Species: Ambystoma macrodactylum
Long-toed Salamander
Species
Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Amphibia
Order
Caudata
Family
Ambystomatidae
Genus
Ambystoma
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
salamandre à longs doigts
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Amphibians - Salamanders
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Amphibia - Caudata - Ambystomatidae - Ambystoma - Five subspecies are currently recognized, one occurs in Alaska. It has been suggested that the mainland and island population in the vicinity of the Stikine River of coastal Alaska are phenotypically and taxonomically distinct (MacDonald 2003).
Ecology and Life History
Short General Description
A salamander.
Migration
false - true - false - Migrates between breeding ponds and nonbreeding habitat; usually migrates at night in conjunction with precipitation. Males reach ponds before females and stay longer.
Non-migrant
false
Locally Migrant
true
Food Comments
Larvae feed on zooplankton, immature insects, snails, and occasionally other salamander larvae, including conspecifics. Adults eat terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates including: insects, insect larvae, spiders, slugs, earthworms, amphipods, etc.
Reproduction Comments
Breeding season is longer and earlier (fall-early spring) in coastal lowlands, shorter and later (summer) in interior mtns. Clutch size is larger at lower elevations (Howard and Wallace 1985). Larvae metamorphose in first summer or overwinter (high elevations). In Alberta, sexually mature in 2+ years; maximum life span 10 years, usually 6 years or less (Russell et al. 1996).
Ecology Comments
Predators of larvae probably include aquatic insects and garter snakes; garter snakes and bullfrogs eat adults (Nussbaum et al. 1983).
Length
17
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
2008-01-02
Global Status Last Changed
2001-12-14
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.AB=S3&CA.BC=S4&US.AK=S3&US.CA=SNR&US.ID=S5&US.MT=S4&US.OR=S5&US.WA=S5" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
FG - 20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles) - FG - Range extends from southeastern Alaska southward to Tuolumne County, California, east to Rocky Mountains (east to east-central British Columbia, west-central Alberta, western Montana, and central Idaho). Isolated populations exist in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, California (Bury et al. 1980). Elevational range extends from sea level to about 10,000 feet (Stebbins 1985).
Global Range Code
FG
Global Range Description
20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)