Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi! I am new, I found this site when I was trying to find out what kind of salamander/newt this guy is. He (or maybe she) was in my shed last night. I live in Western New York, about 30 miles south of Buffalo. We live in the country. There is a pond on each side of us. It just rained for the first time in like 2 weeks or so and was pretty cool out, about 40 - 45 Farenheit. I added in a pic of him next to my foot for sizing; that would make him about 8 inches long or so. Any questions, please ask, I really would like to know what this guy was. BTW, he didn't stick around for more than an hour.

Tina

Photo Album with more pics

Looks like a big fat spotted salamander to me - Ambystoma maculatum
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Devin Edmonds
devin@amphibiancare.com
www.amphibiancare.com

Ok, I do believe he/she is a spotted salamander, but can you tell me WHY this one's body and spots are so plae compared to the pics I have looked at? This one for example: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12201-61171--,00.html
It's body is dark and it's yellow spots really stand out.... is it a male/female thing? Females are dull compared to males coloring? Thanks again!

I'm not sure. I noticed that too. The spotted salamanders that I've caught here in Wisconsin aren't always a uniform black with yellow spots, but I haven't seen one as light or faded as the one in the photograph. I don't think that their pattern or color has anything to do with their sex, but I'm not as big of a salamander buff as I'd like to be, so I can't say for certain that that's true.

Regarding the other reply, it clearly isn't a four-toed salamander because its pattern does not match and the original author said that it was eight inches long.
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Devin Edmonds
devin@amphibiancare.com
www.amphibiancare.com

The reason it doesn't look like the one you saw online, is because it is simply a different animal.
Shane

Coloration can vary between populations and between individuals. Some you find will have a lot of spots, some will have very few (or none at all!). Some will be very bold, and some will be very subdued. I've never found any that were bold. All of the spotted sals I've ever found look just like yours.

But it's a healthy looking spotted sal (Ambystoma maculatum). Good luck with it!

NOPE its a four-toed salamander