Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Lead back phase)

Description:

The most common terrestrial salamander in Maryland. The dorsal (back) stripe on the dark morph version (seen here) lacks red pigmentation and is called "lead-back".

Habitat:

The Eastern Red-back Salamander is found in forested areas under rocks, logs and other coarse woody debris. This is one that lives in my backyard.

Notes:

This salamander's initial reaction was to "play dead" when I first lifted the branch it was found under (second picture). According to wikipedia, this is anti-predator behaviour more typical of the red-back morph. When I did not move along it did eventually un-stiffen and right itself. It circled the exposed dirt area around slowly and then slid off into cover (the neared clump of grass) at a slightly faster speed and disappeared altogether.