Ambystoma opacum
Silhouette: Matt Reinbold (modified by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum) is a species of mole salamander found in the eastern United States. The marbled salamander is a stout, black and white banded salamander. It exhibits sexual dimorphism with bands of females tending to be light gray, while those of males are bright white. Males also have a larger proportion of white dorsal surface area relative to females. Females have been reported to have more asymmetrical dorsal markings, while the males have more symmetrical markings. Like most salamanders, they go through metamorphosis including an aquatic life stage. Juveniles have white flecks that eventually develop into bands as they reach adulthood. Adults can grow to about 11 cm (4 in), small compared to other members of its genus. Like most of the mole salamanders, it is secretive, spending most of its life under logs or in burrows.
Marbled salamanders are found in the eastern United States, from southern New England to northern Florida, and west to Illinois and Texas. Their habitats are damp woodlands, forests, and places with soft and wet soil. Seasonally flooded areas are essential for breeding, but the adult salamanders... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Parken Zoo | 🇸🇪 Sweden | |
| 3 | Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Western North Carolina Nature Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Stone Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Chilean National Zoo | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 7 | Tennessee Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Marbled Salamander sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 48 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 15th most-seen of the 18 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March and October–November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Marbled Salamander in Washington on a given day, against under 5% in April–September and December–February, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Marbled Salamander sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Only Washington, in our data
Washington is the only city on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Marbled Salamander sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Marbled Salamander is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Washington (48 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
