Ambystoma macrodactylum, or long-toed salamander, is a common amphibian in the family Ambystomatidae, or mole salamanders. Its native range extends from southeastern Alaska through British Columbia, Washington, and much of Oregon to northern California and from the Pacific coast eastward to northern Idaho, western Montana, and southwestern Alberta (Bull 2005).Long-toed salamanders are extremely adaptable amphibians, but they prefer to live in moist environments near ponds or lakes. They are most identifiable by a long greenish-yellow dorsal stripe, with the rest of their backs being black and their undersides dark brown with white flecks. Adults are about three to four inches long and quite slender. Their name comes from the slightly longer fourth toe on their hind feet (Rockney and Wu 2015).
Long-toed salamanders are the earliest breeding amphibians in their range. The timing differs depending on elevation, with those at lower elevations beginning in late fall and winter and those in alpine habitats waiting until summer (Pilliod and Fronzuto 2016). They are considered opportunistic breeders, meaning that they will lay eggs in all sorts of places, in the hope of at least some surviving. Once the eggs hatch, the aquatic larval stage begins, which can last from 1 to 3 years. The larvae feed on aquatic insects and crustaceans. They eventually lose their gills, produce digits, and metamorphose into terrestrial juveniles. The juvenile and adult salamanders stay within a small range of the pond or body of water where they were born, which will become their breeding grounds when they mature. Adult long-toed salamanders feed on arthropods, mollusks and annelids. They can live up to 7 years (Pilliod and Fronzuto 2016).
Ambystoma macrodactylum probably hibernate during winter, particularly at higher elevations, although adults can remain active all year long in lowland areas (Stebbins 2003). Adults hibernate underground, whereas the larvae can hide under logs and on the underside of leaves or sticks in a pond until it becomes warm enough for them to emerge. If and when they hibernate, they usually do so in groups and survive off of stored protein in their bodies, for months if needed. In general, they lead a very secretive life to avoid encountering predators (Pilliod and Fronzuto 2016). When they are threatened by predators, they coil their bodies or lash their tails, produce secretions from their skin, and can vocalize to either scare away the predator or warn other salamanders of danger. Because they absorb water and oxygen through their skin, they are very sensitive to the conditions of their habitats. This makes them good indicators of the health of the environment. They aren’t considered to be endangered, although they are threatened in certain regions.
