Yep, we've got some pretty wild friends in the woods around our house. Every spring and summer bring them out. My children delight in finding (and returning unharmed) these little friends. Anyone remember Enoch's short-term pet, Tanner? He has a knack for finding and a tender heart for loving these little amphibious creatures.
Can anyone local name this specific breed of salamander for us? We've been trying to identify it online but having trouble.
I hope your Monday is pleasant and your spring full of life!
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3 Responses
Amanda
It looks like a Red-Backed Salamander but I could be wrong.
j
How fun! Might it be a Cascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae)?
minou
Definitely not a redback, and while it could be a torrent salamander, I think it might possibly be a clouded salamander (Aneides ferreus) or Dunn’s salamander.
Does it have an orange or yellow tummy and lack nasolabial grooves? Then it is probably a torrent salamander.
Does it have nasolabial grooves and toes with squared-off tips? Then it might be a clouded salamander.
Does it have nasolabial grooves but rounded toe tips? Then it is probably Dunn’s salamander.
Unfortunately, it’s very hard to glean enough detail from the lo-res pictures to make a solid identification.
I suggest checking to see if your library has a copy of “Salamanders of the United States and Canada” by JW Petranka. On p.19 there begins a dichotomous key to adult salamanders. It’s a really good book!