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Eurycea longicauda

(Green, 1818)

Longtail Salamander

G5Secure Found in 32 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100456
Element CodeAAAAD05040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusEurycea
Other Common Names
longtail salamander (EN)
Concept Reference
Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Eurycea guttolineata formerly was included in Eurycea longicauda. Martof et al. (1980) regarded E. longicauda and E. guttolineata as distinct species, but Ireland (1979), Dundee and Rossman (1989), Conant and Collins (1991), and other herpetofaunal accounts treated guttolineata as a subspecies of E. longicauda. Carlin (1997) concluded that the two taxa are distinct species. Bonett et al. (2014 "2013") recovered a molecular tree in which Eurycea longicauda longicauda is more closely related to Eurycea junaluska than to Eurycea longicauda melanopleura, suggesting that careful evaluation of the possibility that the two nominal subspecies are two species rather than sections of geographic variation of one species.
Conservation Status
Review Date2002-03-22
Change Date2001-10-18
Edition Date2002-03-22
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Rank Reasons
Large range in eastern North America; strip mining and acid drainage from coal mining likely have impacted many populations, but this species remains widely distributed and is in minimal need of protection.
Range Extent Comments
Southern New York to Missouri, south to Arkansas, Tennessee, extreme northeastern Mississippi, northern Alabama, extreme northwestern Georgia, western North Carolina, and northwestern Virginia (Carlin 1997).
Occurrences Comments
Represented by many and/or large occurrences throughout the range.
Threat Impact Comments
Most threats to habitat appear to be localized and not pervasive.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

The length of adults ranges from 10 to 15.9 cm (4 to 6.25 inches), with the record being 19.7 cm (7.75 inches). The ground color varies from yellow to orange or even red, and vertical black markings are present on the tail. These markings are usually conspicuous, although they may vary from the herringbone or "dumbbell" theme that is often described. The black markings on the tail are larger and more conspicuous on some individuals from scattered portions of the range. The young have a relatively short tail (Conant and Collins 1998).

Diagnostic Characteristics

This species differs from other similar salamanders in having a relatively longer tail with black vertical bars on the sides and 13 or 14 costal grooves.

Habitat

Streamsides, spring runs, cave mouths, abandoned mines; also ponds in northern New Jersey (Conant and Collins 1991). May disperse into wooded terrestrial habitats in wet weather. Hides in rock crevices and under rocks, logs, and other debris. Eggs are laid in underground crevices associated with springs, temporary pools, and streams; under rocks in streams; in woodland ponds; or are attached to objects in or above water in caves.

Reproduction

Lays several dozen eggs singly or in small clusters. Aquatic larvae hatch in 6-8 weeks, metamorphose in a few to several months, mature in 1-2 years.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - Hardwood
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOLFORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
AlabamaS3Yes
IllinoisSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
New YorkS2Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
MissouriS5Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
KansasS2Yes
New JerseyS2Yes
OhioSNRYes
DelawareS1Yes
GeorgiaS4Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
MississippiS2Yes
MarylandS5Yes
OklahomaS2Yes
North CarolinaS1Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
IndianaS4Yes
Roadless Areas (32)
Illinois (1)
AreaForestAcres
Burke BranchShawnee National Forest6,231
Indiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mogan RidgeHoosier National Forest8,435
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Boteler PeakNantahala National Forest4,205
Tennessee (5)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Brushy RidgeCherokee National Forest7,469
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Virginia (13)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Little Walker MountainJefferson National Forest9,818
Mountain Lake Addition B (VA)Jefferson National Forest3,405
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
West Virginia (10)
AreaForestAcres
Cheat MountainMonongahela National Forest8,191
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Mountain Lake Addition B (WV)Jefferson National Forest557
North Mountain HopevilleMonongahela National Forest6,525
References (19)
  1. Barbour, R. W. 1971. Amphibians and reptiles of Kentucky. Univ. Press of Kentucky, Lexington. x + 334 pp.
  2. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  3. Blackburn, L., P. Nanjappa, and M. J. Lannoo. 2001. An Atlas of the Distribution of U.S. Amphibians. Copyright, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA.
  4. Bonett, R. M., M. A. Steffen, S. M. Lambert, J. J. Wiens, and P. T. Chippindale. 2014. Evolution of paedomorphosis in plethodontid salamanders: ecological correlated and re-evolution of metamorphosis. Evolution 68: 466-482.
  5. Carlin, J. L. 1997. Genetic and morphological differentiation between <i>Eurycea longicauda</i> <i>longicauda</i> and <i>E.</i> <i>guttolineata</i> (Caudata: Plethodontidae). Herpetologica 53:206-217.
  6. Conant, R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xvii + 429 pp.
  7. Conant, R. and J. T. Collins. 1991. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 450 pp.
  8. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  9. Elliott, W. R. 2003. A guide to Missouri's cave life: 70 species brought to life. Missouri Department of Conservation. 37 pp.
  10. Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
  11. Frost, D.R. 2020. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Online: http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html
  12. Green, N. B., and T. K. Pauley. 1987. Amphibians and reptiles in West Virginia. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. xi + 241 pp.
  13. Ireland, P.H. 1979. Eurycea longicauda. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. 221:1-4.
  14. Martof, B. S., W. M. Palmer, J. R. Bailey, and J. R. Harrison, III. 1980. Amphibians and reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 264 pp.
  15. Minton, S. A., Jr. 1972. Amphibians and reptiles of Indiana. Indiana Academy Science Monographs 3. v + 346 pp.
  16. Mount, R. H. 1975. The reptiles and amphibians of Alabama. Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, Alabama. vii + 347 pp.
  17. Nicholson, K. E. (ed.). 2025. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Ninth Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 87 pp. Online database available at: https://cnah.org/SSARnames.aspx
  18. Petranka, J. W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.
  19. Valentine, B. D. 1962. Intergrading populations and distribution of the salamander EURYCEA LONGICAUDA in the Gulf states. J. Ohio Herpetol. Soc. 3(3):42-51.