Blue-spotted Salamander

Photo Credit: A.B. Sheldon

Family: Ambystomatidae (Mole salamanders)
Status: Common
Size: 3 to 5 inches

This is a relatively slender blue-black salamander with whitish or blue spots on its back. It has four toes on its front feet and five on its hind feet. The costal (rib) grooves are very pronounced along the body between the front and rear legs. A triploid variant of this species, consisting exclusively of females, is found in parts of northern Wisconsin.

Species range (darker) in Wisconsin

The variants tend to be longer and paler than the blue-spotted salamanders. Blue-spotted salamanders prefer both northern and southern hardwoods and coniferous forests. They are often abundant in lowland hardwood forests. They tolerate dryer conditions than most Wisconsin salamanders, often living in forests with sandy soils. Adults eat many types of invertebrates including earthworms and insects.