About the Red Salamander
The Red Salamander is a stout-bodied, medium-sized salamander ranging between four and seven inches in length. It is a small, reddish amphibian with black, irregularly shaped spots covering its back. They are carnivores that feed on insects, worms, and other invertebrates, and are even known to eat other smaller salamanders. The major natural predators of the Red Salamander include woodland birds, skunks, and raccoons. They can live up to 20 years in captivity. The major natural predators of the Red Salamander include woodland birds, skunks, and raccoons.The major natural predators of the Red Salamander include woodland birds, skunks, and raccoons.This salamander is a carnivore, feeding on small insects, worms, and other invertebrates, and occasionally smaller salamanders. Larvae eat small aquatic invertebratesThis salamander is a carnivore, feeding on small insects, worms, and other invertebrates, and occasionally smaller salamanders. Larvae eat small aquatic invertebratesThis salamander is a carnivore, feeding on small insects, worms, and other invertebrates, and occasionally smaller salamanders. Larvae eat small aquatic invertebratesThis salamander is a carnivore, feeding on small insects, worms, and other invertebrates, and occasionally smaller salamanders. Larvae eat small aquatic invertebratesThis salamander is a carnivore, feeding on small insects, worms, and other invertebrates, and occasionally smaller salamanders. Larvae eat small aquatic invertebratesThey are carnivoresTheyincinclud
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Caudata
Family: Plethodontidae
Genus: Pseudotriton
Species: ruber
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Caudata
Family: Plethodontidae
Genus: Pseudotriton
Species: ruber
Location & HabitatThe red salamander occurs through much of the eastern United States and occurs throughout the mountains, Piedmont, and Upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina and Georgia. Red salamanders may be found in a variety of habitats but are most common around streams, springs, and small creeks.
http://srelherp.uga.edu/salamanders/pserub.htm The Red Salamander can be found in terrestrial or aquatic environments, but are aquatic in winter. In the terrestrial environment they can typically be found in wooded areas under fallen bark, logs, and rocks. Their aquatic preference is in the leaf litter of clean running, cool streams and brooks |
Human Impact
Because the Red Salamander requires intact deciduous forests and clean streams, this species can be severly impacted by deforestation, pollution, acid drainage from coal mines, and stream siltation and warming.Woodland salamanders play a significant ecological role as predators, prey, and cyclers of nutrients in the woodland and stream habitats they live in. Woodland salamanders play a significant ecological role as predators, prey, and cyclers of nutrients in the woodland and stream habitats they live in
Interesting Facts
- Red Salamanders go through metamorphosis
- An adaptation of this salamander is a projectile tongue, which it can extend and return in 11 milliseconds
- Salamanders are excellent indicators of stream health because they are very sensitive to stressors such as pollution, deforestation, stream erosion and mine drainage
- The largest northern red salamander ever discovered measured 7 1/8 inches long
Sources
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/40099582@N05/6187066203/
- http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/11327074
- http://dynamicdunes.bd.psu.edu/amphibians/photogallery/web/photogallery.aspx
- http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Pseudotriton_ruber/
- http://www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/northern_red_salamander