Instructions
The first way to identify a Salamander is by its appearance. Salamanders resemble lizards in that they are generally under 6" long, and have long tails and short arms. There is one amazing giant salamander species in Japan that grows as long as 5'! From this point forward, the similarities between salamander species ends. Each species looks very different from the others. Red salamanders are an orange-red color with black spots down its back, Tiger Salamanders are black with bright yellow stripes down their sides, Yellow Spotted Salamanders are black with yellow spots on their back and the Long-Tailed Salamander is grey with one long yellow stripe going down the length of its spine.
The second way to identify a Salamander is by its habitat. Salamanders may be aquatic or terrestrial but they are never far from water or wet vegetation. They may live completely in water or moist soil. They may burrow into the earth or live in trees.
The third way to identify a Salamander is by its diet. This is especially important if you plan to keep one as a pet! Salamanders eat small animals and insects. Examples include: roaches, crickets, locusts, slugs, flies, pill bugs, beetles, small millipedes, white worms, bloodworms, black worms, kingworms, superworms, guppies or brine shrimp.
How to Identify a Salamander
Salamanders are amphibians that resemble lizards although they are not part of the lizard family. These nocturnal creatures live predominantly in the south eastern United States but can be found in other areas of the US, as well. This article will describe how to identify a salamander based upon appearance, habitat and diet.