Ambystoma texanum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Smallmouth Salamander

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Caudata
Family:	Ambystomatidae
Genus:	Ambystoma
Species:	A. texanum

Binomial name

Ambystoma texanum
Matthes, 1855

Synonyms

Salamandra texana
Matthes, 1855
Amblystoma microstomum
Cope, 1861
Chondrotus microstomus
Cope, 1887
Ambystoma schmidti
Taylor, 1939
Linguaelapsus schmidti
Freytag, 1959
Linguaelapsus texanus
Freytag, 1959
Ambystoma nothagenes
Kraus, 1985

The Smallmouth Salamander (Ambystoma texanum) is a species of salamander found in the central United States, from the Great Lakes region in Michigan to Nebraska, south to Texas, and east to Tennessee, with a population in Canada, in Pelee, Ontario. It is sometimes referred to as the Texas Salamander, Porphyry Salamander, or the Narrowmouthed Salamander. The Kelley’s Island Salamander (Ambystoma nothagenes) was synonymized with A. texanum in 1995.

[edit] Description

The Smallmouth Salamander grows from 4.5 to 7 inches. It is typically black or dark brown in color with light grey or silvery colored flecking, or grey blotching. It has a fairly small head, relative to its body, and a long tail. Males are typically smaller than females.

[edit] Behavior

Smallmouth Salamanders are nocturnal, often subterranean, preferring moist habitats near permanent bodies of water. Breeding occurs in the spring, with groups of salamanders congregating near the water. Females can lay upwards of 700 eggs, which they attach in small clumps of up to 30 eggs at a time, to rocks or vegetation under the water. Their preferred diet is insects, slugs, and earthworms.