The present study describes the different
color-pattern phenotypes of yellow spots on the black back of Salamandrainfraimmaculata in various
habitats at the southern border of its distribution in Israel. At Tel Dan, we
photographed 454 salamanders in moist habitats where water flows year round;
100 of these were sampled to measure the percentage of yellow and black color
on the back, and the number of spots on the head. At Kibbutz Sasa, 201
salamanders were photographed, of which 62 were sampled for the measurements.
In Kibbutz Yehiam, 200 salamanders were photographed, and 60 were sampled for
the measurements. At all sites, about a third of the salamanders were
photographed more than once. For all three populations, yellow spots on the
salamander back were found in one row, two rows or scattered. For two indices
(proportion of yellow/black and number of spots on the head), the Dan
population (under wet, running water all year round conditions) differed from
the two other populations of salamanders (under semi-arid mountain conditions).
The number of yellow spots on the head of the salamanders in the three
populations varied from 1 to 7. In all populations, 4 spots pattern was the most common. In the Dan population,
there were significantly more salamanders with 1 to 3 spots on their head than
in the Sasa or Yehiam populations. No difference was found in the number of
head spots for Sasa vs. Yehiam salamanders. The percentage of yellow on the
black back was significantly larger for the Dan salamanders vs. the two other
populations. The main question examined was whether there is an effect of the
habitat conditions in isolated populations on the spot pattern on the
salamander back. The answer is positive and is supported by previous studies.
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