52 Colorful Salamanders in Tennessee

There are fifty two (52) species of salamanders in Tennessee. These chordate animals are four-legged (tetrapods) and ectothermic (cold-blooded). This means that they are not able to regulate their internal body temperature.

Their bodily temperature is based on their environment. As amphibians, salamanders live in a variety of habitats. Some live underground (are fossorial), some in freshwater sources (are aquatic) and yet others on land (are terrestrial).

Salamanders resemble lizards in their appearance. Most have slender bodies, blunt noses or snouts, moist skin which lacks scales, short limbs, four digits on the hind limbs, five digits on their forelimbs and long tails.

While these features apply to most animals in the family of salamanders, certain species are slightly different in form. Some have only forelimbs, less digits or warty skin. These amphibians are mostly found in the Holarctic realm.

Most commonly called newts, salamanders come in various lengths, from minute species to giant ones. They have the ability to regenerate damaged or lost limbs and some other parts of their bodies.

As a mechanism to protect themselves from predators, some salamanders contain a destructive toxin known as tetrodoxin. For this reason, they tend to move slowly and have brightly colored skin (although some have drab colors on their skin).

To learn more about them, check out the information on Wikipedia’s page about salamanders. They eat a variety of smaller animals, including pests (ants, crickets, flies, worms, mosquitoes, slugs and other insects) and crustaceans.

Larger salamanders may also eat smaller conspecifics (other individuals of the same species) or heterospecifics (other salamanders of different species). Their most common predators are raccoons, skunks, snakes and turtles.

While salamanders tend to have brightly colored dorsal skin (the skin on their backs) to alert terrestrial animals of their toxic presence, their ventral skin (the skin on their flip side, i.e their bellies) is light in color to avoid aquatic predators.

Read further to learn about the fifty two (52) species of salamanders in Tennessee, their geographic location or range, habitat, physical characteristics, behavior and additional adaptations against predation, if any, at adulthood.

Species of Salamanders in Tennessee

1. Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae (lungless salamanders)
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus ochrophaeus
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 7 to 11 cm ( to in)
• Lifespan: about 5.3 years in captivity, up to 20 years

Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders are found in Canada and the United States. Some states and regions they occur in within these countries are: Georgia, Kentucky, New York, Quebec, Tennessee and Virginia.

They inhabit forests and woodlands, preferring to be around the streams and rivers in this biome. They may be found underneath wet rocks, near springs, around seepage rivers, under stones and beneath wet leaves and logs.

Before, Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders were lumped together with four other species and called mountain dusky salamanders. The four others are Blue Ridge dusky, Carolina Mountain, Cumberland dusky and Ocoee salamanders.

Salamanders of this species have moderately long, well developed legs, slender bodies, a fold of skin behind their eyes, sharp, pointed teeth and tapered tails. They come in different colors, sizes and patterns.

Although most are plainly colored, some other individuals have bright hues on their skin. A light colored line runs from each of their eyes to the bottom of their jaws. Another straight light colored one extends down the back and tail.

This second stripe may be brown, gray, olive, orange, red or yellow in color. A light grayish brown band is also visible on their bodies and the sides of their tails are black in color. The juveniles are slightly different in appearance.

There is only little sexual dimorphism in this species. Males are on average larger in size than females, with darker body colors and a more curved jaw margin than females. They also lose their vomerine teeth when they get to a certain size.

The females are smaller and lighter colored. They also have teeth. Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders are nocturnal, being most active at night. On some dark and humid days, individuals may be active.

Like many other salamanders, this species is able to lose its tail when threatened by predators and regenerate it. Their broken tails then wiggle and move around to distract the predator and make some escape time. The salamanders are not poisonous but they are foul-tasting to predators.

2. Berry Cave Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Gyrinophilus gulolineatus
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 10.2 to 22.9 cm (4 to 9 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Berry cave salamanders are only found in Tennessee, in the counties of Knox, McMinn and Roane. They are a threatened species that live in or near caves and sinkholes, preferably ones that have water flowing into them.

They characteristically have small eyes, no eyelids, broad heads, spatula-shaped noses, external gills, long, fairly wide bodies and stripes on their throats. The unique stripe on each individual is on the forward half of the throat.

Dorsally, berry cave salamanders are salmon to pale pink in color and able to blend into their surroundings. Their bellies are pale or light colored. This species shows a trait called pedomorphism (see mole salamander).

Unlike mole salamanders however, they spend their entire lives in the larval stage. Because of the degradation of water quality (which is caused by disturbances above the ground), numbers of berry cave salamanders have notably reduced.

3. Black Mountain Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus welteri
• Other Names: Black mountain dusky salamander, spring lizard
• Adult Size: 7.6 to 12.7 cm (3 to 5 in); up to 17 cm (6.7 in)
• Lifespan: up to 20 years in the wild

This type of salamander is endemic to the United States, found only in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia. It is largely aquatic and lives mostly in mountain streams, springs and roadside puddles.

Black mountain salamanders are medium sized and robust, one of the largest species belonging to their genus. They are semi aquatic, possessing features like keratinized toe tips and keeled (ridged, jagged or toothed) tails owing to this fact.

Dorsal color in this species ranges from light to dark shades of brown. Spots, streaks and wave-like or worm-like carvings are also scattered across this dorsal surface in dark brown to black color but only in some individuals.

Two lines of light spots may also be seen on individuals; one at eye level, running down their side and down to the tail, the other running between their fore and hind legs. Their ventral surfaces are the same color as their dorsal surfaces.

The black mountain salamander is abundant in Tennessee and West Virginia. Habitat degradation and loss are common threats that this species faces. They secrete toxins from their skin that poison other animals that eat them.

4. Black-bellied Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus quadramaculatus
• Other Names: Black belly salamander, common black belly salamander
• Adult Size: 4 to 20.32 cm (1.57 to 8 in)
• Lifespan: up to 15 years in the wild

Black-bellied salamanders are found only in the US, in the states of Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. They are not threatened or endangered in these regions.

In terms of habitat, these salamanders occur in or around fast-flowing, swift-current rivers and streams with waterfalls. When the current is too harsh or the animal is trying to hide from predators, they burrow under rocks and into the soil.

Black-bellied salamanders are the largest species in their genus. They have thick bodies, short, curled tails and fully keeled tails (for swimming). The digits on their fore and hind legs are black in color, short and sharp.

On their dorsal skin, their coloration may be black, gray or brown. Salamanders in some parts of Tennessee can have brownish and black tints along their backs. White lateral spots are also seen going down their bodies.

Some other individuals have a vertical red line running along their tail. Older males are typically blacker in color, with more defined cloacal (opening for digestion, reproduction and urination) lips and premaxillary teeth (small cranial teeth at the tip of the upper jaw).

The ventral surface in this species is also black in color. On average, males and females have similar snout-vent lengths (SVL) but males are larger in size and total body length by about 15%. Coloration is different in larvae and juveniles.

Black-bellied salamanders are nocturnal both as juveniles and adults but may be diurnal, showing daytime activity, in their adult stage. They are most active during the warmer parts of the year, fossorial and aquatic.

5. Blue Ridge Dusky Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus orestes
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 6.35 to 11.43 cm (2.5 to 4.5 in)
• Lifespan: up to at least 10 years in the wild

These salamanders are found only in the United States, in the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. They occur in the states of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, living in or near seepage areas, streams and wet rock faces.

Before, this species was lumped together with four others and called mountain dusky salamanders. The other four species are Allegheny Mountain dusky, Carolina Mountain (dusky), Cumberland dusky and Ocoee salamanders.

These medium-sized salamanders and the others formerly considered one species are very alike in appearance. Blue Ridge dusky salamanders have round tails and may have an irregular or straight line from their eye to their jaw.

Dorsal coloration is highly variable in this species, usually light brown, bright red or yellow. Individuals may also have spots, stripes or flecks on their dorsal surface. The stripes could be brown, orange, red or yellow in color.

Some other individuals, especially the males, may be dark in color with little to no patterning. Some may have red legs or patches on their cheeks. Within its range in Tennessee (the northeastern corner), the species is very common.

Blue Ridge dusky salamanders show the most activity at night and so are primarily nocturnal. Their other mechanisms against predation are probably the same as relatives: they run away, bite or show tail autotomy but are not poisonous.

6. Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Eurycea wilderae
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 7 to 10.7 cm (2.8 to 4.2 in)
• Lifespan: 4 to 10 years in the wild; about 4.4 years on average

Also endemic to the United States, the Blue Ridge two-lined salamander is found only in the states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. In addition to the Blue Ridge mountains, it lives in the Cumberland mountains and Plateau.

Habitats of choice for this species include forests, mountains, lakes, streams, ponds and rivers. Depending on the time of year and whether they are mating, adults may be aquatic or terrestrial. Juveniles live under rocks, logs or leaf litter near streams, spending at least one year in streams to develop.

As plethodontid (lungless) salamanders, Blue Ridge two-lined salamanders breathe through their skin and have nasolabial grooves below each nostril. Two morphologies of males exist: morph A and wilderae males.

These two morphs live in the same habitats and look alike. To learn more on their differences, see Animal Diversity Web’s page on Eurycea wilderae. The males and females in this species both have long tails that make up about 55 to 60% of their entire body length.

Dorsally, they are colored bright orange or yellow and usually have two lines running down their backs. Many black spots dot this dorsal surface between the stripes. Irregular black spots are also seen on their sides.

