Pseudotriton ruber
red salamander

Pseudotriton ruber is found in the Eastern United States from Northern Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, to western Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Southen New York. Pseudotriton ruber is usually found between sea level and 1500 ft. Although specimens are rare above 1200 ft. populations have be found near 3900 ft (Conant and Collins, 1998; Harding, 1997).

The Red Salamander can be found in terrestrial or aquatic environments, but are aquatic in winter. In the terrestrial environment they can typically be found in wooded areas under fallen bark, logs, and rocks. Their aquatic preference is in the leaf litter of clean running, cool streams and brooks (Harding, 1997; Petranka, 1998).

Pseudotriton ruber is a stout-bodied, medium-sized salamander ranging between four and seven inches (10 to 18 cm) in length. There are a few major field marks that can be used to identify this salamander. The dorsum and sides of this salamander vary from a purplish brown to a bright crimson red. Younger specimens are brighter in color, while adults tend to darken with age. The dorsum is also covered with irregularly shaped dark spots or dashes. There are five toes located on the hindlimbs and four toes on the forelimbs. There is also a slight mid-dorsal grove and sixteen or seventeen costal grooves (Conant and Collins, 1998; Harding, 1997).

The major natural predators of the Red Salamander include woodland birds, skunks, and raccoons. When approached the salamander assumes a defensive posture in which it curls its body while elevating and extending its rear limbs. It then places its head in a protective position below its undulating and elevated tail. Secretions of the cutaneous poison glands are presumably toxic or repellent to certain predators.

(Pfingsten and Downs, 1989; Harding, 1997; Petranka, 1998).

This salamander is a carnivore, feeding on small insects, worms, and other invertebrates, and occasionally smaller salamanders. Larvae eat small aquatic invertebrates One interesting adaptation of this salamander is a projectile tongue, which it can extend and return in 11 milliseconds. The salamander also lunges forward during prey capture. Pseudotriton ruber can be found searching for prey during and after rain events, especially at night. (Pfingsten and Downs, 1989; Harding, 1997; Petranka, 1998).

Woodland salamanders play a significant ecological role as predators, prey, and cyclers of nutrients in the woodland and stream habitats they live in (Petranka, 1998).

Because Pseudotriton ruber requires intact deciduous forests and clean streams, this species can be severly impacted by deforestation, pollution, acid drainage from coal mines, and stream siltation and warming (Harding, 1997).