Eastern Red-backed Salamander

Description:

This particular salamander is the most conspicuous lungless salamander in eastern Canada. It is a small, skinny and dainty animal that seems more worm-like than anything else, but the feeble legs and slender body mask a very resilient animal. Given sufficient observation, the charm of this salamander soon emerges as it walks with robotic regularity and occasionally flexes it's body to jump slight distances.

Habitat:

Mature, deciduous or mixed forests; beneath fallen logs and course, woody ground litter.

Notes:

Found at Dufferin Island, Niagara Falls, Canada. Length: 6-13cm. Breeds in fall; female lays 3-13 eggs in spring and hangs them in a clump from the ceiling of a damp stump or log; eggs are guarded by the female for 6-8 weeks until hatching; female also gives some early parental care to the hatchlings.