Species
Ocoee salamander
Desmognathus ocoee
A variable, often reddish salamander of wet rock faces and seeps in the high mountains.
Photo Todd Pierson (opens in a new tab) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
At a glance
- Size
- Usually 7 to 11 cm long
- Habitat
- Seeps, wet rock faces and mountain streams
- Diet
- Small invertebrates
- In Georgia
- The mountains of north Georgia
- Rabies vector
- No
Identification
- Key marks
- Very variable; often reddish or brown with a paler, wavy band down the back; a pale line from eye to jaw
- Told apart from
- Chattooga dusky salamander by where it lives
- Where to look
- On wet rock faces and in seeps on humid nights
Behaviour
It climbs wet rock faces and wanders onto the forest floor on wet nights.
Why they matter
It is one of the most abundant salamanders in parts of the southern Appalachians.
Reproduction and lifecycle
Eggs — Laid in moss or under rocks near water, guarded by the female
Hatching — In one to two months
Larvae — Brief aquatic stage
Maturity — At a few years
Lifespan — Several years
Breathing — Through the skin; no lungs
Living around people
- Enjoy wet rock faces by trails without touching the salamanders on them.
Misconceptions
- An animal's colour tells you its species. Ocoee salamanders vary widely in colour.
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 | Under rocks | Active | Active | Active | Laying eggs | Females guarding eggs | Guarding eggs | Larvae hatching | Active | Active | Under rocks |
Where it lives
Recorded in 3 states and provinces. 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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