Blue-spotted Salamander

Ambystoma laterale

Blue-spotted Salamander. Photo:John Mitchell

This tiny salamander, only reaching 130mm in length, is easily recognized by its dark colour flecked with white or blue spots. It has a fairly wide range, although it is most common in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. This species belongs to 'The Jefferson Salamander Complex'. This term is used to indicate that it is closely related to the Jefferson salamander, and until 1954, they were thought to be the same species. These species will actually interbreed, with the resulting offspring being 'triploid', meaning that instead of having two sets of 14 chromosomes as in a usual member of the species, it actually has 3 sets. Usually females, these triploid salamanders are larger and a little less spotted than the blue-spotted parent, but smaller than the Jefferson parent. In addition to having 3 sets of chromosomes, these females have another peculiar characteristic: their offspring inherit no genes from the male parent, despite the male's sperm being necessary to induce development of the eggs.

Distribution of Blue-spotted Salamander in Canada