Pacific Giant Salamander

Dicamptodon Ensatus

Class: Amphibia

Order: Caudata

Family: Ambystoma

Distribution: Found only in North America, from British Columbia to California.

Habitat: Forest regions, along moist stream banks and under logs.

Physical Characteristics: Largest land salamander with a length up to 12 inches. Typically they have heavy bodies with long tails, dark moted backs and darker unmoted legs.

Reproduction: This is done by internal fertilization. The male deposits a spermatophore ( a bundle of sperm cells in a jelly like base ); the female retrieves this and transfers it to a special glandular folds in her cloaca where it is stored until needed.