Reticulated flatwoods salamander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Reticulated flatwoods salamander |
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The reticulated flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma bishopi) is a special kind of salamander. It's an amphibian, which means it can live both on land and in water. This salamander is found in a small part of the southeastern United States. You can find it in western Florida and southwestern Georgia. It used to live in parts of Alabama, but it's not found there anymore. This salamander looks and lives very much like its close relative, the frosted flatwoods salamander. Reticulated flatwoods salamanders live in pine flatwoods and savannas that get wet during certain seasons. They like wetlands with lots of plants, which are often kept clear by natural fires.
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What's in a Name?
The scientific name for this salamander, bishopi, was chosen to honor an American scientist named Sherman C. Bishop. He studied reptiles and amphibians.
What Does It Look Like?
The reticulated flatwoods salamander is a medium-sized salamander. It measures about 40 to 50 millimetres (1.6 to 2.0 in) from its snout to its tail base. It has 14 to 16 grooves along its sides, called costal grooves. Its head is long and tapers to a point.
The front legs are strong. Its tail is flatter towards the end and is shorter than its head and body combined. The skin is smooth. The salamander's back has a net-like pattern. This pattern is made of thin grey lines on a brownish-black background. Its belly is dark with a few white speckles. This salamander looks a lot like the Frosted flatwoods salamander. However, the frosted flatwoods salamander has a more "frosted" pattern on its back. It also has larger white spots on its belly.
Where Does It Live?
Ambystoma bishopi is a burrowing salamander. This means it digs and lives underground. It can be found among fallen leaves. It lives under longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) trees. It also lives among wiregrass (Aristida stricta) plants. These habitats are found in the flatwoods coastal plain areas of the Southeastern United States.
Life Cycle and Habits
The reticulated flatwoods salamander lives mostly on land. Its breeding season begins when the rains arrive in October. The salamanders lay their eggs in small dips in the ground. They hide them under plants or fallen leaves. They might also lay them at the bottom of tree stumps. Sometimes, they use the entrances of crayfish holes. They choose other hidden spots near ponds.
The eggs are ready to hatch after about three weeks. But they won't hatch until water floods their hiding spots. The young salamander larvae are active at night. During the day, they hide in the leaf litter. At night, they come out to feed in the water. They usually change into their adult form in the spring. This change is called Metamorphosis. After metamorphosis, the adult salamanders move to higher, drier areas. They live there until the fall. Then, they return to the flooded areas to breed again.
Conservation Status
The reticulated flatwoods salamander was first described in 1950. In 2008, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed it as an endangered species. The IUCN also lists Ambystoma bishopi as "vulnerable" on its IUCN Red List. This means its population is decreasing. The main reasons are that its habitat is being destroyed. Also, there's an increase in thick undergrowth in its living areas.
