A small salamander endemic to specific Appalachian forests.

Also called: Pigmy Salamander, Pygmy Salamander

Native status: Native to southern Appalachian peaks

§ Quick facts

SizeTotal length 4–7 cm
Weight1–4 g
LifespanWild 6–10 years
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae

§ Encyclopedia

The pygmy salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the United States in the southern Appalachians in North Carolina and Tennessee. Desmognathus wrighti is a member of the family Plethodontidae and is commonly known as the pygmy salamander. As the name suggest the pygmy salamander is the smallest of the nineteen species in the genus Desmognathus. D. wrighti undergoes direct development and does not have a free-living larval stage. Only two other taxa in Desmognathus, D. aeneus and D. organi, exhibit direct development along with the pygmy salamander. In the genus Desmognathus, body size, habitat preferences, and patterns used by males during courtship are quite variable. D. wrighti courtship is noted by the male biting and seizing its partner in order to provide them with a chemical stimulus. The pygmy salamander can be found in the southern Appalachians of the United States in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Geographical distribution of the Desmognathus wrighti is fragmented and the highest abundance of the species can be found at high elevations in spruce and fir tree forest.

Source: Wikipedia — Pygmy salamander Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Tiny brown-gray salamander with bronze flecks; small body and tail.

Similar species. Other small Desmognathus species (subtle differences).

Voice. Silent.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Tiny invertebrates.

Behavior. Smallest US salamander. Entirely terrestrial — direct development of eggs in moist soil; no aquatic larval stage. Endemic to Smoky Mountains and adjacent peaks.

§ Range

Southern Appalachian Mountains

§ Habitat

High-elevation forests

§ Threats

Forest loss.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the pigmy salamander is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Support southern Appalachian conservation.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • AmphibiaWeb
  • Davidson College Herpetology Lab
  • IUCN Red List 2014