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amphibian · salamander
Northern Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea bislineata — Plethodontidae
2.5–4.75 inches
IUCN
Least Concern
Federal (US)
None
Virginia
None
VWAP Tier
Not Listed
Habitat
Found in Virginia
How to identify
- Slender body, 2.5–4.75 inches
- Yellow, orange, or greenish-yellow above
- Two dark lines or rows of spots running from eye to tail
- Yellow or orange belly
- Found under streamside rocks and in seeps
About this species
A slender, yellow or orange-brown salamander with two dark lines running down the back, the northern two-lined salamander is one of Virginia's most commonly encountered stream salamanders. They are found under rocks along stream edges and seepages throughout the state. Their bright coloring and slender proportions make them easy to identify.
Often confused with
long tailed salamander
Long-tailed salamanders have a proportionally very long tail (more than half total length) with a herringbone pattern; two-lined salamanders have a shorter tail and plainer striping
Did you know
"Two-lined salamander larvae can take up to three years to metamorphose in cold mountain streams — they spend years as aquatic larvae breathing through feathery external gills before transforming into adults."
Sightings & citizen science
Help document Virginia wildlife by logging your sightings on iNaturalist. Every observation builds the conservation data that researchers and rehabbers depend on.
View Northern Two-lined Salamander observations on iNaturalist ↗Found one injured?
If you've found an injured or displaced Northern Two-lined Salamander in Virginia, our triage guide walks you through what to do.