Seal Salamander
Encyclopedia
The seal salamander is a species of lungless salamander
native to the mid- and southeastern United States
. Its habitat includes rocky mountain streams, spring
-fed brooks in the ravines of deciduous forests, muddy sections of streams and seepages. In these areas they are typically found hiding under rocks or moss, or burrowing into muddy banks. They can also be occasionally observed perching on wet rocks. They most commonly lay their eggs under rocks or leaves in the water, but they may lay them beneath or inside of logs near the water's edge. The total adult population size of the species is assumed to exceed 100,000. The adults are less colorful than the younger ones. The larva stage lasts for nine to ten months.
and south through areas of high elevation in West Virginia
, western Maryland
, western and northern Virginia
, eastern Kentucky
, western North Carolina
, eastern Tennessee
, western South Carolina
, and northern Georgia
to central Alabama
. There are also disjunctive population
s in southern Alabama as well as at the very western end of the Florida panhandle
. In the north of its range, it has not been observed north or west of the Ohio River
.
In addition, an introduced population
is present in Benton County, Arkansas
.
Lungless salamander
The Plethodontidae, or Lungless salamanders, are a family of salamanders. Most species are native to the western hemisphere, from British Columbia to Brazil, although a few species are found in Sardinia, Europe south of the Alps, and South Korea...
native to the mid- and southeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its habitat includes rocky mountain streams, spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
-fed brooks in the ravines of deciduous forests, muddy sections of streams and seepages. In these areas they are typically found hiding under rocks or moss, or burrowing into muddy banks. They can also be occasionally observed perching on wet rocks. They most commonly lay their eggs under rocks or leaves in the water, but they may lay them beneath or inside of logs near the water's edge. The total adult population size of the species is assumed to exceed 100,000. The adults are less colorful than the younger ones. The larva stage lasts for nine to ten months.
Distribution
The seal salamander can be found from southwestern PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and south through areas of high elevation in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, western Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, western and northern Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, eastern Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, western North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, eastern Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, western South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, and northern Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
to central Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. There are also disjunctive population
Disjunctive population
A disjunctive population, in ecology, is a colony of plants or animals, whose geographical locus is severed from the continuous range of the bulk of the species distribution. Although a disjunctive population may sometimes occur on an island, which creates physical separation via water, a large...
s in southern Alabama as well as at the very western end of the Florida panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
. In the north of its range, it has not been observed north or west of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
In addition, an introduced population
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
is present in Benton County, Arkansas
Benton County, Arkansas
Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, the population was 153,406. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 population is 221,339. The county seat is Bentonville. Benton County was formed on 30 September 1836 and was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S...
.