Illinois Salamanders

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2. How many species of salamanders exist in Illinois?

300 answers

102 votes

34.0%

132 votes

44.0%

66 votes

22.0%

4. Of the three large salamanders, which is endangered in Illinois due to its former haunts of rock shoals in large creeks or rivers having been affected by siltation?

291 answers

Hellbender

187 votes

64.3%

Lesser siren

64 votes

22.0%

Tiger salamander

40 votes

13.7%

5. What unique feature do the mudpuppy and lesser siren share?

279 answers

A restricted diet of only earthworms.

9 votes

3.2%

They spend their entire lives in water and never lose the gills, tail fins and gill slits that they developed as larvae.

218 votes

78.1%

Both secrete a toxic substance produce by a gland near the anal opening that probably is intended to repel predatory fish.

52 votes

18.6%

6. Larvae of the smallmouth salamander (Ambystoma texanum) can be found in the ephemeral pools of springtime in Illinois along with larvae of frogs, especially Illinois chorus frogs (Pseudacris illinoensis). Which is true about baby smallmouth salamanders and baby frogs?

Photos by Patty Gillespie.

255 answers

As generalist predators, larval smallmouth salamanders eat mostly small aquatic invertebrates Hatchling and small tadpoles forage on suspended matter, organic debris, algae, and plant tissue.

181 votes

71.0%

Tadpoles take only one week to change into frogs while larval smallmouth salamanders metamorphose into terrestrial adults in about three months.

74 votes

29.0%

11. Which large terrestrial (found most often on land) salamander can reach a length of 33 cm and hunts beetles, slugs, earthworms and even centipedes?

Tiger salamander courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.

249 answers

Longtail salamander

31 votes

12.4%

Tiger salamander

218 votes

87.6%

12. Just for fun, we could say that the whole population of this salamander speaks with a southern dialect unlike the other two species who have families living up north. Which salamander has a small range which includes Pope, Johnson, Union and other southern counties in Illinois?

Spotted salamander photo but Sarah Marjanovic.

249 answers

Southern two-lined salamander

123 votes

49.4%

Mole salamander

74 votes

29.7%

Spotted salamander

52 votes

20.9%

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