Red Salamander: Difference between revisions

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|+ !colspan="2" style="min-width:12em; text-align: center; background-color: rgb(240,150,110)|'''Scientific Classification'''<ref name="NatureServe">Pseudotriton ruber | NatureServe Explorer. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101775/Pseudotriton_ruber</ref> <ref name="ADW">Miller, R. (n.d.). Pseudotriton ruber (Red Salamander). Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pseudotriton_ruber/</ref> <ref name="Red Salamander Photo 1">Todd Pierson. Red Salamander. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://herpsofnc.org/red-salamander/</ref>
|+ !colspan="2" style="min-width:12em; text-align: center; background-color: rgb(240,150,110)|'''Scientific Classification'''<ref name="NatureServe">Pseudotriton ruber | NatureServe Explorer. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101775/Pseudotriton_ruber</ref> <ref name="ADW">Miller, R. (n.d.). Pseudotriton ruber (Red Salamander). Animal [[Diversity]] Web. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pseudotriton_ruber/</ref> <ref name="Red Salamander Photo 1">Todd Pierson. Red Salamander. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://herpsofnc.org/red-salamander/</ref>
|colspan="2" |[[File:Red Salamander Cover Pic.jpg|451px|right|Caption]]
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Diplopods, more commonly known as millipedes, are long, segmented [[invertebrates]] belonging to the subphylum [[Myriapoda]]. The Latin meaning of the name [[Diplopoda]], 'having double feet', refers to the distinctive features of millipedes, in which they possess two pairs of legs per body segment <ref name="Merriam">Merriam-Webster. n.d. Diplopoda. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Diplopoda</ref><ref name="Ohio">Hennen, D. & Brown, J. n.d. Millipedes of Ohio Field Guide. Ohio Division of Wildlife. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/backyard-wildlife/Millipedes%20of%20Ohio%20Pub%205527.pdf</ref>. While their common name means 'thousand feet', most millipede species possess 47 to 197 pairs of legs<ref name="Tohono">Tohono Chul. n.d. Millipede Facts. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://tohonochul.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Millipede_Facts_Worksheet.pdf</ref>. However, in 2020, the first millipede species with over one thousand legs was discovered in Western Australia — ''Eumillipes persephone'', with 1,306 legs<ref name="Marek">Marek, P., ''et al.'' (2021). The first true millipede—1306 legs long. ''Scientific Reports''. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-02447-0</ref>. There are currently around 12,000 described species and 16 orders within the class Diplopoda<ref name="Sierwald">Sierwald, P. & J.E. Bond. (2007). Current Status of the Myriapod Class Diplopoda (Millipedes):Taxonomic [[Diversity]] and Phylogeny. ''Annual Review of Entomology''. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17163800/</ref>.
Psuedotriton ruber, more commonly known as the Red Salamander, are larger amphibians belonging to the Plethodontidae family. In latin, ruber means "red" and in greek psuedotriton means "false god" in reference to Triton, the son of Posidon. Others say that this could also mean "false newt" <ref name="AmphibiaWeb">AmphibiaWeb—Pseudotriton ruber. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://amphibiaweb.org/species/4198</ref> <ref name="VHS">Virginia Herpetological Society. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com</ref>. These are amphibians who have a redish orangish skin pigmentation with black spots along the back and chin, a yellow iris, and a rather shorter tail.  <ref name="DWR">Red Salamander. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/northern-red-salamander/</ref>. The size of Red [[Salamanders]] can very between 11 to 18 cm, or 4.33 to 7.09 in, with females tending to be slightly larger and all contain 16 grooves along their body. As they age, it has been shown that adults tend to turn a purplish brown, loosing their vibrant colors over time <ref name="Wildlife Resources Agency">Red Salamander | State of Tennessee, Wildlife Resources Agency. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/amphibians/salamanders/red-salamander.html</ref>. There are 4 infraspecies within this species (Pseudotriton ruber nitidus, Pseudotriton ruber ruber, Pseudotriton ruber schencki, and Pseudotriton ruber vioscai), and they often get mistaken for Mud Salamanders. Their yellow iris is what separates them from the Mud Salamander species, who has a brown iris <ref name="NatureServe"></ref>.
 
== Ecology ==
Red Salamanders are often found in colder springs, seepages, and springs in forested riparian corridors, but can also live away from aquatic environments. <ref name="Indiana">Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber)—Indiana Herp Atlas. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://www.inherpatlas.org/species/pseudotriton_ruber</ref>.


