Sonoran Tiger Salamander
Ambystoma mavortium stebbinsi
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- A. m. stebbinsi – Santa Cruz Co, AZ – Photo by Thomas Brennan AzPARC
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- Map by Steve Bledsoe, SWCHR
DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Ambystoma m. stebbinsi occurs in an isolated population in extreme southern Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
LEGAL STATUS: Ambystoma m. stebbinsi is protected in Arizona.
MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ambystoma mavortium stebbinsi (Lowe, 1954)
Genus: Ambystoma, Greek – amby = round, like the rounded top of a cup + stoma = mouth — poss. ref. large rounded mouth
Species: mavortium, Latin = war-like — ref. Mars, Roman god of war; possibly named from a large neotenic adult individual or a cannibalistic morph with an extra row of teeth – either would be enough to provoke a reference to ancient war gods!
Subspecies: stebbinsi, honors Robert Cyril Stebbins
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jaeger 1962