[1] It was described in 1982 by Brandon, Maruska, and Rumph,[2] and named for Edward Harrison Taylor (1889–1978), an American herpetologist.

Taylor himself attempted to describe the species as Ambystoma subsalsum in 1943,[6] but mistakenly used a Mexican or plateau tiger salamander as the holotype.

[2] It is a neotenic species, which means it retains its caudal fin and external gills into adulthood, never undergoing complete metamorphosis.

[7] Taylor's salamanders are pale yellowish in color, with dark spots along their dorsal sides.

The level of the lake has fallen and if this deterioration in water quality continues, this salamander is likely to become extinct.