What is black and white, lives underground for the majority of its life, is dependant upon vernal pools and mates in the fall?
The marbled salamander Ambystoma opacum. A wide ranging eastern US species, it reaches its northern limits in Massachusetts. The adults live in damp woods, often in close proximity to streams and ponds. They breed and reproduce in dried up vernal pools or other water ways that have lost their standing water. The eggs that are left under the leaves in September and October are left to hatch once the water returns. This may occur in the fall, with the larvae overwintering as active individuals that end up with a head start on other co-occurring salamanders that hatch in the spring. If rains do not fill the vernal pool where the eggs are, they can overwinter and will typically hatch in mid-March or April.
Black and White
The marbled salamander has striking black and white crossbands found along the tail, head and back. The crossbands often run together and are broader on the sides of the body. This is for the males, at least. The females tend to have dull gray markings. Adults are typically stout and reach a total length of 8-12 cm. Females are slightly smaller than males.
Newly hatched juveniles possess bushy gills and dorsal fins that extend nearly to their front limbs. Hatchling length averages 10-14 mm but may go as high as 19 mm. The larvae are drab brown or blackish in color, and have a series of light spots that form a thin line just below the level of the limbs. Maturing larvae can become mottled with light yellowish-green coloration. Adolescents are dark brown to black with light colored flecks, which changes into the adult pattern within 1-3 weeks after metamorphosis.
Lifestyle
Ambystoma opacumare predators that eat whatever it can find: worms, insects, slugs and snails. The can also be the top predator in some of the temporary ponds they encounter. When they begin their life as a larvae the marbled salamander eats zooplankton but quickly add larger prey as they grow. These include crustaceans, aquatic insect larvae, other amphibians, snails and worms.