The southeastern dwarf salamander (''Eurycea quadridigitata''), formerly known as the dwarf salamander, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

salamander Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All ten ...

native to the southern United States, ranging primarily from southern

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

south to northern

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, with some populations from southwestern

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

to eastern

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

. Some sources refer to it as the four-fingered manculus, dwarf four-toed salamander, or the Florida dwarf salamander.IUCN Red List: ''Eurycea quadridigitata''
/ref>

Taxonomy

A review of ''E. quadridigitata'' published in 2017 identified five cryptic species within ''E. quadridigitata'' based on molecular evidence.Wray, K. P., D. B. Means, and S. J. Steppan. 2017. Revision of the ''Eurycea quadridigitata'' (Holbrook 1842) complex of Dwarf Salamanders (Caudata: Plethodontidae: Hemidactyliinae) with a description of two new species. Herpetological Monographs 31: 18–46. * '' Eurycea chamberlaini'' Harrison and Guttman, 2003: North Carolina and interior areas of South Carolina * ''

Eurycea sphagnicola The bog dwarf salamander (''Eurycea sphagnicola'') is a species of salamander endemic to the southern United States. Taxonomy It was previously thought to be a population of the southeastern dwarf salamander (''E. quadridigitata'') but a 2017 ...

'' Wray, Means, and Steppan, 2017: Southern Mississippi, Alabama, and far western Florida panhandle * ''

Eurycea hillisi Hillis's dwarf salamander (''Eurycea hillisi'') is a species of salamander endemic to the southern United States. Taxonomy It was previously thought to be a population of the southeastern dwarf salamander (''E. quadridigitata'') but a 2017 st ...

'' Wray, Means, and Steppan, 2017: interior regions of Alabama and Georgia * '' Eurycea paludicola'' (Mittleman, 1947): Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas * ''Eurycea quadridigitata'' ''

sensu stricto ''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular co ...

'' (Holbrook, 1842): North Carolina south to Florida, west to Louisiana

Description

The southeastern dwarf salamander grows from 2.0 to 3.5 inches in length. It has a slender body and a long tail. It is typically yellow-brown in color with darker brown blotching and dark stripes down each side, but the pattern and coloration can vary widely. The epithet ''quadridigitata'' is to denote that each of its feet has four toes.

Behavior

The southeastern dwarf salamander prefers habitats of swampy pine woods. It is

nocturnal Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...

and spends most of its time under leaf litter or forest floor debris. Breeding occurs in the fall, with 12 to 48

eggs Humans and human ancestors have scavenged and eaten animal eggs for millions of years. Humans in Southeast Asia had domesticated chickens and harvested their eggs for food by 1,500 BCE. The most widely consumed eggs are those of fowl, especial ...

being laid singly or in small clutches attached to submerged debris in shallow, slow moving or still water.

References

Quadridigitata Endemic fauna of the United States Fauna of the Southeastern United States Amphibians described in 1842 {{Plethodontidae-stub