The salamanders from ponds with the predatory marbled salamander adapted to the predator by becoming gluttonous eat and get big so you don t get eaten yourself.
Marbled salamander defenses.
Marbled salamanders are keystone predators in new england ponds but adaptation by the smaller spotted salamander can dramatically change the composition of the ponds.
This secretive salamander spends most of its time under rocks logs or forest debris preferring forested areas.
This salamander can be found in moist to mesic forests of lowland areas and to a lesser extent uplands.
The marbled salamander is a stocky boldly banded salamander.
The bands of females tend to be gray while those of males are more white.
Like most of the mole salamanders it is secretive spending most of its life under logs or in burrows.
A small stout bodied salamander this species is easily identified by its distinct black and white patterning across its entire body.
They can live between11 14 years if properly cared for.
Defense mechanisms like all salamanders the marbled salamander has the ability to remove its tail with an ability called autotomy.
Marbled salamander ambystoma opacum description.
Marbled salamanders grow to about 3 5 4 25 in 9 10 7 cm in size and are stout bodied and chubby in appearance.
Marbled salamanders are black with white splotches and bands giving them a marbled appearance.
It is known to breed in cypress tupelo swamps and ponds in the coastal plain wilson 1995.
The latin word opacum means shaded dark obscure or dim and refers to the adult dorsal color pattern.
The tail of the salamander has the ability to be removed without hurting the salamander itself well the tail is removed and wriggles about in front of a predator the salamander can run away and seek a place to.
This and many other amphibians require small fishless woodland.
Apparently both conifer and deciduous forests are used equally wilson 1995.
Habitat and tank requirements.
This species is sexually dimorphic males tend to have white crossbands and females tend to have gray silvery crossbands.
Mark urban cc by nd.
They can be identified by their black dark brown body including its venter with light white silvery crossbands on the dorsum.
Marbled salamanders and the department of defense the marbled salamander ambystoma opacum is one of the more commonly found mole salamanders on military installations.
It may also occur in open sandy woods and on rocky dry hillsides.
They typically grow to about 4 inches long.
Adults can grow to about 11 cm 4 in small compared to other members of its genus.
