Spotted Salamanders
What do they look like?
Spotted salamanders have smooth moist skin, colored with bright orange spots.
Spotted salamanders range from in size from 7 to 9 inches long.
Where in the world are they found?
These amphibians are found in North America.
What is their habitat?
They are found in forests near ponds and steams.
What is their diet (prey)?
They eat worms, insects, slugs, spiders and other bugs. They also like 3rd graders. Yum!
How do they defend themselves?
During the day, spotted salamanders hide under rocks, logs and leaves to avoid predators.
They hunt at night when they won’t be seen.
Their tails can release poison so a predator may spit them out if it tries to eat that part of the salamander.
Who are their predators?
Small animals such as snakes, birds, fish, muskrats, foxes eat salamanders.
Due to humans cutting down forests, these frogs are losing their habitat.
What are their adaptations that allow them to survive?
1. The salamander’s back and tail is poisonous. This adaptation keeps other animals from eating it.
2. Salamanders can drop their tails. If a predator grabs the tail of the salamander, this adaptation lets it escape and then grow a new one.
Cool facts!!
Spotted salamanders hibernate in the winter.
When it hatches from its egg, it does not look like an adult. It breathes through gills like fish do.
Learn more!
Click here to go to National Geographic Kids.com.
Spotted salamanders have smooth moist skin, colored with bright orange spots.
Spotted salamanders range from in size from 7 to 9 inches long.
Where in the world are they found?
These amphibians are found in North America.
What is their habitat?
They are found in forests near ponds and steams.
What is their diet (prey)?
They eat worms, insects, slugs, spiders and other bugs. They also like 3rd graders. Yum!
How do they defend themselves?
During the day, spotted salamanders hide under rocks, logs and leaves to avoid predators.
They hunt at night when they won’t be seen.
Their tails can release poison so a predator may spit them out if it tries to eat that part of the salamander.
Who are their predators?
Small animals such as snakes, birds, fish, muskrats, foxes eat salamanders.
Due to humans cutting down forests, these frogs are losing their habitat.
What are their adaptations that allow them to survive?
1. The salamander’s back and tail is poisonous. This adaptation keeps other animals from eating it.
2. Salamanders can drop their tails. If a predator grabs the tail of the salamander, this adaptation lets it escape and then grow a new one.
Cool facts!!
Spotted salamanders hibernate in the winter.
When it hatches from its egg, it does not look like an adult. It breathes through gills like fish do.
Learn more!
Click here to go to National Geographic Kids.com.
