photo by Zach Felix
New River Gorge, Summers County, WV
Blackbelly Salamander
Desmognathus quadramaculatus
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| Species Description: This
salmander may reach total lengths of up to 8 inches (20.3 cm), though individuals
in West Virginia tend to be smaller than those found in the southern Appalachians.
They are rusty-brown above with slate black bellies as adults. Juveniles
and subadults have plain, light colored bellies. Two rows of small
dots are visible along the sides. The tail is shaply keeled, with
a high fin on top. In old individuals the head is lighter than the
rest of the body.
Habitat: Blackbelly salamanders are the most aquatic of the Desmognathus. They are usually found only in swift moving, high gradient, streams in mountainous regions. In some streams they are only found around waterfalls. They can be seen during the day sitting on rocks near waterfalls, in the spray of the cascading water. Breeding Activity: Females remain with their eggs which are laid under rocks or logs in the stream bed. The eggs are attached individually to their substrate and are usually in a cluster of 20 - 40. The eggs hatch in late summer or early fall and the larval period lasts about 2 years. Since the larval period is so long in this species, larvae attain large sizes and are easily distinguished from most other stream dwelling salamander larvae. Range: West Virginia represents the northern range limit of the blackbelly salamander. They are only found in streams which are tributaries of the New River, lower Bluestone, and lower Greenbrier Rivers. The northern most populations are found near Kanawha Falls on the Kanawha River. Status: Species of Special Concern |
