Spotted Salamander (Note: This is an amphibian, not a snake)
Ambystoma maculatum • Order: Caudata, Suborder: Salamandroidea, Family: Ambystomatidae, Genus: Ambystoma, Species: A. maculatum
Eastern North America, ranging from Nova Scotia and Ontario, south to Georgia and Texas.
Look up Spotted Salamander (Note: This is an amphibian, not a snake) in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Non-venomous; lacks fangs or a venom delivery system.
Danger Level
Harmless; no threat to humans, though skin secretions may irritate mucous membranes if handled and then eyes/mouth are touched.
Family
Order: Caudata, Suborder: Salamandroidea, Family: Ambystomatidae, Genus: Ambystoma, Species: A. maculatum
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN); threatened locally by habitat fragmentation, acid rain, and loss of wetland breeding sites.
Physical Description
Stout body with smooth, moist, black to dark gray skin; features two irregular rows of bright yellow or orange spots along the back and tail; large rounded snout and visible costal grooves.
Size & Dimensions
Typically 15-25 cm (6-10 inches) in total length; the specimen in the image appears to be a mature adult.
Habitat
Deciduous forests with access to vernal pools or permanent ponds for breeding; fossorial (living underground) in leaf litter or burrows.
Behavior & Temperament
Secretive and fossorial; mostly nocturnal; docile temperament, though may secrete milky fluid from glands in the tail if threatened.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous; feeds on insects, earthworms, slugs, spiders, and occasionally smaller amphibians through active foraging.
Reproduction
Oviparous; migrates to vernal pools in early spring to lay gelatinous egg masses containing 30-250 eggs.
Venom Profile
Non-venomous - produces mild toxins in skin secretions for defense against predators.
Look-alikes
Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) which has more irregular yellowish blotches rather than two neat rows of spots.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN); threatened locally by habitat fragmentation, acid rain, and loss of wetland breeding sites.
Cultural Significance
Iconic representative of vernal pool ecosystems; serves as a biological indicator for environmental health and forest connectivity.
Notable Features
Exhibits a unique symbiotic relationship with Oophila amblystomatis algae, which grows inside the egg capsules to provide oxygen to the embryos.