Western Tiger Salamander

About the Western Tiger Salamander

The barred tiger salamander or western tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium) is a species of mole salamander that lives in lower western Canada, the western United States and northern Mexico. The barred tiger salamander typically grows from 7.6 to 16.5 cm (3.0 to 6.5 in), but neotenic forms can grow to lengths of 17.8 to 38.1 cm (7.0 to 15.0 in). It is one of the largest species of salamander in North America. It has a broad head and a sturdy body, with variable color across its range. The dorsal surface is grey, dark brown or black with bars and spots of muddy yellow giving a tiger-like coloring. The ventral surface varies from light to dark. Larvae have alternating dark and light blotches on the centre of the dorsal surface and pale stripes running along the sides. Kansaspedia states that the tiger salamander has been known to live in captivity for more than 20 years.

Primarily nocturnal, barred tiger salamanders are opportunistic feeders, and will often eat anything they can catch, including various insects, slugs, and earthworms. They are primarily terrestrial as adults, but their juvenile, larval stage is entirely aquatic, having external gills... Wikipedia →