Barred Tiger Salamander

These mighty Salamander’s should be an easy spot but they like to disappear below the soil.

The Barred Tiger Salamander ranges from southern Texas to Canada and from California, east to the Dakotas and Oklahoma. They are found in a variety of diverse habitats including forests, fields, meadows, grasslands and deserts. As adults, these primarily nocturnal salamanders spend most of their time underground in burrows. Barred tiger salamanders are one of the longest terrestrial salamander species in North America, possibly the world, reaching lengths of 13 to 14 inches (33 to 36 centimetres).

Tiger salamanders’ markings are variable throughout their extensive range, but the most common marking resembles the vertically striped pattern of their mammalian namesake. They are usually brown in colour with brilliant yellow stripes or blotches over the length of their bodies. Their base colour, however, can also be greenish or grey and their markings can be yellow dots or brown splotches. Some have no markings at all.

Breeding takes place throughout the year and timing varies by subspecies. As with most members of this family, barred tiger salamanders gather in groups by pools and slow streams after rainfall for spawning. Females lay eggs individually or in small clusters on the substrate or items in the water. They hatch between 19 and 50 days later, depending on environmental conditions.