Kansas is situated in the midwestern United States and experiences a temperate continental climate. Although the state has extensive grassland habitat, it also boasts wetlands and small pockets of forest, which provide suitable habitat for a number of terrestrial and aquatic salamander species. Several species are also found in the limestone caves of the Ozark Plateau.
Kansas Salamanders
1) Western tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium)
- Native to western North America
- Family: Ambystomatidae
- Order: Urodela
- Conservation status: Least concern
Also known as the barred tiger salamander, the western tiger salamander is a large terrestrial species that reaches 15 – 20 cm (5.9 – 7.9 in) in length. This species has a stout build with a broad, rounded snout and protuberant eyes. Its coloration is yellow or greenish, with numerous dark bars across the dorsum.
Ambystoma mavortium can be found throughout Kansas and occupies a wide range of habitats such as deciduous and coniferous forests, meadows, and grasslands. Individuals spend much of their time hidden in underground burrows that have been vacated by small mammals, emerging when it rains. During the winter, terrestrial adults burrow down below the frost line to withstand extremes of temperature.
Some western tiger salamanders are neotenic, meaning they retain juvenile characteristics and remain aquatic throughout their lives. These individuals spend the entire winter underneath the ice, remaining active despite the low temperatures.
2) Small-mouthed salamander (Ambystoma texanum)
- Native to the central United States
- Family: Ambystomatidae
- Order: Urodela
- Conservation status: Least concern
The small-mouthed salamander ranges in length from 12.7 – 17.8 cm (5 – 7 in) and has a heavy body with a small head and long tail. This species is gray or black in color, with pale gray mottling on the sides.
Ambystoma texanum can be found in eastern Kansas where it resides in bottomland forest and associated wetland areas. Adults consume a varied diet including isopods, centipedes, arachnids, lepidopterans, and coleopterans, whereas larval individuals have been found to feed on zooplankton and benthic invertebrates.
The small-mouthed salamander has been found to produce a short clicking sound – the purpose of this is unknown, but it could possibly relate to courtship, aggression, or another social function.
3) Western grotto salamander (Eurycea spelaea)
- Native to the central US
- Family: Plethodontidae
- Order: Urodela
- Conservation status: Least concern
The western grotto salamander ranges between 7.5 – 12.1 cm (3 – 4.8 in) in length, with a maximum length of 13.5 cm (5.3 in). This species is white, pinkish, or pale brown in color, and is blind, with just a pair of dark spots behind fused eyelids. Individuals have between 16 – 19 costal grooves.
The distribution of Eurycea spelaea in Kansas is limited, due to it being an obligate cave-dweller. It is currently only found in springs and caves in the Ozark Plateau, in southeastern Cherokee County. This species is protected by the Kansas Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act. Threats to this species include pollution of groundwater and deforestation of surrounding areas.
Larval western grotto salamanders have been shown to feed by sucking water and, as a result, prey into the buccal cavity. Both adults and larvae feed on aquatic invertebrates and bat guano, and adults will also consume terrestrial invertebrates.
4) Long-tailed salamander (Eurycea longicauda)
- Native to the Appalachian Region of the eastern US
- Family: Plethodontidae
- Order: Urodela
- Conservation status: Least concern
As the name suggests, the long-tailed salamander has a slender build with a long tail. The total length of this species is between 11.4 – 16.5 cm (4.5 – 6.5 in) and individuals possess fourteen or fewer costal grooves. The dorsal coloration ranges from yellow-brown to bright yellow, with dark spots arranged in prominent rows, while the underside is paler in color.
Similar to the western grotto salamander, the long-tailed salamander is confined to the Ozark Plateau in Cherokee County, where it occupies forested uplands near cool streams. Individuals will often venture into caves. Adults consume invertebrates such as annelids, isopods, arachnids, coleopterans, and orthopterans.
Larvae of the long-tailed salamander are found in shallow areas with clear water. During metamorphosis, the larvae undergo numerous morphological changes, including losing their gills and resorbing their tail fin, developing a nasolabial groove, and developing a line running from the eye to the gular fold.
5) Eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)
- Native to the eastern United States
- Family: Salamandridae
- Order: Urodela
- Conservation status: Least concern
The eastern newt ranges from 6.5 – 14 cm (2.6 – 5.5 in) in length. This species has three distinct life stages: larval, eft, and adult. Efts are terrestrial and have orange-red skin, whereas adults are aquatic and are green in color, with rows of orange spots on their dorsum and a yellowish underside.
Notophthalmus viridescens is found in eastern Kansas in Miami, Linn, Bourbon, Crawford, and Cherokee counties. Efts and migrating adults utilize woodland habitats, hiding underneath leaves, branches, rocks, and logs, and among moss or grass. Some of the wetlands in Cherokee County are designated as critical habitat by the state, and eastern newts are protected in Kansas.
