Family: Plethodontidae, Lungless Salamanders view all from this family

Description 2 1/2-4 3/4" (6.4-12.1 cm). An abundant brookside species. Broad, basically yellow band above may be tinged with brown, green, or orange-bronze; often darkly speckled. Band bordered by dark-brown or black stripe running from each eye; back stripes tend to break up into dashes or dots on tail. Tail oval, keeled, compressed. Costal grooves, 15-16.

Breeding A dozen to 100 eggs are laid on undersides of submerged rocks, logs, or aquatic plants; female may guard eggs. Larvae hatch at 1/2" (13 mm) and transform in 1-3 years at 1 3/4" (44 mm).

Similar Species The Southern Two-lined Salamander (E. cirrigera), found from s. Virginia south to n. Florida and west to the Mississippi River, has narrow back stripes that continue close to the tail tip, and the males develop downward projections from the nostrils. The Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander (E. wilderae), a resident of the Blue Ridge Mountains from sw. Virginia to n. Georgia, has broad back stripes that break up into dots on the tail; the male too develops downward projections from the nostrils.

Habitat Rock-bottomed brooks, springs, seepages, river swamps, and floodplain bottoms in coastal plain to damp forest floors at high elevations; near sea level to 6,000' (1,829 m).

Range Mouth of St. Lawrence River, Quebec, south to Virginia and west to Tennessee River.

Discussion Its life history is largely unknown. In some populations larvae retain gills and do not transform. The Northern, Southern, and Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamanders were formerly considered a single species.