Jefferson Salamander

Ambystoma jeffersonianum

Jefferson Salamander. Photo:John White

Found only in southwestern Ontario, the Jefferson salamander is closely related to the blue-spotted salamander, although it is actually quite a bit larger (210mm versus 130mm) and somewhat more pale with smaller spots. Like the blue-spotted salamander, it too produces triploid (3 sets of chromosomes versus the usual 2) mostly female offspring when the two species interbreed. These triploid offspring are typically smaller and more spotted than the Jefferson salamander, while being larger and less spotted than the blue-spotted salamander. A peculiarity of the female triploids (as if their chromosome count wasn't already peculiar enough!) is that their own offspring inherit no genes from the male "parent", although his sperm is still required to induce development of the egg.

Distribution of Jefferson Salamander in Canada