Southern two-lined salamander

The southern two-lined salamander (Eurycea cirrigera) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae, endemic to the United States. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, and freshwater springs.

Southern two-lined salamander
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Family: Plethodontidae
Genus: Eurycea
Species:
E. cirrigera
Binomial name
Eurycea cirrigera
(Green, 1818)

Appearance

The southern two-lined salamander is a small thin salamander, distinguished by the two lines running down the lateral portion of its body. The salamander is deep-light brown and fairly small, growing up to 6.5–12 cm in length. The key difference between the Southern two lined salamander from the Northern salamander is that the black lines run all the way down to the tail. When the salamander reaches sexual maturity males begin to show Cirri and enlarged jaw muscles.
The southern two-lined salamander had two morphs, one of these, the Brownback salamander is now its own species. The other morphs, the Cole Springs Phenotype is found in other two lined salamanders but in the southern two-lined salamander is limited to northern Alabama. This morphs results in an individual being significantly larger and darker colored than the normal salamander.[1]

Range

The southern two-lined salamander is found in the Southeast United States except for peninsular Florida.[2]

The historic extent of the southern two-lined salamander.

Conservation

It has been noted by researchers that as the watersheds are being urbanized the capacity of streams to be habitable for southern two-lined salamander decreases. Although this species is not in a concerned status for conservation, it has been recommended that unbreached buffers be created in streams to preserve the habitat for this species.[3]

References
  1. Nelson, N. "Eurycea facts." Caudta Cultur. N.p., Dec. 2003. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Eurycea/Eurycea_sp.shtml>.
  2. Rogers, Emily. "Southern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea Cirrigera)." Savanah River Ecology Laboratory. Ed. J. D. Wilson. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. http://srelherp.uga.edu/salamanders/eurcir.htm
  3. Miller, Jennifer E., George R. Hess, and Christopher E. Moorman. "Southern Two-lined Salamanders in Urbanizing Watersheds." Urban Ecosystems 10.1 (2007): 73-85. Print.

Server, David M. Comments on the Taxonomy and Morphology of Two-Lined Salamanders of the Eurycea Bislineata Complex. Chicago Herpitilogical Society. Saint Mary's College, n.d. Web. 5 May 2014. <http://www2.southeastern.edu/Academics/Faculty/dsever/EuryceaCHS1989.pdf>.

MAUGER, D., BELL, T., & PETERS, E. L. (2000). Distribution and Habitat'of the Southern Two-Lined Salamander, Eurycea cirrz'gem, in Will County, Illinois: Implications For Population Management and Monitoring. Jour. Iowa Acad. Sci. ID7, 3(163-I), 4_.


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