Spotted Salamander Ambystoma maculatum (Shaw, 1802)    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Amphibia   >   Order Caudata   >   Family Ambystomatidae   >   Genus Ambystoma   

Status:

Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) is the most abundant and familiar Ambystoma in Maryland, and much of the east. This salamander is grayish-black, with large yellow or orange spots across the body. Like other mole salamanders, they breed in vernal pools. Spotted Salamanders make seasonal migrations to vernal pool breeding sites in early spring, usually following heavy rains. At other times of the year, the adults disperse back into the surrounding forest, where they burrow under logs or rocks (Conant & Collins, 1998; Maryland DNR site). Spotted Salamanders are found throughout Maryland except for the southern counties on the eastern shore.

There are 748 records in the project database.

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Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/18/2021). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (2/26/2020). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (2/26/2020). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/18/2021). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (2/26/2020). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Spotted Salamander in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/10/2014). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/18/2021). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/19/2021). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Brady O'Brien, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by brady_obrien via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A mass of Spotted Salamanders found near a vernal pool in montgomery Co., MD (3/11/2006). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Brady O'Brien, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by brady_obrien via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (11/3/2017). Photo by Justin Lee. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Spotted Salamander in Baltimore Co., Maryland (3/21/2014). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. Photo by Kyle Klotz. (MBP list)

A Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/10/2018). Photo by Justin Lee. (MBP list)

A Spotted Salamander in Harford Co., Maryland (10/17/2013). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Spotted Salamander in Frederick Co., Maryland (3/24/2016). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Spotted Salamander in Prince George's Co., Maryland (10/30/2016). Photo by Justin Lee. (MBP list)

A Spotted Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (10/31/2009). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Spotted Salamander egg mass in Frederick Co., Maryland (3/24/2016). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (6/29/2021). (c) Benji Beluga, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Ben Springer. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/24/2016). Photo by Keith Eric Costley. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Brady O'Brien, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by brady_obrien via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander egg masses in Garrett Co., Maryland (4/15/2022). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander eggs in Prince George's Co., Maryland (4/28/2018). (c) jkfarkas, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by jkfarkas via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander egg masses in Garrett Co., Maryland (4/15/2022). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/1/2019). (c) boelke0, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by boelke0 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Spotted Salamander in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/15/2005). Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander larvae in Shannon Co., Missouri (5/29/2009). Photo by Corey Raimond. (MBP list)

Spotted Salamander eggs in Howard Co., Maryland (3/7/2020). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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