Blue-Spotted Salamander vs

Ambystoma laterale compared with Chroomonas reflexa

Key Differences

• Blue-Spotted Salamander is Least Concern while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blue-Spotted Salamander
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Chromista (Chromista)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Cryptophyta
Class	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Cryptophyceae (Cryptophyceae)
Order	Caudata (Caudata)	Pyrenomonadales (Pyrenomonadales)
Family	Ambystomatidae	Chroomonadaceae
Genus	Ambystoma	Chroomonas
Species	Ambystoma laterale	Chroomonas reflexa

Conservation Status

Blue-Spotted Salamander

LC — Least Concern

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blue-Spotted Salamander
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blue-Spotted Salamander

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Found in United States.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Blue-Spotted Salamander

The Blue-Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale) is a species in the genus Ambystoma. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Chroomonas reflexa is a species of cryptophyte alga in the family Chroomonadaceae, documented from freshwater environments in Europe. The specific epithet reflexa, meaning bent back or reflexed, likely refers to a characteristic curvature or reflex in the cell shape, flagella, or their attachment relative to the cell body. Cell shape and the arrangement of the ventral groove and flagellar insertion point are important taxonomic characters within the genus Chroomonas, and subtle morphological differences distinguish species that are otherwise similar in size and pigmentation. Chroomonas species are biflagellate, olive-green to brown or blue-green in color, and occur singly in the plankton and periphyton of freshwater systems. They are important components of microbial food webs, converting solar energy into organic biomass that is transferred to heterotrophic consumers. Cryptophytes are among the most nutritionally rich microalgae, containing elevated levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) including EPA and DHA, making them highly valuable as food for zooplankton. Chroomonas reflexa has been recorded from European freshwater habitats. It has not been assessed by the IUCN.