The organism I researched is called the long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum). This organism grows from 1-3/5 to 3-1/2 inches. Their coloration could be black, yellow, or olive green with a different colored stripe running throughout the skin as they adapt to their surroundings. They also have a longer fourth toe which gives them their name. 

Like all amphibians, the long-toed salamander begins as an egg. The eggs are laid in masses attached to grass, sticks, and rocks. The number of eggs usually ranges from 110 up to 264 per female at one time. 

Larvae hatch from their egg casing in two to six weeks. After they are born, they immediately start feeding on small invertebrates that they see. Some even feeding upon their own brothers and sisters for survival. As they grow, they naturally start to feed upon larger prey. Thus, they play their little role in the food chain.

Long-toed salamanders compete for food with other salamanders. The long-toed salamander eats insects, tadpoles, worms, and beetles and they are eaten by birds, fish, bullfrogs, garter snakes, and other vertebrates. To avoid being eaten it runs to evade being eaten, but if bitten on the tail, the tail will come off the salamander to aid in its escape. This does not matter because they can regenerate body parts. The attacker will die from the poison it consumes by eating the distracting tail. The organisms who might die from this is birds, fish, bullfrogs and more. The long-toed salamander can be killed by other predators if its tactics don’t work.

Also, their habitat is mainly here in the USA in the Pacific Northwest. The long-toed salamander “lives in every country west of the continental divide or Idaho, Southeastern British Columbia, and Southeastern Alberta” says Wikipedia. They also live here in California. They hibernate in the soil for the winter even though the soil may be damp. It lives in various habitats including temperate, red fir and coniferous rain forests plains, and alpine meadows along the rocky shores of mountain lakes. “It also can live in slow-moving streams, ponds, and lakes during its aquatic breeding phase” according to Wikipedia. These great little organisms could be shrinking because of us humans.

There are about 50,000 long-toed salamanders. They are considered “least concern” in their conservation status according to Wikipedia but are shrinking. Contributing to this change are predators, humans, destruction of their habitats and more. In conclusion, I learned they can regenerate and hibernate in the winter. As you can see, long-toed salamanders are cool animals!

Publisher: Hunter B 
Published: 02/2010

Photo Credit: 
Alan Barron
http://www.californiaherps.com/salamanders/images/amsigillatumplumasab06.jpg