Eastern Red-backed Salamander
Plethodon cinereus
Identification 2
You an identify the Redbacked salamander by a long red stripe on its back ranging from the tip of its tail to its head. The rest of there body is a dark brown, black, or blue. They are burrowers which means you will likely find them underground in leaf litter. They are often by bodies of water such as a vernal pool or small pond.
Niche 3
In the beginning all salamandesr are omnivores or herbivores, but when they become adults they are full-fledged carnivores. The Red-Backed Salamander is a consumer. This means he consumes other living organisms for energy this includes small arthropods (spiders and other bugs), they also feed on invertebrates such as ants,beetles, and termites. This keeps the bug-population in check. They are also a source of food for the other animals. With the high abundance of these salamanders almost every animal can have a mouthful. Larger salamanders, snakes, birds, and large mammals all eat the Red-Backed Salamander.
Sources 3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_back_salamander
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/red-backed_salamander.htm
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/red-backed_salamander.htm
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/red-backed_salamander.htm
Sources and Credits
- (c) spotted salamander group, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by spotted salamander group
- Adapted by spotted salamander group from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plethodon_cinereus
- (c) spotted salamander group, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
