Herpetology- Identifying Variations of Tiger Salamanders

There are a few different variations of tiger salamander, including hybrids of different subspecies. In my field of study, north-central United States, we have Barred Tiger's, Grey Tiger's, and their larvae, which often get confused with mudpuppies and axolotls.

The Barred Tiger salamander, or Western tiger salamander, is the largest land-dwelling salamander in North America. It can grow from 6 to 8 inches and lives in moist areas and likes to burrow underground, as it is a type of Mole salamander. It typically has yellow or olive coloring with black or dark brown sploches. Western tiger salamanders are found from southwestern Canada through the western United States to northern Mexico. Included above are photographs of young Western tiger salamanders.

The Grey tiger salamander is a stocky, broad headed salamanders with a grey speckled coloring with olive or light grey undersides. They have a laterally flattened tail, meaning that the tail is flattened along the sides, although it is considerably more compressed in males. Grey tiger salamanders are also found in moist forested areas and like to burrow in the soil. They are found throughout Canada and north-central United States. Included above are photographs of an adult female Grey tiger salamander.

Tiger salamander larvae live in ponds or streams until they metomorphose into adults. They are fully aquatic and have external gills that look fuzzy. The coloration of the larvae vary from mottled brown to yellows and greys. When they metomorphose into adults they lose their gills, tail fin, and the shape of their head changes from pointed and flat to rounded.

To determine the gender of tiger salamanders you need to examine the tail and the cloaca. Male salamanders have a longer tail, usually longer than the body, with a flattened end. Females have a shorter tail, usually shorter than the body, and it's more rounded. A male salamaders cloaca, the vent at the base of the tail, is enlarged during the breeding season, while a females will remain smaller.