Northern Dusky Salamander

Desmognathus fuscus

The Northern Dusky Salamander is a small, slimy creature that loves to live in cool, wet places. They have smooth skin and can be found hiding under rocks or logs in the forest.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The Northern Dusky Salamander is dark brown or grayish, often with faint darker spots or blotches. It has a distinctive pale line extending from its eye to the corner of its jaw. Its tail is keeled, appearing somewhat flattened from top to bottom.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAmphibiaOrderCaudataFamilyPlethodontidaeGenusDesmognathus

Northern Dusky Salamander

Interesting facts

Larvae have gills, but adults breathe through skin and lungs.

Northern Dusky Salamanders use special organs to 'smell' their surroundings.

Their sticky tongue shoots out super fast to catch unsuspecting bugs!

They can squish into tiny cracks to hide from danger!

Special abilities

Northern Dusky Salamander can breathe underwater and on land through its moist skin, because it has specialized pores that absorb oxygen.

Northern Dusky Salamander can drop its tail when caught by a predator, because this distraction helps it escape danger and grow a new one.

Northern Dusky Salamander has amazing mothers that guard their eggs for weeks, helping them stay safe until they hatch.

Measurements & details

Length: 7.5-14 cm
Weight: 0.003-0.015 kg
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Clutch Size: 15-30
Metamorphosis: 270-540 days

Diet & Feeding

These tiny hunters eat small bugs and worms they find hiding near streams and moist places.

Age differences: Young larvae mostly eat tiny aquatic invertebrates in the water.

Primary Foods

Springtails
Mites
Ants
Beetle larvae
Small earthworms
Spiders

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

eaten by

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

A common predator in its moist woodland habitat.

eaten by

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

Larger fish may prey on salamanders in streams.

eaten by

Masked Shrew

Sorex cinereus

Small mammals sometimes prey on ground-dwelling salamanders.

eats

Girdled Springtail

Orchesella cincta

A common small insect prey found in damp leaf litter.

Traits

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Camouflaged

Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Decomposer

Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.