Ambystoma laterale

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	CAUDATA	AMBYSTOMATIDAE

Scientific Name:

Ambystoma laterale

Species Authority:

Hallowell, 1856

Common Name/s:

English

–

Blue-spotted Salamander

Synonym/s:

Ambystoma platineum (Hallowell, 1856)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2004
Assessor/s:	Geoffrey Hammerson
Reviewer/s:	Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson, Neil Cox and Bruce Young)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is found in North America from southeastern Quebec to Lake Winnipeg, south through Great Lakes region and New England to northern Indiana and New Jersey. Several apparently disjunctive populations occur around the periphery of the range (e.g., see Brownlie [1988] for Nova Scotia record). Hybridises with A. jeffersonianum over a large area south of this range.
Countries:	Native: Canada; United States
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The total adult population size is unknown, but it likely exceeds 100,000.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	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). Can occur 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).
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

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). Can occur 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).

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The biggest threat is loss and degradation of habitat as a result of conversion to agricultural and urban use. Roads negatively impact salamander abundance in roadside habitat (deMaynadier and Hunter 2000). Increased acid deposition is a potential threat.

Major Threat(s):

The biggest threat is loss and degradation of habitat as a result of conversion to agricultural and urban use. Roads negatively impact salamander abundance in roadside habitat (deMaynadier and Hunter 2000). Increased acid deposition is a potential threat.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The species would benefit from increased protection of lowland forested wetlands.

Conservation Actions:

The species would benefit from increased protection of lowland forested wetlands.

Bibliography [top]

