Adaptations of the Eastern Mud Salamander

The endangered eastern mud salamander (Pseudotriton montanus montanus) resides in streams, bogs and swamps in the eastern and southeastern United States. It has the capability to live in muddy substrate or crystal clear water. Despite its ability to adapt to natural water variances, the amphibian suffers from serious decline due to habitat loss and the contamination of the nation's waterways.

  1. Shelter

    • The eastern mud salamander seeks refuge from potential predators by excavating tunnels in the muddy substrate. An opportunistic creature, it will also reside under basic leaf litter, stones, bark or fallen logs. Never far from the water, the salamander has also been known to burrow into the moist forest floor. Wherever it constructs its den, the adult will sit at the entrance and watch the world go by, but if it senses a threat, it will quickly retreat into the burrow. The salamander has a rather stocky appearance with well-developed limbs that allow it to dig with ease. Adults measure from 3 inches to 6 inches in length.

    Eggs and the Larval Stage

    • During the late summer and early fall the eastern mud salamanders mate. The female will lay up to 200 eggs. She will affix the eggs to leaf litter to help hide them beneath the water of slow moving streams. The eggs hatch during the winter months. The eastern mud salamander can remain in the larval stage for up to 17 months but if the conditions are not ideal the creature will not transform into an adult for up to 32 months.

    Breeding Considerations

    • After metamorphosing into an adult, the immature eastern mud salamander will remain close to the water and seek shelter along the shoreline. Males do not reach sexual maturity until 2 to 3 years old and females do not begin to breed and lay eggs until 4 or 5 years old. Some years, the female will not breed. Breeding takes a great deal of energy, so the female must have have sufficient nutrients and adequate health to produce eggs. During a good year, when the female receives ample food, she may reproduce twice.

    Diet Adaptations and Protection Requirements

    • The eastern mud salamander has a varied diet. It feeds on earthworms, beetles, spiders, insects and small salamander varieties that it finds within its habitat. During the larval stage, it depends on aquatic invertebrates for sustenance. Despite its ability to adapt to a wide range of foods in a habitat the salamander still remains fragile due to its physical limitations. The creature's delicate skin makes it vulnerable to water pollutants. The population of the salamanders is acutely slim in the wild due to their inability to adapt to water degradation and pollution. In areas where the eastern red salamanders reside, the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey suggests maintaining a high level of water quality so the population can continue.