Blue-spotted Salamander

Blue-spotted salamanders are between 10 and 14 cm (3.9 and 5.5 in) in length, of which the tail comprises 40%. Generally, males are slightly smaller than their female counterparts. Their skin is bluish-black, with characteristic blue and white flecks on its back, and bluish-white spots on the sides of its body and tail. They have elongated bodies. The vent is typically black, which contrasts with the paler belly. Larvae that have transformed may have yellow splotches; these turn blue once the individual becomes terrestrial. Occasionally, a melanistic individual may be found in the wild. They have long toes: four on the front feet and five on the hind feet. Typically, specimens will have 12–14 costal grooves. Males tend to be smaller than females, though they have longer, flattened tails. Blue-spotted salamanders are nocturnal, staying underground during the day and coming out at night to find food.

Blue-spotted salamanders can be found in the northeastern parts of North America. New England in the United States has large populations of many types of salamanders, including Ambystoma laterale. Blue-spotted salamanders can be found as far west as the Great Lakes in Michigan and up into the eastern provinces of Canada.

Blue-spotted salamanders mate through the depositing and collecting of a spermatophore. A spermatophore is a packet of sperm that is deposited by the male. Reproduction is initiated by the male by taking hold of the female and rubbing her head with his chin. The female's eggs can be fertilized by the sperm in the spermatophore, but she must be in close proximity to the spermatophore. The male will try to position her so she is close enough that this can happen. Eggs are laid in small agglomerations attached to twigs, rocks or plants at the edge of a woodland pond or ditch. Clutches average a dozen eggs, and females may lay up to 500 eggs yearly. Males and females first mate when two years old. Breeding occurs in early spring near vernal pools. Eggs take about one month to hatch. At hatching, larvae have a well-developed mouth and eyes, as well as external gills and broad tail fins. Front limbs form at two weeks, and hind limbs form at three weeks. Larvae live underwater until they transform into the terrestrial form of the salamander. While still in water, the larvae will have more neutral coloring such as browns, greens and grays. The spots will also be yellow instead of blue. It will fully transform to its terrestrial state by late summer.

Interaction with unisexual populations and species. …