|
Green Salamander: Aneides aeneus
The southeastern United States has the largest diversity of salamander species in the world. North Carolina is home to approximately 60 species of salamanders, many of which are located only in specific isolated habitats. In North Carolina, the Green salamander occurs in disjunct populations: the Hickory Nut Gorge population in Henderson, Rutherford, and Polk Counties and the Southern Blue Ridge population in Transylvania, Henderson, Jackson, and Macon Counties. The green salamander reaches about 5 inches in length and can live up to 10 years. This salamander species has unique camouflage - its gray flat body is covered in patches that range in color from bright green to yellow which allows it to blend in with its typical environment of lichen - covered rocks and mossy tree branches.
Green salamanders are very difficult to locate and monitor since they are usually active at night and live in small inaccessible rock crevices or high in trees. Therefore, not much is known about the exact range and abundance of this critter. With more intense monitoring, biologists from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission hope to locate more of these secretive salamanders. For now the green salamander is listed as a Federal Species of Concern and as endangered in North Carolina. With help from Congress, species like the Green salamander can be prevented from disappearing forever.
Green salamander fact sheet (pdf 2.45mb)
|
