Geographic range and origin: The Northern Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosis) is one of at least 16 subspecies belonging to the Slimy Salamander complex. The complex can be found all throughout the eastern two thirds of the US, appearing around the Appalachian Mountains. The species complex ranges from New York, west to Missouri, and south to central Alabama. The Northern Slimy subspecies is found in the south western most parts of Virginia and is often confused with the White-spotted Slimy Salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus), another Slimy Salamander subspecies that looks almost identical to the Northern Slimy and occupies the same geographic range.
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Behavior: Slimy Salamanders are elusive creatures that enjoy hanging out on the forest floor under rocks, logs, and leaf litter during the day. During the night, they are out feeding on small invertebrates such as earth worms and centipedes. These salamanders are most commonly seen Spring-early Fall as they retreat under ground during the winter to keep warm. This species is terretorial and has a relatively small home range which can in some cases be due to competition. When threatened, these salamanders will secrete a thick sticky "slime" as a defense mechanism hense "Slimy Salamander".
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Ecological importance: Terrestrial salamanders such as the Northern Slimy play an important role in forest ecosystems as they act as a predator to many invertebrate species and are prey for a number of snakes, birds, mammals, and even larger salamanders. These unique creatures are completely lungless so they have highly permeable skin to allow for gas exchange. This sensitive skin makes them very susceptible to changes in their surroundings, because of this, they are considered biological indicators of environmental health.
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