Blue-Spotted Salamander vs Smooth Map Lichen

Ambystoma laterale compared with Rhizocarpon hochstetteri

Key Differences

• Blue-Spotted Salamander is Least Concern while Smooth Map Lichen is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blue-Spotted Salamander	Smooth Map Lichen
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order	Caudata (Caudata)	Rhizocarpales (Rhizocarpales)
Family	Ambystomatidae	Rhizocarpaceae
Genus	Ambystoma	Rhizocarpon
Species	Ambystoma laterale	Rhizocarpon hochstetteri

Conservation Status

Blue-Spotted Salamander

LC — Least Concern

Smooth Map Lichen

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blue-Spotted Salamander	Smooth Map Lichen
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.

Smooth Map Lichen

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and United States. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇺🇸 United States