	Blackburn, L., Nanjappa, P. and Lannoo, M.J. 2001. An Atlas of the Distribution of U.S. Amphibians. Ball State University, Muncie, IN, USA. Bogart, J.P. and Klemens, M.W. 1997. Hybrids and genetic interactions of mole salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum and A. laterale) (Amphibia: Caudata) in New York and New England. American Museum Novitates: 1-78. Bogart, J.P. and Licht, L.E. 1987. Evidence for the requirement of sperm in unisexual salamander hybrids (genus Ambystoma). Canadian Field-Naturalist: 434-436. Bogart, J.P., Lowcock, L.A., Zeyl, C.W. and Mable, B.K. 1987. Genome constitution and reproductive biology of hybrid salamanders, genus Ambystoma, on Kelleys Island in Lake Erie. Canadian Journal of Zoology: 2188-2201. Brownlie, J. 1988. A disjunct population of the blue-spotted salamander, Ambystoma laterale, in southwestern Nova Scotia. Canadian Field-Naturalist: 263-264. Conant, R. and Collins, J.T. 1991. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America. Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. Conant, R. and Collins, J.T. 1998. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America. Third edition, Expanded. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA, USA. DeGraaf, R.M. and Rudis, D.D. 1983. Amphibians and Reptiles of New England: Habitats and Natural History. University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, MA, USA. deMaynadier, P.G. and Hunter, Jr., M.L. 2000. Road effects on amphibian movements in a forested landscape. Natural Areas Journal: 56-65. Frost, D.R. 1985. Amphibian Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Allen Press and the Association of Systematic Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. Green, N.B. and Pauley, T.K. 1987. Amphibians and Reptiles in West Virginia. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Harding, J.H. 1997. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Hulse, A.C., McCoy, C.J. and Censky, E. 2001. Amphibians and Reptiles of Pennsylvania and the Northeast. Comstock Publishing Associates and Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, USA. IUCN. 2004. 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 23 November 2004. Jones, T.R., Kluge, A.G. and Wolf, A.J. 1993. When theories and methodologies clash: a phylogenetic reanalysis of the North American ambystomatid salamanders (Caudata: Ambystomatidae). Systematic Biology: 92-102. Karns, D.R. 1992. Effects of acidic bog habitats on amphibian reproduction in a northern Minnesota peatland. Journal of Herpetology: 401-412. Klemens, M.W. 1993. Amphibians and reptiles of Connecticut and adjacent regions. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut.: xii + 318 pp. Krapu, G.L., Iverson, G.C., Reinecke, K.J. and Boise, C.M. 1985. Fat deposition and usage by arctic-nesting sandhill cranes during spring. Auk: 362-368. Kraus, F. 1985. A new unisexual salamander from Ohio. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Occasional Papers: 1-24. Kraus, F. 1985. Unisexual salamander lineages in northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan: a study of the consequences of hybridization. Copeia: 309-324. Kraus, F. 1988. An empirical evaluation of the use of the ontogeny polarization criterion in phylogenetic inference. Systematic Zoology: 106-141. Kraus, F. 1991. Intra-individual ploidy consistency among unisexual Ambystoma. Copeia: 38-43. Kraus, F., Ducey, P.K., Moler, P. and Miyamoto, M.M. 1991. Two new triparental unisexual Ambystoma from Ohio and Michigan. Herpetologica: 429-439. Lowcock, L.A., Griffith, H. and Murphy, R.W. 1991. The Ambystoma laterale-jeffersonianum complex in central Ontario: ploidy structure, sex ratio, and breeding dynamics in a bisexual-unisexual community. Copeia: 87-105. Lowcock, L.A., Licht, L.E. and Bogart, J.P. 1987. Nomenclature in hybrid complexes of Ambystoma (Urodela: Ambystomatidae): no case for the erection of hybrid "species". Systematic Zoology: 328-336. Minton Jr, S.A. 1972. Amphibians and Reptiles of Indiana. Indiana Academy of Science Monographs 3, Indianapolis, IN, USA. Minton Jr, S.A. 2001. Amphibians and Reptiles of Indiana, revised second edition. Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis, IN, USA. Nyman, S., Ryan, M.J. and Anderson, J.D. 1988. The distribution of the Ambystoma jeffersonianum complex in New Jersey. Journal of Herpetology: 224-228. Petranka, J.W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. Phillips, C.A., Brandon, R.A. and Moll, E.O. 1999. Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois. Illinois Natural History Survey Manual 8, Illinois. Shaffer, H.B., Clark, J.M. and Kraus, F. 1991. When molecules and morphology clash: a phylogenetic analysis of the North American ambystomatid salamanders (Caudata: Ambystomatidae). Systematic Zoology: 284-303. Smith, P.W. 1961. The amphibians and reptiles of Illinois. Illinois Natural History Survey: 1-298. Uzzell, T.M. 1964. Relations of the diploid and triploid species of Ambystoma jeffersonianum complex (Amphibia: Caudata). Copeia: 257-300. Uzzell, T.M. Jr. 1967. Ambystoma jeffersonianum. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles: 1-2. Van Buskirk, J. and Smith, D.C. 1991. Density-dependent population regulation in a salamander. Ecology: 1747-1756. Vogt, R.C. 1981. Natural History of Amphibians and Reptiles of Wisconsin. Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, USA.

Blackburn, L., Nanjappa, P. and Lannoo, M.J. 2001. An Atlas of the Distribution of U.S. Amphibians. Ball State University, Muncie, IN, USA.

Bogart, J.P. and Klemens, M.W. 1997. Hybrids and genetic interactions of mole salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum and A. laterale) (Amphibia: Caudata) in New York and New England. American Museum Novitates: 1-78.

Bogart, J.P. and Licht, L.E. 1987. Evidence for the requirement of sperm in unisexual salamander hybrids (genus Ambystoma). Canadian Field-Naturalist: 434-436.

Bogart, J.P., Lowcock, L.A., Zeyl, C.W. and Mable, B.K. 1987. Genome constitution and reproductive biology of hybrid salamanders, genus Ambystoma, on Kelleys Island in Lake Erie. Canadian Journal of Zoology: 2188-2201.

Brownlie, J. 1988. A disjunct population of the blue-spotted salamander, Ambystoma laterale, in southwestern Nova Scotia. Canadian Field-Naturalist: 263-264.

Conant, R. and Collins, J.T. 1991. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America. Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.

Conant, R. and Collins, J.T. 1998. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America. Third edition, Expanded. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA, USA.

DeGraaf, R.M. and Rudis, D.D. 1983. Amphibians and Reptiles of New England: Habitats and Natural History. University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, MA, USA.

deMaynadier, P.G. and Hunter, Jr., M.L. 2000. Road effects on amphibian movements in a forested landscape. Natural Areas Journal: 56-65.

