We all know that salamanders and newts love to spend a great deal of their time in the water. You may have seen a salamander in a pond or stream and wondered, can salamanders breathe underwater? Different salamander species have different ways of breathing. Some salamanders, such as axolotls and sirens have gills and can … Read more
We all know that salamanders love to spend a lot of their time in or around streams, ponds, or other water bodies. During the breeding season, it is common to see hundreds of salamanders migrating to ponds where they can swim freely and lay their eggs. But how long can salamanders stay underwater? Salamander larvae … Read more
Salamanders are ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals, which means they can’t generate their own internal body heat. Instead, their body temperature changes with that of their surroundings. Due to this, salamanders become less active in the winter when the temperatures drop. Terrestrial salamanders hibernate in logs or underground burrows when their environment gets too cold. Many aquatic … Read more
Marbled salamanders are common throughout much of the eastern United States. These secretive amphibians are easy to identify by the silvery cross bands along their bodies. Marbled Salamanders have poison glands on their tails that produce a foul-tasting secretion as a defense against predators. This secretion is only mildly poisonous and is of no serious … Read more
Salamanders are very secretive creatures. Due to this, several myths and legends have arisen about them over the centuries. Many ancient people believed that salamanders were fireproof and so cold-blooded that their bodies could extinguish the flames themselves. However, most of these legends are untrue. Salamanders are not fireproof and can not withstand fire. Being … Read more
Spotted salamanders are colorful amphibians found in parts of the eastern United States and Canada. These salamanders are easily identifiable by their bluish-black skin, and the beautiful yellow spots extending from their head to tail. But what do spotted salamanders eat? Spotted salamanders are opportunistic carnivores that will eat almost any prey that can fit … Read more