Northern two-lined salamander

Description

The northern two-lined salamander (Eurycea bislineata) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae found in Canada and the United States. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, rivers, intermittent rivers, freshwater marshes, freshwater springs, arable land, and urban areas. It is more water-oriented than the related northern redback salamander, and can often be found in and around water such as rain puddles, streams, swamps, and damp stream beds, whereas the northern redback tends to be found in damp ground, but usually not near open water. The northern two-lined salamander is a small salamander, with adults ranging from 65–120 mm in total length. This salamander is yellow or yellowish-brown, with two black stripes running down the back which tends to break up after the base of the tail. The flanks are mottled grayish or brown. The belly is pale yellowish, nearly transparent. There are four toes on the fore feet and five toes on the hind feet. On the side of the body are 14–16 costal grooves. This species prefers small rocky streams or seeps in forests, but may occur in moist areas far from running water. Also, some data suggest this species may be found on stony shores of small lakes and rivers. Northern two-lined salamanders are found throughout northeastern North America, ranging from central and southern Quebec, New Brunswick, northeastern Ontario, and the northeastern United States, from central Virginia and Ohio northwards to the Great Lakes. Compared to many other species in the genus Eurycea, E. bislineata has a large geographic distribution.