<<Back to Northwest HerpsThe Long-Toed Salamander is a slender member of the Mole Salamander Family (Ambystomatidae) with long toes, as the name implies. It reaches total lengths of about 4 - 6.5 inches.
They are dark to black above and have a dorsal stripe running from their head back almost to the tip of the tail. These salamanders usually have a white or silver flecking on their sides as well. There are 5 recognized subspecies of the Long-Toed Salamander and the color pattern varies among them. The stripe may be a continuous line (with either neat or jagged edges), a series of fused spots or even a series of separate spots, the color of the stripe varies as well, and can be gold, yellow, green or tan in appearance. The general appearance of the five subspecies is as follows, but considerable overlap in pattern occurs where subspecies meet.
They are early breeders, though timing depends on altitude and latitude. In southern lowlands as early as January, in cold alpine environments as late as July (as soon as the ice begins to melt).
Long-toed Salamanders are found in a variety of habitats, from arid sagebrush communities to alpine meadows, but usually not very far from a water source.
|
| Species Details |
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches
Regions: Northern California, All of Oregon, Washington, and Parts of Southeast Alaska
|
|
