Species
Savannah dusky salamander
Desmognathus campi
A dusky salamander of the Piedmont streams and seeps of north-east Georgia, recently recognised as a species of its own.
Photo Leila Dasher (opens in a new tab) / iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
At a glance
- Size
- Usually 6 to 12 cm long
- Habitat
- Streams, seeps and springs
- Diet
- Small invertebrates
- In Georgia
- The north-east Piedmont, especially around Athens
- Rabies vector
- No
Identification
- Key marks
- Brown with paler markings on the back; a pale line from the eye to the jaw
- Told apart from
- Other dusky salamanders mainly by where it lives
- Where to look
- Under rocks and logs along streams
Behaviour
It lives along stream edges and seeps and hunts at night.
Why they matter
It is one of several dusky salamanders separated by genetic study, showing how many kinds of salamander Georgia holds.
Reproduction and lifecycle
Eggs — Laid near water and guarded by the female
Hatching — In one to two months
Larvae — Aquatic for several months
Maturity — At a few years
Lifespan — Several years
Breathing — Through the skin; no lungs
Living around people
- Keep silt out of streams and seeps.
Misconceptions
- Look-alike animals are all one species. This one was recognised only through genetics.
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 | Active on mild nights | 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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