Male and female Blue Ridge two-lined salamanders look alike but are shaped differently. They are both nocturnal and diurnal but they are most active at night. They are also terricolous and natatorial.

This species, through chemical sensing, is able to detect the presence of predators or wounded conspecifics. The mottling on their dorsal skin also helps them blend into the environs consisting of streams and leaf litter. They are not poisonous.

7. Carolina Dusky Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus carolinensis
• Other Names: Carolina mountain dusky salamander
• Adult Size: 6.35 to 11.43 cm (2.5 to 4.5 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

In addition to Tennessee, the Carolina dusky salamander is found in North Carolina and South Carolina. It is endemic to the United States and occurs on the edges of streams, in seepage areas, along ditches or in mountainous forest areas.

This species was called the mountain dusky salamander with four others: the Allegheny Mountain dusky, the Blue Ridge dusky, the Cumberland dusky and the Ocoee salamanders. They have all since been granted species status.

Individuals are similar in appearance to the heterospecifics formerly considered conspecifics. They have round tails and highly variable dorsal coloration. A light colored line runs from each eye to the jaw.

The dorsal skin may be patterned with a stripe, spots or flecks in Carolina dusky salamanders. The stripe may be brown, orange, red or yellow and straight or irregular. Some may have dark dorsal skin with little to no patterns (mostly males).

Found mostly between the Tennessee and North Carolina border, this species is primarily nocturnal and shows activity mostly in the night.

Carolina dusky salamanders have only mildly toxic skin so they have other techniques to escape predation. They bolt away when threatened, show tail autotomy and are foul to the taste of predators.

8. Common Mudpuppy

• Family: Proteidae (aquatic, pedomorphic salamanders)
• Scientific Name: Necturus maculosus
• Other Names: Mudpuppy
• Adult Size: 20.3 to 43.2 cm (8 to 17 in)
• Lifespan: 11 years on average in the wild, up to 30 years in captivity

The common mudpuppy is a species of salamanders widely found in the eastern part of North America. Individuals live in states and provinces of the United States and Canada such as Arkansas, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Manitoba, New York, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec and Tennessee.

Mudpuppies are entirely aquatic, with two subspecies with different coloration and geographic distributions. They live in several permanent aquatic habitats like bays, muddy canals, streams (both fast and sluggish), reservoirs and lakes.

Salamanders of this species have four digits on each of their limbs, bushy external gills, and a laterally compressed tail. They have a dark stripe on the side of their head that passes through the eye and may run the side of their bodies.

Dorsally, their skin may be colored in any shade from rusty brown to gray and even black. Bluish black spots tend to be scattered on their skin. Ventrally, the skin is usually brightly colored, in such colors like brown, gray, white or yellow, and sometimes there are dark spots on this ventral surface.

The subspecies more frequently known as the common mudpuppy has more of a rusty brown to grey dorsal color. Its underside is usually gray in color and may be unspotted, sparsely spotted or densely spotted.

The other subspecies, known as the Red River mudpuppy, Louisiana mudpuppy or waterdog, has a yellowish brown to tan dorsal color and dark dorsal stripes occasionally. Its venter is light colored and spotless in the middle but the sides          large dark blotches running along them.

Mudpuppies are nocturnal, actively foraging at nighttime and retreating to burrows or under large logs of wood, rocks and other objects for cover in the daytime. They do not face much threats to their population except pollution and are not toxic.

9. Cumberland Dusky Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus abditus
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 6.35 to 11.43 cm (2.5 to 4.5 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Cumberland dusky salamanders are endemic to the USA and abundant in the Cumberland Plateau which spans across three counties of the state of Tennessee. They like to live on land near water, along small streams and under moss, rocks and debris.

It has four close relatives formerly considered to all be the mountain dusky salamander, a single species. They are the Allegheny Mountain dusky, the Blue Ridge dusky, Carolina (mountain) dusky and Ocoee salamanders.

All five species are similar in appearance, with highly variable dorsal colors and are most distinguished by their range. They also have round tails, dots, flecks or a stripe as patterning on their dorsal surface and a light line from each eye to the jaw.

While some individuals, mostly males, may be dark and lack patterns, some others may have red legs or patches on their cheeks. Cumberland dusky salamanders are terrestrial, more terrestrial than most other species of salamanders.

They are nocturnal, primarily active during the night. To avoid predators which could be snakes, small mammals, foraging birds or other salamanders, they run very quickly towards the water for safety.

10. Cumberland Plateau Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon kentucki
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 9.5 to 17.1 cm (3.75 to 6.75 in)
• Lifespan: thought to be up to 20 years in the wild like northern slimy salamanders

Cumberland Plateau salamanders are primarily found in the Cumberland Plateau, in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. They are abundant along the border between Kentucky and Tennessee.

They are mostly terrestrial, occurring around mountains and forests. Individuals are most times found under rocks, logs, among leaf litter on forest floors and in crevices underneath exposed roots of living trees.

Salamanders of this species are medium-sized, smaller in size than some other closely related salamanders in the same biological family. Their chins and throats are white or light grey in color, and males have larger throats in the mating season.

On their dorsal surface, Cumberland Plateau salamanders have black skin dotted with small white spots, which can be seen from both the top and the bottom. Their ventral skin is a uniform slate gray color.

There is slight sexual dimorphism in this species in that male salamanders of this species are smaller in size than the females and the sexes are shaped differently. Both sexes are nocturnal, fossorial and terricolous.

Cumberland Plateau salamanders avoid being eaten by their predators by attacking back when threatened (biting, lunging at them), emitting poisonous mucous substances from their skin and showing tail autotomy (dropping the tail and bolting).

11. Eastern Newt

• Family: Salamandridae (true salamanders and newts)
• Scientific Name: Notophthalmus viridescens
• Other Names: Broken-striped newt, central newt, Peninsula newt, red-spotted newt
• Adult Size: 6.5 to 12.7 cm (2.6 to 5 in)
• Lifespan: 12 to 15 years in the wild

Eastern newts are salamanders widely distributed in North America, in the USA and Canada. Individuals can be found in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Quebec, Rhode Island, Tennessee and other states or provinces.

For their habitats, these salamanders prefer living in ponds and lakes around thick, submerged vegetation, still, rather undisturbed streams, swamps, woodlands (forests) and ditches (canals, trenches).

Newts of this species go through four stages of development: egg, aquatic larva, red eft and adult. They are terrestrial as red efts and aquatic at the adult stage. Thus, terrestrial and aquatic eastern newts have different physical characteristics.

While red efts may be any shade of color from red-orange to reddish brown, they turn green, olive green, dark brown or yellowish brown dorsally at the adult stage. An adult’s back is usually also spotted in two rows with red or orange dots.

Ventrally, the eastern newt is yellow in color. Red efts are typically smaller in size and have granular skin but aquatic adults are larger in size and have very smooth, moist skin. This species shows sexual dimorphism in the mating season.

Males tend to have brighter spots than females as a medium of advertisement. Their spots are also redder, their hind limbs enlarged, their vents swollen and their tails ridged. Black horny scales also develop on their inner thighs and toes.

These salamanders show both diurnal and nocturnal activity. They secrete toxins, hence their bright warning color at the juvenile stage (red eft), and so are not the most suitable for keeping as pets, especially for children.

12. Franklin’s Climbing Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Bolitoglossa franklini
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: around 12.9 cm (5.1 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

This is an endangered or vulnerable species found in North American countries Guatemala and Mexico only in recent times. Threatened by the loss of its habitat, this salamander lives in moist tropical or subtropical woodlands.

Franklin’s climbing salamanders tend to have black dorsal coloration, sometimes with lots of yellow or red spots on their backs. They have a large, well defined and contrasting stripe that is yellow to olive green in color and continues on the tail.

Ventrally, a salamander of this species is lighter in color and may have spots in even lighter color on it. It has a very short snout or nose with well developed fore and hind limbs. Its digits have slight webbing and are shortened at their tips.

Its tail is longer than the rest of its body, sometimes even coiling at the tip. There is slight sexual dimorphism in this species, with females being larger in size with shorter tails and males being smaller in size with longer tails.

Franklin’s climbing salamander is a semi arboreal species which can be found on the ground or hiding under bark or litter during the day. This nocturnal, poison free species was very common a few years ago, even in Tennessee, but is now rare.

13. Green Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Aneides aeneus
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 8.3 to 12.7 cm (3.25 to 5 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Green salamanders occur but are rarely seen in Tennessee, with their range in the state limited to the Cumberland Mountain, Cumberland Plateau and Highland Rim. Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and South Carolina are other states they occur in.

They are so difficult to see because they hide in crevices oftentimes. They live on limestone and sandstone rocks, on cliffs and in other rocky areas which are moist but not wet.

Lichen is a plant that grows as crusty or bushy patches and growths on bare ground, rocky surfaces or tree trunks. Owing to the fact that green salamanders live on the lichen-covered rocky surfaces, they have a color pattern to match it.

The base color of their dorsal skin is black but it has yellow green patterning resembling lichen. They also have long legs and flattened bodies for fitting into crevices, and the tips of their toes are square to facilitate their life on cliffs.

In many of the states which it occurs, the green salamander is listed as a threatened or endangered species. It is nocturnal, showing the most activity at night when it is cooler and more humid. It has poisonous skin.

