Silvery Salamander
Encyclopedia
The Silvery Salamander (Ambystoma platineum or JJL) is a member of the Mole salamander
(Ambystomidae) genus. It is usually between 5.5 – 7.75 in (12 – 19.9 cm) long and is slender with many small silvery-blue spots on its back and sides. It is brownish gray and the area around its vent is grey. The silvery salamander a unisexual Ambystoma hybrid species, taking genetic material from both the Jefferson salamander
(A. jeffersonianum) and the blue-spotted salamander
(A. laterale), having two sets of chromosomes from the Jefferson salamander and one set from the blue-spotted. A similar unisexual Ambystomid, Tremblay's Salamander
(Ambystoma tremblayi or JLL), also exists, having two sets from the blue-spotted and one from the Jefferson's.
While formally named, the silvery salamander is most often referred to by its genomic components (JJL) rather than as Ambystoma platineum in scientific literature.
s only stimulate egg development; their genetic material does not contribute to the offspring's DNA. This mode of reproduction is called kleptogenesis. The females lay cylindrical egg masses and attach them to underwater twigs. It is not often observed and its diet and lifestyle are unknown.
to adjacent Indiana
and Ohio
to western Massachusetts
south to northern New Jersey
. They are commonly found in or near shallow rivers and ponds in deciduous forest. There is a extremely limited population of the salamanders in Vermilion County
, Illinois
with only one remaining natural population known. They are considered endangered within the state. Theory states that the population may have dropped due to the vernal pool
in which they live not retaining water for a long enough period for their tadpoles
to reach metamorphosis
.
Mole salamander
The mole salamanders are a group of salamanders endemic to North America, the only genus in the family Ambystomatidae...
(Ambystomidae) genus. It is usually between 5.5 – 7.75 in (12 – 19.9 cm) long and is slender with many small silvery-blue spots on its back and sides. It is brownish gray and the area around its vent is grey. The silvery salamander a unisexual Ambystoma hybrid species, taking genetic material from both the Jefferson salamander
Jefferson Salamander
The Jefferson salamander is a mole salamander native to the northeastern United States, southern and central Ontario, and southwestern Quebec. It was named after Jefferson College in Pennsylvania....
(A. jeffersonianum) and the blue-spotted salamander
Blue-spotted Salamander
The Blue-spotted salamander, or Ambystoma laterale, is a mole salamander native to the Great Lakes states and northeastern United States, and parts of Ontario and Quebec in Canada. Their range is known to extend to James Bay to the north, and southeastern Manitoba to the west.-Description:These...
(A. laterale), having two sets of chromosomes from the Jefferson salamander and one set from the blue-spotted. A similar unisexual Ambystomid, Tremblay's Salamander
Tremblay's Salamander
Tremblay's Salamander is a member of the Ambystomidae. Reaching between 3¾ and 6⅜" , the salamander is long and slender with many bluish-white markings. It is dark gray to gray-black and the area around the vent is black. Tremblay's Salamander is a hybrid species of the Jefferson Salamander and...
(Ambystoma tremblayi or JLL), also exists, having two sets from the blue-spotted and one from the Jefferson's.
While formally named, the silvery salamander is most often referred to by its genomic components (JJL) rather than as Ambystoma platineum in scientific literature.
Behaviour
Lacking its own males, the Silvery Salamander breeds with male Blue-Spotted or Jefferson Salamanders from March to April. The males' spermatophoreSpermatophore
A spermatophore or sperm ampulla is a capsule or mass created by males of various animal species, containing spermatozoa and transferred in entirety to the female's ovipore during copulation...
s only stimulate egg development; their genetic material does not contribute to the offspring's DNA. This mode of reproduction is called kleptogenesis. The females lay cylindrical egg masses and attach them to underwater twigs. It is not often observed and its diet and lifestyle are unknown.
Habitat and range
These salamanders live almost anywhere between south-central MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
to adjacent Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
to western Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
south to northern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. They are commonly found in or near shallow rivers and ponds in deciduous forest. There is a extremely limited population of the salamanders in Vermilion County
Vermilion County
Vermilion County or Vermillion County is the name of several counties in the United States:* Vermilion County, Illinois* Vermilion Parish, Louisiana* Vermillion County, Indiana...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
with only one remaining natural population known. They are considered endangered within the state. Theory states that the population may have dropped due to the vernal pool
Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...
in which they live not retaining water for a long enough period for their tadpoles
Tadpoles
Tadpoles are a psychedelic rock band formed in 1990 in New York City by Todd Parker , Michael Kite Audino and Josh Bracken In 1992, Nick Kramer , David Max and Andrew Jackson of the fledgling Manhattan group, Hit, joined the Tadpoles after putting Hit on hiatus.In 1993 Kite and Jackson left the...
to reach metamorphosis
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation...
.