Species
Red-legged salamander
Plethodon shermani
A black mountain salamander with bright red legs, found only in the Nantahala and Unicoi mountains.
Photo evangrimes (opens in a new tab) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
At a glance
- Size
- Usually 10 to 17 cm long
- Habitat
- High-elevation mountain forests
- Diet
- Small invertebrates
- In Georgia
- The mountains at the far north-east of the state; rare
- Rabies vector
- No
Identification
- Key marks
- Slate-black with bright red or orange legs
- Told apart from
- Southern Appalachian salamander, which has white spots
- Where to look
- Under logs in high mountain forests
Behaviour
It lives on the moist forest floor and hunts on wet nights, sheltering under logs and rocks by day.
Why they matter
It has one of the smallest ranges of any American salamander, in a few mountain ranges where Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee meet.
Reproduction and lifecycle
Eggs — Laid underground and guarded by the female
Hatching — As tiny copies of the adults
Young — No aquatic stage
Maturity — At a few years
Lifespan — Many years
Breathing — Through the skin; no lungs
Living around people
- Stay on trails in high mountain forests; the forest floor is its home.
Misconceptions
- Red markings mean an animal is dangerous. This salamander is harmless to people.
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 | Underground | Underground | Active on wet nights | Active | Active | Laying eggs | Active on wet nights | Active on wet nights | Young hatching | Active on wet nights | Underground in cold weather | Underground |
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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