Dusky salamanders may bite a threatening predator. In one study, brooding female D. f. fuscus returned to their nests after being displaced as much as 32 meters. Then the male will produce a spermatophore to be picked up by the female. (Bishop, 1941; Gibbs, et al., 2007; Hulse, et al., 2001; Petranka, 1998). Northern dusky salamanders occur from southern New Brunswick and Quebec, along the East Coast to North Carolina, and west to Ohio, southern Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The importance of comparative phylogeography in diagnosing introduced species: a lesson from the seal salamander, Desmognathus monticola. After two or three years, males will be reproductively mature. The Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State: Identification, Natural History, and Conservation. On moist evenings, salamanders are active from dusk to dawn. Amphibians and Reptiles of Pennsylvania and the Northeast. After two or three years, males will be reproductively mature. having the capacity to move from one place to another. . 1997. The male deposits a jellylike, sperm-capped glob (called a spermatophore) onto the ground. 2001. Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web. BMC Ecology, 7(7): Published Online. Gainseville, Florida: University Press of Florida. (Bartlett and Bartlett, 2006; Bonett, et al., 2007; Conant and Collins, 1998; Harding, 1997; Hulse, et al., 2001; Petranka, 1998), Hybridization sometimes occurs between D. fuscus and a close relative, mountain dusky salamanders (Desmognathus ochrophaeus) in Pennsylvania and Ohio. The diet is fairly nonspecific, and they tend to eat whatever is in abundance. However they can survive in moist terrestrial environments for some time if required, and might even go through metamorphosis on land. Topics Most authorities now consider these to be separate species. The act or condition of passing winter in a torpid or resting state, typically involving the abandonment of homoiothermy in mammals. Washington: Smithsonian Institute Press. Other species that have been found to coexist with D. fuscus are seal salamanders (D. monticola), Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders (D. ochrophaeus), southern dusky salamanders (D. auriculatus), and northern two-lined salamanders (Eurycea bislineata). They also have slippery skins which makes grasping by predators difficult. "Desmognathus fuscus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Dusky salamanders can survive at a variety of altitudes, ranging from sea level to high in the Appalachian Mountains. It is a partnership of the University of Michigan School of Education, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, and the Detroit Public Schools. The Animal Diversity Web team is excited to announce ADW Pocket Guides! mature spermatozoa are stored by females following copulation. It is thought that the groove between the nose and the lip in these salamanders helps them smell prey and potential mates. 2007. They have a knife-like tail that is less than half the body length. New York: Oxford University Press. 2006. Dusky salamanders are prey to a number of animal species representing many vertebrate (and perhaps some invertebrate) groups, including mammals, snakes, birds, and larger amphibians. The average length for a male D. fuscus is 9.4 cm, and the average length for a female is 8.6 cm. BioKIDS home  |  Questions? Desmognathus fuscus recently included three subspecies, which continued the range to the Gulf Coast. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web. 324. having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. The sperm is stored in her until the fall or the next spring. fertilization takes place within the female's body. Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. Guide and Reference to the Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America (North of Mexico). Dusky salamander larvae eat crustaceans, insect larvae, copepods, and mites. Dusky salamanders can move quickly and are good jumpers. (Bishop, 1941; Gibbs, et al., 2007; Hulse, et al., 2001; Petranka, 1998), Adult dusky salamanders have a small home range, and an individual may move only a couple of meters over a period of several months. communicates by producing scents from special gland(s) and placing them on a surface whether others can smell or taste them, breeding is confined to a particular season, reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female. The overall effects of bait collection are unknown, but this activity may certainly impact local populations, especially if collection techniques (such as rock turning) disrupt the local habitat. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. Contributor Galleries Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. (Hulse, et al., 2001; Petranka, 1998). An animal that eats mainly insects or spiders. The base of the tail is olive, yellow, or bright chestnut. (Bartlett and Bartlett, 2006; Bishop, 1941; Gibbs, et al., 2007; Harding, 1997; Hom, 1987; Hulse, et al., 2001; Petranka, 1998), Dusky salamanders are second and third order consumers that eat a wide variety of small terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates. But they are threatened in some areas by tree removal, which exposes the area to sun, increasing the water temperature and decreasing the humidity. New York: Oxford University Press. The importance of comparative phylogeography in diagnosing introduced species: a lesson from the seal salamander, Desmognathus monticola. The upper body is brown or reddish brown to gray or olive, with slightly darker markings on the top and sides. Analysis of the contact zone between the dusky salamanders Desmognathus fuscus and Desmognathus conanti December 05, 2008 Hannah Edwards (author), Michigan State University, James Harding (editor, instructor), Michigan State University. The three traditional subspecies are very similar in physical appearance, with only subtle differences. Hom, C. 1987. In the Great Smoky Mountains they are uncommon over 1200 m in elevation. A large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows. Males are typically longer than females.