Photo: Red-backed Salamander, Judy Gallagher
We are pleased to announce the winner of our most recent Monday Nature Mystery, Noah Ramsey.
Congratulations to Noah for identifying the Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus).
Red-backed Salamander, Judy Gallagher
According to the National Zoo, due to their lack of lungs, eastern red-backed salamanders need to live in damp or moist habitats in order to breathe. They are often found in or under logs, leaf-litter and burrows of deciduous forests. In colder months, these salamanders go under the frozen ground. With a low tolerance for acidic soil, they cannot live in areas with high acidity. In the wild, eastern red-backed salamanders eat a wide variety of small invertebrates, including arachnids, worms, snails, larvae and insects. Since they only inhabit damp habitats, their foraging range is dependent on the seasons, expanding in the wet seasons and retracting in the dry seasons.
Each Monday we’ll post a new mystery and identify the previous week’s winner. They’ll receive an ASNV hat or tote bag.
Here is this week’s mystery:
Who is this?
Be sure to post your guess on our Facebook page under the latest Monday Nature Mystery post, and make sure you receive our emails to find out the winner and mystery answer each week. Good Luck!
Please check our guidelines here.
Monday Nature Mystery: Who is this? Photo: Judy Gallagher