Salamanders and Newts of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has 22 species of salamanders representing five families and 11 genera. There are seven different families of salamanders in North America.

As a group, salamanders are secretive and nocturnal. All need moisture to survive. Their skin is smooth and must remain moist. Even the so-called terrestrial species can live only in areas that are moist or damp.

Salamanders sometimes can be confused with lizards because of their slender bodies, long tails and similar body shape. But on close examination, it is obvious that salamanders lack the claws, scales and external ear opening of the lizards.

What are Salamanders and Newts?

Salamanders are a secretive and nocturnal, amphibious creature.

Their skin is smooth and must remain moist.

Salamanders lack the claws, scales and external ear opening of the lizards.

Salamanders depicted with an asterisk * can be found locally.

Spotted Salamander * Two rows of large yellow or

orange spots run erratically the length of the body. Beginning on the head and near the eyes, the spots end at the tip of the tail. The spots on the head usually are orange even though the spots on the rest of the body could be yellow. The ground color ranges from black, to blue-black, to dark gray or dark brown. The belly is slate-gray.

Habitat-Spotted salamanders

require woodlands with ponds for breeding. Fish free ponds are best, but Figiel and Semlitsch (1990) found that larvae may change habitat usage to survive in ponds containing fish.

Marbled Salamander * The body is dark gray to black,

with bold white or silvery cross bands. On the female these bands tend to be a bit more gray. Occasionally the cross bands run together on the sides, encasing a black area within a striking outline of white. The belly is black and unmarked.

Habitat- Adult marbled salamanders live in damp woodlands, often close to ponds or streams. Unlike most other mole salamanders, this species does not breed in water. Adult marbled salamanders breed only in dried up pools, ponds, and ditches, and females lay their eggs under the leaves there. The eggs hatch after the ponds refill.

Jefferson Salamander * This salamander is long and

slender with a wide snout. Its toes are proportionately longer than those of most other salamanders. The back and sides are brownish gray; the belly is a shade lighter. The area surrounding the vent is usually gray.

Habitat- They are burrowers, spending most of their lives underground. Usually Only see it during the spring time when they are spawning.

The earliest breeding amphibian in the eastern US (February)

Red Spotted Newt * Efts are brilliantly colored,

generally orange-red, to dull red or orange. The adults are duller than the efts, and are usually olive-green, brown, or dark greenish-brown, with yellow bellies.

Habitat-Immature larvae and the adult newts live in small bodies of freshwater (ponds, small lakes, ditches, and marshes) usually with mud bottoms. Adults can survive on land if their aquatic habitat becomes unsuitable; adults may move onto land during dry periods when the water is low or to rid themselves of ectoparasites. The juvenile "eft" stage lives in lakeshore and woodland habitats and is often seen in forest litter on rainy nights

Northern Dusky Salamander * The northern dusky salamander

is gray to tan or dark brown on the back becoming a bit lighter on each side. Although usually plain, a close inspection may sometimes show mottling not much darker than the background color. Larvae and juveniles have pairs of oval blotches on each side that often fuse together to form streaks running the length of the body. The underside is pinkish with blue-gray speckles.

Habitat-It is abundant in stream, springs, seepages in bottomland forests and wooded ravines. It is rare in the ridge and valley region above 1200 feet elevation. This salamander inhabits a variety of habitats, both aquatic and semi-aquatic.

Mountain Dusky Salamander * The Mountain Dusky

Salamander is a slender species whose hind legs are stouter than its front legs. Adults may reach lengths of 7-10 cm (2.75-4 in), and are quite variable in color. In the northern reaches of their range, they typically have a yellow, orange, olive, gray, tan, brown, or reddish straight-edged stripe that runs down the back and tail. The stripe is bordered with black.

Habitat- you would most likely find it near wet rock faces, springs, woodlands, seepage areas and streams, and under stones, logs and leaves where the ground is wet

Northern Two-lined Salamander * Northern two-lined

salamanders are 2.5-3.75 inches long. This salamander has two dark lines, each running from the eye down to the tail (one on each side). The belly is yellow.

Habitat- Found near brooks and streams. Always close to water.

Long-Tailed Salamander * A long (up to 16 cm TL),

slender lemon-yellow to yellowish orange salamander with scattered black blotches along back and sides. Belly yellow to cream and usually unspotted.

Habitat- Near cool streams and spring seeps in forests of dissected, rocky uplands and valley edges. Dark-sided subspecies partial to twilight zones of caves, sometimes deep within caves and along surface streams nearby.

Northern Spring Salamander * The Northern Spring Salamander is

a long salamander with a moderately robust build. It is variable in color, ranging from pinkish or salmon to yellowish-brown. They also tend to be mottled, with a darker pigment on the back. The lower sides of the body and the belly are pinkish or yellowish, and there are often dark spots on the belly, throat, and lower jaw of older adults.

Habitat- Spring Salamanders are semi-aquatic, spending a majority of their time in springs, wet caves, and cool, clear mountain brooks Spring Salamanders can also be found under stones and logs near stream edges Because they are lung less, and must obtain oxygen through their skin, Spring Salamanders are limited to areas where there is adequate oxygen and moisture.

