Category: Other Amphibian of the Week

Sierra Nevada Ensatina photo by Marshal Hedin Common Name: EnsatinaScientific Name: Ensatina eschscholtziiFamily: Plethodontidae - Lungless Salamander FamilyLocation: United States, Canada, and MexicoUS Location: California, Oregon, and WashingtonSize: 5 inches (145 mm) total length The Ensatina Salamander is a complex of usually 7 different subspecies of salamanders found along the western coast of North America. They… Continue reading Ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii)

photo by Brian Gratwicke Common Name: Marbled SalamanderScientific Name: Ambystoma opacumFamily: Ambystomatidae - Mole Salamander familyLocation: United StatesUS Location: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West VirginiaSize: 4 inches (10.16… Continue reading Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)

photo by Stan Shebs Common Name: Lesser SirenScientific Name: Siren intermediaFamily: SirenidaeLocation: Mexico and the USAUS Locations: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, VirginiaSize: 27 inches long Like all members of the Siren family, the Lesser Siren lacks hind legs but still have… Continue reading Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia)

photo by Jinzhong Fu Common Name: Anji Salamander or Amji SalamanderScientific Name: Hynobius amjiensisFamily: HynobiidaeLocation: ChinaSize: 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) The Anji Salamander lives in a marshy area on Mount Longwangshan in Anji County. Breeding season takes place from November to March. Females lay around 150 eggs during the season. It takes around 3 years for the young to… Continue reading Anji Salamander (Hynobius amjiensis)

photo by Joe N. Fries Common Name: Texas Blind SalamanderScientific Name: Eurycea rathbuniFamily: Plethodontidae - Lungless Salamander FamilyLocation: United States - TexasSize: 3.5 - 5 inches (9 - 12.7 cm) The Texas Blind Salamander lives around San Marcos in Texas in the Edwards Plateau region. They live deep underground in streams in caves so they are… Continue reading Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea rathbuni)

photo by John and Karen Hollingsworth Common Name: Olympic Torrent SalamanderScientific Name: Rhyacotriton olympicusFamily: Rhyacotritonidae - Torrent Salamander familyLocation: United States - WashingtonSize: 1.6 - 2.4 inches (4.1 - 6.2 cm) The Olympic Torrent Salamander is a federally threatened salamander found only in cold, mountain streams in Washington State. They are listed as Near Threatened… Continue reading Olympic Torrent Salamander (Rhyacotriton olympicus)

photo by Rklawton Common Name: Red Backed SalamanderScientific Name: Plethodon cinereusFamily: Plethodontidae - Lung-less Salamander familyLocation: Canada and the United States of AmericaUS Location: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West VirginiaSize: 2.25 - 4… Continue reading Red Backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus)

Common Name: Alabama Waterdog, Black Warrior WaterdogScientific Name: Necturus alabamensis Family: ProteidaeLocation: United States - AlabamaSize: 9.5 inches total length Waterdogs are closely related to Mudpuppies and Olms. Waterdogs keep their gills into adulthood and they possess all four limbs. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assess the Alabama Waterdog… Continue reading Alabama Waterdog (Necturus alabamensis)

photo by opencage Common Name: Three Toed AmphiumaScientific Name: Amphiuma tridactylumFamily: Amphiumidae Location: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and TexasSize: 18-30 inches (45.7 - 76 cm), record length 42 inches (1.06 m) The Three Toed Amphiuma is a weird salamander found in the southeastern United States. Amphiumas have long, elongated bodies that appear… Continue reading Three Toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma tridactylum)