185 Records

Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monticola) is a stout, heavy-bodied Desmognathus, with bulging eyes and a keeled tail. The oddly robust, portly shape is said to be reminiscent of a seal. As with other members of the genus, coloration is extremely variable. Generally strongly-marked, this species also shows a strongly-demarcated pale belly. Seal Salamanders in Maryland are restricted to in Garrett and Allegany Counties, where they inhabit banks of cool, well-oxygenated streams. They spend the day resting in burrows, and are primarily nocturnal (Conant & Collins, 1998; Maryland DNR site). This salamander breeds from autumn into early spring.