tiger salamander

noun

1. a salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum, common in North America, having a dark body marked with yellowish spots or bars.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tiger salamander¹

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Example Sentences

The species they support range from tiger salamanders to desert pupfish, and from songbirds to mammals such as ground squirrels and bighorn sheep.

From Los Angeles Times

Here in the Pacific Northwest spring, tiger salamanders emerge from their fossorial homes to breed, and the poisonous rough-skinned newt accelerates its activities with the warming sun.

From Seattle Times

At roughly nine inches long, Eastern tiger salamanders typically live near ponds in forested areas.

From Washington Post

The study also highlights how certain conditions make some young amphibians such as tiger salamanders and spadefoot toads turn into supercannibals.

From Science Magazine

Males are so desperate to mate that multiple males will unsuccessfully try to mate with a female that is already amplexed, or even anything slimy and alive, such as a tiger salamander.

From New York Times