Scott Bar Salamander

Plethodon asupak

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Scott bar salamander is robust, average-sized salamander with long limbs growing up to 61 mm for males and 67mm for females, with its tails taking up about 50.6mm of the…

How to identify

Scott bar salamander is robust, average-sized salamander with long limbs growing up to 61 mm for males and 67mm for females, with its tails taking up about 50.6mm of the length for males and 57 mm for the females. It has a relatively long hind limb and forelimb. It has brown or bronze dorsal stripe which extends from its heads to its tails and underparts with dark gray or purplish blotching. Its sides are brown colored. It usually has gold spotting on its sides and limbs. It also has gold flecks on the upper and lower region of its eyes. This specie of salamander lacks lungs but respires through its moist skin.

Range

These specie of salamander are restricted to a very small range in the Scott River drainage.Scott bar salamanders are found in California. It has also been spotted in some areas near the confluence of the Klamath and Scott Rivers hence the name Scott bar salamander.

Habitat

This specie inhabits in the forest, in shaded, moss-covered talus slopes mixed with evergreen and montane fir forests. They could also be found in mill creeks. Its reproduction pattern is poorly studied but likely similar to that of Plethodon elongatus whose mating occurs in the fall through early spring. Eggs are laid in spring or early summer. They feed on various invertebrates.

Similar species

Plethodon stormi (Siskiyou mountain salamander) The siskiyou mountain salamander is brown colored by nature with white speckles, it is about 90mm long excluding the tail. It is also a lung-less specie and respires through its moist skin. Plethodon elongatus (Del Norte salamander) It is a medium-sized salamander measuring 150mm in total length including the tail. It is black or dark brown color in nature with a reddish mid-dorsal stripe extending from head to tail. Plethodon jordani (Red-cheeked salamander) Its dorsal varies from gray to bluish-black and the back is usually lacking both the red and white spotting. They can attain a maximum length of 12.5cm in total length. Plethodon albagula (Western slimy salamander) This type of salamander is usually black in color with white speckles, they have large, bulbous eyes and long tails.