List of amphibians of North Carolina facts for kids
North Carolina is home to many amazing amphibians! These are special creatures that can live both in water and on land. They start their lives in water, often as eggs and then larvae (like tadpoles), and later develop lungs to breathe air. This list shows you the different kinds of amphibians, like salamanders and frogs, that you can find in North Carolina. It's based on information from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
Salamanders: Amazing Amphibians
Salamanders are a type of amphibian that usually have long bodies, four legs, and a tail. They look a bit like lizards, but their skin is smooth and moist, not scaly. Most salamanders need to keep their skin wet to breathe.
Caudata: The Order of Salamanders
In science, animals are grouped into "orders" and "families" to help us understand how they are related. All salamanders belong to the order called Caudata. Below are the different families of salamanders found in North Carolina.
Sirenidae: The Sirens
Sirens are unique salamanders that look a bit like eels. They have feathery gills on the outside of their bodies and only front legs. They live in water all the time.
- Eastern lesser siren Siren intermedia intermedia
- Greater siren Siren lacertina
Cryptobranchidae: Giant Salamanders
This family includes some of the largest salamanders in the world! They have flat bodies and wrinkled skin, which helps them absorb oxygen from the water.
- Eastern hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis
Proteidae: Waterdogs and Mudpuppies
These salamanders also live in water their whole lives and keep their feathery gills. They are often called "waterdogs" or "mudpuppies" because people used to think they barked!
- Neuse River waterdog Necturus lewisi
- Common mudpuppy Necturus maculosus maculosus
- Dwarf waterdog Necturus punctatus
Amphiumidae: Eel-like Amphiumas
Amphiumas are very long, eel-shaped salamanders with tiny legs. They live in muddy waters and can survive droughts by burrowing into the mud.
- Two-toed amphiuma Amphiuma means
Ambystomatidae: Mole Salamanders
Many salamanders in this family spend most of their lives underground, like moles! They only come out to breed, usually after heavy rains.
- Mabee's salamander Ambystoma mabeei
- Spotted salamander Ambystoma maculatum
- Marbled salamander Ambystoma opacum
- Mole salamander Ambystoma talpoideum
- Eastern tiger salamander Ambystoma tigrinum
Salamandridae: Newts
Newts are a type of salamander that often have a rougher skin texture than other salamanders. Many newts have a complex life cycle, living in water as larvae, then on land as juveniles (called "efts"), and finally returning to water as adults.
- Red-spotted newt Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens
- Broken-striped newt Notophthalmus viridescens dorsalis
Plethodontidae: Lungless Salamanders
This is the largest family of salamanders, and they are special because they don't have lungs! They breathe entirely through their skin and the lining of their mouths. This means they need to stay in moist environments.
- Green salamander Aneides aeneus
- Seepage salamander Desmognathus aeneus
- Holbrook's southern dusky salamander Desmognathus auriculatus
- Carolina mountain dusky salamander Desmognathus carolinensis
- Spotted dusky salamander Desmognathus conanti
- Dwarf black-bellied salamander Desmognathus folkertsi
- Northern dusky salamander Desmognathus fuscus
- Imitator salamander Desmognathus imitator
- Shovel-nosed salamander Desmognathus marmoratus
- Seal salamander Desmognathus monticola
- Ocoee salamander Desmognathus ocoee
- Blue Ridge dusky salamander Desmognathus orestes
- Northern pygmy salamander Desmognathus organi
- Black-bellied salamander Desmognathus quadramaculatus
- Santeetlah dusky salamander Desmognathus santeetlah
- Pygmy salamander Desmognathus wrighti
- Chamberlain's dwarf salamander Eurycea chamberlaini
- Southern two-lined salamander Eurycea cirrigera
- Three-lined salamander Eurycea guttolineata
- Junaluska salamander Eurycea junaluska
- Long-tailed salamander Eurycea longicauda
