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Description: Two-Lined Salamanders are fairly small
salamanders, ranging from 2.5-3.75 in (6.4-9.5 cm). They are tan
to light yellow with two black longitudinal stripes running
from the eyes onto the tail. Dorsum is flecked with black
spots. They have a narrow body and 14 costal grooves between adpressed
limbs. Males have cirri, which are small downward projections
from the nostrils that are thought to play are role in chemoreception.
Males may also be identified by a swollen cloaca.
Range and Habitat: Southern Two-Lined Salamanders are
found throughout the Southeast, except for peninsular Florida.
They are found throughout Georgia and South Carolina and are favor
flowing creeks and streams. Larvae are aquatic, and adults are
also found in or around water.
Habits: E. cirrigera is one of the more aquatic
plethodontid salamanders in Georgia. Those that live in streams
occupy shallow areas where woody debris and cobble are present
to provide cover. When the salamanders breed, the female uses
these substrates as sites of attachment for her eggs. The eggs
hatch and complete metamorphosis within one to three years. Because
this salamander prefers shallow areas with cobble and wood substrate,
human activities that increase sedimentation in streams may reduce
habitat availability for this species.
Conservation Status: These salamanders are considered
common and are not protected in our region.
Pertinent References:
Carol, C.G., R.E. Ratajczak, and G.D. Grossman. Nest-site selection
by southern two-lined salamanders (Eurycea cirrigera) in
the Georgia piedmont. Southeastern Naturalist 3:75-88.
Smith, S. and G.D. Grossman. Stream microhabitat use by larval
southern two-lined salamanders (Eurycea cirrigera) in the
Georgia piedmont. Copeia (3):531-543.
Willson, J. D. and M. E. Dorcas. 2003. Effects of habitat disturbance
on stream salamanders: implications for buffer zones and watershed
management. Conservation Biology 17:763-771.
Account Author: Emily Rogers, University of Georgia -
edited by J.D. Willson
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