Holbrook's southern dusky salamander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holbrook's southern dusky salamander |
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The Holbrook's southern dusky salamander (Desmognathus auriculatus) is a type of salamander found only in the southeastern United States. It was once known simply as the southern dusky salamander. Older books sometimes called it the "eared triton." This salamander used to be very common, but its numbers have dropped a lot since the 1960s.
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About the Holbrook's Southern Dusky Salamander
How Scientists Study This Salamander
For a long time, scientists thought the southern dusky salamander was just one species. They believed it lived from Virginia all the way down to Florida and west to Texas.
However, in 2008, a new study showed something different. It turned out that many salamanders that looked similar were actually different species. For example, the salamanders found in Texas were actually a different kind, called the spotted dusky salamander.
Scientists also found that some populations thought to be this species were actually northern dusky salamanders or even new species that hadn't been named yet. In 2017, one of these new species was named Valentine's southern dusky salamander.
How It Got Its Name
The Holbrook's southern dusky salamander was first described by a scientist named John Edwards Holbrook. In 2017, it was officially renamed after him. This helped to tell it apart from the newly identified D. valentinei.
There was also a type of northern dusky salamander called Desmognathus fuscus carri. It was thought to live in Florida but disappeared in the 1970s. Recent studies show that this salamander was actually a unique group within the Holbrook's southern dusky salamander species.
Where Holbrook's Southern Dusky Salamanders Live
The Holbrook's southern dusky salamander lives along the Atlantic coastal plain. This area stretches from southern Virginia down to Florida and west to the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama.
However, the "true" Holbrook's southern dusky salamander (D. auriculatus sensu stricto) has a smaller range. It lives from southern Georgia south to peninsular Florida. It also lives west to the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama. Other populations further north are likely different, unnamed species.
What Holbrook's Southern Dusky Salamanders Look Like
This salamander can grow to be about 3 to 6 inches long. It usually has a dark brown or black color. It has a long tail. You might notice that its back legs are bigger than its front legs.
Behavior and Life Cycle
Where They Live and What They Do
Holbrook's southern dusky salamanders like to live in swampy areas. They prefer places near ponds or on the floodplains of streams and rivers. These areas often have water that looks tea-colored because of natural acids from plants.
These salamanders are mostly active at night. This means they are nocturnal.
Reproduction
Breeding for these salamanders happens in the fall months. The females lay their eggs in damp, safe spots. They often choose places hidden among ground debris, like fallen leaves or logs.
Threats to Holbrook's Southern Dusky Salamanders
The "true" Holbrook's southern dusky salamander used to be very common. But since the late 1960s and 1970s, its numbers have dropped a lot. This has happened even in places where their habitat is still good and undisturbed.
Today, they are found in less than 1 percent of the areas where they used to live. While some can still be found in southern Georgia and northern Florida, they seem to have completely disappeared from peninsular Florida.
The exact reasons for this big decline are still a mystery. Other salamanders living in the same areas, including other Desmognathus species, have not seen the same kind of population drops. Scientists are still working to understand why this specific salamander is disappearing.
