Blacksburg salamander facts for kids

The Blacksburg salamander (Plethodon jacksoni) is a cool type of salamander that lives in the Appalachian Mountains. It's part of a group called Plethodontidae, which means they don't have lungs! Instead, they breathe through their skin. This special salamander is only found in a small area of the southeastern United States, specifically in southwestern Virginia and northwestern North Carolina. It got its name because the first one ever officially recorded was found near the town of Blacksburg, Virginia. These salamanders love living in temperate forests, which are forests with moderate temperatures and rainfall.

Discovering the Blacksburg Salamander

For a long time, scientists thought the Blacksburg salamander was just a southern version of another salamander called the Wehrle's salamander (P. wehrlei). They were grouped together for many years. However, in 2019, a new scientific study looked closely at these salamanders. This study showed that the Blacksburg salamander is actually its own unique species.

Scientists are still learning more about the Blacksburg salamander. The very first official example of this species, called a holotype, was collected in Montgomery County, Virginia. This helps scientists compare new findings to the original discovery.