Characteristics:
A small salamander, only reaching around 4.5in in legth. The overall color of this salamander is brownish with a rust colored stripe down its back. The stripe appearance varies a lot depending on location and can sometimes be all together absent, which is called "lead phase". The Belly is marked with small white speckles. 17-18 costal grooves. Zigzag salamanders are very similar in appearance to the red-backed salamanders and can be identified by the number of costal grooves and the presence of orange makings at the base of the front legs.
*Note: The zigzag salamanders in this area are considered to be the eastern zigzag salamander (P. d. dorsalis).
Habitat:
Moist woods with plenty of cover. They are commonly found under rocks along woodland streams.
Behavior:
This is a seasonally active salamander. They are active above ground during the rainy spring and autum months, and then move under ground druing the hot dry summer. Breeding takes place from June all the way through September. The northern zigzag salamander is easily confused with the red-backed salamanders, of which there are 2 different species in the MO/IL area. Proper identification is not always easy.
Personal Remarks:
This salamander is an easy find in certain locations in the spring. We turn up fairly large numbers of them sometimes. I can remembers times when we would see 3 or more under one rock. Pretty cool to see that many salamanders together in one place. Luckily in the area where we see these guys their range does not over lap with the red-backed salamanders. Identifying them can be quite a hassle sometimes.
A small salamander, only reaching around 4.5in in legth. The overall color of this salamander is brownish with a rust colored stripe down its back. The stripe appearance varies a lot depending on location and can sometimes be all together absent, which is called "lead phase". The Belly is marked with small white speckles. 17-18 costal grooves. Zigzag salamanders are very similar in appearance to the red-backed salamanders and can be identified by the number of costal grooves and the presence of orange makings at the base of the front legs.
*Note: The zigzag salamanders in this area are considered to be the eastern zigzag salamander (P. d. dorsalis).
Habitat:
Moist woods with plenty of cover. They are commonly found under rocks along woodland streams.
Behavior:
This is a seasonally active salamander. They are active above ground during the rainy spring and autum months, and then move under ground druing the hot dry summer. Breeding takes place from June all the way through September. The northern zigzag salamander is easily confused with the red-backed salamanders, of which there are 2 different species in the MO/IL area. Proper identification is not always easy.
Personal Remarks:
This salamander is an easy find in certain locations in the spring. We turn up fairly large numbers of them sometimes. I can remembers times when we would see 3 or more under one rock. Pretty cool to see that many salamanders together in one place. Luckily in the area where we see these guys their range does not over lap with the red-backed salamanders. Identifying them can be quite a hassle sometimes.
