Northern slimy salamander
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Northern slimy salamander | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Urodela |
Family: | Plethodontidae |
Subfamily: | Plethodontinae
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Genus: | Plethodon |
Species: | P. glutinosus
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Binomial name | |
Plethodon glutinosus (Green, 1818)
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Synonyms | |
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The northern slimy salamander (Plethodon glutinosus) is a
Common names
The northern slimy salamander is called "slimy" because it produces sticky slime from glands on its lower back and tail in order to defend itself from predators.[2] It is also sometimes referred to as the viscid salamander, grey-spotted salamander, slippery salamander, or sticky salamander, depending on which source is consulted.[3]
Description
The northern slimy salamander is typically an overall black in color, with numerous silvery spots or gold spots across its back. It is usually 12–17 cm (4.7–6.7 in) in total length (including tail), but can grow to 20.6 cm (8.1 in).
Taxonomy
P. glutinosus is one of 57 species in the genus Plethodon and was one of the first of its cogeners to be described. The Northern Slimy Salamander is one of 14 species within the Plethodon glutinosus complex. Species within this complex are very similar but vary in habitat range, body size, shape, and proportions.[5]
Geographic range
P. glutinosus is found from New York, west to Illinois, south to Mississippi, and east to Alabama, with isolated populations in southern New Hampshire and northwestern Connecticut.[6]
Habitat
P. glutinosus is highly associated with moist undisturbed woodlands, and ravines. The salamander is typically located on the underside of debris such as logs and stones during the day. P. glutinosus will emerge from debris on moist nights.[7] They can be found in areas of secondary succession in old growth deciduous or hemlock forests with steep, rocky slopes.[8] They prefer hiding under rotten logs and in decomposed organic matter like layers of duff on the forest floor. They can typically be found near a water source or in a moist areas. The clear-cutting of forests greatly reduces population numbers in the given area, where it takes 13 years for the population to return to half of what it was before the clear-cutting.[9]
Life history and behavior
Behavior
All plethodontid salamanders are territorial, and fight aggressively for territory. Their preferred
Reproduction
Females reach sexual maturity in the second year of life and do not lay eggs until the third year.
Diet
Not much is known about the diet of the slimy salamanders, but it is believed that the species exhibit opportunistic feeding strategies where they consume prey that is easily accessible. One study surveyed the digestive systems of this species and found that ants, bees, wasps, beetles, sowbugs, snails, and earthworms occurred most frequently.[14][15]
References
- . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Amphibian Species of the World 6.0". AMNH. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ^ "Amphibian Species of the World 6.0". AMNH. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
- ISBN 0-395-19977-8(paperback). (Plethodon glutinosus, pp. 276-277 + Plate 41 + Map 230).
- JSTOR 3892956.
- ISBN 978-0-544-12997-9. (Plethodon glutinosus, pp. 82-84 + Plate 6).
- ^ "Species Profile: Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus complex) | SREL Herpetology". srelherp.uga.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
- ^ "Northern Slimy Salamander". CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- JSTOR 1312225.
- JSTOR 1443413.
- JSTOR 1443271.
- ^ Highton, R. (1956). The life history of the slimy salamander, Plethodon glutinosus, in Florida. Copeia, 1956(2), 75-93.
- JSTOR 3891846.
- ^ Davidson, J. A. (1956). Notes on the food habits of the slimy salamander Plethodon glutinosus glutinosus. Herpetologica, 12(2), 129-131.
- ^ "Plethodon glutinosus (Northern Slimy Salamander)". Animal Diversity Web.
External links
- Animal Diversity Web: Plethodon glutinosus
- Amphibian Species of the World: Plethodon glutinosus
- Caudata Culture Species Entry: Plethodon Complex
Further reading
- ISBN 0-394-50824-6. (Plethodon glutinosus, pp. 340–341 + Plates 140, 141).
- Green, Jacob (1818). "Descriptions of several species of North American AMPHIBIA, accompanied with observations". J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 1: 348-359. (Salamandra glutinosa, new species, p. 357). (in English and Latin).
- Zim HS, Smith HM(1956). Reptiles and Amphibians: A Guide to Familiar American Species: A Golden Nature Guide. Revised Edition. New York: Simon and Schuster. 160 pp. (Plethodon glutinosus, pp. 147, 157).