Ambystoma tigrinum (United States Geological Survey)
Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Amphibia
Subclassis: Lissamphibia
Ordo: Urodela
Subordo: Salamandroidea
Familia: Ambystomatidae
Genus: Ambystoma
Species: Ambystoma tigrinum
Name
Ambystoma tigrinum (Green, 1825)
Type locality: "near Moore's town [Moorestown, Burlington County,] in New Jersey", USA.
Holotype: USNM 3970.
Synonyms
Siren operculata Palisot de Beauvois, 1799
Proteus neocaesariensis Green, 1818
Axolotus philadelphicus Jarocki, 1822
Salamandra tigrina Green, 1825
Salamandra ingens Green, 1831
Salamandra lurida Sager, 1839
Triton tigrinus — Holbrook, 1842
Triton ingens — Holbrook, 1842
Ambystoma tigrina — Baird, 1850
Ambystoma lurida — Baird, 1850
Ambystoma episcopus Baird, 1850
Heterotriton ingens — Gray, 1850
Proteus neocaesareanus — Gray, 1850
Siredon harlanii Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854
Ambistoma tigrinum —Jan, 1857
Ambystoma bicolor Hallowell, 1858
Ambystoma ingens — Hallowell, 1858
Amblystoma conspersum Cope, 1859
Amblystoma prosperpine — Baird, 1859
Amblystoma obscurum Baird in Cope, 1868
Amblystoma xiphias Cope, 1868
Amblystoma tigrinum — Boulenger, 1882
Amblystoma bicolor — Boulenger, 1882
Amblystoma conspersum — Boulenger, 1882
Amblystoma copeianum Hay, 1885
Ambystoma sopeanum — Brimley, 1907
Ambystoma conspersum — Fowler & Dunn, 1917
Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum — Dunn, 1940
Ambystoma tigrinum proserpine — Smith & Taylor, 1948
Ambystoma (Ambystoma) tigrinum — Tihen, 1958
References
Green, 1825, J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 5: 116.
Tihen, 1958, Bull. Florida State Mus., Biol. Sci., 3: 3.
Spear, S.T., Peterson, C.R., Matocq, M.D. & Storfer, A. 2005: Landscape genetics of the blotched tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum melanostictum). Molecular Ecology, 14: 2553–2564.
Frost, D. 2008. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 5.2 (15 July, 2008). Electronic Database accessible at www.research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Ambystoma tigrinum
AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. 2010. Berkeley, California: Ambystoma tigrinum. AmphibiaWeb, available at http://amphibiaweb.org/.
2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species IUCN: Ambystoma tigrinum (Least Concern) Downloaded on 26 July 2008.
Vernacular names
English: Tiger Salamander
suomi: Tiikerisalamanteri
polski: Ambystoma tygrysia
The tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) is a species of mole salamander[2] and one of the largest terrestrial salamanders in North America.[3]
Description
Tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
File:Ambystoma-tigrinum- Tiger-Salamander .webmPlay media
Ambystoma tigrinum. Video Clip
Biofluorescence in Ambystoma tigrinum
These salamanders usually grow to a length of 6–8 in (15–20 cm) with a lifespan of around 12–15 years.[4] They are characterized by having markings varying in color on the back of their head, body, and tail.[5] The coloring of these spots range from brownish yellow to greenish yellow, while the rest of their back is black or dark brown.[3] They have short snouts, thick necks, strong legs, and lengthy tails.[6] Their diet consists largely of small insects, snails,[7] slugs,[7] frogs, and worms, although it is not rare for an adult to turn cannibalistic and consume its own kind.[5] Cannibalism in these salamanders can almost always be traced back to a large volume of competing predators and lack of prey in the area.[8] If the opportunity presents itself, tiger salamanders will even feed on other smaller salamander species, snakelets (baby snakes), and newborn mice.[7]
Illinois citizens voted for the eastern tiger salamander as state amphibian in 2004, and the legislature enacted it in 2005.[9]
Habitat
Tiger salamanders habitats range from woodlands crowded with conifer and deciduous trees to grassy open fields.[3] These amphibians are secretive creatures who spend most of their lives underground in burrows, making them difficult to spot.[4] One significant requirement these salamanders need to thrive is loose soil for burrowing.[10] Tiger salamanders are almost entirely terrestrial as adults, and usually only return to the water to breed. The ideal breeding condition for tiger salamanders ranges from wetlands, such as cattle ponds and vernal pools, to flooded swamps.[5] This species is most commonly found on the Atlantic coast from New York down to Florida.[11] They are known, however, to be the widest ranging species of salamander in North America and have been found in smaller populations from coast to coast.[6]
Breeding
Like all ambystomatids, they are extremely loyal to their birthplaces, and will travel long distances to reach them. However, a single tiger salamander has only a 50% chance of breeding more than once in its lifetime. The tiger salamander's ideal breeding period is somewhere between the late winter and early spring, once the ground is warm enough and the water is thawed.[10] Males nudge a willing female to initiate mating, and then deposit a spermatophore on the lake bottom. About 48 hours after insemination, the female is ready to deposit her eggs in the breeding pool.[10] She carefully attaches the eggs to secure twigs, grass, and leaves at the bottom of the pool to ensure her eggs safety.[12] In about 12–15 days time, the eggs will be fully hatched and ready to mature in the pool.[12] It takes a tiger salamander approximately 3 months to reach full maturity and leave the breeding pool.[12] Large-scale captive breeding of tiger salamanders has not been accomplished, for unknown reasons.
