Four-Toed Salamander
Hemidactylium scutatum
Four-toed salamanders are named for the four toes they have on thier hind feet, in contrast to the 5 that most other
local salamander species have. Their belly is white with black spots, which is probably the easiest way to distinguish them
from Red-Backed Salamanders. They are distributed across much of the state, but hard to find in many areas.
Four-toed Salamanders eat fly larvae, springtails, and ants, for the most part. Females lay eggs on the edges of ponds
or streams, which hatch out into aquatic larvae. The larvae go though metamorphosis in late summer and live under logs and
rocks near water.
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Preview (click to enlarge)
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Specimen #224
Date: April 6, 2012
Location: Fort Mongomery,
NY
Notes: Under a long mossy
log.
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