponds or vernal pools.
These eggs hatch within 1 to 2 weeks, and the larvae remain in their pond until they undergo metamorphosis over the next few months, eventually leaving the water to live mostly on land as juveniles and adults.
7. Predators of Tiger Salamanders
Tiger salamanders might be large amphibians, but they still face numerous predators. Their skin secretes a substance that can be irritating or bad-tasting to certain animals. While this toxin is not highly potent, it can provide a mild level of defense, making them less appealing as prey.
This toxin is generally not strong enough to deter larger predators like snakes, owls, bobcats, badgers or or other mammals, which often prey on tiger salamanders despite the potential irritation. The primary defenses for tiger salamanders is hiding in their underground burrows.
8. Tiger Salamanders in Captivity
When tiger salamanders are in captivity, either in a zoo or as a pet, they can live nearly twice as long as in the wild. Captive tiger salamanders have been known to reach 25 years old. These amphibians can actually make good pets for many people, but require a big time commitment.
9. What They Eat
Tiger salamanders have a wide-ranging diet that suits their large size. As larvae, they feed on zooplankton, insect larvae, and even other amphibian larvae. Adult tiger salamanders are skilled hunters, preying on insects, slugs, worms, snails, and occasionally small vertebrates. When kept as pets, they are typically fed a similar diet of insects, earthworms, and other appropriate foods.
10. Regenerating Limbs
Like many salamanders, tiger salamanders can regenerate lost limbs, an adaptation that allows them to recover from injuries caused by predator encounters. They can regenerate bones, skin, muscles, and even nerves! The regenerated limb may appear slightly duller in color than the rest of their body.
The regeneration process takes time and energy. So while it is an amazing adaptation to survive an attack, it is not used as a primary strategy for escaping a predator.
11. Migrating and Mating
Tiger salamanders mate in late winter to early spring. During this time, adults migrate to ponds or other water sources, and you may spot them crossing roads, especially after rainfall when the wet ground can keep them moist.
Females lay groups of 100-200 eggs in the water, attaching them to vegetation. The larvae develop in the pond and remain there until they undergo metamorphosis, eventually transitioning to land as juveniles before reaching adulthood.
12. Declining Habitats
While tiger salamanders are not considered endangered, they face threats from habitat loss. The forests, grasslands, and wetlands where they live have been declining due to construction, development, and agriculture. Roadways also pose a danger, as migrating salamanders can be run over by cars. Additionally, the loss of breeding ponds has reduced available sites for reproduction, which can gradually impact population numbers.
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