• a terrestrial salamander that hides under objects in wooded areas
• the "redback" variety has a red stripe on its back
• the "leadback" variety has a dark gray stripe on its back
• the belly is black and white with a salt-and-pepper appearance
• lungs are absent; it respires through its skin and the lining of the mouth
• total length (tip of snout to end of tail): 2.5 – 5 inches (5.7 – 12.7 centimeters)

• lives underground like a mole for much of the year
• congregates at temporary pools in the spring to mate
• has distinctive bluish-white spots on a bluish-black body
• the area around the vent is black
• has long toes and a long snout
• total length: 4.0 – 6.3 in. (10 – 16 cm)

• makes mass migrations to woodland ponds in the spring
• has round light spots in an irregular row down its back
• has a black, slate-gray, or blue-black colour on its back
• the belly is slate gray
• total length: 4.4 – 9.8 in. (11.2 – 24.8 cm)

• a brook-side salamander that hides at the water’s edge
• wanders into woodlands in wet weather
• runs or swims when alarmed
• has a pair of dark lines extending from each eye toward the tail
• has a yellow belly
• total length: 2.5 – 4.8 in. ( 6.4 – 12.1 cm)

• larvae are aquatic, but adults are terrestrial and closely associated with sphagnum-moss habitats
• each hind foot has 4 toes (rather than the typical 5 toes of other salamanders)
• the base of the tail is constricted … and can easily break off
• the belly is white with black spots
• total length: 2.0 – 4.0 in. (5.1 – 10.2 cm)

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• all stages have red spots
• the larval stage lives in permanent or semi-permanent bodies of water
• the larvae transform to a terrestrial stage – the "red eft"
• red efts are a bright red colour but are protected by distasteful skin secretions
• red efts live in moist terrestrial habitats and can be active in the daytime
• they transform to an olive green adult stage that reproduces in aquatic habitat
• 2.3 – 5.5 in. (4.8 cm)

• our largest local salamander
• lives in lakes, ponds, rivers, and other permanent bodies of water
• typically nocturnal but may be active by day in muddy or weedy water
• has an elongate spotted body with four clawless legs
• has obvious external gills … a feature normally found only in larval amphibians
• eats a wide variety of small aquatic life

• total length: 8.0 – 19.1 in. (20 – 48.6 cm)

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