Seal Salamander Desmognathus monticola (Dunn, 1916)    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Amphibia   >   Order Caudata   >   Family Plethodontidae   >   Genus Desmognathus   

Status:

Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monticola) is a stout, heavy-bodied Desmognathus, with bulging eyes and a keeled tail. The oddly robust, portly shape is said to be reminiscent of a seal. As with other members of the genus, coloration is extremely variable. Generally strongly-marked, this species also shows a strongly-demarcated pale belly. Seal Salamanders in Maryland are restricted to in Garrett and Allegany Counties, where they inhabit banks of cool, well-oxygenated streams. They spend the day resting in burrows, and are primarily nocturnal (Conant & Collins, 1998; Maryland DNR site). This salamander breeds from autumn into early spring.

There are 150 records in the project database.

View taxon at iNaturalist

View taxon at NatureServe

Search Google Images

Search MBP Facebook posts (beta | requires login)


[View seasonality details]
GA AL WAFRCLMOHOBABCHACEPGAACVCHSMKEQACNTADOWISOWO
A Seal Salamander in Sullivan Co., Tennessee (7/2007). Photo by Corey Raimond. (MBP list)

A Seal Salamander in Mount Rogers NRA, Virginia (5/24/2008). Photo by Steve Collins. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Justin Lee, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Justin Lee via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (9/3/2022). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (4/15/2022). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (4/15/2022). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Seal Salamander in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Justin Lee, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Justin Lee via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


View All Images

Use of images featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.