Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the ACE Basin

Salamanders

Order = Urodela

The names Caudata and Urodela have been used interchangeably for the extant salamanders; Caudata includes fossil salamanders whereas Urodela only refers to the extant species.

Some characteristics of Salamanders: Salamanders can range in size from 30mm adult size to nearly 2m (6 ft.). Most species are terrestrial as adults. About 415 species of salamanders have been described; most of them occur in the Americas. Most species are terrestrial as adults but are confined to water for breeding. Salamanders have a primitive hearing apparatus and they do not produce sounds.

Literature: Larson, A. and W.W. Dimmick. 1993. Phylogenetic relationships of the salamander families: an analysis of the congruence among morphological and molecular characters. Herpetological Monographs 7:77-93.

Some additional links on salamanders:

Species in blue font were observed in the ACE Basin during a herpetofauna survey in 2002- species in red font are presumed to occur there based on their overall range!

Families Common Names Scientific Names
Ambystomatidae Flatwoods Salamander ** Ambystoma cingulatum
Mabee's Salamander Ambystoma mabeei
Spotted Salamander Ambystoma maculatum
Marbled Salamander Ambystoma opacum
Mole Salamander Ambystoma talpoideum
Tiger Salamander ++ Ambystoma tigrinum
Amphiumidae Two-toed Amphiuma Amphiuma means
Plethodontidae Southern Dusky Salamander Desmognathus auriculatus
Southern Two-lined Salamander Eurycea cirrigea
Three-lined Salamander Eurycea guttolineata
Dwarf Salamander Eurycea quadridigitata
South Carolina Slimy Salamander Plethodon variolatus
Mud Salamander Pseudotriton montanus
Many-lined Salamander Stereochilus marginatus
Proteidae Dwarf Waterdog Necturus punctatus
Salamandridae Eastern Newt Diemictylus viridescens
Sirenidae Dwarf Siren ^^ Pseudobranchus striatus
Lesser Siren Siren intermedia
Greater Siren Siren lacertina

** = federally threatened; endangered in SC
++ = of concern in SC
^^ = threatened in SC

Homepage

SalamandersSalamanderpage Frogs&ToadsFrogandToadpage

Lizards Lizardpage

Snakes Snakepage Turtles Turtlepage Alligators