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Mud Salamander

Fact File

Scientific Name: Pseudotriton montanus

Classification: Amphibian

Conservation Status:

Size: Up to 8 inches

Identifying Characteristics

A large, stout body that varies in color. Young adults are bright red or orange with dark spots. In older adults the background color becomes suffused with brown, which gives them a muddy red appearance. Belly is light orange to pinkish orange and adults may or may not have spots. Eyes are brown.

Distribution:

Two subspecies of Mud Salamander occur in Virginia; the Midland Mud Salamander (P. m. diastictus) and the Eastern Mud Salamander (P. m. montanus). The former occurs in southwest Virginia, while the latter occurs throughout much of the Coastal Plain. They inhabit a variety of wetlands with mucky or muddy bottoms.

Reproduction and juvenile behavior

Mud Salamanders have an average clutch size of 129 eggs, which is one of the largest clutch sizes of any North American woodland salamander.

Role in the Web of Life

Mud Salamanders have an average clutch size of 129 eggs, which is one of the largest clutch sizes of any North American woodland salamander.

Last updated: January 19, 2024

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