Species
Dwarf black-bellied salamander
Desmognathus folkertsi
A small, black-bellied salamander of the mountain streams of north-east Georgia, found in very few places.
Photo Alex Stach (opens in a new tab) / iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
At a glance
- Size
- Usually 7 to 10 cm long
- Habitat
- Small, rocky mountain streams
- Diet
- Small invertebrates
- In Georgia
- Mountain streams of north-east Georgia
- Rabies vector
- No
Identification
- Key marks
- Like a small southern blackbelly salamander; dark with pale spots on the sides and a black belly
- Told apart from
- Southern blackbelly salamander, which is larger and lives in bigger streams
- Where to look
- Under rocks in small streams
Behaviour
It lives under rocks in and beside small mountain streams and hunts at night.
Why they matter
It has a very small range, largely in Georgia's mountains, and depends on clean, cold streams.
Reproduction and lifecycle
Eggs — Attached under rocks in water, guarded by the female
Hatching — In two to three months
Larvae — Aquatic for a year or more
Maturity — At a few years
Lifespan — Several years
Breathing — Through the skin; no lungs
Living around people
- Keep silt out of small mountain streams.
Misconceptions
- Small means young. This is a small species.
Related species
Seasonal activity
When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breeding | Jan: no | Feb: no | Mar: no | Apr: no | May: no | Jun: no | Jul: no | Aug: no | Sep: no | Oct: no | Nov: no | Dec: no |
| Active nests | Jan: no | Feb: no | Mar: no | Apr: no | May: no | Jun: no | Jul: no | Aug: no | Sep: no | Oct: no | Nov: no | Dec: no |
| Notes | Under rocks in water | Under rocks in water | Active | Active | Active | Laying eggs | Females guarding eggs | Guarding eggs | Larvae hatching | Active | Active | Under rocks in water |
Where it lives
Recorded in one state or province. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.
United States
If you found one
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