14. Hellbender

• Family: Cryptobranchidae (giant salamanders)
• Scientific Name: Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
• Other Names: Devil dog, hellbender salamander, mud cat, snot otter
• Adult Size: 29.5 to 74 cm (11.6 to 29 in); 45.4 cm (17.9 in) on average
• Lifespan: 12 to 15 years (but up to 30 years) in the wild; 6 to 25 years (but up to 29 years) in captivity

This is the largest species of aquatic salamanders in all North America. They are endemic to the USA, in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and some other states.

Hellbenders are completely aquatic which prefer to live in temperate freshwater streams and rivers. These water bodies usually are fast-flowing, with clear water and a rocky bottom (substrate) for shelter and protection from predators.

Salamanders of this species have flat, broad heads and flat bodies with loose folds of skin. They also have short noses. Other aquatic salamanders have eyelids and feathered gill slits but these ones do not.

Their hindlegs have five digits on each one while the forelegs have four digits on each. Between these toes and fingers, the skin is webbed. Both the fore and hind limbs in this species are small and stubby.

Hellbenders have very muscular tails and deep brown or black dorsal coloration. Occasionally, individuals are found with dark orange spots on their backs or along their lighter colored ventral surfaces.

There are some albino and red variants of this species. The sexes do not show any sexual dimorphism. Larger individuals tend to prey on smaller conspecifics. Their powerful tails are propulsive and they can secrete irritants from their skin if disturbed but they are not poisonous.

15. Imitator Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus imitator
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 6.35 to 10.2 cm (2.5 to 4 in)
• Lifespan: 5 to 15 years in the wild

Found only in the states of North Carolina and Tennessee, the imitator salamander is endemic to the United States. Its range consists of the Great Smoky Mountains (SW North Carolina, SE Tennessee) and Plott Balsam Mountains (North Carolina).

Within its range, it lives in forests and along small streams. It may be seen under leaf litter, on wet rock faces and in seepage areas.

Salamanders of this species are midsize and especially look like Ocoee salamanders. They have a light line from each eye to the jaw. They also have round tails and their hind legs are noticeably bigger than their fore legs.

Dorsal coloration in imitator salamanders ranges from brown to almost black, with patches on their cheeks in orange, red or yellow color. Wavy bands run along the length of their backs and may be broken.

The bands extend to irregularly shaped spots in lighter color. Ventrally, the salamander is typically gray in color and shows mostly nighttime activity. While the imitator salamander is not poisonous, it is said to imitate the poisonous and foul tasting red-cheeked salamander.

16. Junaluska Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Eurycea junaluska
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 7.62 to 12.45 (3 to 4.9 in)
• Lifespan: estimated to be between 4.4 and 9 years in the wild (not suitable for keeping as a pet)

Junaluska salamanders are only found to the west of North Carolina and the southeastern part of Tennessee. They occur in rivers and streams with rocky bottoms in cooler months but in forests and mountains during the warmer parts of the year.

The dorsal skin is typically any shade of brown, with mottling at the sides. The salamander also has broken stripes which extend down the length of its back, resembling wavy lines or blotches. It is slender.

The ventral skin is typically any shade of yellow, lighter than the dorsal surface. Both sexes are alike but males of this species tend to be bigger in size and longer than their female conspecifics.

Makes also possess simple testes, which females lack. They are easily distinguished from females in the breeding season by their enlarged premaxillary teeth, cirri (hairlike filaments resembling but not tentacles), mental glands and wide heads.

Junaluska salamanders have short tails which are about 50% of their total body length and their limbs are long. They look like four other species: Blue Ridge two-lined, brownback, northern two-lined and southern two-lined salamanders.

They are crepuscular and terricolous. This means that they are most active at dusk and dawn, and they live on land or burrow into the soil. Specific mechanisms against predators and predation have not been identified within this species.

17. Lesser Siren

• Family: Sirenidae (neotenic aquatic salamanders; sirens and dwarf sirens)
• Scientific Name: Siren intermedia
• Other Names: Eastern lesser siren, western lesser siren
• Adult Size: 18 to 69 cm (7.1 to 27.2 cm)
• Lifespan: 6.3 years on average in captivity

The lesser siren lives in Mexico and the United States. In the US, it is found in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and other states.

It inhabits both permanent and semi-permanent aquatic habitats like canals, swamps, ditches, farms, temporary flood plain pools and vegetated ponds. It prefers some calm, slow moving, shallow and warm wetland swamps and backwaters.

Individuals are permanently aquatic and pedomorphic, which means that they carry features present in their larval stage into adulthood. They are also perennibranchiate, meaning that they retain their gills throughout their lives.

Because it has an elongated body, a lesser siren may be mistaken for an eel. Its fore legs are short and this species is without both hind legs and a pelvic girdle. It has a horny beak on its upper and lower jaws.

On their dorsal skin, these salamanders may be any shade of color ranging from gray to brown or near black. When their dorsum is a light color, it may have dark colored flecks on it. Their venter or underside is usually light in color and shade. 

Dimorphism between the sexes is evident in that the males of this species are larger in size than females. They also have an enlarged muscle that makes their heads appear larger in size than the heads of females.

Based on their distribution within their range, size and color, there are two or three subspecies of lesser sirens accepted. S. i. intermedia is the eastern lesser siren, with dark colored (dark brown or black) dorsal and ventral surfaces.

Tiny black spots may be observed on the dorsum and venter, although this ventrum is lighter than the dorsum and may lack spots or mottling. The eastern siren gets to a length of about 38 cm (15 in) at most.

S. i. nettingi is the western lesser siren and its dorsum is any shade of color between olive green and gray while the venter is also dark. Tiny black spots dot its back and light flecking its underside. The maximum length in this is 50 cm (19.7 in).

The last subspecies is S. i. texana, the Rio Grande siren. It has a gray to brownish gray dorsal surface dotted with little black spots. Its ventrum is light gray and, reaching a total length of 69 cm (27.2 in), it is the largest subspecies.

Lesser sirens are most active in the night, likely a mechanism against predation. They are aquatic, natatorial (swimmers) salamanders. Unlike many other species, they produce sounds (clicks and yelps) to communicate with other sirens. 

The clicking sounds seem to be for territorial purposes as they produce clicks when in or about to leave their burrows, when close to each other and when sensing intruders. The yelps seem to be calls for help as they are made when the siren is being butted or bitten.

18. Long-tailed Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Eurycea longicauda
• Other Names: Eurycea longicauda longicauda, Dark-sided salamander (Eurycea longicauda melanopleura), three-lined salamander (Eurycea longicauda guttolineata)
• Adult Size: 10 to 20 cm (3.9 to 7.9 in)
• Lifespan: 5 to 10 years in the wild

Endemic to the USA, yet another species of salamanders in Tennessee is the long-tailed salamander. This one is found in Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia and other states.

Within this area, the salamander may be spotted in streams, limestone seeps, springs, caves, abandoned mines, ponds and wet shale banks in its larval (aquatic) stage and on the land surrounding streams at adulthood (terrestrial).

Individuals have large eyes, slender bodies and very short fore and hind legs. Dark dashes or dots may be seen on their backs and they may make up a broad band. They have a long and slender tail with dark irregularly shaped stripes on it.

Dorsally, this species may be any shade of color from yellow to red but they are typically yellow. Their tails are especially long, making up about 60% of their total body length and giving them their common name.

The ventrum of long-tailed salamanders is usually light yellow to cream. It may be unspotted or may be spotted in gray or light brown. No sexual dimorphism is noticed in this species as both male and female individuals look alike.

Long-tailed salamanders are also nocturnal, being the most active after sunset on humid or rainy days. Three subspecies are recognized in this species: long-tailed salamanders, three-lined salamanders, and dark-sided salamanders.

Three-lined salamanders may be yellow or bronze in color and have l three dark lines running along their bodies and tails. Dark-sided salamanders have two dark lines along the sides of their bodies and tails, with a lighter one on the back.

They are not poisonous but move quickly and can easily run for cover when threatened. Another way they respond to attacks is to display a defensive posture with an elevated tail that autotomizes (breaks off) when they are handled.

19. Marbled Salamander

• Family: Ambystomatidae (mole and Pacific giant salamanders)
• Scientific Name: Ambystoma opacum
• Other Names: Banded salamander
• Adult Size: 8.9 to 11.4 cm (3.5 to 4.5 in)
• Lifespan: 3.5 to 4 years in the wild

The marbled salamander is a salamander species endemic to the United States and widespread in the eastern area. It is found in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia and other states.

Individuals live to live in or around moist environments, like damp forests near ponds and streams. Although they may be found around dry areas, they never go too far from a water source.

Marbled salamanders are stocky and broad-headed but small in size. The species is one of the smaller species in both its genus and its entire biological family. Sexual dimorphism occurs between the males and females of this species.

Their other common name is owed to the fact that they have cross bands across their heads, backs and tails. The bands typically are white or light gray in color. The difference in the sexes is evident in the color of these cross bands.

Sexual dimorphism in marbled salamanders is also evident in size. The males tend to be smaller on average than females, with their own cross bands silvery white. On the other hand, females are larger and their cross bands are silvery gray.

During the breeding season, the cross bands on the male salamanders’ backs turn very white and the glands around their cloaca swell up. Salamanders of this species generally have short tails with black sides and undersides.

The marbled salamander is one of the peculiar salamander species that do not breed in water. Individuals prefer to breed in dried up ditches, ponds and streams.

