How Blue-Spotted Salamanders Brave the Cold

Normally, you might see blue-spotted salamanders basking in the sun, but they are surprisingly active even during icy conditions.

Though myths spoke of salamanders withstanding fire, they instead possess a striking resilience to freezing temperatures, found especially in blue-spotted varieties.

These salamanders can remain operational even when the temperature of their body liquids drops below freezing, entering what scientists term a 'supercooled' state.

Researchers were intrigued when they witnessed these creatures active near Bat Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park, Canada, smack in the middle of a frosty late winter.

Despite the icy ground and the frozen state of the lake, there were salamanders on terrestrial landscapes. A biologist from the University of São Paulo in Brazil currently recounts their amazement at these observations.

True to their name, these salamanders feature black skins adorned with striking blue spots. Found primarily in Canada's north and the northern United States including New England and the Great Lakes, they typically spend chilly seasons hidden underground, emerging in early spring to migrate to breeding areas.

Previously, it was assumed that their occasional snowy appearances coincided with slight warming periods, says a biologist from Brock University, who was involved in the study. It was thought they only moved when temperatures neared freezing.

During their frigid field observations, the researchers were equipped with a thermal camera, using it to document the salamanders' body temperatures with the help of scientist Patrick Moldowan.

Their findings showed that some salamanders maintained body temperatures below the freezing mark at 25 degrees Fahrenheit and were still active.

A salamander frozen solid couldn’t move, noted Tattersall, highlighting the remarkable nature of these supercooled states.

These amphibians are thought to use natural antifreeze methods, which allows them to function while being supercooled, according to the research report.

An expert from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, who did not partake in the research, found it fascinating that despite their low temperatures, these salamanders maintained activity. This enables them to commence breeding earlier and potentially evade predators still dormant.

Some amphibians show remarkable feats in cold climates, as exemplified by the Alaskan wood frog, which can enter a frozen state with a stopped heart for extended durations.

In even more extreme conditions, Siberian salamanders endure temperatures dipping to minus 40 degrees, a figure similarly expressed in both Celsius and Fahrenheit.

While research has extensively documented the winter survival strategies of birds and mammals, there remains much to learn about how amphibians endure cold, remarks Larson.

Finding amphibians in such cold climates is challenging, notes Larson, emphasizing that the overwintering processes of these cold-blooded animals are largely obscure.