Species
Seepage salamander
Desmognathus aeneus
A tiny, coppery salamander of the forest floor that skips the aquatic larval stage entirely.
Photo DiegoH (opens in a new tab) / iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
At a glance
- Size
- Usually 4 to 6 cm long
- Habitat
- Leaf litter and moss near seeps in moist forest
- Diet
- Tiny invertebrates
- In Georgia
- The mountains and upper Piedmont of north Georgia
- Rabies vector
- No
Identification
- Key marks
- Tiny; a coppery or reddish stripe down the back with a dark Y-shape on the head
- Told apart from
- Other dusky salamanders, which are larger
- Where to look
- Under wet leaves and moss near seeps
Behaviour
It lives in damp leaf litter and moss and hunts tiny animals on the forest floor.
Why they matter
It is one of the few dusky salamanders that hatch as tiny adults on land, with no aquatic larvae.
Reproduction and lifecycle
Eggs — A small cluster in moss or under leaves, guarded by the female
Hatching — As tiny copies of the adults
Young — No aquatic stage
Maturity — At about two years
Lifespan — Several years
Breathing — Through the skin; no lungs
Living around people
- Leave leaf litter and moss around forest seeps.
Misconceptions
- All salamanders need water to breed. This one does not.
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 | Active | Laying eggs | Females guarding eggs | Young hatching | Active on wet nights | Active | Active | Active | 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
Answer a few questions and you will get a specific answer for what you are looking at.
I found an animal