They are adapted for swimming but are terricolous (fossorial and terrestrial: they live on the ground or in the soil) and nocturnal. Marbled salamanders have poison glands in their tails to protect themselves from predators.

20. Mississippi Slimy Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon mississippi
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 11.43 to 20.32 cm (4.5 to 8 in)
• Lifespan: 5.5 years on average

Mississippi slimy salamanders are found in the southeastern coastal plain consisting of the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. This range differentiates them from other similar species.

They are usually seen beneath objects, including waste, in forest biomes. Their dorsal surface is black and it has small spots which may be silver, white or yellow in color. They have round or curved tails and lighter bellies.

On their sides, Mississippi slimy salamanders have white or yellowish color. It belongs to a larger complex known as slimy salamanders, also including northern and white-spotted slimy salamanders.

They are nocturnal, actively foraging at night and in rainy or humid periods. To avoid being eaten by their predators, they produce a sticky, toxic secretion from some poison glands housed within their skin.

21. Mole Salamander

• Family: Ambystomatidae 
• Scientific Name: Ambystoma talpoideum
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 8 to 12 cm (3.15 to 4.7in)
• Lifespan: 10 to 20 years in the wild

Mole salamanders are endemic to the United States, found in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

There are terrestrial and aquatic mole salamanders. The terrestrial ones occur in large coastal plain forests or near ponds, lakes, and temporary pools. They also burrow. The aquatic ones occur in permanent ponds void of fishes.

Pedomorphism is a trait present in mole salamanders. It is the retention of infantile or juvenile characteristics even in the adult stage. The larvae are aquatic and end up becoming terrestrial adults or retain their aquatic form.

Terrestrial adults are called metamorphic adults while aquatic adults are known as branchiate, neotenic or pedomorphic adults. Neotenic adults may undergo metamorphosis or can remain in the aquatic form throughout their lives.

Mole salamanders characteristically have short, stout bodies and very wide, big heads. Size and dorsal color tend to differ in neotenic and metamorphic adults from year to year.

Both morphs tend to have white stripes running along the tips of their tails. Neotenic adults possess distinctive yellow and dark stripes on their ventral surfaces which are also present at the larval stage of their development.

Terrestrial adults come in many different colors, ranging from light gray to light brown, dark gray and even black. They sometimes have clusters of small bluish white speckles on their tails and backs.

Mole salamanders show activity both in the daytime and at night but they are primarily nocturnal as they are most active in the nighttime. They are terricolous (living both on land and in burrows) or aquatic. They are also not poisonous to man.

22. Mud Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Pseudotriton montanus
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 7.5 to 19.5 cm (3 to 7.7 in)
• Lifespan: up to 15 years in captivity

Endemic to eastern states of the US like Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia, the mud salamander is another species of salamanders in Tennessee.

It is commonly found living around bodies of freshwater in the region, such as marshes, low wetlands, springs and streams. Because they are burrowing as well as land animals, they prefer water sources with muddy regions for burrowing.

These salamanders have short, stout bodies, relatively short limbs (compared to body size) and short tails. The dorsal skin in this species may be any color from reddish brown to red and black spots dot this surface.

Ventrally, the mud salamander is usually light or pinkish orange, with or without spotting depending on its subspecies. It has a short tail which averages about 40% of the entire length of its body.

The spots on the dorsal surface of this species are irregular and widely spaced. As they grow old, individuals tend to get darker and these spots are no longer as pronounced or  prominent as they were in the younger years.

Four subspecies of red salamanders are currently accepted: the eastern mud salamander, the midland mud salamander, the Gulf coast mud salamander and the rusty mud salamander.

Eastern mud salamanders are large in size and usually have spotted bellies. They occur along the east coast, their range being from New Jersey down to Georgia. Midland mud salamanders are brightly colored, the brightest subspecies.

Individuals are crimson red, have less dense dots on their backs and have no spotting on their undersides. They are distributed in the region west of the Appalachians, found in Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Gulf coast mud salamanders tend to be smaller in size and more slender than the two subspecies explained above. They have unspotted venters and are found in the eastern part of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and west Florida.

Rusty mud salamanders are smaller in size and more darkly colored than other subspecies. Spotting is absent on their backs but may be seen on their tails. Their bellies are spotted and they are found in southern Georgia and northern Florida.

Mud salamanders resemble and sometimes occur in similar geographical areas to another species, the red salamander. Their eye color and spot patterns play major roles in their identification.

There is some sexual dimorphism in this species as females tend to be about 20% larger in size than males. They are also terricolous, living around water bodies and burrowing into the soil. They produce toxins in the skin around their tails.

23. Northern Dusky Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus fuscus
• Other Names: Dusky salamander
• Adult Size: 6.4 to 14.2 cm (2.5 to 5.6 in)
• Lifespan: estimated to be around 10 years

Northern dusky salamanders are found in Canada and the United States. They occur in Indiana, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Tennessee, Virginia and other states and provinces.

They love to live in forests or partially wooded moist areas, including small streams, along stream banks, springs, river bottomlands, brooks and at the mouth of caves. Although they are terrestrial, they never stay in strictly terrestrial areas; they prefer instead to live around water bodies.

This species consists of small but robust salamanders with short, knife-like tails that make up less than half of their whole body length. The bottom of these tails may be bright chestnut, gray or olive in color.

Dorsal coloration in northern dusky salamanders is usually any shade of color from brown or reddish brown to gray or olive. Markings can also be noticed in the dorsal surface and sides in a slightly darker color.

Underneath the salamander, its belly is off-white or whitish and has some dark spots on it. Like other members of its biological family, this species lacks lungs. It is instead able to absorb oxygen through tissues in the skin, mouth and throat.

Slight sexual dimorphism is evident in this species with males being longer than females from snout to tail. Northern dusky salamanders are nocturnal, fossorial and terricolous in their adult life. They are not poisonous to humans.

24. Northern Gray-Cheeked Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon montanus
• Other Names: Northern graycheek salamander
• Adult Size: 8.9 to 12.7 cm (3.5 to 5 in); up to 13.5 cm (5.3 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

This salamander species occurs in North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. It is endemic to the United States. Within its range, it inhabits moist spruce-fir forests the most, typically found under rocks, moss and logs.

It belongs, with two other species, to a salamander complex known as the Jordan’s salamanders complex. The other two are the red-cheeked and red-legged salamanders. They are closely related.

The northern gray-cheeked salamander is the smallest within this complex. Its dorsal skin is uniformly gray to bluish black in color. Although there are no colors or patterns that exactly distinguish the species, some individuals have few tiny red dots on their dorsal skin.

The venter is usually pale gray to whitish in color, although some may be bluish gray, dark or even black. Their common name was given because they have reddish patches on their cheeks.

Northern gray-cheeked salamanders are nocturnal and like to forage for food on humid, rainy nights. They are assumed to take up defensive postures when they feel threatened and produce slimy, poisonous substances from their tails.

25. Northern Slimy Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon glutinosus
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 12 to 17 cm (4.75 to 6.75 in)
• Lifespan: up to 5.5 years in captivity

In addition to Tennessee, northern slimy salamanders can be found in Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia. They look strikingly similar to some other species within their genus.

These salamanders typically live in forests, found commonly at the banks of shales, alongside streams and beside gullies or ravines. Within the above states, they are likely to be seen under stones and decaying logs or underground in burrows.

Northern slimy salamanders are so called because of the slimy, glue-like secretions their skin produces. The secretion is not toxic but only mildly poisonous if it is ingested. After coming in contact with one such salamander, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before using them to do other things.

Individuals of this species typically have black skin that might be covered in silvery white spots, brassy or yellowish specks, or both. They have darker throats and larger, more yellow spots on their backs that distinguish them from like species.

Their undersides could be in many shades of color but are generally lighter than their backs. They also have prominent nasolabial grooves to differentiate them. Males and females look alike but females are slightly larger in size than males.

Northern slimy salamanders are territorial and abundant (not considered to be endangered or threatened) within their range. They are also motile, occasionally moving from one place to another.

They are nocturnal, with their activity noticed from dusk when they leave their burrows till dawn when they retreat. At times when it is rainy in the day, they can be seen moving around. In droughts, they bury themselves deep underground or stay under rotting logs.

26. Northern Zigzag Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon dorsalis
• Other Names: Zigzag salamander
• Adult Size: 6.35 to 8.9 cm (2.5 to 3.5 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Another species of salamanders in Tennessee is the northern zigzag salamander. This salamander species is also found in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. Its range consists of Indiana and the regions south of it, down to Alabama’s south.

Individuals inhabit moist areas of rocky hillsides, forests and caves. They are usually found underneath surfaces and objects like rocks, leaf piles and forest floor litter. Southern zigzag and eastern red-backed salamanders look like them.

Northern zigzag salamanders are slender and small in size with dark colored dorsal skin. This dark dorsal skin often has a conspicuous red or orange colored stripe on it which is irregular, wavy or “zigzag”, hence their name.

The zigzag pattern extends from their necks down their backs and eventually straightens out on the skin covering the tail. A patch of orange or red coloration is obvious at their armpits and their ventral skin is a light hue.

However, some individuals lack this stripe and instead have dark brown, gray or brownish gray coloration. These morphs also have small white flecks or frosting on their backs and sides. Their gray or black bellies have orange or red specks

On average, female northern zigzag salamanders are larger in size than the males. The tails of both sexes are long, up to or more than half of their entire body length. Additional mechanisms against predation are not known in this species.

