The Montseny Brook Newt is native to the Montseny Massif in Northeast Spain. They primarily inhabit cold, fast-moving rivers with low nutrient levels, indicating they are strictly aquatic in nature. It was distinctively recognized as its own species, separate from the Pyrenean brook salamander, in 2005.
Displaying a chocolate-colored back, this species has a flattened head, and its body is oval-shaped with minimal dorsoventral compression. If they feel threatened, these newts secret a white, sticky, highly odorous substance, likely intended to deter predators.
Regrettably, the Montseny Brook newt is critically endangered, with fewer than 1,500 in the wild. Their survival is primarily challenged by the desiccation of their mountain stream habitats.
As the largest among the Siren family, the Greater Siren, found in North America's southeastern coastal plains, can measure up to 38 inches. It demonstrates paedomorphism, retaining external gills their entire life and lacking hindlimbs, pelvic girdle, and eyelids while sporting an unfused pectoral girdle.
Greater sirens are nocturnal hunters, preferring invertebrates such as insects, crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish, thus taking a midlevel predator role in the aquatic food web. .
The Pacific Giant Salamander, a large species endemic to the Pacific Northwest in North America, can grow up to 13.4 inches. It typically has dark brown to black backs, adorned by light brown spots or marbling, and lighter underbellies.
This salamander prefers semi-aquatic habitats, favoring small-to-mid-sized streams and riverside forests.
Pacific Giant Salamanders get vocal if disturbed, emitting a distinct "bark." Adopting a defensive pose, it arches its body, thrashes its tail, and when the need arises, repels predators by secreting a noxious substance. Adults can also head-butt and bite.
The Red-backed Salamander mostly lives on land, mainly on the forest floors of eastern North America. It has a bright red or orange stripe on its body that helps it blend in with the leaf litter. Another morph called Lead Salamanders shows no red pigmentations. Both have speckled undersides.
Interestingly, it is a part of the Plethodontidae family, which comprises lungless salamanders. Their respiration method is breathing through their skin and mouth.
These terrestrial salamanders primarily feed on insects such as centipedes, spiders, and snails.
The Northern Slimy Salamander is also known as the Viscid Salamander, Grey-spotted Salamander, or Sticky Salamander. It lives in the leaf-strewn forests in the Northeastern United States. It has a long, slim body with dark hues and silver or white specks on its skin.
This lungless salamander primarily feeds on ants and beetles. Since it is a terrestrial species, it skips the aquatic larval stage of development. It prefers to live alone and only interacts during the mating season.
Northern slimy salamanders secrete adhesive-bound substances, impeding attackers' movement and biting capacity. They also respond to threats with body flips, tail lashes, and vocalizations.
The Southern Slimy Salamander lives in the southeastern United States, from southern South Carolina to central Florida. The salamander is named after Arnold B. Grobmani, a zoologist who studied these creatures.
It is black or brown, covered with white or silver spots, and feeds primarily on small invertebrates. Similar to its northern cousins, its unique defense mechanism involves secreting a sticky substance when threatened.
The Red Salamander lives in the slow-moving waters, tranquil springs, swamps, and damp woodland terrains of the eastern United States.
These lungless salamanders, varying in color from bright red to orange-brown, darken and lose their distinct patterns with age. Unlike mud salamanders, they have more and larger dorsal spots, a gold-tinted iris with a horizontal bar, and a more pointed snout.
Fire Salamanders have black skin and bright yellow or orange markings, which deter predators. They live in the forests of Central and Southern Europe, where they spend their days hiding in logs, rocks, or burrows.
Its main toxin, samandarin, triggers severe muscle convulsions, hypertension, and hyperventilation in vertebrates. Further analysis of its skin secretions revealed another alkaloid called samandarone5.
The Alpine Salamander lives in the European Alps and is distinguishable by its jet-black body. It has adapted to the region's rugged peaks and lush forests, with altitudes ranging from 2,300 to 6,600 feet.
Interestingly, Alpine salamanders follow the viviparous reproductive method6, which allows them to give birth to live young. This is a trait uncommon in other amphibians.
The Northern Dusky Salamander, a resident of eastern North America from New Brunswick to South Carolina, adapts its living environments depending on its geographic location.
In the north, it thrives in rocky woodland streams, seepage, and springs, while in the south, it gravitates toward upland stream sloughs, floodplains, and muddy areas.
The lungless salamander sports an upper body hue shifting from reddish-brown to gray or olive and a white or gray underside sprinkled with dark spots. Variously colored stripes embellish its body and tail.
Its diet depends on what's available, reflecting its nature as a feeding generalist. Despite being prone to predation, its ability for tail autonomy offers some level of protection, compensating for its lack of chemical defense mechanisms.
The Holbrook's Southern Dusky Salamander is endemic to the southeastern United States. Thriving in swampy areas with tannic waters near ponds, streams, or river flood plains, these creatures follow a largely nocturnal lifestyle.
These lungless salamanders have stout bodies, relatively larger back legs, and a row of white spots lining each side of their bodies. Their color varies, ranging from dark brown to black, often accompanied by white-flecked undersides and lighter patches running down their backs.
Since they look so similar to Northern and Spotted Duskies, you can only tell them apart by where they live.
The Southern Torrent Salamander, being a native of the Pacific Northwest, lives in high-oxygen, slow-flowing aquatic environments like mountain brooks and seeps for survival. With the lowest desiccation tolerance among North American salamanders, it struggles with extreme temperatures and low moisture levels.
Adorned with brown shades and darker spots on the dorsal side, it presents a slightly yellowish hue on the ventral side. Metallic flecks further highlight its forward-facing, large, dark eyes.
Amphipods and springtails make up their main diet. This pattern is consistent throughout their life stages, including the larval stage. On the other hand, natural threats to Southern Torrent Salamanders include the Pacific giant salamanders, garter snakes, and salmonid fishes.