The slimy salamander has mainly black skin, covered by abundant silver-white or brassy specks, or both; the belly has variable shades but is generally lighter than the back.

Habitat-The slimy salamander is commonly found beneath stones and decaying logs in wooded areas and alongside streams, as well as in the crevices of shale banks and along the sides of gullies and ravines

Slimy Salamander *

Four-Toed Salamander * The Four-toed Salamander

is a relatively small salamander with adults typically only reaching lengths of 2 to 3.5 inches (5 to 10cm). As its name implies, the Four-toed Salamander can be readily identified from the presence of only four toes on each hind foot.

Habitat-This species favored habitats are sphagnum bogs, grassy areas surrounding beaver ponds and deciduous or mixed forests rich with mosses.

Northern Red Salamander * The Northern Red

Salamander is a stout-bodied, bright reddish-orange salamander with small irregular black spots and a yellow iris. The lower sides and belly are light salmon or red, and the lower jaw may have dark spotting.

Habitat-They can be found under logs, moss, and rocks near clean springs and brooks.

Red Back Salamander * The Red back Salamander

has an elongated body, small limbs and a rounded tail. They generally exist in two color phases referred to as the “red back,” or “lead back.” The “red back” phase has a red, orange-red, or brownish-red stripe on its back that runs from the head to mid-tail. Also, its sides are generally dark gray.

Habitat-These salamanders are primarily found in upland coniferous and mixed forests. Soil ph. is important. They are found in and under rotting logs, stones, bark, and other debris.

Eastern Hell Bender The hellbender is more

commonly gray, but some specimens could be an olive-brown to almost black above.

The body and head are flattened. Several loose flaps of thick, wrinkled skin hang along the lower sides. The legs are short and stout with four toes on the hind legs. The tail is flat and rudder like.

Habitat- Cool clear streams near vegetation.

Mudpuppy Gray to brownish to almost

black, stomach speckled gray with a few large dark spots, larvae and juvenile have broad dark strips down back that are border by yellow stripes.

Habitat- streams and weedy ponds, the mudpuppy needs water that has coverings (rocks, weeds or logs) and are more abundant in clear waters, but can withstand muddy water if clear water is available for reproduction, shelters by day in deep water under rocks and wood overhangs.

Green Salamander (Threatened Species) The green salamander’s

green or greenish-yellow irregular patches stand out boldly against an otherwise black body. It is a slender salamander with a flattened body. The head, however, appears to be swollen in the area just behind the eyes. The toes are square-tipped and expanded.

Habitat-Crevices in cliff faces, rock outcrops, and caves in shaded, hardwood forests. Crevices are moist, but not permanently wet. Occasionally found under fallen tree bark, or in rotting logs and stumps that probably feature lower temperatures and higher relative humidity.

Appalachian Seal Salamander The Appalachian seal

salamander has a robust body similar to its cousin, the northern dusky salamander. The tail makes up about half the total length of this salamander. Although the body can be variably patterned, it is mainly light brown or grayish above with dark brown or black wavy streaks or reticulations that stand out markedly.

Habitat-The seal salamander is found in the Appalachian mountains. It inhabits hardwood forests near rocky, cold streams, seepages, and springs. It is most abundant at elevations below 1370 meters.

Wehrle’s Salamander Coloration of body is

dark gray or brown with a row of irregular whitish spots along the side of body.  The throat is white or splotched with white, while belly is gray.  Have webbing on hind feet.

Habitat-Usually found in upland forests under stones, rotting logs, rock crevices, and caves throughout the mountains of North Carolina.

Eastern Tiger Salamander This chubby, small eyed

salamander has a dark background color, ranging from black to deep brown, and is patterned with yellowish or olive irregular light markings. The belly is an olive-yellowish color marbled with a dark pigment. The snout of the Eastern Tiger Salamander is rounded and the eyes are often gold in color.

Habitat-The tiger salamander inhabits sandy pine barren areas with temporary or permanent pools for breeding.

Eastern Mud Salamander Coloration of body is red

with a brown eye.  Body is also covered in black spots.  This species has a short tail and a small snout.

Habitat-The Eastern Mud Salamander is found in muddy environments of springs, streams, seepages, and swamps.  They often burrow in the mud or hide in crayfish holes to escape predators.

Northern Ravine Salamander Ravine salamanders

are elongate and slender with short legs and a long tail that accounts for about 50% of the total length.  Their dorsal color is brown to black frequently with many gold or white flecks

Habitat-Forested hillsides and slopes, where it is almost exclusively found under rocks.

Valley and Ridge Salamander It has short legs, a long tail,

and usually 21 costal grooves. The dorsum is dark brown to black with scattered white or brassy flecks.

Habitat-The Valley and Ridge Salamander is found under flat rocks and logs. It is apparently tolerant of cool temperatures and is most active in late winter and early spring. They disappear deep underground during the hotter summer months only to reappear near the surface during early fall.