- Southeastern dwarf salamander Eurycea quadridigitata
- Blue Ridge two-lined salamander Eurycea wilderae
- Blue Ridge spring salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus danielsi
- Carolina spring salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus dunni
- Northern spring salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus porphyriticus
- Four-toed salamander Hemidactylium scutatum
- Blue Ridge gray-cheeked salamander Plethodon amplus
- Tellico salamander Plethodon aureolus
- Chattahoochee slimy salamander Plethodon chattahoochee
- Cheoah Bald salamander Plethodon cheoah
- Atlantic Coast slimy salamander Plethodon chlorobryonis
- Eastern red-backed salamander Plethodon cinereus
- White-spotted slimy salamander Plethodon cylindraceus
- Northern slimy salamander Plethodon glutinosus
- Red-cheeked salamander Plethodon jordani
- South Mountain gray-cheeked salamander Plethodon meridianus
- Southern gray-cheeked salamander Plethodon metcalfi
- Northern gray-cheeked salamander Plethodon montanus
- Southern ravine salamander Plethodon richmondi
- Southern red-backed salamander Plethodon serratus
- Red-legged salamander Plethodon shermani
- Southern Appalachian salamander Plethodon teyahalee
- Southern zigzag salamander Plethodon ventralis
- Wehrle's salamander Plethodon wehrlei
- Weller's salamander Plethodon welleri
- Yonahlossee salamander Plethodon yonahlossee
- Mud salamander Pseudotriton montanus
- Blue Ridge red salamander Pseudotriton ruber nitidus
- Northern red salamander Pseudotriton ruber ruber
- Black-chinned red salamander Pseudotriton ruber schencki
- Many-lined salamander Stereochilus marginatus
Frogs: Leaping Wonders
Frogs are another type of amphibian, known for their powerful jumping legs and loud calls. They also start their lives in water as tadpoles before changing into their adult form.
Anura: The Order of Frogs and Toads
All frogs and toads belong to the order called Anura, which means "without a tail." Here are the different families of frogs and toads found in North Carolina.
Scaphiopodidae: Spadefoot Toads
These toads are special because they have a hard, spade-like growth on their back feet. They use this "spade" to dig backwards into the soil, where they spend most of their time.
- Eastern spadefoot Scaphiopus holbrookii
Bufonidae: True Toads
Toads in this family are often chunky with warty, dry skin. They usually have parotoid glands behind their eyes that can release a mild toxin to protect them from predators.
- Eastern American toad Anaxyrus americanus americanus
- Fowler's toad Anaxyrus fowleri
- Oak toad Anaxyrus quercicus
- Southern toad Anaxyrus terrestris
Hylidae: Treefrogs
Treefrogs are usually small and slender, with sticky toe pads that help them climb trees and other surfaces. Many of them are excellent camouflagers, blending in with their surroundings.
- Eastern cricket frog Acris crepitans
- Southern cricket frog Acris gryllus
- Pine Barrens treefrog Hyla andersonii
- Cope's gray treefrog Hyla chrysoscelis
- Green treefrog Hyla cinerea
- Pine woods treefrog Hyla femoralis
- Barking treefrog Hyla gratiosa
- Squirrel treefrog Hyla squirella
- Gray treefrog Hyla versicolor
- Mountain chorus frog Pseudacris brachyphona
- Brimley's chorus frog Pseudacris brimleyi
- Spring peeper Pseudacris crucifer
- Upland chorus frog Pseudacris feriarum
- Southern chorus frog Pseudacris nigrita
- Little grass frog Pseudacris ocularis
- Ornate chorus frog Pseudacris ornata
Microhylidae: Narrow-mouthed Toads
These are small, plump frogs with tiny heads and narrow mouths. They often eat ants and termites.
- Eastern narrow-mouthed toad Gastrophryne carolinensis
Ranidae: True Frogs
This family includes many of the common frogs you might see, like bullfrogs and green frogs. They typically have smooth skin and strong legs for jumping.
- Gopher frog Lithobates capito
- American bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus
- Green frog Lithobates clamitans
- River frog Lithobates heckscheri
- Pickerel frog Lithobates palustris
- Southern leopard frog Lithobates sphenocephalus
- Wood frog Lithobates sylvaticus
- Carpenter frog Lithobates virgatipes
