California Tiger Salamander (original) (raw)

The California Tiger Salamander was until recently considered a subspecies of Ambystoma tigrinum(A. t. californiense), but is now regarded as a separate species, Ambystoma californiense. This species can reach a maximum length of 8.5 inches. Like the some of the Tiger Salamanders further east, its color pattern consists of a dark background with a gray belly and light, yellow to cream colored spots. However, the spots are fewer and smaller on average than in the Tiger Salamanders (A. tigrinum spp.) that have a dark background dominating over light colored spots. The California Tiger Salamander is a winter breeder, migrating to the breeding site after sufficient rain has fallen. They utilize temporary ponds or fish free permanent ponds. Larvae require 2.5 - 3 months to reach metamorphosis.