Identification
The Graybelly Salamander is dark yellowish in coloration with varying amounts
of tan on the back. Its sides are darker, and the belly is gray. Adults may
reach lengths of 4.8-8.3 cm (1.8-3.25in) and have 19-20 grooves along the sides
of the body (costal grooves). The Graybelly Salamander is a subspecies of the
Many-ribbed Salamander.
Distribution and Status
The range of the Graybelly Salamander extends from southwest Missouri and into
adjacent northwestern Arkansas, northeastern Oklahoma, and extreme southeast
Kansas. Missouri is the only Midwest state in which the Graybelly Salamander
is found.
Ecology
Living in or near springs, this salamander can be found beneath rocks, logs
and moss. The Graybelly is also known to live in caves.
Threats and Management Issues
Graybelly Salamanders survive best in clean, spring-fed waters, and as such
the protection of watershed areas around these spring-fed streams will ensure
the persistence of local populations.
Resources
General reference guides
and websites.
Reference guides and websites specific to Amphibians.
Bruce Kingsbury, Director
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management
Science Building
Indiana-Purdue University
2101 East Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499