Description: Spotted Salamanders are large salamander, ranging
from 6-9.5 inches (15-24 cm) in length. Ground color can be
shades of black, gray or brown on its back, gray on its belly.
Down each side of the back, there are two rows of orange and
yellow spots; sometimes as many as 50. Ambystoma maculatum is
considered monotypic (no recognized subspecies) and has 12
costal grooves. Range and Habitat: Found throughout eastern
North America, spotted salamanders are common in Piedmont and
Mountain regions of South Carolina and Georgia. They are much
less common in the Coastal Plain and are absent from
southeastern Georgia. The spotted salamander can be found in
hardwood forests and swamps where it burrows near water. For
breeding, it requires temporary pools or wetlands, and avoids
deeper water where fish can prey on its eggs or larvae. Habitat:
The Spotted Salamander is fossorial, active at night, and is
rarely seen except during breeding seasons. They breed during
the winter and early spring when adults migrate