There are four toes on the front and five on the back feet. Larvae have bushy gills and are brown with dark markings on the back. There is also an inconspicuous stripe along the sides. Subspecies There are no subspecies of the smallmouth salamander, Ambystoma texanum. Habitat Smallmouth salamanders are found in wooded habitats with ephemeral ponds, or floodplain in Iowa.
Woodlands provide food and shelter in the summer and overwintering sites for hibernation.
Shallow pools provide larvae with warm water for faster development and food, and isolate them from fish and other predators requiring deeper water. Smallmouth salamanders are secretive and are not often seen. They posses much greater burrowing capabilities compared to the blue-spotted salamander, but are more likely to be found above ground under moist cover in or near woodlands than the tiger salamander. They may be found around the breeding pools hiding under logs and other cover while the earth is moist from spring flooding. During the drier parts of the summer, they remain underground.