Jefferson Salamander
Ambystoma jeffersonium
Conservation Status:
State Status: Vulnerable (NatureServe, 2025)
State Listing: Special Concern (DEEP, 2015)
Global Assessment: Least Concern (IUCN, 2021)
Photographed by stevejr
Description
Jefferson salamanders can grow up to six inches long (Watkins-Colwell, 2025). They are a dull brown or gray color with light speckles across the body. A broad head and laterally flattened tail is apparent with this species.
Habitat
These salamanders are most commonly found in moist deciduous forests, but may also be seen in swamps and rocky slopes.
Behavior
Jefferson salamanders are nocturnal. They spend most of their time underground in burrows, especially in dry conditions or when hibernating over the winter. They eat small invertebrates.
Breeding occurs early in the spring. During this time, they will migrate to vernal pools on rainy nights. Eggs are laid in submerged clumps and hatch into aquatic larvae. Predators of Jefferson salamanders include birds, snakes, and small mammals. When threatened, they will thrash their tail around and release toxins (Quinn, 2020). This species is known to hybridize with blue-spotted salamanders.
Range
Jefferson Salamander
Photographed by stevejr
Often Confused with
Blue-Spotted Salamander
Photographed by Cody Limber
Telling these two species apart is difficult due to the amount of hybridization between them. Hybrids may obtain characteristics from both species, causing confusion. Blue-spotted salamanders have larger spots that appear more blue in color when compared to those of the Jefferson salamander. Blue-spotted salamanders have slightly more narrow heads than Jefferson salamanders.
References
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. (2015, August 5). Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Amphibians. Connecticut. https://portal.ct.gov/deep/endangered-species/endangered-species-listings/endangered-threatened--special-concern-amphibians.
iNaturalist. (2024). Observations. California Academy of the Sciences / National Geographic Society. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=49&taxon_id=26725.
International Union for Conservation Of Nature and Natural Resources. (2021, February 16). Jefferson Salamander. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/59059/196337965.
Klemens, M. W. et al. (2021). Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles in Connecticut. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. https://ctdeepstore.com/products/conservation-of-amphibians-reptiles-in-connecticut.
NatureServe. (2025, January 31). Ambystoma jeffersonianum. https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100401/Ambystoma_jeffersonianum.
Quinn, D. P. (2020). Jefferson Salamander Complex. Connecticut Herpetology. https://www.ctherpetology.com/jefferson-salamander-complex.
Watkins-Colwell, G. J. (2025). Jefferson Salamander - Ambystoma jeffersonianum. Yale Peabody Museum. https://peabody.yale.edu/explore/collections/herpetology/guide-amphibians-reptiles-connecticut.
Watkins-Colwell, G. J. et al. (2006). New Distribution Records for Amphibians and Reptiles in Connecticut, with Notes on the Status of an Introduced Species. Sacred Heart University. https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1058&context=bio_fac.
Page updated March 2, 2025