Adult Size: 6.4 - 9.5cm Record: 11cm
One of the more uncommon salamanders at the VAAP site, the Southern Two Lined Salamander will feature a mostly yellow body color with two black lines on top of the salamander which surround a central broken line. The tail of the animal will comprise of 55% to 60% of the total size. Although the animal is incredibly similar to its Northern counterpart in that it only has 14 coastal grooves rather than 15 or 16, the Northern variation is not found in the area, so it is safe to assume Southern.
Southern Two Lined Salamander
The Southern Two Lined Salamander resides in the majority of Eastern North America from the Mississippi River to the coast. It inhabits areas of brooks, springs, swamps, floodplains, and wooded habitats. Eggs are laid on or under submerged rocks, logs or plants. Threats to the species include timber harvesting, habitat destruction, and water pollution. The IUCN lists this as a species of Least Concern.
Range and Protected Areas
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
Conant and Joseph T. Collins. A Field Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998.
Images: Savannah River Ecology Lab