Black mountain salamander facts for kids
The black mountain salamander (Desmognathus welteri) is a type of salamander that lives in the Plethodontidae family. These salamanders are special because they don't have lungs and breathe through their skin and mouth!
Quick facts for kids Black mountain salamander |
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Where It Lives
The black mountain salamander is found only in a specific area called the southern Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern United States. When we say it's "endemic" to this area, it means it naturally lives nowhere else in the world.
Its Home
This salamander lives in cool, wet places. Its favorite spots are temperate forests, rivers, freshwater marshes, and springs. It likes wooded mountain areas. You can often find it hiding under rocks and logs. It prefers swift-flowing streams, small pools, and wet ditches.
Its Range
The black mountain salamander lives in an area of the Appalachian Mountains that covers about 20,000 square kilometers (about 7,700 square miles). This area includes eastern Kentucky, southwestern Virginia, and eastern Tennessee. It can be found at different heights, from about 300 to 1,220 meters (about 980 to 4,000 feet) above sea level.
Neighbors
This salamander shares its home with other types of salamanders. These include the seal salamander (Desmognathus monticola) and the northern dusky salamander (Desmognathus fuscus). These two usually spend more time on land. The black mountain salamander also lives near the blackbelly salamander (Desmognathus quadramaculatus), which also likes to live in water.
What It Looks Like
The black mountain salamander is one of several similar-looking dusky salamanders. They all live in the same upland areas. This salamander has a strong body. It is about 12 centimeters (about 4.7 inches) long. It has short, sturdy legs.
Colors and Patterns
Its color can change, but its upper body is usually light or medium brown. It often has faint, lighter markings. The underside of its body is whitish. It has dark spots and blotches there.
How It Grows and Lives
We don't know much about how black mountain salamanders find partners. But we do know that they have babies in the spring or summer.
Laying Eggs
The female salamander lays groups of eggs. She places them in or near small, fast-flowing streams. She might also put them in moist cracks or among wet leaves near the water. About 25 eggs are laid together. They are attached to each other like a bunch of grapes. The eggs have large yolks, which help the larvae grow inside. The mother salamander stays with her eggs. She guards them until they hatch.
Young Salamanders
The young salamanders, called larvae, live in the water. They usually stay in calm, shallow parts of streams. They spend about 20 to 24 months as larvae. After this time, they change into their adult form. This change is called metamorphosis.
Young salamanders often live in deeper water than adults. Or they might spend more time on land. This could be to avoid competing for food with adults. It might also help them avoid blackbelly salamanders, which sometimes eat other salamanders.
Lifespan
Black mountain salamanders are thought to become adults at four to five years old. At this age, they are about 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) long from their snout to their vent (a small opening on their body). They have been known to live for up to 20 years when cared for by humans.
What It Eats
The black mountain salamander is very good at hiding during the day. It probably hunts for food mostly at night. Its diet mainly includes flies, beetles, and other insects. It also eats the young forms (larvae) of flies, butterflies, and moths.
Its Status
The number of black mountain salamanders seems to be steady. Or it might be going down just a little bit. We don't have many detailed studies about them yet. The areas where they live don't have many people. This means their homes are not usually in danger.
However, building roads and mining can cause more dirt and mud (called silting) in some streams. This can harm their habitat. In West Virginia, for example, this salamander is probably rare now.
