WNYHS News

Next General Meeting: February 17th, 8pm - Healthy Animal Show & Tell
Next Board Meeting: February 25th, 7:30pm
Marv Aures Grant winner to be announced March 6th at our annual Awards Banquet
Next Reptile Show Date Announced September 19th, 2010

Jefferson Salamander Complex

(Ambystoma jeffersonianum x laterale)

Jefferson Salamander Complex (Ambystoma jeffersonianum x laterale)
Photo Courtesy of Christopher Schierer

The Jefferson Salamander Complex include the Ambystoma jeffersonianum) and the Blue Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale). The Complex also includes a population of hybrids that have resulted from interbreeding of the two species. These hybrids have multiple sets of chromosomes instead of the normal two sets and are known as polyploids. This population of polyploids is all female.

The Jefferson and Blue Spotted salamanders differ and are fairly easy to identify, but the polyploids are extremely difficult to identify as they can resemble either species or share characteristics of both. Most observers in the field will usually note any observations Jefferson or Blue Spotted Salamanders as members of the Jefferson Salamander Complex instead of running the risk of misidentifying the specimen.