Salamanders

Salamanders are in the order of amphibians named Caudata, which includes mudpuppies, newts, and sirens.  There are about 760 species of salamanders worldwide and 121 species are endangered.  With the exception of a few in the Amazon basin, they are found only in the northern hemisphere.  They live in habitats that provide sufficient humidity levels to keep their skin moist, from sea level to nearly 15,000 feet in altitude.

The smallest species are lungless salamanders of southern Mexico, growing to an inch in length.  The largest species are the Chinese great salamanders, about six feet in length.  They are often mistaken for lizards, having smooth or bumpy skin, but can be easily identified by their total lack of scales.  All salamanders have a tail which is rounded in terrestrial species but slightly flattened and often crested in aquatic species.  Most salamanders are grey, brown, or white, but a few terrestrial species are brightly colored.  Cave dwelling salamanders often lack all pigment and appear pinkish-white in daylight.

Salamanders, other than cave-dwellers, tend to have well-developed eyes.  Research shows they are very attuned to differentiating brightness, but cannot see colors.  Their eyes are large and provide nearly 360 degrees of view.  Salamanders have no external ears, but can detect vibrations received through their jaw bones.  Although some species can emit small squeaks, salamanders have no vocal chords or voice box and do not use vocal communications.  Their sense of smell is well-developed and plays an important part in locating prey and mates. 

Salamanders may have functional lungs, non-functioning lungs, or no lungs.  All species have the ability to exchange gases directly through their skin and the membranes inside their mouth and throat, but this also requires that the skin remain moist at all times.  Terrestrial salamanders depend on moisture found in deep leaf litter, holes in trees in temperate zones, or moisture collected in bromeliads growing on trees in tropical zones. 

Salamanders have three sets of glands located under the skin, covering their entire body.  Mucous glands secrete a sticky liquid that is spread over their body keeping the skin from drying out.  When salamanders are in the water, the mucous acts as a lubricant, enhancing their swimming ability.  A second set, called the granular glands, produce toxins and odors unique to each species that helps to deter predators and attract mates.  A third set of glands is a mixture of the first two, doing a little bit of the work of each.

Salamanders are not as noticeable as many other species.  They prefer secrecy and out-of-the-way hiding places.  Most species are active at dusk and into the nighttime.  All salamanders are carnivorous, feeding on small crustaceans, insects, spiders, and their favorite food – worms.  Predators include snakes, lizards, fish, birds, and small mammals.  Salamanders defend themselves by exhibiting threatening poses and emitting toxins, many with a bad odor.  As a last defense, they may voluntarily lose their tails to a predator, a trait known as autotomy.  A new tail can be grown within a few weeks. 

Salamanders are easy to care for and their habitats are easily duplicated making them widely distributed in the pet trade and for use in laboratories.  Additional conservation impacts come from habitat fragmentation, or habitat degradation, or habitat loss due to draining of wetlands and forest clearing.

In Illinois, we have 20 species of salamanders, pictured throughout this blog.  Seventeen are terrestrial and three are aquatic (*).  Consider coming to the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum or a nature museum near you to learn more about salamanders in your area.

• Spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, by Louisianatreefarmer, Getty Images
• Blue-spotted salamander, Ambystoma laterale, by Jason Ondreicka, Getty Images
• Central newt, Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis, by Andrew DuBois, 2016
• Dusky salamander, Desmognathus fuscus conanti, by Jason Ondreicka, Getty Images
• * Mud puppy, Necturus maculosus maculosus, by Andrew Hoffman, 2010
• Three-toed salamander, Amphiuma tridactylum, by Peter Paplanus, 2016
• Southern two-lined salamander, Eurycea cirrigera, by Peter Paplanus, 2021
• Mole salamander, Ambystoma talpoideum, by Andrew DuBois, 2016
• Dark-sided salamander, Eurycea longicauda melanopleura, by Andrew Hoffman, 2010