Salamanders (Order Caudata)
Welcome our Salamander Guide! This is our most numerous group of herps in Virginia, with over 55 species calling the state home.
Frequency Rating: Ratings are based on how common each species is across their range within Virginia. Some common species may be incredibly abundant within their small range, while some may be common in most of their range but rare in a small portion of their range. Some rarer species may be abundant in pockets of their range, but are overall rare.
Common = C Uncommon = U Rare = R Incredibly Rare = I
Frequency Rating: Ratings are based on how common each species is across their range within Virginia. Some common species may be incredibly abundant within their small range, while some may be common in most of their range but rare in a small portion of their range. Some rarer species may be abundant in pockets of their range, but are overall rare.
Common = C Uncommon = U Rare = R Incredibly Rare = I
Mole Salamanders (Family Ambystomatidae)
Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) I
© Tristan Clark
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 7 - 10 inches Status: State Endangered |
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Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) U
Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) U
© Joe Girgente
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 7 inches Status: Tier IV |
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Mabee's Salamander (Ambystoma mabeei) I
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 4 inches Status: State Threatened |
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Mole Salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum) I
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 4.5 inches Status: Tier II |
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Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum) C
Plethodontine Salamanders (Subfamily Plethodontinae)
Green Salamander (Aneides aeneus) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches Status: Tier II |
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Flathead Salamander (Desmognathus planiceps) U
"Northern/Upland Dusky Clade/Complex" (Desmognathus fuscus 'complex') C Taxon Changes Pending Naming
Wolf Dusky (Desmognathus lycos) New Species
Piedmont Dusky (Desmognathus bairdi) New Species
Black Mountain Salamander (Desmognathus welteri) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 6 inches Status: Least Concern |
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Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monticola) C
Northern Shovel-nosed Salamander (Desmognathus marmoratus) I
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches Range: Mount Rogers Area Status: Tier III |
Kanawha Blackbelly Salamander (Desmognathus kanawha) U New Species
"Mountain Dusky Complex" Allegheny Mountain Dusky (Desmognathus ochrophaeus) & Blue Ridge Dusky (Desmognathus orestes) C
Taxon Change Pending Naming
Northern Pygmy Salamander (Desmognathus organi) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 1.5 - 2 inches Range: Mount Rogers Area Status: Tier III |
Northern Zigzag Salamander (Plethodon dorsalis) I
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2.5 - 3.5 inches Range: Scott & Washington Counties Status: Tier II |
Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) C
Big Levels Salamander (Plethodon sherando) U
Peaks of Otter Salamander (Plethodon hubrichti) C
Weller's Salamander (Plethodon welleri) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2.5 - 3 inches Range: Mount Rogers Area (Washington, Smyth, & Grayson Counties) Status: Tier I |
Ravine Salamander (Plethodon richmondi) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 4.5 inches Status: Least Concern |
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"Ridge Salamander Complex" Valley and Ridge Salamander (Plethodon hoffmani) & Shenandoah Mountain Salamander (Plethodon virginia) U
Shenandoah Salamander (Plethodon shenandoah) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 4.5 inches Range: Found only on three mountains in Shenandoah National Park Status: State and Federal Endangered |
Dixie Caverns Salamander (Plethodon dixi) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches Status: Tier I |
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Cow Knob Salamander (Plethodon punctatus) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 5 inches Status: Tier I |
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Wehrle's Salamander (Plethodon wehrlei) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 5.25 inches Status: Least Concern |
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Blacksburg Salamander (Plethodon jacksoni) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches Status: Tier I |
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Yellow-spotted Woodland Salamander (Plethodon pauleyi) I
© Aidan McCarthy
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6 inches Status: Not Clear Yet |
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Cumberland Plateau Salamander (Plethodon kentucki) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches Status: Tier IV |
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Northern Slimy (Plethodon glutinosus) C
White-spotted Slimy (Plethodon cylindraceus) C
Atlantic Coast Slimy (Plethodon chlorobryonis) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4.5 - 7 inches Status: Least Concern |
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Northern Gray-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon montanus) C
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3.5 - 5 inches Status: Least Concern |
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Yonahlossee Salamander (Plethodon yonahlossee) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4.5 - 7 inches Status: Least Concern |
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Hemidactyliine Salamanders (Subfamily Hemidactyliinae)
Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2 - 3.5 inches Range: Statewide Status: Least Concern |
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Northern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata) C
Southern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea cirrigera) C
Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea wilderae) U
Three-lined Salamander (Eurycea guttolineata) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4.5 - 8 inches Status: Least Concern |
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Long-tailed Salamander (Eurycea longicauda) U
Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga) U
© Josh Ward
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches Status: Least Concern |
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Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) U
Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Northern Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber ruber) | Blue Ridge Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber nitidus)
Size: 4 - 6 inches Status: Least Concern |
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Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton montanus) R
© Josh Ward
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton montanus montanus) | Midland Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton montanus diastictus)
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches Range: Statewide Status: Midland Subspecies is Least Concern | Eastern subspecies is Tier IV |
Many-lined Salamander (Stereochilus marginatus) I
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches Range: Southern Coastal Plain Status: Tier IV |
Newts (Family Salamandridae)
Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) C
Waterdogs (Family Proteidae)
Dwarf Waterdog (Necturus punctatus) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6 inches Range: Southeastern Nottoway River drainage Status: Tier III |
Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) R
© Matt Keevil
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 8 - 13 inches Range: Southwest Virginia Status: Tier III |
Giant Salamanders (Family Cryptobranchidae)
Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis)
Size: 12 - 22 inches Range: Southwest Virginia Status: Tier I |
Amphiumas (Family Amphiumidae)
Two-toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma means) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 16 - 42 inches Range: Southern and central Coastal Plain Status: Least Concern |
Sirens (Family Sirenidae)
Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia) I
© David Weisenbeck
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia intermedia)
Size: 7 - 27 inches Range: Southern and central Coastal Plain Status: Tier III |
Greater Siren (Siren acertina) R
© David Weisenbeck
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 20 - 32 inches Range: Southern and central Coastal Plain Status: Tier IV |
