Hemidactylium scutatum
Home Back to the Salamanders
photo by Zach Felix
| Species Description: Four-toed
salamanders are small, only reaching about 4 inches (10 cm) long.
They are rusty brown above with an enamel white belly with scattered black
markings extending to the tail. There is a distinct constriction
at the base of the tail. Like the name says, the hind feet only have
fourt toes. The four-toed's head appears shorter and more stubby
than most salamanders.
Habitat: You can find four-toed salamanders in hardwood forests during the summer. During the spring the females migrate to sphagnum bogs or to a vernal pool to breed. They can be found by lifting up pieces of moss around the edge of the water. Breeding Activity: Mating takes place in September and October and the following spring the females migrate to shagnum bogs or to vernal pools within the forest. The female deposits up to 40 eggs, attaching them singly to the moss. More than one female may deposit her eggs in a single nest. In 1934, Blanchard found one nest with 1,110 eggs within it. Only one female stays to guard the nest, however. The eggs take about five weeks to hatch and the larval stage lasts about six weeks. Sexual maturity is reached within about 2.5 years. Range: In West Virginia, the four-toed salamander is common in some areas and probably occurs throughout the state. |