27. Ocoee Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus ocoee
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 6.35 to 11.43 cm (2.5 to 4.5 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Ocoee salamanders are endemic to (only found in) the US, in the following states Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. It occurs in two separate regions, within the southeastern region of the USA.

In terms of habitat, individuals have been observed living in areas around fast flowing mountain streams and drainage. They live in moist areas like wet woodland floors and on wet rocks because they are a semi-aquatic species.

They were formerly grouped into a single species with four others: Allegheny Mountain, Blue Ridge, Carolina mountain and Cumberland dusky salamanders. They were called mountain dusky salamanders before being separated.

Compared to other species in their genus, the dusky colored Ocoee salamanders are smaller in size, also having shorter and narrower heads, longer limbs and no teeth in males. The tails are round and a light line runs from each eye to the jaw.

The dorsal coloration in salamanders of this species is very diverse. Patterns are also very diverse. Some of these  individuals may have a straight or irregular stripe running down their backs in brown, orange, red or yellow color.

Some others may have spots or blotches on their backs instead of a dorsal stripe. Yet others have distinct orange, red or yellow blotches on their legs and cheeks. Some are dark brown or black in color with little or no patterning.

These lungless salamanders are very abundant within their range, facing little threat of extinction. They show the most activity at night, making them nocturnal. Like most other salamander species, they produce poisonous secretions.

28. Pygmy Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus wrighti
• Other Names: Pigmy salamander
• Adult Size: 3 to 5.1 cm (1.18 to 2.01 in)
• Lifespan: estimated to be around 15 to 20 years in captivity based on information from other species within the genus

The pygmy salamander is another species endemic to the United States. It occurs in the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains of eastern US. This area spans the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

It can be found at high and low elevations. In higher ones, it lives under rotten logs, moss, litter, stumps and stones in humid spruce-fir forests. In lower elevations, they tend to occur under objects in hardwood forests.

Pygmy salamanders are very small in size. Their distinctive feature is a coppery red or reddish brown stripe with a dark colored herringbone pattern on it. The reddish stripe or band extends along their bodies even down to their tails.

The tail in this species is short, less than half of total body length, and rounded or coiled. They also have copper colored eyelids which distinguish them from relatives. Gold or bronze hues cover the skin surrounding their heart and eyes.

Salamanders of this species also have their lower jaws covered in reddish brown to gold spots. Their sides are silver in color as well. Their ventral skin may be unpigmented or the same color as their dorsal skin.

The only sexual dimorphism evident in this species is that the female salamanders tend are larger on average than males. Pygmy salamanders are terricolous, proving to be one of the most terrestrial in their genus. They are most active at night.

29. Red Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Pseudotriton ruber
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 11 to 18 cm (4.3 to 7.1 in)
• Lifespan: up to 20 years in captivity

Within the US, red salamanders are found in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and other states.

They occur in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats, including caves, mountains, rivers and streams. They may be seen in or around cold, slow-moving streams and springs, or under logs, stones and leaf litter depending on the season.

Dorsal coloration in this species is bright and it ranges from reddish orange to red. This dorsal skin also features black spots. When they grow older, the salamanders’ bright dorsal skin may change to purplish brown and feature larger spots.

Red salamanders also have short tails, stout bodies, yellow eyes and short limbs. Their ventral surface is typically pink or red in color and black spots can be seen on it. Currently, four subspecies of this salamander exist.

P. r. ruber is known as the northern red salamander and with a maximum total length of 18 cm is the largest subspecies by body size. It is typically red or reddish orange and has black flecks on its chin.

P. r. nitidus, the Blue Ridge red salamander, reaches 12 cm in length. Its chin and the back part of its tail lack spotting. P. r. schencki is known as the black-chinned salamander. It has heavy black flecking on its chin and may be up to 15 cm in total length.

P. r. vioscai, the southern red salamander, usually has purple brown dorsal skin, tiny white flecks on its nose, and fused dorsal spots. Female red salamanders are larger than males but the sexes look alike otherwise.

Red salamanders are nocturnal. When threatened, they curl their bodies in a defensive stance while protecting their head underneath their tail. They also partially mimic the efts of the very poisonous eastern newt by aposematic coloration.

Aposematic coloration is bright skin coloration that serves as a warning to potential predators that a particular animal is toxic, aggressive, foul tasting or smelling, venomous or with sharp spines. This helps them avoid predators.

30. Red-cheeked Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon jordani
• Other Names: Jordan’s salamander, Jordan’s redcheek salamander, redcheek salamander
• Adult Size: 9 to 18.4 cm (3.54 to 7.24 in); 12.5 cm (4.92 in) on average
• Lifespan: 9.8 years on average in the wild

Endemic and native to the United States, the red-cheeked salamander is found in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee. It lives to live under rocks, moss and logs in cool, moist mostly spruce-fir forests.

With northern gray-cheeked and red-legged salamanders, this species belongs to the complex of Jordan’s salamanders. It usually lacks patterning on its body save the dull pink to red patches on its cheeks.

These patches are conspicuous and distinct, distinguishing this species as they contrast the slate gray to bluish black color of the salamander’s dorsal skin. Their ventral skin is usually gray to black in color, getting lighter under the tail.

The legs and feet of this salamander are grayish brown in color, slightly lighter than the dorsal surface, legs and feet. The head is wide and appears slightly swollen immediately behind the eyes of the salamander.

Its snout is pointed, its eyes large and its gular fold properly or well developed. Its tail is round, almost circular, at the base and slender at the tip. Its limbs are stout and large in size in comparison to many other species in its genus.

Red-cheeked salamanders have four digits on each foreleg and five on each hindleg. There is no webbing between these digits. They also have between 5 to 11 vomerine teeth (for holding captured prey), with an average of 8.

Their tails are usually about or a bit longer than half their entire body length. Morphological differences exist based on sex. Males are smaller on average than females, with cloacal lips (which are conspicuous), lower jaws a little more pointed and distinct mental glands in the breeding season.

Salamanders of this species are both nocturnal and diurnal. They show activity in the day or night as long as the weather is humid or moist. They are also terricolous, have warning coloration, bite at predators, display aggressive behavior, can also lose their tails and secrete poisons from their skin.

31. Santeetlah Dusky Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus santeetlah
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 6.35 to 10.16 (2.5 to 4 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Santeetlah dusky salamanders are also endemic and native to the United States. They live in the states of North Carolina and Tennessee, found in mountain ranges within the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province.

These mountain ranges are Cheoah, Great Balsam, Great Smoky and Unicoi Mountains. The salamanders inhabit forest biomes as they are frequently observed near seepages and small streams and on most rock faces within their range.

Santeetlah dusky salamanders are medium sized and have a greenish brown or yellow dorsal color. Patterning on the dorsal skin of these salamanders could range from none at all to small red spots bordered by darker hues.

Along its ventral surface (beneath its belly and limbs) and at the base of its tail, an adult of this species has a light yellow wash which may in some individuals appear mottled. It possesses a yellow line from each eye to the angle of its jaw. Its tail is moderately keeled or triangular at its tip.

Individuals actively forage for food in the nighttime so they are nocturnal. While not enough information is available on whether or not they are poisonous, it is believed that they are not. Many salamanders have poisonous skins and tails.

32. Seal Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus monticola
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 7.62 to 15.24 cm (3 to 6 in)
• Lifespan: up to 11 years by estimate

The seal salamander is another species of salamanders in Tennessee. It also occurs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

Within its range, it is found in or near freshwater Appalachian streams, in burrows, along the banks of streams and on the faces of wet rocks and stones. It prefers well oxygenated water sources.

The fairly large salamander is robust, with its tail making up about half its body length. The first third of its tail is rounded while the other two thirds are triangular and moderately keeled. The digits on its limbs are horny or darker at the tips.

A seal salamander has contrasting dorsal and ventral colors. Its dorsal surface and sides, even down to the sides of the tail, are light brown to grayish in color. There are round or square spots which are darker, typically black to dark brown.

Its ventrum is usually white to off-white, very pale and seldom with very light, barely visible spots. A line of white spots runs between the limbs. Two populations of this species exist, with different coloration and patterning.

The populations are designated “monticola A”, referring to the individuals in Appalachia and the Appachian Plateau, and “monticola B”, to refer to those south of Alabama. The males are larger and have wider heads than females.

Seal salamanders are nocturnal, emerging from their hiding places in the night to look for food. They rarely leave the vicinity of water and are often referred to, with some other species, as stream salamanders. They are not poisonous to humans.

33. Seepage Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus aeneus
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 3.8 to 5.7 cm (1.5 to 2.25 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Seepage salamanders are endemic to the eastern region of the United States. They are native to and found in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. They are most abundant in Alabama.

These salamanders, like their common name suggests, are mostly found in seepage areas, amongst leaf litter. They also inhabit streams and are usually seen under logs, in moss mats and near or underneath moist leaf litter.

In addition to Pygmy salamanders, the seepage salamander is the smallest species of salamander in Tennessee. Unlike other species that go through an aquatic larval stage and retain this or become terrestrial at adulthood, the seepage salamander matures inside the egg.

It is a tiny species is highly terrestrial. On its dark brown to black dorsal surface, the salamander has a stripe in any shade of color from yellowish to reddish brown. Such stripe may be wavy or straight, and it goes down the animal’s back.

