Seal Salamander
Desmognathus monticola
Silhouette: Beth Reinke · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAmphibia (Amphibians)
- OrderCaudata (Salamanders)
- FamilyPlethodontidae (Lungless Salamanders)
- GenusDesmognathus (Dusky Salamanders)
- SpeciesDesmognathus monticola (Seal Salamander)
About the Seal Salamander
The seal salamander (Desmognathus monticola) is a species of lungless salamander that is endemic to the Eastern United States. The seal salamander can be found from southwestern Pennsylvania and south through Appalachian Mountains areas of high elevation in West Virginia, western Maryland, western and northern Virginia, eastern Kentucky, western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, western South Carolina, and northern Georgia to central Alabama. There are also disjunctive populations in southern Alabama as well as at the very western end of the Florida panhandle. In the north of its range, it has not been observed north or west of the Ohio River.
An introduced population is present in Benton County, Arkansas. This population was first found in 2003 and occurs at higher densities than first thought. This is a possible conservation concern for the native ecosystem.
Its habitat includes rocky mountain streams, spring-fed brooks in the ravines of deciduous forests, muddy sections of streams and seepages. The total adult population size of the species is assumed to exceed 100,000. The genus name Desmognathus refers to the characteristic bundle... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Seal Salamander in Shenandoah National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Shenandoah National Park
Dusky Salamander
Desmognathus fuscus
Eastern Red-backed Salamander
Plethodon cinereus
Northern Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea bislineata
White-spotted Slimy Salamander
Plethodon cylindraceus
Shenandoah Salamander
Plethodon shenandoah
Red Salamander
Pseudotriton ruber
Spring Salamander
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
Southern Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea cirrigera
Long-tailed Salamander
Eurycea longicauda
Three-lined Salamander
Eurycea guttolineata
Four-toed Salamander
Hemidactylium scutatum
Valley and Ridge Salamander
Plethodon hoffmani
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Seal Salamander in Shenandoah National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Seal Salamander sighting in Shenandoah National Park, based on 196 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Seal Salamander in Shenandoah National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Seal Salamander in Shenandoah National Park in our monthly data.