Southern Two-Lined Salamander (above) and a Red-Back Salamander. Noticeable differences include head shape, coloration, shape of tail, and length, specifically tail length. The tail of the Red-Back Salamander is at least as long, if not longer, than the rest of its body. Also, the tail of the Southern Two-Lined Salamander is paddle-like and flattened suggesting that it spends most of its life in water. The tail of the Red-Back Salamander is rounded rather than flattened, suggesting a more terrestrial lifestyle.

Southern Two-Lined Salamander I found in Ellicott City, Md

Red Back Salamander I found around my house in Cincinnati, Ohio

Backyard Creature Of The Week:

The red back (or redback or red-backed) salamander (Plethodon cinereus) is a small, hardy woodland salamander. It inhabits wooded slopes in Eastern North America. The red-backed salamander is found mostly in two color variations: the nominate red variety, ‘redback’, as well as a darker phase known as the ‘leadback’ which lacks most or all of the red pigmentation found in the red phase. Males and females typically establish separate feeding and/or mating territories underneath rocks and logs. However, some red back salamanders are thought to engage in social monogamy, and may maintain co-defended territories throughout their active period. Breeding occurs in June and July. Females produce from 4–17 eggs in a year. The eggs will hatch in 6–8 weeks. In some areas with good habitat, these salamanders are so numerous that their population densities may surpass 1,000 individuals per acre.(Wiki.)

rhamphotheca:

The worm salamander, Oedipina taylori, is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae (the lungless salamanders). It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss. (via: Wikipedia)

(photo: Vladlen Henríquez)

North African Fire Salamander

Danube Crested Newt

Endangered Species Of The Day

The Danube Crested Newt (Triturus dobrogicus) is a species of salamander in the Salamandridae family. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, temperate grassland, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marches, arable land, pastureland, rural gardens, urban areas, ponds, and open excavations. It is threatened by habitat loss. (Wiki.)

The Knobby Newt (Tylototriton hainanensis) is a species of salamander in the Salamandridae family. It is found only in China. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marches. Its main threat is habitat loss. (Wiki)

The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is the largest salamander in the world, reaching a length of 180 cm (6 ft), although it rarely - if ever - reaches that size today. Endemic to rocky mountain streams and lakes in China, it is considered critically endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, and over-collecting, as it is considered a delicacy and used in traditional Chinese medicine. The average adult salamander is 25–30 kg (55-66 lb) and 1.15 m (3.8 ft).(Wiki.)