Illinois State Amphibian

Eastern Tiger Salamander

(Ambystoma tigrinum)

Adopted on February 2, 2005

On February 2, 2005, Representative Bob Biggins introduced House Bill No. 847 designating the Eastern Tiger Salamander as the official State amphibian of Illinois and designates the Painted Turtle as the official State reptile of Illinois.

The tiger salamander is one of the largest terrestrial salamanders in the United States. The biggest specimen recorded was 13 inches long. The average size ranges between seven and eight inches. It is stocky with sturdy limbs and a long tail. The body color is dark brown, almost black, and irregularly marked with yellow to olive colored blotches. The only other salamander with which it might be confused is the smaller spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum). The spotted, however, has two rows of regular, yellow-to-orange spots running parallel down its back, as distinct from the irregularly distributed spots of the tiger salamander.

Life History

The tiger salamander spends most of its life underground, as do other members of the group referred to as "mole salamanders." On Long Island, it emerges from its burrow in February or March to migrate at night, usually during rain, to the breeding ponds. After a brief courtship which consists of the male pushing his nose against the female's body, eggs are laid in a mass and attached to twigs and weed stems under water. The female may deposit one or more egg masses containing 25-50 eggs per mass. Hatching occurs after approximately four weeks and the larvae remain in the ponds until late July or early August. After this time, the larvae transform into air breathing sub-adults measuring between four and five inches, and leave the ponds at night during wet weather to begin their underground existence. It takes four to five years for the salamanders to reach sexual maturity and they may live for 12-15 years. The tiger salamander eats invertebrates and small vertebrates.

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