Ohio’s salamanders are quite the sight
I recently traveled to Belmont County in southeastern Ohio to participate in a “bio-blitz.” The goal of a bio-blitz is to find and identify as many species — plants and animals — as can be found in a limited time.
The area that we surveyed was a stunning property known as Raven Rocks. The site, encompassing more than 1,000 acres, is a treasure-trove of deep sandstone gorges, clear streams, towering forests and rich meadows.
The Captina Conservancy orchestrated the event, along with the owners of Raven Rocks. One of their experts was a herpetologist (a specialist in amphibians and reptiles), Greg Lipps of Toledo. I was fortunate to spend time afield with him and observe many interesting amphibians.
Our primary quarry was salamanders. North America is the global epicenter of salamander abundance, but most people wouldn’t know it. Shy, retiring and voiceless, the amphibians are easily missed.
Ohio is home to two dozen species of salamanders, and we found several types during our foray.
A personal favorite is the Northern slimy salamander ( Plethodon glutinosus). Despite the unflattering moniker, this is a handsome animal lacquered in lustrous ebony and speckled with white dots. A big one might measure 6 inches long.
Slimy salamanders are aptly named, as their skin secretions are gluey. The sticky stuff makes them unpalatable to snakes and other potential predators. Like the other four species of salamanders that we found, slimy salamanders prefer cool, damp soil, and they hide under rocks and logs.
All of the salamanders that we observed belong to the lungless salamander family. These amphibians breathe through their skin, and specialized mouth tissues also aid in respiration. A number of lungless salamander species have a “projectile tongue” which can be fired out with remarkable speed. The animals use it to snare various small animal prey.
Rich woodlands can support legions of lungless salamanders. In favored habitats, they are thought to constitute the dominant animal biomass.
This hidden amphibian army is incredibly important to the ecology of forests. The wet-skinned warriors lay waste to massive numbers of insects and other tiny invertebrates that would otherwise overwhelm our woodlands.
Because of their secretiveness, much remains to be learned about salamanders — even common species. Targeted studies such as the Raven Rocks bio-blitz help improve our understanding of the amphibians.
Naturalist Jim McCormac writes a column for The Dispatch on the first and third Sundays of the month. He also writes about nature at www. jimmccormac.blogspot. com.