Virginia Salamanders

The following list of wildlife that is native to Virginia is provided by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries List of Native and Naturalized Fauna of Virginia August, 2000.
When finding differant creatures in the wild or around the home it is easier to identify the found creature if you can narrow the search.
This list is for Virginia and most any creature found in Virginia will be listed here.

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!!!!!

The links require you to be connected to the Internet.
Most of the photos that you see are Copyrighted. Therefore the laws protecting the copyrighted material should be adhered to. There are exceptions for educational use, please check with your teacher for proper procedures.
Some sites provide information on usage and what you must do to use the photos.
This is a guide and to validate the infomation always use several sources.

Wildlife highlighted in red are endangered or threatened.

Wildlife highlighted in green are dangerous, and some very dangerous.Information on the dangerous wildlife may be found at Enature

AMPHIBIANS:
Definition: amphibian - cold-blooded vertebrate typically living on land but breeding in water; aquatic larvae undergo metamorphosis into adult form

Salamanders

Class: Amphibia
Order: Caudata: Salamanders
  Family Ambystomatidae (mole salamanders)
  Family Amphiumidae (amphiumas)
  Family Cryptobranchidae (giant salamanders and hellbenders)
  Family Dicamptodontidae (Pacific giant salamanders)
  Family Hynobiidae (Asiatic salamanders)
  Family Plethodontidae (lungless salamanders)
  Family Proteidae (mudpuppies and waterdogs)
  Family Rhyacotritonidae (torrent salamanders)
  Family Salamandridae (newts and salamanders)
  Family Sirenidae (sirens)

Salamanders, the tailed amphibians, are among the most abundant vertebrates in many habitats in the Southeast. Despite their abundance, they are relatively inconspicuous, remaining out of sight throughout most of the year. Many species are seen only when searched for under logs or leaf litter or during their breeding seasons, when they migrate to and from their breeding ponds or at night or after heavy rains. Many salamanders, such as the spotted salamander, exhibit biphasic life cycles (typical of amphibians in general) with metamorphosis separating the larval ("tadpole") and adult stages. Other species, such as the slimy salamander, do not have a free-living larval stage, essentially completing metamorphosis within the egg capsule. Still other species, such as the sirens, have abandoned metamorphosis altogether, remaining in the larval morphology and habitat throughout their lives while reproducing like "normal" adults. Salamanders also inhabit a diversity of habitats, from upland wooded forests to streams and swamps. The greatest concentration of salamanders in the Southeast are found in the Appalachian Mountains which is comsidered a worldwide hotspot of salamander diversity.

There are 336 species are known in the world.

Nature- Wildlife.com

Virginia Salamanders

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!!!!!