The blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale) is a mole salamander native to the Great Lakes states and northeastern United States, and parts of Ontario and Quebec in Canada. Their range is known to extend to James Bay to the north, and southeastern Manitoba to the west.
Blue-spotted salamanders can be found in the northeastern parts of North America. New England in the United States has large populations of many types of salamanders, including Ambystoma laterale. Blue-spotted salamanders can be found as far west as the Great Lakes in Michigan and up into the eastern providences of Canada.
Blue-spotted salamanders are primarily found in moist, deciduous hardwood forests and swampy woodlands with sandy soil (Donato 2000), though they can be found in coniferous forests and fields too. They prefer vernal pools that retain water into mid-summer, to ensure access to a suitable breeding habitat. Blue-spotted salamanders are philopatric and largely dependent on the availability of ephemeral pools. Underbrush, leaf litter, rocks and logs are commonly used for shelter. Studies are beginning to show that habitat selection may also be affected by factors such as light pollution and chemical hues.Blue spotted salamanders are facing habitat loss.