What is it: A Mudpuppy or Tiger Salamander?
By Alyssa Kiesow Winter is gone, spring is here, and summer is near. Mixtures of colors- green, blue, yellow, and purple- appear in the landscape as plants revive themselves. Camouflaged in the newly refreshed landscape are many animals, such as amphibians. Amphibians, like frogs, toads, and salamanders, rely on the environment and their behavior to regulate their body temperature- called ectothermy, thus they are found during the warm spring and summer months. As the climate warms up, the chorus of frogs and toads initiate the spring mating season, but unlike frogs and toads, salamanders do not create choruses in the night. Salamanders, in particular Mudpuppies, have recently been a “hot” topic among many biologists, anglers, and naturalists. A short time ago, my husband and I discussed our encounters with Mudpuppies and Tiger Salamanders in the “field” and in bait shops. During our conversation, my husband mentioned that when he was in high school he handled Mudpuppies while working
