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What do salamanders eat in the wild?
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Caudata
Tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) are widespread across much of the United States. Although they are generally black with yellow blotches, bars, spots, or even stripes, some are lighter in colour or have olive markings. Tiger salamanders belong to the mole salamander family, Ambystomatidae.
Salamanders, which belong to the order Caudata, are primarily carnivorous predators that consume a wide variety of small animals. Their diet consists mainly of insects and other arthropods, as well as worms and snails.312
Larger species of salamanders may also prey upon small vertebrates, such as birds and mammals, and some individuals have been known to consume members of their own species.31
Most adult salamanders are active foragers that locate their prey primarily by sight, though some utilize their sense of smell. Terrestrial species often use a sticky tongue to ensnare prey, while aquatic species typically lunge at their targets, using their mouths to suck the prey in by expanding their buccal cavity.32