About Speleomantes ambrosii (Lanza, 1955)
Ambrosi's cave salamander (Speleomantes ambrosii) has short, stout limbs, pointed toes, and a short tail, reaching a total length of around 12.5 cm (5 in) when including the tail. A distinct ridge called a canthus runs between its snout and eye. Its coloration is variable: most individuals are brown to black with grey, green, yellow, red, pink, or brown marbling, mottling, or streaking, while some individuals are uniform brown or black. Its underparts are also dark, with lighter paler markings. This species is endemic to a small area of northwestern Italy, found at scattered locations within La Spezia province. Despite its common name, it is not restricted to caves. During dry periods, it retreats under stones, logs, and into caverns. At other times, it is active on leaf litter near streams, and on wet rocky outcrops in wooded valleys, at altitudes up to 1,250 metres (4,100 ft). In the southeastern portion of its range, where its distribution overlaps with the Italian cave salamander (Speleomantes italicus), the two species sometimes hybridise.
