Marbled Salamander Illinois Salamanders

The marbled salamander is one of the smaller ambystomatid mole salamander species found in north carolina with adults only reaching lengths between 3 4 inches.

Marbled salamander illinois salamanders.

There are approximately 650 species of salamander in the world 20 of which are found in illinois. Marbled salamanders occur from southern new england to northern florida and west to southern illinois southeastern oklahoma and eastern texas. Historical versus current distribution marbled salamanders ambystoma opacum range throughout much of the eastern united states from eastern texas and oklahoma northeast through illinois and indiana to southern new hampshire and central massachusetts and south to north florida. Eastern tiger salamander salamanders run across many hazardous in illinois human dominated landscape.

The crossbars are gray in females and white or silver in males. As with many ambystomatids the marbled salamander is a relatively stocky species. Eight illinois species of salamanders family plethodontidae lack lungs and rely entirely on the skin and mouth lining for gas exchange. The prairie research institute s illinois natural history survey provides a species distribution map and more natural history information.

Check out the idnr s wild about illinois salamanders website to learn about the marbled salamander. Marbled salamanders are found in the eastern united states from southern new england to northern florida and west to illinois and texas. Larval salamanders and the adults of the lesser siren and mudpuppy have external gills. Marbled salamander ambystoma opacum photos by j d.

The designation became official on june 26 2013. Their habitats are damp woodlands forests and places with soft and wet soil. Plethodontidae lungless salamanders have nasolabial grooves. Other skin glands release chemicals that coordinate reproductive behavior.

Disjunct populations are found near the southern perimeters of lakes erie and michigan as well as in southwestern missouri and along the northern border between ohio and indiana. Marbled salamanders grow to about 3 5 4 25 in 9 10 7 cm in size and are. They may be mauled by domestic pets mishandled by curious children and adults fall into window wells become trapped in or around buildings or find their way into crawl spaces and sump pump pits. The marbled salamander averages about three and one half to four and one half inches in length.

It has bands or crossbars along the back a black body and a plain black belly.