The larva is entirely aquatic, and is characterized by large external gills[13][14] and a prominent caudal fin that originates just behind the head, similar to the Mexican axolotl. Limbs are fully developed within a short time of hatching. Some larvae, especially in seasonal pools and in the north, may metamorphose as soon as feasible. These are known as small morph adults. Other larvae, especially in ancestral pools and warmer climates, may not metamorphose until fully adult size. These large larvae are usually known as 'waterdogs',[15] and are used extensively in the fishing bait and pet trades. Some populations may not metamorphose at all, and become sexually mature while in their larval form. These are the neotenes, and are particularly common where terrestrial conditions are poor.
Diseases
Although immune themselves, tiger salamanders transmit Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which is a major worldwide threat to most frog species by causing the disease chytridiomycosis.[16] Tiger salamanders also carry ranaviruses, which infect reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Using tiger salamander larvae as fishing bait appears to be a major source of exposure and transport to wild populations. Severe mortality of tiger salamander larvae sometimes occurs from recurring ranavirus infections.
Related species
The California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense)[17] (listed at Vulnerable), the barred tiger salamander (A. mavortium), and the plateau tiger salamander (A. velasci) were all once considered subspecies of A. tigrinum, but are now considered separate species. Genetic studies made it necessary to break up the original A. tigrinum population, though some hybridization between groups occurs.
The axolotl is also a relative of the tiger salamander.[18][19] Axolotls live in a paedomorphic state, retaining most characteristics of their larval stage for their entire lifespans. While they never metamorphose under natural conditions, metamorphosis can be induced in them, resulting in a form very similar to the plateau tiger salamander. This is not, however, their natural condition, and dramatically shortens their lifespan.
References
IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2016) [errata version of 2015 assessment]. "Ambystoma tigrinum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T83293207A105179324. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
Frost, Darrel R. (2021). "Ambystoma tigrinum (Green, 1825)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
Smith, Hobart M. (1978). Amphibians of North America: a guide to field identification. New York: Golden Press. ISBN 978-0-307-63662-1. OCLC 4875093.
"Tiger Salamander". National Wildlife Federation. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
Niemiller and Reynolds, Matthew L. and R. Graham (2011). The Amphibians of Tennessee. Knoxville, Tennessee: The University of Tennessee Press/ Knoxville. pp. 88, 89, 90. ISBN 978-1-57233-762-6.
"Tiger Salamander | National Geographic". Animals. 2010-09-10. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
Wentz, Alissa. "Ambystoma tigrinum (Eastern Tiger Salamander)". Animal Diversity Web.
McKlean, K.I. (January 2016). "Cannibalistic-morph Tiger Salamanders in Unexpected Ecological Contexts". American Midland Naturalist. no.1: 64–65. doi:10.1674/amid-175-01-64-72.1.
"State Symbols". Illinois.gov. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
Wentz, Alissa. "Ambystoma tigrinum (Eastern Tiger Salamander)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
"Tiger Salamanders". amphibianfoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
"Eastern Tiger Salamander | Chesapeake Bay Program". www.chesapeakebay.net. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
Doug Collicutt Raising Tigers! Tiger Salamanders, that is.
"AmphibiaWeb - Ambystoma tigrinum". amphibiaweb.org.
"Water Dogs". Arizona Highways. September 17, 2015.
Verbrugghe, Elin; Van Rooij, Pascale; Favoreel, Herman; Martel, An; Pasmans, Frank (November 2019). "In vitro modeling of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection of the amphibian skin". PLOS ONE. 14 (11): e0225224. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0225224. PMC 6855447. PMID 31725762. S2CID 208035849.
Shaffer, H. B.; S. Stanley (1991). Final report to California Department of Fish and Game. California tiger salamander surveys, 1991 (Report). Rancho Cordova, California: California Department of Fish and Game, Inland Fisheries Division. Contract FG9422
"Mexican Walking Fish, Axolotls Ambystoma mexicanum" (PDF). Aquarium Industries. March 15, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-03-15.
"Aquarium Online - Axolotols (Walking Fish)". April 10, 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-04-10.
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