TO THE EDITOR:
I have recently read an article on salamanders and why we need to protect them. I feel as though it left out some details that we, as North Carolinians, need to understand.
Firstly, let’s understand what salamanders are. They are amphibians, and most will live out their amazing little lives on land and in water. The salamander diversity is tremendous in North Carolina, with most being in lungless (Plethodontidae) family. These amazing creatures breathe through their skin and the lining of their mouths. Life is just not as simple as your high school biology teacher would most likely lead you to believe. At any rate, a few examples of these species would be the slimy (Plethodon glutinosus), green (Aneides aeneus) and the two lined (Eurycea bislineata) salamanders.
But why does North Carolina have such amazing salamander diversity? This is not an easily answered question, as there is still much debate in the scientific community. However, I will extrapolate on one point as it is the most supported, which contributes the cause to the formation of the Appalachian Mountain Chain. If you have ever been to the Appalachian Mountains (if you haven’t, I highly suggest you do; it’s extremely beautiful), you will notice that there are many valleys amongst the tall mountains. Think of those tall mountains as geographic barriers. The average person has trouble climbing over the mountains, let alone a small salamander.
So as the mountain chain was forming, prehistoric salamander populations, for one reason or another, were separated into different valleys, and as time progressed, evolution took its toll, making small and secluded but wonderful species of salamanders.
I have talked mostly about salamanders in the Appalachians because that is where most of our species live. However, there are plenty of species that live here in the triad.
For example, the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) most likely lives in your backyard without you knowing about them. Salamanders are very secretive animals, and the spotted salamander is no exception to this statement.
For most of the year, they are found under the leaf litter, fallen logs or even underground! They come out on the first warm rain of spring (warm for salamanders constitutes as February or early March) to breed. This is a special occasion in which the males will conduct a nuptial dance to court the females in literally puddles of water (also know as vernal pools — another important ecosystem that few people know about).
Once the dance is over, the males will deposit a spermatophore on the ground, and the female will pick it up with her cloaca. This means that the female can pick up spermatophores from a lot of different beaus. Salamanders are not “cursed by monogamy” and thus can have an extreme genetic diversity in their offspring.
