The classification of the four salamanders native to P.E.I. (Cook 1967) is 
     
     as follows: 
     
     Class: Amphibia 
     
     . Order: Caudata 
     
     Family: Ambystomatidae 
     
     Ambystoma laterale Hallowell - Blue-spotted Salamander 
     
     Ambystoma maculatum (Shaw) - Spotted Salamander 
     
     Family: Salamandridae ‘ 
     
     Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens (Rafinesque) - Red—spotted Newt 
     
     Family: Plethodontidae 
     
     Plethodon cinerus cinerus (Green) - Red—backed Salamander 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     l. Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale) 
     
    
   
   
    
     This slender bluish-black salamander has sides 
     
     and legs flecked with pale blue. It may 
     
     grow up to a length of 14 cm but tail breakage 
     
     is fairly common so shorter individuals with 
     
     tails in various stages of regeneration may 
     
     be found. For most of the year the blue— 
     
     spotted salamander burrows underground in moist 
     
     woodland, often near streams. In early spring 
     
     it migrates to ponds to carry out a complex 
     
     courtship, mate and lay eggs. This occurs in 
     
     late April, at which time the adults are conspicuous in ponds. Eggs are laid 
     
     singly or in small gelatinous clusters of up to six. These are attached to the 
     
     undersides of leaves or other bottom debris. By mid May adults have largely dis— 
     
     ' appeared from ponds and eggs have become abundant. Larval forms are numerous in 
     
     small quarry ponds and ditches from mid June on and newly transformed adults may 
     
     appear during the first part of July. It is thought this species is relatively 
     
     common on P.E.I. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     2. Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Individuals of this species are 
     
     ~' black with grey undersides. 
     
     Large round yellow or orange- 
     
     yellow spots are found on the 
     
     upper regions of the body. 
     
     Spotted salamanders may grow 
     
     up to about 17 cm in length 
     
     and don't normally lose their 
     
     tails. For most of the year they live underground in animal tunnels in 
     
     moist woodland or beneath woodpiles, etc. In spring they emerge from hibernation 
     
     to migrate to the breeding ponds in the latter part Of April, slightly later than 
     
     the Blue-spotted Salamanders. By the second week of May few adult Spotted Salaman- 
     
     ders are seen but eggs can be found in ponds and ditches. These are laid in large 
     
     masses, usually visible to view on the pond bottom attached to grass or other plant 
     
     stems. Larvae are abundant in quarry ponds and ditches by mid June and transformed 
     
     individuals are present by early July. spotted Salamanders are common throughout 
     
     the Island.' 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     The above two species are both large sturdy salamanders; the following two are 
     
     . tiny and slender. 
     
    
   
   
    
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