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Tiger salamander vision: the science and the numbers

Ambystoma tigrinum · order Caudata · Amphibians: all the numbers

The tiger salamander has four colour channels, including violet (434, 521, 580 and 620 nm).[1][2] The tiger salamander stops seeing flicker at 30 Hz, against 60 Hz for people.[22]

See it on your photoBack to How does the tiger salamander see?
  • 4colour receptor classesMeasured*
  • 30hertz flicker fusion (motion)Measured

The tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) is an amphibian in the order Caudata. Its eyes belong to the vision type Amphibian motion detector: low sharpness, eyes tuned to dim light and a strong response to moving objects. Measured in this species: colour, night vision and motion (flicker fusion). Measured core: measured values on at least 3 of the 6 dials.

This is a simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences.

Method: How we know what animals see (the See Like Animals vision engine) · Sources · Last updated . Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What the tiger salamander sees: colour receptors

Tiger salamander colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmTiger salamander: 4 receptor peaks at 434, 521, 580, 620 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Tiger salamander: 434, 521, 580, 620 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • It has 4 colour receptor classes; people have 3.
  • It stops seeing flicker at 30 Hz, against 60 Hz for people in this dataset, so fast motion looks choppier to it.[23][22]
  • Activity pattern: cathemeral.

The six dials

Evidence levels: how the tiers work. "Measured" means a value measured in this species; "Estimated" values come from a close relative or an eye-size formula. The last column gives the values for people from the same catalogue.

Vision values for the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
4 receptor classes: 434 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 521 nm (MWS (green)), 580 nm (LWS (long)), 620 nm (LWS (long))
measured in this species
Measured (not re-verified)[1][2]Colour receptors: 3 receptor classes: 421.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 532 nm (MWS (green)), 558.4 nm (LWS (long)) Measured (not re-verified)[1][3][4][2]
SharpnessAcuity
2.8 cycles per degree
median of 1 relatives in class Amphibia: Lithobates pipiens
Group default[5]Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[6][7]
Field of viewNo value in the catalogue.Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured[8][9]
Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)[10]
Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived[10]
Eye placement: frontal Derived[8][9]
Sharp zones (foveas)No value in the catalogue.Number of foveas: 1 Measured[11]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[11]
Night visionActivity pattern
cathemeral
mode of 3 rows (of 3 rows): cathemeral
Measured (not re-verified)[1][12]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[13][14][15][1][16][17][18][12]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[19][20]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[21]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[13][14][15][1][16][17][18][12]
Rods vs cones
mixed
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[1][12]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
30 Hz
median of 1 bright-light rows (behavioural/whole-eye ERG rows; all rows: [30.0]); cff_hz: dim-light rows (bright-light rows used) set aside (labelled alternative: 30)
Measured[22]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[23][22]

All amphibians side by side: Amphibians: every measurement. Method: how we know what animals see.

Sources

  1. Longcore 2023
  2. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  3. Kirwan
  4. Müller et al. 2009
  5. Caves et al. 2024
  6. Kirk et al. 2004
  7. Veilleux et al. 2014
  8. Heesy 2004
  9. Heffner et al. 1992
  10. Campbell & Green 1965
  11. Kopania et al. 2025
  12. Moura et al. 2024
  13. Anderson et al. 2017
  14. Borges et al. 2018
  15. Wilman et al. 2014
  16. Maor et al. 2017
  17. Jones et al. 2009
  18. Schmitz et al. 2011
  19. Banks et al. 2015
  20. Cervino et al. 2021
  21. Guareschi et al. 2025
  22. Inger et al. 2014
  23. Healy et al. 2013

Every value cites its sources (all sources). Values were extracted from these works and converted (units, medians, derived values); changes are ours, and the listed sources do not endorse this site. Data: catalogue-v1, built 2026-09-29. Accuracy notes: how accurate is this? Method: how we know.