HERPING VIRGINIA
  • Home
    • Events
  • Explore
    • Ty's Herp Guide >
      • Frogs
      • Salamanders
      • Turtles
      • Lizards
      • Snakes
    • Herping How-to's
    • Herping Resources
    • Ty's Articles
    • The Archives
    • Quizzes
  • Trip Reports
  • Herp ID Help
  • About

Salamanders (Order Caudata)

Welcome our Salamander Guide! This is our most numerous group of herps in Virginia, with over 56 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

Mole Salamanders (Family Ambystomatidae)

Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)     I

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 5 - 10 inches
Status: State Endangered
Picture

Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 8 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 7 inches
Status: Tier IV
Picture

Mabee's Salamander (Ambystoma mabeei)     I

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 4 inches
Status: State Threatened 
Picture

Mole Salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum)     I

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 4.5 inches
Status: Tier II
Picture

Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)     C

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 4.5 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

Plethodontine Salamanders (Subfamily Plethodontinae)

Green Salamander (Aneides aeneus)     R

Picture
​© Ty Smith
​​Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches
Status: Tier II
Picture

Flathead Salamander (Desmognathus planiceps)      U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
​Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2 - 4.5 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

"Northern/Upland Dusky Clade/Complex" (Desmognathus fuscus 'complex')      C    Taxon Changes Pending Naming

Picture
​© Joe Girgente
​Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2 - 4.5 inches
Range: Abundant in the mountains and northern Piedmont, yet absent from the southern Coastal Plain
Status: Least Concern
Fuscus A
Fuscus B2
Fuscus E
Potential New Species

Wolf Dusky (Desmognathus lycos)         New Species

Picture
​© Ty Smith
​Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches
Range: Southern Coastal Plain and Piedmont
Status: Least Concern
More Info

Piedmont Dusky (Desmognathus bairdi)         New Species

Picture
​© Ty Smith
​Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches
Range: Far southern, central Piedmont
Status: Least Concern
More Info

Black Mountain Salamander (Desmognathus welteri)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 6 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture

Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monticola)     C

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3.25 - 6 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

Northern Shovel-nosed Salamander (Desmognathus marmoratus)     I

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches
Range: Mount Rogers Area
Status: Tier III

Kanawha Blackbelly Salamander (Desmognathus kanawha)     U    New Species

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 8 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

"Mountain Dusky Complex" Allegheny Mountain Dusky (Desmognathus ochrophaeus) & Blue Ridge Dusky (Desmognathus orestes)      C
​
Taxon Change Pending Naming

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2.5 - 4 inches
Status: Allegheny is Least Concern | Blue Ridge Dusky is Tier IV
Picture
More Info

Northern Pygmy Salamander (Desmognathus organi)     R

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 1.5 - 2 inches
Range: Mount Rogers Area
Status: Tier III
Picture

Northern Zigzag Salamander (Plethodon dorsalis)     I

Picture
​© Ty Smith
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

​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2 - 4 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

Big Levels Salamander (Plethodon sherando)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
​Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 4 inches
Range: Limited range along Big Levels (Augusta Co.)
Status: Least Concern
More Info

Peaks of Otter Salamander (Plethodon hubrichti)     C

Picture
​© Ty Smith
 ​Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches
Status: Tier II
Picture
More Info

Weller's Salamander (Plethodon welleri)     R

Picture
​© Ty Smith
​ 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

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 4.5 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture

"Ridge Salamander Complex" Valley and Ridge Salamander (Plethodon hoffmani) & Shenandoah Mountain Salamander (Plethodon virginia)   U 

Picture
© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3.5 - 4.5 inches
Status: Valley and Ridge is Least Concern | Shenandoah Mountain is Tier III
Picture
More Info

Shenandoah Salamander (Plethodon shenandoah)     R

Picture
© Ty Smith
​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

Picture
© Ty Smith​
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches
Status: Tier I
Picture

Cow Knob Salamander (Plethodon punctatus)     R

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 5 inches
Status: Tier I
Picture

Wehrle's Salamander (Plethodon wehrlei)     R

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 5.25 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture

Blacksburg Salamander (Plethodon jacksoni)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches
Status: Tier I
Picture

Yellow-spotted Woodland Salamander (Plethodon pauleyi)     I

Picture
​© Aidan McCarthy
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6 inches
​
Status: Not Clear Yet
Picture

Cumberland Plateau Salamander (Plethodon kentucki)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches
Status: Tier IV
Picture

Northern Slimy (Plethodon glutinosus)     C

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4.5 - 7 inches
​
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

White-spotted Slimy (Plethodon cylindraceus)     C

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4.5 - 7 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

Atlantic Coast Slimy (Plethodon chlorobryonis)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4.5 - 7 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture

Northern Gray-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon montanus)     C

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3.5 - 5 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture

Yonahlossee Salamander (Plethodon yonahlossee)     R

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4.5 - 7 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture

Hemidactyliine Salamanders (Subfamily Hemidactyliinae)

Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)     R

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2 - 3.5 inches
Range: Statewide
Status: Least Concern
Picture

Northern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata)     C

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2.5 - 3.5 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

Southern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea cirrigera)     C

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2.5 - 3.5 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea wilderae)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 2.5 - 4 inches
Status: Tier III
Picture
More Info

Three-lined Salamander (Eurycea guttolineata)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4.5 - 8 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture

Long-tailed Salamander (Eurycea longicauda)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture
More Info

Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga)     U

Picture
​© Josh Ward
​Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches
Status: Least Concern
Picture

Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: Northern Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus porphyriticus) | Blue Ridge Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus danielsi) | Kentucky Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus duryi)
Size: 5 - 7 inches
Status: Least Concern 
Picture
More Info

Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: Northern Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber ruber) | Blue Ridge Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber nitidus) 
Size: 4 - 6 inches
Status: Least Concern 
Picture

Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton montanus)     R

Picture
​© Josh Ward
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches
Range: Statewide, excluding far southwest Virginia
Status: Tier IV 

Midland Mud Salamander (Pseudotriton diastictus)     U     New Species (former subspecies)

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6.5 inches
Range: Far southwest Virginia
Status: Least Concern ​

Many-lined Salamander (Stereochilus marginatus)     I

Picture
​© Ty Smith
​Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 3 - 5 inches
Range: Southern Coastal Plain
Status: Tier IV

Newts (Family Salamandridae)

Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)     C

Recognized Subspecies in VA: Red-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens)
Size: 2.5 - 5 inches
Status: Least Concern 
Picture
More Info

Waterdogs (Family Proteidae)

Dwarf Waterdog (Necturus punctatus)     R

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6 inches
Range: Southeastern Nottoway River drainage
Status: Tier III
Picture

Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus)     R

Picture
​© Matt Keevil
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 8 - 13 inches
Range: Southwest Virginia
Status: Tier III
Picture

Giant Salamanders (Family Cryptobranchidae)

Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)     R

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis)
Size: 12 - 22 inches
Range: Southwest Virginia
Status: Tier I
Picture

Amphiumas (Family Amphiumidae)

Two-toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma means)     U

Picture
​© Ty Smith
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 16 - 42 inches
Range: Southern and central Coastal Plain 
Status: Least Concern
Picture

Sirens (Family Sirenidae)

Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia)     I

Picture
​© Ty Smith
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

Picture
​© David Weisenbeck
Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 20 - 32 inches
Range: Southern and central Coastal Plain 
Status: Tier IV
Picture
Herping Virginia encourages all naturalists to practice ethical, safe, and sustainable herping. The use of proper herping methods and techniques is beneficial to both wildlife and herpers. Visit the links below for more information.
Herping Virginia is based in Southside Virginia.
Contact: [email protected]
Facebook: Herping Virginia
Instagram: @herpingvirginia

Ethical Herping
Copyright ​© 2024 Herping Virginia 
  • Home
    • Events
  • Explore
    • Ty's Herp Guide >
      • Frogs
      • Salamanders
      • Turtles
      • Lizards
      • Snakes
    • Herping How-to's
    • Herping Resources
    • Ty's Articles
    • The Archives
    • Quizzes
  • Trip Reports
  • Herp ID Help
  • About