Its sides are darker than this stripe. A very faint herringbone pattern similar to that on a Pygmy salamander may be seen on the dorsal surface of some seepage salamanders. They may have light colored patches, one on top of each thigh.

Some other salamanders could have a line or series of dots running behind the head and down to the midline of their backs. The line or series of dots is usually shaped like a “Y” and in a dark color. The ventral surface is usually also dark.

The seepage salamander is classified as a near threatened species, likely to be at threatened status in the near future. It is extremely secretive and prefers to forage for food or carry out other activities at night.

34. Shovel-nosed Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus marmoratus
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 8.9 to 15 cm (3.5 to 5.9 in)
• Lifespan: thought to be at least 13 years like other species within its genus

The shovel-nosed salamander is another species of salamander in Tennessee. In addition to this state, the animal can be found in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Within its range, it likes to inhabit highly oxygenated sources of freshwater. It hides under stones in small waterfalls and lives in or around drainages or clear, cool streams (preferably those with rocky bottoms) at fairly to very high elevations.

This species features a flattened head and small eyes. Its laterally compressed tail is triangular or strongly keeled on top and short, being less than half of the salamander’s total body length.

The dorsal skin of shovel-nosed salamanders has highly variable coloration and patterning. The most noticed dorsal colors are black, brown and gray. Usually, there two rows of irregular spots on this dorsal surface.

The spots are of variable and color but may be gray, olive, whitish or yellowish. Some individuals have very brightly colored dorsal skin. Vomerine teeth are often absent in the shovel-nosed salamander.

Ventrally, it is usually colored a dark shade of gray with the central part of the belly a lighter color or shade. This ventral surface is sometimes gray and may be strongly speckled with white.

Sexual dimorphism is present in this species. The males are bigger in size and have wider heads. Their dorsal skin is also often darker than that of females and they have a chin gland that is quite conspicuous.

Shovel-nosed salamanders are very aquatic and difficult to see or observe. They are nocturnal, seeking protection from predators by their nighttime activity. They slowly move or swim away when disturbed, especially by humans.

35. Small-mouthed Salamander

• Family: Ambystomatidae
• Scientific Name: Ambystoma texanum
• Other Names: Smallmouth salamander
• Adult Size: 11 to 19 cm (4.33 to 7.48 in)
• Lifespan: 5.3 years on average in captivity

Small-mouthed salamanders occur in the United States only, in such states as Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.

They inhabit low-altitude ponds and slow rivers in floodable forests. They can live in open prairies provided the breeding ponds are free of fish. Flooded areas, fresh woodland ponds, roadside ditches and runoff ponds also house this species.

Individuals possess relatively small heads with rounded, short or blunt snouts. This head appears swollen behind the eyes of the salamander while the lower jaw of the animal barely protrudes past the upper jaw.

The dorsal surface of small-mouthed salamanders may be pale gray, brownish gray, black gray or black. It usually has many spots and light gray markings on it. These spots tend to become dense and darker along the sides, extending down.

The spots may merge on these sides or flanks to make highly variable lichen-like patterns. The body of this salamander is described as stout. Its ventral skin is also dark and spotted but the gray spots on it are much less than on the back.

Populations of this type of salamander in the states of Texas and Oklahoma are generally more colorful than others. The sexes can be easily distinguished, especially in the breeding season. Females are slightly larger than males on average.

Males have longer, more conspicuous tails. In the breeding season, these males have turgescent or swollen cloaca and both sexes may have a paler appearance, with their light markings more conspicuous.

Small-mouthed salamanders are terricolous, living secluded and secretive underground lives. When attacked, they raise and curl their tail with the head of the predator underneath it, usually if the predator is a snake.

36. Southern Appalachian Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon teyahalee
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 12 to 20.7 cm (4.75 to 8.15 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

The southern Appalachian salamander is a species endemic and native to the United States. It occurs in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. It is usually found beneath leaf litter, logs and rocks in moist mountain forests.

It is a fairly large species with black dorsal skin and small white spots scattered on this dorsal surface. White spots are also visible on the sides of the salamander, larger in size than those on the dorsum.

Clear throats are also characteristic of individuals of this species. There are often small red spots on the fore and hind legs of southern Appalachian salamanders. Their undersides or ventral surfaces are typically slate gray in color.

They are vulnerable, meaning that they are very likely to be endangered in the near future. They are nocturnal, showing the most activity at night. When threatened, they produce a slimy, glue-like secretion which is probably poisonous.

37. Southern Ravine Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon richmondi
• Other Names: Ravine salamander, worm with legs
• Adult Size: 6.5 to 14.4 cm (2.56 to 5.67 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Another species of salamander in Tennessee is the southern ravine salamander. It is also found in the following states: Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. The species is native and endemic to the United States.

Like its name suggests, the salamander inhabits sloping to steep woodland ravines and valleys. Within these habitats, it can be observed under flat rocks, logs and leaf litter. In the hottest parts of the summer, they may be seen in the ground.

It is a very long and slender animal. It has the appearance of a worm with legs, and is described as such, because its long, slender frame has short legs. Its tail is rounded, compressed slightly and about 50% (half) of its total body length.

On its back, the salamander is colored seal brown to almost black. This dorsal surface tends to have very small silvery specks on it. The specks may be white, bronze, brassy, gold, greenish gold or silvery white. Its sides also have very small blotches on them but they are white and irregular.

Southern ravine salamanders have dark gray bellies. The uniformly dark color is speckled in a lighter shade of gray. This area leads to the chin or throat which may be heavily or lightly mottled and has a developed gular fold.

There is sexual dimorphism in this species. Females tend to be a little larger than males but the males have conspicuous mental glands on their chins and cloacal papillae that the female salamanders do not have.

Southern ravine salamanders are terricolous and nocturnal, showing much less aggressiveness than many other species in their genus. They avoid predators by coiling themselves to stay still and not attract the attention of predators. They also avoid areas where they can pick up the scent of predators.

38. Southern Red-backed Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon serratus
• Other Names: Southern redback salamander
• Adult Size: 8.1 to 10.5 cm (3.2 to 4.1 in)
• Lifespan: thought to be up to 25 years in the wild like other members of its genus

In addition to Tennessee, the species known as the southern red-backed salamander is found in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri and Oklahoma. It exists in four isolated populations within its range.

Preferred habitats for this type of salamander include forests, and even more preferably upland deciduous ones. It can live in areas with varying moisture levels. It may be found under rocks, logs, thick leaf litter and dead wood in mixed forests.

Southern red-backed salamanders are small, with narrow bodies and short hind and fore limbs. About three geographic populations exist in this species, with certain morphological differences.

To distinguish them from other species, a stripe runs down the middle of their backs, usually orange or reddish in color, and it extends from their necks to their tails. The stripe tends to be serrated, ragged or sawlike at its edge.

This serration at the edge of the stripe was the motivation for the scientific name of this species, P. serratus. Individuals are typically divided into two morphs based on dorsal coloration: striped and lead-backed.

The striped morph is explained above, with the broad, usually red or reddish orange stripe. The said stripe runs along a brown or dark brown background which is the dorsal surface of the salamander. Both sexes look alike.

Lead-backed southern red-backed salamanders do not have a stripe on their backs and instead have uniformly dark gray dorsal coloration. Both morphs of this species have a black and white pattern on their underside.

Nocturnal, aggressive and territorial, this type of salamander loves to burrow into the ground. It is terricolous and fossorial. It has coloration, shapes and other features that make it hard to be seen or detected by its predators.

39. Southern Two-lined Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Eurycea cirrigera
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 6.5 to 12 cm (2.56 to 4.72 in)
• Lifespan: estimated to be over 9 years in captivity like related species

Endemic to the United States, the species known as southern two-lined salamander is found in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Individuals love to live in temperate forests and mountains, freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers and streams, or marshes and swamps. They inhabit moist areas in hardwood forests and seepages, and hide beneath leaf litter, logs, or grasses. They also inhabit aquatic habitats with little to no fish.

A salamander of this species is typically small in size, slender and quite similar in appearance to the northern two-lined species. It has a fairly long tail which totals about half of its entire body length.

The dorsal surface of the southern two-lined salamander is a typical yellowish orange, brownish or rusted color. Two lines in black or dark brown run down its entire body from the top of each eye.

The dark colored lines extend to the end of the tail but break off into a pattern of speckles at the tail. Black or dark brown spots may also be seen on its back between the prominent black lines and along the sides.

Its belly is yellow in color. The male salamander also has two cirri, small lobes resembling antennae or tentacles, that grow on and hang from its nose during the breeding season. They are thought to be used to recognize females and compete with other males.

Southern two-lined salamanders are both nocturnal and diurnal, preferring to show activity in humid or wet weather. They hide from predators, migrate from areas in which they are found, run away and autotomize their tails when attacked.

40. Spotted Dusky Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Desmognathus conanti
• Other Names: Northern spotted dusky salamander
• Adult Size: 6.35 to 12.7 cm (2.5 to 5 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Spotted dusky salamanders are found in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and likely in Alabama. This species of salamanders is endemic and native to the United States.

They live along small lowland streams, in seepage areas, in ravines or in mucklands, depending on the subspecies, as there are two. The two subspecies are differentiated by their dorsal color (physical appearance) and habitats of choice.

One of these lives in ravines and has light colors with heavy patterning in both adults and larvae. The other subspecies dwells in mucklands and has a darker coloration and its gills are bushy.