Frost, D.R. 1985. Amphibian Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Allen Press and the Association of Systematic Collections, Lawrence, Kansas.

Green, N.B. and Pauley, T.K. 1987. Amphibians and Reptiles in West Virginia. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Harding, J.H. 1997. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Hulse, A.C., McCoy, C.J. and Censky, E. 2001. Amphibians and Reptiles of Pennsylvania and the Northeast. Comstock Publishing Associates and Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, USA.

IUCN. 2004. 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 23 November 2004.

Jones, T.R., Kluge, A.G. and Wolf, A.J. 1993. When theories and methodologies clash: a phylogenetic reanalysis of the North American ambystomatid salamanders (Caudata: Ambystomatidae). Systematic Biology: 92-102.

Karns, D.R. 1992. Effects of acidic bog habitats on amphibian reproduction in a northern Minnesota peatland. Journal of Herpetology: 401-412.

Klemens, M.W. 1993. Amphibians and reptiles of Connecticut and adjacent regions. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut.: xii + 318 pp.

Krapu, G.L., Iverson, G.C., Reinecke, K.J. and Boise, C.M. 1985. Fat deposition and usage by arctic-nesting sandhill cranes during spring. Auk: 362-368.

Kraus, F. 1985. A new unisexual salamander from Ohio. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Occasional Papers: 1-24.

Kraus, F. 1985. Unisexual salamander lineages in northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan: a study of the consequences of hybridization. Copeia: 309-324.

Kraus, F. 1988. An empirical evaluation of the use of the ontogeny polarization criterion in phylogenetic inference. Systematic Zoology: 106-141.

Kraus, F. 1991. Intra-individual ploidy consistency among unisexual Ambystoma. Copeia: 38-43.

Kraus, F., Ducey, P.K., Moler, P. and Miyamoto, M.M. 1991. Two new triparental unisexual Ambystoma from Ohio and Michigan. Herpetologica: 429-439.

Lowcock, L.A., Griffith, H. and Murphy, R.W. 1991. The Ambystoma laterale-jeffersonianum complex in central Ontario: ploidy structure, sex ratio, and breeding dynamics in a bisexual-unisexual community. Copeia: 87-105.

Lowcock, L.A., Licht, L.E. and Bogart, J.P. 1987. Nomenclature in hybrid complexes of Ambystoma (Urodela: Ambystomatidae): no case for the erection of hybrid "species". Systematic Zoology: 328-336.

Minton Jr, S.A. 1972. Amphibians and Reptiles of Indiana. Indiana Academy of Science Monographs 3, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

Minton Jr, S.A. 2001. Amphibians and Reptiles of Indiana, revised second edition. Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

Nyman, S., Ryan, M.J. and Anderson, J.D. 1988. The distribution of the Ambystoma jeffersonianum complex in New Jersey. Journal of Herpetology: 224-228.

Petranka, J.W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.

Phillips, C.A., Brandon, R.A. and Moll, E.O. 1999. Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois. Illinois Natural History Survey Manual 8, Illinois.

Shaffer, H.B., Clark, J.M. and Kraus, F. 1991. When molecules and morphology clash: a phylogenetic analysis of the North American ambystomatid salamanders (Caudata: Ambystomatidae). Systematic Zoology: 284-303.

Smith, P.W. 1961. The amphibians and reptiles of Illinois. Illinois Natural History Survey: 1-298.

Uzzell, T.M. 1964. Relations of the diploid and triploid species of Ambystoma jeffersonianum complex (Amphibia: Caudata). Copeia: 257-300.

Uzzell, T.M. Jr. 1967. Ambystoma jeffersonianum. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles: 1-2.

Van Buskirk, J. and Smith, D.C. 1991. Density-dependent population regulation in a salamander. Ecology: 1747-1756.

Vogt, R.C. 1981. Natural History of Amphibians and Reptiles of Wisconsin. Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, USA.

Citation:	Geoffrey Hammerson 2004. Ambystoma laterale. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 May 2013.
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