NPS Photo Family: Plethodontidae Eurycea guttolineata Three-lined Salamander
Size: 10 to 20 cm long (4" to 7 ¾") General Description: Wide tan to yellowish band on back with narrower black stripe down center of back from just behind eyes to mid tail that may be broken or continuous. Dark stripes along sides from just behind eye to tip of tail. Dark stripes along sides may have white spots within the stripe. Yellowish belly mottled with greenish gray or dark gray. Tail slender and long, making up 60-65% of total length. 13 to 14 costal grooves. Larvae are aquatic and have stream-type morphology. Hatchlings have a light colored back with evenly spaced spots and a spotless belly, but develop dark stripes on sides and middle of back within a couple months of hatching. Similar Species: The Two-lined Salamanders, E. aquatica and E. cirrigera, do not have a mid-dorsal stripe and are typically smaller, with unmarked bellies. Habitat: Streams, stream margins, and riparian areas. Reproduction: Suspected to breed in fall and winter. Habitat: Typically found in or near water sources like streams, springs, seepages or cave mouths. Found in forested floodplains in Deep South. Behavior: Larvae feed on small invertebrates in slow moving waters and typically transform in less than a year. Adults will display defensive posturing when attacked and coil its body so as to tuck its head under the base of its tail and raise and wag its tail.
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Last updated: April 14, 2015