Marbled Salamander

Ambystoma opacum

no photo — written note
photo: Wikimedia Commons
Animals

A short, banded salamander in silver-white on black that breeds in autumn, laying eggs in a dry pool basin and guarding them until rain.

Field facts
HabitatDry-ish woodland with seasonal pools
RangeSouthern and central Indiana
When to lookBreeding September to November
StatusLeast Concern (Indiana DNR / IUCN Red List)
Look-alikesSpotted Salamander — spots not bands

Field note: The female curls around her eggs in a dry depression and waits for the pool to fill.

Lesson
Watching responsibly

Do not dig into pool basins in autumn; females may be brooding eggs.

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