So spotted dusky salamanders have variable coloration, as while some are tan or brown in color, some others have their dorsal surfaces in dark colors, almost black. Their backs tend to have six to eight separated golden or reddish spots.

The tail of this species is moderately keeled. It is a close relative to northern and Santeetlah dusky salamanders. It also was once considered a subspecies of a species, the dusky salamander, alongside northern dusky salamanders.

Spotted and northern dusky salamanders are very alike in appearance. They are best differentiated by their range and certain features, like the northern species having a laterally compressed and strongly keeled tail while the spotted one has moderately keeled tail.

The bellies of both species are light colored and have dark flecks on them. Spotted dusky salamanders are mainly active at night, hiding under rocks, leaf litter and logs during the day. Additional anti predator mechanisms have not been studied in this species.

41. Spotted Salamander

• Family: Ambystomatidae
• Scientific Name: Ambystoma maculatum
• Other Names: Yellow-spotted salamander
• Adult Size: 15 to 25 cm (5.8 to 9.8 in)
• Lifespan: 20 to 30 years in the wild (if they survive before transforming and leaving their ponds; only about 10% do); about 25 years in captivity

The spotted salamander is a common species in eastern US and Canada. It is found in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, New Brunswick, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Quebec, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas and Vermont.

It occurs along rivers in bottomland deciduous forests, or in upland mixed or deciduous forests if ponds for breeding are available. It also inhabits lakes, ponds and temporary pools if no fish live in them.

This species has a stout body, broad and rounded snout and a head swollen at the sides behind its jaw. It is relatively large in size, with strong, large legs. The digits on its legs may be four or five in number.

On its dorsal surface, the spotted salamander has dark coloration, as it is usually black, purplish black, dark gray or dark brown. It has a mid dorsal line and two rows of large spots on each side of the line.

The spots may be yellow, orange or some other related bright color. They run from each side of the head to the tail, ranging from twenty four (24) to forty five (45) in number. There are individuals with unspotted bodies but such are less common.

On its venter and underneath its limbs, an individual which belongs to this species is usually a pale slate gray color. It may have bright orange markings on its head. Females are likely larger than males, especially in the breeding season.

They are nocturnal, natatorial and terricolous salamanders. To protect themselves from predators, they have poison glands in the skin on their tails and backs. When threatened, they produce sticky white toxins from these skin glands.

Spotted salamanders may bite, make sounds, lash with their tails and butt with their heads when threatened by predators. The eggs are protected by thick, firm jelly when they are laid but predators still eat them in large numbers.

42. Spotted Tail Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Eurycea lucifuga
• Other Names: Cave salamander, spotted-tail salamander
• Adult Size: 10 to 18.1 cm (3.93 to 7.13 in)
• Lifespan: up to 9.1 years in captivity, unknown in the wild

Another type of salamander in Tennessee is the spotted tail salamander. It is endemic to the United States, found also in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Virginia and West Virginia.

Habitats of choice include forests, mountains and freshwater rivers and streams. Individuals are troglophiles, able to live in caves entirely and do so throughout their lives. They inhabit moist, dark places like caves, rocks, logs and rocky swamps.

Compared to other species within their genus, spotted tail salamanders are large. Their heads are wide and flattened. They have large eyes which are about the same length as their noses (6.2 cm in females and 6 cm in males).

Dorsally, they are usually colored in any shade from a bright reddish orange to a dull yellow. Ventrally, they are a light yellow color and their ventrum is not spotted. The sexes are only different in that they are shaped differently.

Differences in the sexes include vents with large margins and papillae on males which are lacking in females, the longer tail in males than in females, and more rounded mental glands in males than in females.

The digits on their limbs are webbed, four on their long front legs and five on their short back legs. Their tails are adapted for grasping objects by wrapping around them prehensile) and are about 52 to 68% of the entire length of their bodies.

Spotted tail salamanders are nocturnal, terricolous and troglophilic. They coil their bodies and wave their tails above their heads with intentions of intimidating potential predators. They also produce toxins from various glands in their bodies.

43. Spring Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
• Other Names: Blue Ridge spring salamander, Carolina spring salamander, Kentucky spring salamander, northern spring salamander (subspecies)
• Adult Size: 12 to 19 cm (4.7 to 7.5 in)
• Lifespan: up to 18.5 years in captivity; no record in the wild

Besides Tennessee, spring salamanders occur in Alabama, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia and other states. They live in the United States and Canada.

They are found in or around temperate forests, mountains, rivers, streams and caves with certain characteristics. For aquatic habitats, they prefer shaded, low temperature, highly oxygenated headwater springs.

Preferred features in terrestrial habitats include those with shade and objects to hide beneath. These salamanders may be seen in caves or under stones, rocks, fallen trees, other large objects and tree canopies in mature forests.

The head of a spring salamander is flat, with its eyes placed on the side and its nose broad. Its tail is moderately keeled, resembling a sharp knife. Keeled tails are adaptations that enable salamanders to maneuver better when swimming.

On its back, the salamander has orange, pinkish orange or salmon skin with a slightly brown or yellow tint. This skin is covered in small black or dark colored spots and flecks with a red tint.

There is a ridge that extends from the eye to the nostril of this salamander species. It is usually bordered with a light line and sometimes has a dark line beneath it. Females tend to be slightly larger in size than males.

Four subspecies exist: G. p. danielsi (Blue Ridge spring), G. p. dunni (Carolina spring), G. p. duryi (Kentucky spring) and G. p. porphyriticus (northern spring salamander). Carolina spring salamander subspecies is not found in Tennessee.

Spring salamanders are nocturnal, terricolous and natatorial. This means they are lost active at night and can live on land, underground and in water. They have a few mechanisms in place to avoid or repel predators.

Activity at night is one, the aim being to avoid attracting the attention of predators to themselves. Smaller ones hunt and eat during the day but return to shelter at night because they are at higher risk of predation.

When threatened, these salamanders assume defensive positions and postures with the aim of scaring their attackers away. They also secrete poisonous substances that are toxic to predators.

44. Streamside Salamander

• Family: Ambystomatidae
• Scientific Name: Ambystoma barbouri
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 11 to 17 cm (4.3 to 6.7 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Streamside salamanders are only found in the US. They live in the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia. They prefer upland deciduous forests near shallow, temporary streams or for habitation.

They are closely related to and resemble small-mouthed salamanders. They have small heads and rounded snouts, with laterally located but anteriorly directed eyes. Their limbs are pressed close to each other and have four digits each.

Their dorsal skin is typically grayish brown to grayish black in color. It has small tan, light gray or tan and gray speckles or mottles on it. These spots are numerous and may merge to form a pattern resembling lichen.

A streamside salamander also has a small mouth, a dorsal maxillary process and limited ability to change its color to match its environment. A female is slightly bigger than a male on average, by about eight percent.

It is a fossorial and nocturnal salamander. In response to attacks from a predator, it runs away, usually to a darker substrate, and changes to a darker color to blend into the environment and hide better. It is poisonous.

45. Tellico Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae 
• Scientific Name: Plethodon aureolus
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 10.16 to 15.24 cm (4 to 6 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Tellico salamanders inhabit mountains and streams in forest valleys within the states of North Carolina and Tennessee. Their range consists of the Unicoi Mountains and nearby lowlands, between the Little Tennessee and Hiwassee rivers.

Not so much information is currently available about this species but it is related to the northern slimy, red-cheeked and southern Appalachian salamander species.

It is relatively large, with a round tail. It is black in color and covered with numerous brass colored dots on its back. Its sides also have some spots on them, usually white or yellow in color. It has a gray underbelly and chin.

Tellico salamanders forage for food at night, mostly on moist, humid or rainy nights. This means that they are nocturnal salamanders. When threatened, they release large amounts of sticky skin secretions. The toxicity status of the secretions is not known.

46. Tennessee Cave Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Gyrinophilus palleucus
• Other Names: Big mouth cave salamander, pale salamander
• Adult Size: 10 to 23 cm (3.94 to 9.06 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

The geographic range of this salamander consists of the southern part of the Cumberland Plateau, which is in the Nashville Basin. Tennessee cave salamanders are found in the states of Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.

Preferred habitat of the species is caves. Such caves usually have streams and pools isolated by receding water, with substrates of rock, gravel, sand or mud. They like clear water that is free of sediment and sinkholes to allow detritus inflow.

Individuals that belong to this species characteristically have stout bodies, small eyes, wide heads and abridged snouts. They have laterally compressed tails with translucent and thinly colored skin.

Depending on the subspecies, the dorsal skin is pinkish to flesh-colored. There are two subspecies: G. p. palleucus, the pale Tennessee cave salamander, and G. p. necturoides, the big mouth Tennessee cave salamander.

As its name suggests, the pale salamander subspecies has pale skin. The big mouth subspecies, on the other hand, has dark or tannish gray dorsal skin. There may be spots on the dorsal surface of the big mouth salamander and on its sides.

Big mouth salamanders can also come in other colors, like russet brown, dark brown or deep purplish brown. The spots on their backs are many in number, running from their jaws to a third of their tail.

A dark V-shaped pattern may also be seen on their backs. Their ventral surface is a lighter color, usually pearl-gray with a rust color underneath their legs. Small white dots, in two rows, run down the axilla (armpits) to the tail’s underside.

