# Dusky Salamanders (*Desmognathus*)

Dusky Salamanders are small, slimy creatures that love to live in cool, wet places. They have smooth skin and can be found hiding under rocks or leaves in the forest.

- **Category:** [Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/amphibian)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests

![Dusky Salamanders](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/D_auriculatus_USGS.jpg&width=800)

Photo: USGS, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:D_auriculatus_USGS.jpg)

## Appearance

The Dusky Salamanders are typically brown to grayish-brown, often with a lighter stripe down their back. They have a stout body, robust limbs, and a distinctive keel-like tail that is compressed from side to side, making them visually distinct.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Amphibia
- **Order:** Caudata
- **Family:** Plethodontidae
- **Genus:** Desmognathus

## Interesting facts

- Female Dusky Salamanders carefully guard their clutch of eggs for many weeks until they hatch.
- Some Dusky Salamanders can live in very cold mountain streams, even under sheets of ice!
- Their eyes are fixed in place, meaning they must move their whole head to look around!
- Unlike most salamanders, the larvae of some Dusky species stay entirely in the water.

## Special abilities

- **Skin Breathers:** Dusky Salamanders can breathe through their moist skin and mouth lining because they lack lungs as adults, helping them absorb oxygen.
- **Tail Escape:** Dusky Salamanders can drop their tail if a predator grabs it, allowing them to escape danger and grow a new one later.
- **Stream Swimmers:** Dusky Salamanders have a keeled, flattened tail that helps them powerfully propel themselves through fast-moving water.
- **Amphibious Grip:** Dusky Salamanders have strong, flexible toes that help them climb and cling to slippery rocks and stream banks.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 7-15 cm
- **Weight:** 0.003-0.02 kg
- **Lifespan:** 5-10 years
- **Speed:** 0.2 km/h
- **Clutch Size:** 10-30
- **Metamorphosis:** 180-730 days

## Diet & Feeding

These small hunters use keen senses to snap up tiny insects and other small creatures!

- **Age differences:** Larvae eat microscopic aquatic invertebrates, while adults consume larger terrestrial and semi-aquatic prey.
- **Primary Foods:** springtails, mites, earthworms, slugs, insect larvae, isopods
- **Foraging Method:** Ambush

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — A common predator in their North American habitat.
- **Eaten by:** Masked Shrew (*Sorex cinereus*) — Small mammals sometimes prey on these salamanders.
- **Eats:** Silky Ant (*Formica fusca*) — Consumes various small ants found in moist habitat.
- **Eats:** Common Earthworm (*Lumbricus terrestris*) — Feeds on small earthworms found in damp soil.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

## Collections

- [Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/amphibians)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always watch where you step in the forest to protect these little creatures and yourself.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Dusky Salamanders?

Compare body shape, toes, markings, tail and skin texture. Tadpoles and larvae can look nothing like the adults they turn into. Amphibian Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Dusky Salamanders?

7-15 cm

### How much does Dusky Salamanders weigh?

0.003-0.02 kg

### How long does Dusky Salamanders live?

5-10 years

### How fast can Dusky Salamanders move?

0.2 km/h

### What does Dusky Salamanders eat?

These small hunters use keen senses to snap up tiny insects and other small creatures!

### Where is Dusky Salamanders usually found?

Forests

### How does Dusky Salamanders hunt?

Ambush

## Where to spot

- [Pickwick Landing State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pickwick-landing-state-park) — Tennessee, US · State Park

## More Amphibians

- [Eastern Red-backed Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-red-backed-salamander) (*Plethodon cinereus*)
- [California Slender Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-slender-salamander) (*Batrachoseps attenuatus*)
- [Cuban Tree Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cuban-tree-frog) (*Osteopilus septentrionalis*)
- [European Toad](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-toad) (*Bufo bufo*)

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Source: [Dusky Salamanders: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dusky-salamanders)