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Ambystoma laterale

Hallowell, 1856

Blue-spotted Salamander

G5Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
MediumThreat Impact
Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale). Photo by gamfeld, CC0 1.0, via iNaturalist.
gamfeld, CC0 1.0
Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale). Photo by daksu, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist.
daksu, CC BY 4.0
Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale). Photo by Ethan Rose, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist.
Ethan Rose, CC BY 4.0
Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale). Photo by erinsuzanne, CC0 1.0, via iNaturalist.
erinsuzanne, CC0 1.0
Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale). Photo by daksu, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist.
daksu, CC BY 4.0
Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale). Photo by gamfeld, CC0 1.0, via iNaturalist.
gamfeld, CC0 1.0
Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale). Photo by Ethan Rose, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist.
Ethan Rose, CC BY 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102149
Element CodeAAAAA01060
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyAmbystomatidae
GenusAmbystoma
Other Common Names
blue-spotted salamander (EN) Salamandre à points bleus (FR)
Concept Reference
Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Ambystoma jeffersonianum and A. laterale comprise a complex that includes pure bisexual diploid populations and populations that may be represented by bisexual diploid individuals, female hybrids with several different combinations of parental chromosomes (including diploids, triploids, tetraploids, and pentaploids), and/or rare male hybrids. Up to at least five different chromosomal combinations have been found at a single site. Bogart (2019) discussed the biological and taxonomic history of the unisexual Ambystoma, concluding that “none of the various unisexual salamanders can be considered a distinct species.” Raffaëlli (2022) recognized A. platineum for the asexual forms, but most recent workers have not. See also Dubois and Rafaëlli (2012).

To accommodate the genetic variation in these salamanders (and the often uncertain genetic composition of particular populations), we have established for this database the following elements: (1) Ambystoma jeffersonianum (Jefferson Salamander), used for pure populations only; (2) Ambystoma laterale (Blue-spotted salamander), used for pure populations only; (3) Ambystoma hybrid pop. 1 (jeffersonianum x laterale; jeffersonianum genome dominates), used for hybrid populations dominated by the jeffersonianum genome (e.g., populations that include mainly LJJ individuals); this element includes "Ambystoma platineum"; (4) Ambystoma hybrid pop. 2 (jeffersonianum x laterale; laterale genome dominates), used for hybrid populations dominated by the laterale genome (e.g., populations that include mainly LLJ individuals); this element includes "Ambystoma tremblayi"; (5) Ambystoma pop. 3 (jeffersonianum/laterale complex - uncertain composition), used for populations for which chromosomal representation is unknown. If needed we could establish additional elements for hybrid populations that involve A. laterale, A. texanum, and/or A. tigrinum.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2015-06-05
Change Date2001-12-14
Edition Date2011-05-02
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Range Extent Comments
Southeastern Quebec to Lake Winnipeg, south through Great Lakes region and New England to northern Indiana and New Jersey. Several apparently disjunct populations occur around the periphery of the range (e.g., see Brownlie [1988] for Nova Scotia record). Hybridizes with A. jeffersonianum over a large area south of this range. See Nyman et al. (1988) for distribution in New Jersey.
Occurrences Comments
Number of occurrences of pure A. laterale is uncertain, but there are many.
Threat Impact Comments
Biggest threat is loss and degradation of habitat as a result of coversion to agricultural and urban use. Roads negatively impact salamander abundance in roadside habitat (deMaynadier and Hunter 2000). Increased acid deposition is a potential threat.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

In New England and New Jersey, generally associated with lowland swamps and marshes and surrounding uplands with sandy or loamy soils (Nyman et al. 1988, Klemens 1993). in overgrown pastures. Adults usually under are objects or underground. Eggs are attached to submerged sticks or bottom of shallow forest ponds and pools. At Isle Royale, Michigan, breeds in splash pools on exposed rocky shorelines (Van Buskirk and Smith 1991). In northern Minnesota, successful reproduction in acidic bog water either does not occur or is a rare event (Karns 1992).

Ecology

See Van Buskirk and Smith (1991) for evidence of density-dependent population regulation in a population at Isle Royale, Michigan (increasing larval density in breeding pools resulted in reduced survival and growth, probably due to interference).

Reproduction

In most areas, eggs are laid in March-April (early May at Isle Royale, Michigan), singly or in clusters of up to about 35; up to 500 eggs per female. Metamorphosis late June through August, or larvae may overwinter. Aggregates when breeding.

Hybrid offspring are the result of gynogenetic or hybridogenetic reproduction (Bogart and Klemens 1997).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - Mixed
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOLSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
New JerseyS1Yes
PennsylvaniaS1Yes
IllinoisS3Yes
IowaS1Yes
MaineS4Yes
MichiganS4Yes
New YorkS3Yes
VermontS3Yes
ConnecticutS1Yes
MinnesotaS5Yes
OhioS1Yes
MassachusettsS3Yes
WisconsinS4Yes
IndianaS2Yes
New HampshireS3Yes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
Prince Edward IslandS4Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
New BrunswickS4Yes
QuebecS5Yes
LabradorS3Yes
ManitobaS3Yes
OntarioS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial development——High (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areas——High (continuing)
1.2 - Commercial & industrial areas——High (continuing)
2 - Agriculture & aquaculture——High (continuing)
2.1 - Annual & perennial non-timber crops——High (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridors——High (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroads——High (continuing)
5 - Biological resource use——High (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvesting——High (continuing)
9 - Pollution——Moderate - low
9.5 - Air-borne pollutants——Moderate - low

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Roadless Areas (4)
Minnesota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Hegman LakesSuperior National Forest675
Vermont (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Wisconsin (2)
AreaForestAcres
09011 - Flynn Lake Study AreaChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest5,951
09012 - Round Lake Study AreaChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest3,707
References (41)
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