French Cave Salamander

French Cave Salamander

Speleomantes strinatii

Silhouette: C. Camilo Julián-Caballero · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
at Mercantour National Park
319 Verified sightings at Mercantour National Park From 2019 to 2026
319 Verified sightings across 1 park From 2019 to 2026
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the French Cave Salamander

Speleomantes strinatii, the French cave salamander, North-west Italian cave salamander, or Strinati's cave salamander is a small (10–12.5 cm (3.9–4.9 in) long) species of salamander found in northwest Italy and southeast France. It is very similar in appearance to the Italian cave salamander (Speleomantes italicus), but has a paler belly.

S. strinatii is a completely terrestrial plethodontid, meaning that they are a fully land-based species. S. strinatii is one of seven species of plethodontid salamanders found in southern Europe. S. strinatii can vary widely in size. S. strinatii is highly sexually dimorphic. Male S. strinatii average about 96 millimetres (3.8 in) in length, and can grow to up to 116 mm (4.6 in) long. Females average about 100 millimetres (3.9 in) and have been observed at a maximum length of 123 mm (4.8 in). S. strinatii have an oval-shaped head, a rounded snout, and a slight overbite that is more pronounced in males. S. strinatii's hind limbs are slightly longer than their front limbs. The salamanders' hind feet have five digits each, and their front feet only have four digits. The S. strinatii also have highly variable coloration and patterns.... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
~50%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a French Cave Salamander in Mercantour National Park?

About 50% of wildlife watchers report a French Cave Salamander sighting in Mercantour National Park, based on 319 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see French Cave Salamander in Mercantour National Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for French Cave Salamander in Mercantour National Park in our monthly data.

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