A pale stripe can also be seen on the cheeks of big mouth salamanders to differentiate them from the pale subspecies. The two have slight differences in body color, the width of their heads, the length of their limbs and the size of the eyes.

While most individuals of this species are neotenic, retaining juvenile or larval characteristics even into adulthood, some salamanders of this species metamorphose naturally.

Tennessee cave salamanders are cannibalistic as they have been observed eating conspecifics. Living in caves helps them avoid most of their predators. They are presumed to be nocturnal.

The Tennessee cave salamander is the state amphibian of Tennessee. It was designated or granted this status in the year 1995.

47. Three-lined Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Eurycea guttolineata
• Other Names: Gentleman salamander
• Adult Size: 10 to 17.78 cm (4 to 7 in)
• Lifespan: about 5 years

In addition to the state of Tennessee, the species known as the three-lined salamander lives in the US states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

It likes to live in flooded forests, along wet ditches, near springs, in seepage areas and in slow-moving lowland streams. Within its range and in these habitats, it may be seen beneath logs of woods, leaves and leaf litter.

The dorsal surfaces of three-lined salamanders are typically yellowish, orange or some similar bright color. They have a black stripe that runs along the animal’s spine and two more black stripes on each side of its body. 

A salamander of this species bears semblance to a long tailed salamander but the latter lacks solid stripes and has a different geographic range.

Three-lined salamanders have very long tails. The sides of their tails have black patterning. This pattern appears as a wavy stripe but consists of parallel vertical bars in black hue. Their bellies are greenish gray and yellow in color.

They are not territorial and aggressive towards conspecifics. They are primarily nocturnal and whether or not they secrete poisons is unknown. When threatened, they take a defensive posture coiling their bodies and tucking their heads under their raised, undulating tails.

48. Three-toed Amphiuma

• Family: Amphiumidae (amphiumas, Congo eels)
• Scientific Name: Amphiuma tridactylum
• Other Names: Conger eel, Congo eel, Congo snake, ditch eel, fish eel, Lamprey eel, three-toed salamander
• Adult Size: 46 to 106 cm (18.1 to 41.7 in)
• Lifespan: 12 to 15.9 years in captivity

Three-toed amphiumas are found only in the United States. They occur in the Mississippi flood plain, spanning the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.

They inhabit permanent or semi-permanent aquatic environs surrounded by lots of vegetation. Some have been found in or near bayous, ditches in seepage areas, semi-permanent ponds, sloughs, slow moving streams and swamps.

There are three species in the genus Amphiuma which look similar but are easily distinguished by the number of toes or digits they have. Like their common name suggests, three-toed amphiumas have three digits on their limbs.

This is one of the largest or longest salamanders. It is a slippery, snake-like or eel-like aquatic species. It has very small, thin and elongated limbs with three digits on each one. It lacks external gills and eyelids.

Its dorsal and ventral coloration are very distinct. The dorsum is black, slate gray or brownish while the ventrum is light gray in color. It has a dark patch on its chin and in the area around its throat.

Its tail is compressed laterally, making up about a quarter (25%) of its full body length. The species resembles a lesser siren but the latter lacks legs behind (hindlimbs) and has external gills.

Although they are nocturnal, three-toed amphiumas are most active at dusk and dawn. They are primarily crepuscular and also fossorial. They have a powerful bite, prey on many other aquatic animals and can go months without eating.

49. Tiger Salamander

• Family: Ambystomatidae
• Scientific Name: Ambystoma tigrinum
• Other Names: Eastern tiger salamander
• Adult Size: 17 to 33 cm (6.7 to 13 in)
• Lifespan: up to 16 years in the wild, 10.3 to 25 years in captivity

Tiger salamanders are found in Canada, Mexico and the US. In the United States, they occur in Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and other states.

Habitats of choice for them are lowland deciduous forests, coniferous forests, open fields, bushy regions, alpine and subalpine meadows, grasslands, semideserts and deserts with sandy soil. They are rarely seen in streams.

The tiger salamander is the largest terrestrial or land dwelling salamander in North America. It is also the species in this region with the largest distribution or widest range. It is less dependent on the forests than most members of its genus.

It possesses a stout, thick body, small, round eyes and a wide head. Its dorsal skin is typically dark brown to grayish black and it has yellow (or less commonly tan or olive green) blotches, spots or patterns on it.

Patterning, spotting or blotch shape, size and position are not set or fixed. They may be used to identify the salamander by origin. Its ventral skin is typically lighter in color, usually yellowish or olive, with irregular pale blotches on it.

Sexual differences exist in the morphology of this species. The males are on average longer or larger than females. Their tails are also more compressed, their hindlegs stockier and longer, and their vent area swollen in breeding seasons.

Tiger salamanders are nocturnal and fossorial, digging into the ground and making their own burrows rather than living in those made by other animals. They are terricolous and have adaptations for swimming also. They are also deft predators.

50. Weller’s Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon welleri
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 6.35 to 9.2 (2.5 to 3.6 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Weller’s salamanders live in the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. They are found in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. They live mostly at high elevations, under logs, rocks and stones in spruce-fir forests, or in lowland coves in mixed or deciduous forests under spruce-fir forests.

This salamander is small in size, with its back and belly colored black. Its dorsal surface is covered with many gold or yellowish to silver gray blotches and spots. The dark venter has numerous fine white spots on it.

Weller’s salamanders are nocturnal, showing the most foraging activity on rainy or humid nights. To avoid predation, they stay still to remain undetected. When threatened, they release a toxic secretion from their skin.

51. White-spotted Slimy Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon cylindraceus
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 8.8 to 20.6 cm (3.46 to 8.11 in)
• Lifespan: 5 to 10 years in the wild

Found in the US states of Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, the white spotted slimy salamander is a terrestrial species that inhabits temperate oak-hickory forests.

Within its range, the salamander is usually found in forests with lots of leaf litter. It is found under logs and other objects but rarely under the leaf litter. It also likes moist environments and burrows into the ground in the winter.

Individuals have slender bodies, short snouts, dark, clear throats and long tails. Their limbs are at right angles (90°) to their trunks and all their limbs are equal in size. Although there are small adults, most are large in size.

Dorsal and ventral surfaces usually feature large white spots, hence their common name. Their sides are also moderately covered in white. Their dorsum, with the large white spots, is typically a shiny black and their ventrum a slate belly color.

Male and female white-spotted slimy salamanders look alike. The species is both nocturnal and diurnal but individuals are most active on rainy days or nights and in the nighttime. They are also terricolous, able to live on land and underground.

To avoid predators, these salamanders remain immobile, not moving so as to avoid detection by predators. They produce a lot of slime to give themselves a chance to escape attacks from predators. They also secrete poisons from their skin.

52. Yonahlossee Salamander

• Family: Plethodontidae
• Scientific Name: Plethodon yonahlossee
• Other Names: N/A
• Adult Size: 11 to 22 cm (4.33 to 8.66 in)
• Lifespan: N/A

Yet another species of salamanders in Tennessee is the Yonahlossee salamander species. It is only found in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. This means that it is endemic to the United States.

Individuals inhabit deciduous forests and rocky, moist slopes. They are usually noticed underneath logs, rocks and barks of trees. They are also found in the areas around streams and springs in the presence of moss and ferns.

They are fairly large in size, with a distinct rust colored usually black dorsal surface. The dorsal skin on the head is black, while the sides of the head and the flanks are a brown or rust-like color with black and white to light gray flecking.

A wide red or chestnut stripe extends from the neck of a Yonahlossee salamander, down to the base of its tail, on top of a black dorsum. Its ventral surface is dark gray with light colored, scattered spots.

This species is the largest in its genus native to the eastern part of North America. Females tend to be larger than their male conspecifics. It is nocturnal, showing activity in the night but hiding under rocks, in burrows or beneath logs in forests.

Yonahlossee salamanders, like many other species, are poisonous. When threatened, they release toxins secreted by glands in their skin, usually in their tails and backs. Before releasing this poison, they stay still when they first come in contact with attackers.

FAQs

Conclusion

There are fifty two (52) species of salamanders in Tennessee listed and explained in the article above. This number mostly consists of plethodontid (lungless) salamanders but is also inclusive of other families.

The state of Tennessee is within a biome known as Eastern Deciduous Forest. Just as the name suggests, the state and other regions within this biome predominantly consist of temperate deciduous forests.

Salamanders are valuable to the entire ecosystem and man as well because they control the populations of insects and arthropods. They eat these insects and pests while serving in turn as food for larger animals.

In most species of salamanders, fertilization occurs internally while the embryos develop externally. For mating or breeding to occur, males have to rub parts of their bodies against the females or butt, nudge, rub or slap them.

These gestures or behaviors then make the female more ready and responsive to reproductive activities. Males have a pack of sperm, known as a spermatophore, which they keep on the ground, in a pool or among debris.

An interested female inserts the sperm pack into her cloaca and it fertilizes her eggs. She then places these fertilized eggs under rocks, among sticks or with leaves. Females in some species protect their eggs until they hatch.

Salamanders are occasionally used as fishing bait. They can also serve as pets because they live fairly long and are not all poisonous. You can take note of the species listed as toxic above to avoid keeping them as pests or remember to wash your hands thoroughly after touching them.

Other nearby states

• Salamanders in Alabama
• Salamanders in Arkansas
• Salamanders in Georgia
• Salamanders in Kentucky
• Salamanders in Missouri
• Salamanders in North Carolina
• Salamanders in Virginia

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