Another difference between adults and efts is that adults possess smooth skin, whereas in efts the skin is granulose. This species secretes tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin that deters predators such as fish or crayfish.
6) Eastern tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
- Native to North America
- Family: Ambystomatidae
- Order: Urodela
- Conservation status: Least concern
The eastern tiger salamander is a large terrestrial salamander that is capable of reaching up to 20 cm (7.9 in) in length. This salamander is stoutly built, with a broad head and small eyes. The dorsal coloration of this species is black or dark brown with large brown or yellowish bands and patches, while the underside is decorated with pale yellow patches.
Ambystoma tigrinum is reported to be the least abundant salamander in Kansas, and populations can mostly be found in the Kansas River drainage basin east of Shawnee County. This species occupies pine-oak forests in close proximity to breeding pools. Interestingly, forested wetland buffer zones have been suggested to reduce the effects of predation on eastern tiger salamanders.
7) Common mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus)
- Native to the eastern United States
- Family: Proteidae
- Order: Urodela
- Conservation status: Least concern
The common mudpuppy is an entirely aquatic species, even in adulthood. Adults can reach lengths of 20 – 49 cm (7.9 in – 1 ft 7 in) and possess gill slits, bushy external gills, and a laterally compressed tail, all of which aid them in their aquatic lifestyle. The coloration of this species is relatively pale, with some individuals displaying dark spots across the dorsum.
In Kansas, Necturus maculosus can be found in the Marais de Cygnes, Neosho, and Verdigris drainage basins. This salamander occupies a wide range of aquatic habitats, including canals, streams, and lakes. Individuals typically seek shallower water during winter and are reliant on sunken debris such as rocks and logs for shelter.
Common mudpuppies face threats due to sedimentation and water pollution, and may occasionally be caught by fishermen. Increasing public awareness of this species is essential for their conservation.
8) Dark-sided salamander (Eurycea longicauda melanopleura)
- Native to Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, and Oklahoma
- Family: Plethodontidae
- Order: Urodela
- Conservation status: Unknown
The dark-sided salamander is a subspecies of the long-tailed salamander. This salamander reaches lengths of 10.2 – 15.2 cm (4 – 6 in), although maximums of 16.5 cm (6.5 in) have been reported. It has a slender build with a broad head, large eyes, and long limbs, and individuals possess 13 – 14 costal grooves. The coloration of this species is yellow with numerous black markings on the body, tail, and legs.
Populations of Eurycea longicauda melanopleura in Kansas are restricted to cave habitats in Cherokee County. This species tends to be associated with the Ozark Highlands, where it can be found around streams or springs, hiding in rock crevices. Individuals feed on a variety of terrestrial invertebrates. Dark-sided salamanders have been found to host a wide variety of endoparasites, including nematodes, protists, and tapeworms.
9) Spotted-tail salamander (Eurycea lucifuga)
- Native to the eastern United States
- Family: Plethodontidae
- Order: Urodela
- Conservation status: Least concern
The spotted-tail salamander, also known as the cave salamander, attains lengths of 10 – 20 cm (3.9 – 7.9 in). Individuals have a slender build with a blunt snout and possess fourteen or fewer costal grooves. The coloration of this species is red, orange, or yellow, with small irregular black spots across the dorsum.
Eurycea lucifuga populations are confined to the Ozark Plateau in southeastern Cherokee County, where they occupy forested areas near cold springs, or lurk in the twilight zones of limestone caves. This species is protected in Kansas, due to populations being critically imperiled in the state.
The diet of this species is flexible, with individuals adapting to the environment in which they find themselves. Spotted-tail salamanders residing near ponds consume spiders, beetles, and isopods, whereas those in cave entrances may be more reliant on heleomyzid flies for sustenance.
10) Red River mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus louisianensis)
- Native to Kansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas
- Family: Proteidae
- Order: Urodela
- Conservation status: Least concern
The Red River mudpuppy is a subspecies of the common mudpuppy. It reaches 15.2 – 22.9 cm (6 – 9 in) in length and has a stout body with reduced limbs and external gills. The tail is laterally compressed to aid this salamander in moving through its aquatic habitat. The coloration of the Red River mudpuppy is typically tan or dark brown, with dark spots on the dorsum. It can be distinguished from the common mudpuppy due to its paler belly and reduced ventral spotting.
Necturus maculosus louisianensis occurs in east-central Kansas and is classified as vulnerable within the state. Threats to this species include the construction of dams, which inhibit the movement of individuals, as well as sedimentation and water pollution.
Red River mudpuppies prefer flowing water with a sandy substrate, and individuals have been found to burrow into debris or riverbanks, tending to venture out nocturnally to forage. This species consumes fish, fish eggs, crayfish, leeches, insect larvae, snails, worms, and even other amphibians.
Have you ever seen any of these salamanders in Kansas? Let us know!