Fun Dwarf Salamander Facts For Kids
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You might think they are not growing at all, but hey, they are actually that small! The Eurycea quadridigitata, also popularly known as the dwarf salamander, is native to the continent of North America.
Popular places to spot them would be to the south of the United States, mainly in Florida, Carolina, Texas, and Oklahoma. This species is one of the smallest recorded vertebrates.
The term ‘quadridigitata’ translates to ‘four digits’, which represents the four toes/thumbs on each of their four feet. This makes it easy to differentiate it from every other salamander.
Dwarf salamanders are also known as the Florida dwarf salamander, four-fingered manculus, and even the dwarf four-toed salamander.
This salamander has five different species under it, all sporting extremely small bodies.
If you're interested in the dwarf salamander and want to find out about dwarf salamander identification, dwarf salamander home range, and the eastern dwarf salamander, keep on reading this page! You will also like the spotted salamander and the hellbender salamander.
Dwarf Salamander Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a dwarf salamander?
Dwarf salamanders are a type of salamander.
What class of animal does a dwarf salamander belong to?
These salamanders come under the class of Amphibians.
How many dwarf salamanders are there in the world?
There is no exact count of the population distribution of this species currently living on Earth, but there are thought to be around 10,000 dwarf salamanders.
Where does a dwarf salamander live?
This species prefers living near swamps and wetlands. They are mostly found in regions closer to water sources.
What is a dwarf salamander's habitat?
Dwarf salamanders prefer having water bodies close to their homes. They are usually inhabited in swamps and forests. They prefer to cover over themselves to stay hidden from predators, and you will usually find them under rocks, logs, or even leaf litter.
Who do dwarf salamanders live with?
Salamanders generally prefer a solitary lifestyle. However, they come back to their families during the mating season.
How long does a dwarf salamander live?
We are unaware of the dwarf salamander lifespan.
How do they reproduce?
The reproduction season is around the fall. The female salamanders lay anywhere between 12-50 eggs, either in a single batch, or a few at a time.
These eggs are usually made to stick with debris or rocks underwater in ponds, pools, lakes, or other slow-flowing water bodies. The eggs hatch open during the spring season, and little larvae pop out with small gills. They spend a few months underwater, breathing through their gills until they are capable of breathing on land without them.
What is their conservation status?
Luckily, the conservation status of these salamanders is of Least Concern.
Dwarf Salamander Fun Facts
What do dwarf salamanders look like?
Dwarf salamanders have a slender, small anatomy that is complemented with a long tail. Usually, they have mustard-brown shades with blotches of dark brown running down the body. They also have dark stripes on each side. However, this pattern varies among the individuals of this species. Each foot has four little toes.
How cute are they?
We do not find them really cute, but there is something cute about their small size!
How do they communicate?
Salamanders, in general, do not have much vocal communication. They usually communicate with others of their kind with touch. In order to inform others about the toxins they possess, they release chemicals.
How big is a dwarf salamander?
The length of these salamanders varies between 1.5-3.5 in (3.8 - 8.9 cm). This makes the salamander almost one and a half times the size of a wooden toothpick!
How fast can a dwarf salamander move?
There is not much information recorded about the possible speed
How much does a dwarf salamander weigh?
The adult salamanders of this species weigh under 0.035 oz (1 g)!
What are their male and female names of the species?
There are no explicit names for either of the sexes of this amphibian family.
What would you call a baby dwarf salamander?
Like all salamanders, a baby dwarf salamander is called an eft.
What do they eat?
These animals are known to be carnivorous, feeding on invertebrates primarily. They also eat insects. Predating on larger animals is a little tricky for these little ones.
Are they poisonous?
Yes, they secrete toxins from their bodies which protects them from other animals.
Would they make a good pet?
We feel this species would actually make a great pet, as long as you can provide them with a space similar to their natural habitats.
Did you know...
The dwarf salamander is a nocturnal species.
The tails of dwarf salamanders constitute about 60% of the total length of their body.
Types of Dwarf Salamander
Five different species of Dwarf Salamanders have been identified and been checked based on molecular verification.
Chamberlain's dwarf salamander (Eurycea chamberlaini). These are mostly found in North Carolina and the interior regions of South Carolina.
Bog dwarf salamander (Eurycea sphagnicola). You can spot these in Alabama, south of Mississippi, as well as western Florida, especially in winter.
Hillis's dwarf salamander (Eurycea hillisi). These little ones are found in the interiors and national parks of Georgia and Alabama.
Western dwarf salamander (Eurycea paludicola). This species is found mainly in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
Coastal plain dwarf salamander (Eurycea quadridigitata). These are found in South Carolina and coastal parts of Georgia.
Dwarf salamander size comparison
Salamanders vary in all sizes. It is so exciting to know that this species' size range can be as small as a matchstick or as large as a small dog.
The tiniest of all salamanders are the minute salamanders, also known as Thorius. Some individuals of this species are smaller than 0.79 in (2 cm)!
Desmognathus wrighti, also known as the pygmy salamander, comes next in the list of salamanders. These little ones have a body length of about 1.4-1.7 in (0.35-0.44 cm).
The rarest salamander is the Bolitoglossa mombachoensis, also known as the Mombacho salamander. These amphibians have a body length varying between 1.77-2.63 in (0.45-0.67 cm).
Following this is our dwarf salamander, the Eurycea quadridigitata, with their body sizes ranging between 1.5-3.5 in (3.8 - 8.9 cm).
Ambystoma laterale is one of the beautiful salamanders, sporting beautiful blue-colored spots on its body. The blue-spotted salamander has a body length varying between 3.8-5.5 in (9.8-14 cm).
Pseudotriton ruber, commonly known as the red salamander, varies between 4.2-7.2 in (10.67-18.3 cm).
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus, or the spring salamander, can have body lengths ranging between 4.75–9.125 in (12.1–23.8 cm).
Another strikingly beautiful salamander is the Ambystoma tigrinum, known for having a yellow and black striped pattern, resembling a tiger. The tiger salamander has a body size ranging between 6-8in (15-20 in).
The California giant salamander, or Dicamptodon ensatus, is actually not as gigantic as you might think. Their bodies grow up to a length of 6.5-12 in (16.5-30.5 cm).
Just like their Californian companion, the coastal giant salamander is also not as big as compared to the largest of all salamanders. This species usually grows up to 12 in (34 cm).
The largest salamander in the entire region of North America is the Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, also known as the hellbender salamander. Their body length varies between 20-30 in (0.5-0.76 m).
Andrias japonicus, or the Japanese giant salamander, also grows to an enormous size. They can have a bodyweight of up to 55 lb (25 kg), and a length of up to 5ft (1.5 m).
The largest of all is the mighty Andrias davidianus, commonly known as the Chinese giant salamander. Their body lengths vary between 3.28-5.9 ft ( 1-1.8 m). These large creatures can weigh up to 110 lb (50 kg), and have an average weight of 55-66 lb (25-30 kg).
Compared to all these salamanders, we can see that the title 'dwarf' was rightly entitled to this species, as they are really small in size.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other amphibians including the spring salamander and the fire salamander.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one of our Dwarf salamander coloring pages.
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Bachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.
Adekunle Olanrewaju JasonBachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.
Bachelor of Science specializing in in Computer Science
Diya PatelBachelor of Science specializing in in Computer Science
A member of Kidadl's fact-checking team, Diya is currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science from Ahmedabad University with an interest in exploring other fields. As part of her degree, she has taken classes in communications and writing to expand her knowledge and skills.
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