Nova Scotia Salamanders

How to identify five different types of salamanders

Yellow-spotted Salamander
up to 15 cm long
up to 30 bright yellow spots
overall colour is grey-black or blue-black

Blue-spotted Salamander
up to 15 cm long
blue-black all over
may be paler underneath
pale blue spots on sides, chin, legs

Eastern Redback Salamander
colour varies - black with red stripe, all black, or all red
very slender body
up to 10 cm long
lives in woods, not ponds

Four-toed Salamander
colour varies - orange to red brown above, sides mottled with spots
white belly is distinctive
slender, up to 9 cm
not commonly found

Red-spotted Newt
Adult Newt:
tail flattened vertically
olive-green with red spots on back
up to 12 cm long
lives in ponds
Juvenile (Red eft)
all red-orange
red spots down the back
up to 5 cm long
lives in woods, lakeshores


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