Geographic range and origin: Eastern red-backed Salamanders are native to the eastern portion of the United States ranging from South Carolina on in to Canada and west as far as Minnesota, Illinois and Missouri. They are widely distributed and also come in a wide variety of color morphs which can sometimes make distinguishing them very difficult.
Photo by Virginia Herpetological Society
Photo Credit IUCN redlist
Habitat: Red-backed salamanders are one of the most common salamander species found in the region. They are typically a forest dwelling salamander, finding safe harbor under rocks, leaves, rotten timber, and other common forest floor features. They prefer moist environments but may also be found in drier conditions as well and live their entire lives within a single square meter.
Description: With color morphs ranging from various shades of red, blue, orange and yellow, the red-backed salamanders name can be very misleading and can also make this species difficult to identify. They have an average length of approximately 2-4 inches with the largest ones topping out at about 5 inches. The stripe on their back can vary drastically in color however, the underside is heavily mottled black/white on all with 18-20 costal grooves.
Juvenile Red-backed Salamander found during a cover board sampling (Photo by Leah Cort)
The three most common color morphs of the Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) (Photo by Virginia Herpetological Society)
Reproduction: The red-backed salamander's mating season runs from October through April. Salamanders are oviparous and their young hatch from August to September. Male salamanders are considered sexually mature at three years old and females are sexually mature at four years old. Although red-backs only occupy a very small area they are extremely territorial towards other salamanders of the same species. Sexually active males may be distinguished from their female compatriots by the enlarged mental or hedonic gland under their chins.
Even in the snow, salamanders show! (Photo by Leah Cort)
Calipers were used to take measurements of specimens (Photo by Nicholle Johnson)
The reddish-orange color morph is the most common in our region (Photo by Meghan Howard)
Conservation status: Extremely common, widespread and abundant throughout its natural range and is a species of least concern according to the IUCN redlist.
Ecological importance: Salamanders like the Red-backed are very sensitive to changes in the environment. For this reason they are considered an indicator species for biological change. They are particularly sensitive to changes in PH and do not do well in overly acidic conditions. They also serve a very essential purpose in the local food chain. They are considered a predator species for numerous invertebrates and also serve as prey for larger forest species.
Cultural importance or uses: Salamanders like the ones found during our cover board surveys make some of the best bait a fisherman can get.
Standardized Process and Procedures for Cover Board Analysis
Datasheet used to track salamander cover board data