Mississippi Slimy Salamander

Plethodon mississippi

Reptiles & AmphibiansIn the app

The Mississippi slimy salamander has short limbs and sixteen coastal grooves including the two grooves at the groin. Between its adpressed limbs, there are 4 – 6 coastal…

Mississippi Slimy Salamander illustration

How to identify

The Mississippi slimy salamander has short limbs and sixteen coastal grooves including the two grooves at the groin. Between its adpressed limbs, there are 4 – 6 coastal folds. Premaxillary or maxillary teeth count up to forty. The palatine teeth count 12 teeth in width and 18 in length. The vomerine teeth are arranged in two rows that are shaped in an arc with 8 – 10 teeth in each row. The specimen observed in preservative don’t seem to have any noticeable pattern but are dark to blackish-brown in color.

Range

Range extends from southwestern Kentucky down the east side of the Mississippi river to the Gulf Coast, including western Tennessee, western Alabama, most of Mississippi, and southeastern Louisiana.

Habitat

This species is common in coastal and river bottom forests. They do not require untouched habitat, and are often found under rubbish piles. They have also been observed living in and around caves.

Variations

Light markings can be white, cream, silver, or bronze in color.

Similar species

Numerous Appalachian and eastern species of salamander look very similar to this one, including but not limited to the northern slimy salamander (*Plethodon glutinosus*), white-spotted slimy salamander (*Plethodon cylindraceus*), southern Appalachian salamander (*Plethodon teyahalee*), Cumberland Plateau salamander (*Plethodon kentucki*), and southeastern slimy salamander (*Plethodon grobmani*).