Dusky Salamander

Desmognathus fuscus

Dusky Salamander. Photo: John White

Generally brown or grey, this salamander sports down its back several pairs of spots that are most conspicuous during the juvenile stage. As a lungless salamander, the dusky 'breathes' through a patch of thin moist skin on the roof of its mouth. Because of this respiratory need for moisture, one will never find it (alive) in dryer habitats. While not necessarily obvious without close inspection of a dusky eating its prey, it nevertheless has a very interesting skull: its lower jaw is fixed, and its the moveable upper jaw is responsible for opening the mouth.

Distribution of Dusky Salamander in Canada