Identification
The
Marbled Salamander is a stocky black salamander with a somewhat banded pattern.
The pattern, which appears gray in females and white in males, is flecked with
black and tends to run together. The ventral surface, or belly, is plain black.
These salamanders grow to lengths of 8.5-12.7 cm (3.4-5 in), and have 11-13
grooves on the side of the body (costal grooves).
Distribution and Status
The range of the Marbled Salamander extends from New England to Northern Florida,
west across eastern Texas and north through southern Indiana and Ohio. Additional
populations occur in Missouri, Indiana, northern Ohio, and the southern edge
of the Lake Michigan basin. In the Midwest, the Marbled Salamander lives in
Ohio and Indiana, as well as Michigan, where it is listed as State Endangered.
Ecology
The Marbled Salamander is an inhabitant of moist lowland forests where it can
be found under logs, rocks, and leaf litter, as well as in tunnels dug by small
mammals. They can also be found in drier habitats such as wooded ridges and
rocky hillsides.
Threats and Management Issues
Many Marbled Salamander populations have been locally extirpated as a result
of habitat loss across their entire range. While artificial ponds can be constructed
to create additional breeding habitat for this species, the protection of bottomland
hardwood forests in close association with vernal pools is paramount for the
continued existence of the Marbled Salamander.
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
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
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