The blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale) lives in forests with moist soil. A secretive amphibian, it stays under cover during the day, hiding under leaves or logs or in burrows. At night, it emerges to search for food on the forest floor. When threatened by predators, it releases a sticky foul-tasting substance from glands in the skin of its back and tail. This long-tailed salamander earns its name from the blue spots on its shiny, black body. Its range includes the northeastern United States and the Great Lakes region.