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Moʻo ʻĪnika uliuli ʻō.piko.piko (Blue spotted ink salamander)

The Moʻo ʻĪnika uliuli ʻō.piko.piko, or blue-spotted ink salamander (Luto Caeruleum), is an advanced salamander species endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Its English name is a translation of its original Hawaiian name, derived from its blue spots and ink-coloured skin. L. Caeruleum lives in and around mudpots and can grow up to 18 cm (7 in) in length. While closely related to many salamanders in the Western U.S, the blue-spotted ink salamander is the only amphibian native to the Hawaiian islands. The blue-spotted ink salamander is an extremophile, able to live in mudpots with temperatures as high as 80°C (176°F). Its diurnal nature and resting place in mudpots makes it hard for predators to attack them while they sleep, meaning they are not ambushed by predators like birds or spiders during the night. The blue-spotted ink salamander is recognized by the Hawaiian government as a protected species.

Blue spotted ink salamander Temporal range:
Artist's rendering of a Blue Spotted Ink Salamander
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Urodela
Suborder:	Salamandroidea
Family:	Salamandridae
Genus:	Luto
Species:	L. caeruleum
Binomial name
Luto caeruleum Parry Hager, 2021

Habitat and distribution

The blue-spotted ink salamander lives in and around mudpots, and they have a tendency to chose mudpots that are sheltered by trees and other plants. They prefer moist areas with high clay content in the soil and minimal rocks. Blue-spotted ink salamanders will live in large groups of 20-30 if the conditions of a mudpot are favourable.

Blue-spotted ink salamanders have only been found on three of Hawaii's islands: Hawai'i, Maui, and Moloka'i.

Diet

Like many other salamanders, the blue-spotted ink salamander is an opportunistic predator, eating whatever food it can find. Its diet mainly consists of beetles, spiders, earthworms, moths, ants, and mice. Cannibalism does not occur even when food is scarce. They are only required to eat 4-5 large meals in a month, however, they will eat at any opportunity. Blue-spotted ink salamanders have been shown to be able to eat up to half their body weight in a single meal. If a salamander kills something with its poisonous mucus it will still be able to eat it, as they are immune to their own toxin.

Hunting

Blue-spotted ink salamanders are ambush predators that wait in high-traffic areas for their prey. When a salamander spots its prey it will launch its prehensile tongue out at the target, and bring it back to its mouth to be chewed. Blue-spotted ink salamanders have teeth they use to masticate before swallowing their prey. Blue-spotted ink salamanders can also spray their poisonous mucus through two glands above the eyes to blind or kill predators and prey. The salamanders may also employ camouflage by covering themselves in mud and then laying still in dirt or leaves.

Lifecycle

Blue-spotted ink salamanders will lay eggs on the edge of mudpots, and have them guarded by one of the parents until they hatch. As the larvae develop they will stay inside the mudpot, with food being brought to them by a parent. When the children are able to traverse land they will be left to find food for themselves.

Mating season occurs after the first rain in spring and will cause the males to become slightly aggressive. Mating is initiated when a male chirps at a female, and the female responds. After this, the male will deposit a spermatophore for the female to fertilize the eggs. Salamanders will stay mated unless one of them dies, in which case, a new mate will be found during mating season.

Aposematism

The bright blue coloration found in the blue-spotted ink salamander is unusual for salamanders but still indicates the poison that the salamanders secrete. Similar to other poisonous amphibians, like poison dart frogs, blue-spotted ink salamanders create a poisonous mucus to prevent predators from eating them. The poison contained in the mucus is tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin found in other animals such as pufferfish.

Conservation

Due to the uniqueness and low population of the blue-spotted ink salamander, Hawaii has taken measures to protect the salamander from any future endangerment. All areas the Blue-spotted ink salamanders inhabit are part of national parks and have special restrictions on who can access them to prevent the salamanders from being disturbed. Hawaii also closely monitors the population and ensures that specimens will survive natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions or hurricanes. There is close monitoring around the salamander's habitats to ensure no introduced species, such as feral cats, will disrupt the ecosystem.

In Myth

Blue-spotted ink salamanders are believed to be the reason salamanders show up in Hawaiian myths and are depicted as large monsters. The Hawaiian explanation for blue-spotted ink salamanders is that they were created by Kāne, in an attempt to cool down the lava created by one of Pele'svolcanoes. In the end, Kāne created the blue-spotted ink salamander, with poison to keep Pele from boiling it, and bright blue colours to show that man should be wary of touching it.