Identification
This chubby, small eyed salamander has a dark background color, ranging from
black to deep brown, and is patterned with yellowish or olive irregular light
markings. The belly is an olive-yellowish color marbled with a dark pigment.
The snout of the Eastern Tiger Salamander is rounded and the eyes are often
gold in color. Larvae change in color as they morph, but are generally olive
or yellowish-green with dark spotting, becoming more grayish or greenish-brown
as they progress into adulthood. The Eastern Tiger Salamander is the largest
salamander in the Great Lakes region.
Distribution and Status
The range of the Eastern Tiger Salamander extends from Long Island along the
coast through the Gulf of Mexico, east through Texas, north to the western Ohio
Valley as well as the southern Great Lakes basin, west to Minnesota and onto
the eastern plains states, and it is absent from the Appalachian highlands and
lower Mississippi delta. The Eastern Tiger Salamander survives in all eight
Midwestern states.
Ecology
The Eastern Tiger Salamander requires a nearby pond for breeding and is able
to live in a variety of habitats including woodlands, marshes, grasslands, farmlands,
and even in suburbs. They spend much of their time in burrows, which they often
dig themselves.
Threats and Management Issues
Numerous Eastern Tiger Salamanders are killed on roads each year. The introduction
of predatory fish to breeding habitats also has negative impacts on populations
as eggs and larvae are easy prey. The species does however respond well to the
construction of fish-free ornamental ponds or stock ponds, which can create
new breeding sites.
Resources
General reference guides
and websites.
Reference guides and websites specific to Amphibians.
Links to more information on the Eastern Tiger Salamander outside the Herp Center
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
Illinois Natural History Survey
Bruce Kingsbury, Director
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management
Science Building
Indiana-Purdue University
2101 East Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499