Santeetlah Dusky Salamander

Desmognathus santeetlah

Santeetlah Dusky Salamander

SUSA

Status

Desmognathus santeetlah is uncommon to common in its restricted southern Appalachian range.

Description

The Santeetlah Dusky Salamander is a medium-sized (6–9.5 cm), greenish brown salamander. It is similar to the Northern Dusky Salamander with a faint, subdued dorsal pattern. The venter is washed with yellow as are its sides. Laterally it often exhibits a salt-and-pepper effect with a ventrolateral row of light dots or portholes (Conant and Collins 1991). The tail is weakly keeled.

Distribution

Desmognathus santeetlah is restricted to the higher elevations of the Great Smoky and Unicoi Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina and the Great Balsam Mountains of North Carolina.

Habitat

This salamander lives in and nearby stream headwaters and seepage areas in the southern Appalachians. It is restricted to hardwood, cove hardwood, and spruce-fir habitats at high elevations (between 677–1805 m).

Special Requirements

This species requires forested habitat near high elevation streams and headwaters.

Breeding Habits

The female deposits ten to thirty-five eggs during the Summer. The female remains with the eggs until they hatch, usually a minimum of 60 days. Most clutches are deposited beneath mosses on logs lying in or near seepage areas (Jones 1986).

Food Habits

The Santeetlah Dusky Salamander’s diet consists of small insects, other small arthropods, and earthworms.

Management Suggestions

Most of its range is contained within national parks or national forests. Its headwater stream habitat should remain undisturbed. Any activities which would create runoff and siltation would be detrimental to this salamander.

Additional References

Conant and Collins 1991; Jones 1986; Tilley 1981.