Santeetlah Dusky Salamander

Scientific Name: Desmognathus santeetlah
Photo Credit: Todd Pierson 

The Santeetlah dusky salamander varies in color from light to dark brown with a pale belly, salt-and-pepper flecking, and faint yellow on the hind limbs and tail base. This species is found only at high elevations in and around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, typically near streams, seeps, damp rocks, or forest floor debris. It feeds mainly on small invertebrates. Females lay and guard eggs near flowing water, often under moss or in rotting logs. Hatchlings have external gills and go through a short aquatic larval stage before maturing into adults within a year.

Explore the full species profile, including their habitat, diet, and behavior on Herps of NC.