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.
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Confused by DWR's Species of Greatest Conservation Need tier listings? Check out their site here for a breakdown. 

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"Basal Salamanders"

Giant Salamanders (Family Cryptobranchidae)

Giant Salamanders and Sirens are considered by some to not be salamanders. This is due to them being the outgroups to the "Typical Salamanders" and retaining some features shared with primitive amphibians and not other salamanders (such as external fertilization). There are many ways of organizing them, but we put them with the salamanders for simplicity. 

Sirens (Family Sirenidae)

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"Typical Salamanders"

Mole Salamanders (Family Ambystomatidae)

Newts (Family Salamandridae)

Note: Juvenile Eastern Newts (efts) are brightly colored and terrestrial.

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Waterdogs (Family Proteidae)

Amphiumas (Family Amphiumidae)

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Plethodontine Salamanders (Subfamily Plethodontinae)

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The Eastern Red-backed Salamander has many color forms. Many specimens lack a dorsal stripe, while a few have yellow or white stripes.

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Hemidactyliine Salamanders (Subfamily Hemidactyliinae)