== Characteristics and Morphology ==
Most millipedes are long and either cylindrical or flat in shape. However, pill millipedes, belonging to the family Glomeridae, are stout and resemble [[isopods]] and, in similar fashion, can roll into a ball when disturbed.<ref name="Pill">Australian Museum. (2020). Pill Millipedes. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/centipedes/pill-millipedes/</ref>. Most millipede species have hard, calcareous exoskeletons that protect them from predators and large forces faced when burrowing in [[soil]]<ref name="Borrell">Borrel, B. (2004). Mechanical [[properties]] of calcified exoskeleton from the neotropical millipede, ''Nyssodesmus python''. ''Journal of Insect Physiology''. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022191004001593</ref>. Millipedes may roll into a spiral as a defense mechanism, where their harder exoskeleton on the top of each of their body segments, or tergites, protect their legs and more vulnerable underside. Millipedes lack a waxy layer on their epicuticle, making them vulnerable to desiccation<ref name="Coleman">Coleman, D.C., M.A. Callaham Jr., & D.A. Crossley Jr. (2017). ''Fundamentals of Soil [[Ecology]] - 3rd Edition''. Academic Press.</ref>. The size of millipedes vary greatly across different species, with the smaller species measuring at around 2 mm long and the largest species, ''Archispirostreptus gigas'', growing up to 13 inches long<ref name="Tohono"></ref>.
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Millipedes bear a head with one pair of antennae, a pair of simple eyes known as ocelli, and a mouth. Their mouths consist of an upper lip (labrum), a pair of mandibles, and a grinding plate (gnathochilarium). The rest of their bodies are made up of many segments, with the number of segments varying with species and age. The first segment connected to the head, called the collum, has no legs and is also present in their closest relative clade [[Pauropoda]]. The following three segments bear only one pair of legs. Succeeding segments bear two pairs of legs, while the final few segments bear no legs. The last segment, called the telson, has a pair of anal valves which can open to release feces from the millipedes' digestive tract<ref name="Sierwald"></ref><ref name="Ohio></ref>. Millipedes move fairly slowly compared to their centipede relatives belonging to the subphylum [[Chilopoda]]. They move their legs in a wave-like motion, referred to as metachronal locomotion. Their many legs can produce a surprising amount of force, necessary to direct themselves when burrowing<ref name="Walk">Garcia, A. ''et al.'' (2021). Fundamental understanding of millipede morphology and locomotion dynamics. ''Bioinspiration & Biomimetics''. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33007767/</ref>. The species ''Diopsiulus regressus'' exhibits a unique behavior of jumping; however, this behavior is an escape reaction rather than a locomotive strategy<ref name="Chinese">National Science and Technology Library. (1973). A jumping millipede. ''Nature''. http://archive.nstl.gov.cn/Archives/browse.do?action=viewDetail&articleID=55ab74dff07239e2&navig=9565bcbb40dbfbe9&navigator=category&flag=byWord&subjectCode=null&searchfrom=null#:~:text=regressus%20Silvestri%20at%2064%20and%202%2C000%20frames%20s%20~l.%20The%20sudden%20body&text=1%20Side%20view%20of%20a%20jump%2C%20from,to%20left%2C%20of%20the%20millipede%20Diopsiulus%20regressus.</ref>.
 
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Many millipede species possess glands called ozopores that run along the length of their bodies and can release chemical compounds that may be toxic or repel certain parasitic or predatory [[organisms]]. The chemicals secreted vary across species and include, but are not limited to, hydrogen cyanide, ''p''-benzoquinones, phenols, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Millipedes that bear ozopores often have bright aposematic coloring. Other species that do not secrete defensive chemicals may bear similar coloring patterns as a result of Mullerian mimicry<ref name="Sierwald"></ref><ref name="Shear">Shear, W.A. (2015). The chemical defenses of millipedes (diplopoda): Biochemistry, physiology and ecology. ''Biochemical Systematics and Ecology''. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305197815001167</ref>. While these secretions may be irritating or toxic to certain organisms, other organisms may use millipede secretions to their advantage. Black lemurs (''Eulemur macaco'') have been observed biting millipedes and rubbing their defensive secretions on their bodies. Research has shown that the lemurs may do this to repel [[insects]] such as mosquitoes, but the they also seem to enter an intoxicated state<ref name="Lemurs">Banerji, U. (2016). Lemurs Get High on Their Millipede Supply. ''Atlas Obscura''. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/lemurs-get-high-on-their-millipede-supply</ref>. Other research shows that these defensive secretions may also attract predators such as [[Dung Beetle|dung beetles]]<ref name="Beetle"> Rodríguez‑López, M.E. ''et al.'' (2021). Attraction of Canthon vazquezae ([[Coleoptera]]: Scarabaeinae) to Volatiles Released by ''Messicobolus magnificus'' (Diplopoda: Spirobolida). ''Journal or Insect Behavior''. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10905-021-09785-x</ref>.
 
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[[File:Gonopods.png|426px|left|thumb|Gonopods of the millipede species ''Sigmocheir furcata''<ref name="Gonopods">Marek, P. ''et al.'' (2014). A species catalog the millipede family Xystodesmidae (Diplopoda: Polydesmida). Virginia Museum of Natural History. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267810849_A_species_catalog_the_millipede_family_Xystodesmidae_Diplopoda_Polydesmida</ref>]]
[[File:Gonopods.png|426px|left|thumb|Gonopods of the millipede species ''Sigmocheir furcata''<ref name="Gonopods">Marek, P. ''et al.'' (2014). A species catalog the millipede family Xystodesmidae (Diplopoda: Polydesmida). Virginia Museum of Natural History. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267810849_A_species_catalog_the_millipede_family_Xystodesmidae_Diplopoda_Polydesmida</ref>]]

Revision as of 07:25, 30 April 2025

Scientific Classification[1] [2] [3]
Caption
Caption
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Superclass: Gnathostomata
Class: Amphibia
Subclass: Lissamphibia
Order: Caudata
Family: Plethodontidae
Genus: Pseudotriton

Psuedotriton ruber, more commonly known as the Red Salamander, are larger amphibians belonging to the Plethodontidae family. In latin, ruber means "red" and in greek psuedotriton means "false god" in reference to Triton, the son of Posidon. Others say that this could also mean "false newt" [4] [5]. These are amphibians who have a redish orangish skin pigmentation with black spots along the back and chin, a yellow iris, and a rather shorter tail. [6]. The size of Red Salamanders can very between 11 to 18 cm, or 4.33 to 7.09 in, with females tending to be slightly larger and all contain 16 grooves along their body. As they age, it has been shown that adults tend to turn a purplish brown, loosing their vibrant colors over time [7]. There are 4 infraspecies within this species (Pseudotriton ruber nitidus, Pseudotriton ruber ruber, Pseudotriton ruber schencki, and Pseudotriton ruber vioscai), and they often get mistaken for Mud Salamanders. Their yellow iris is what separates them from the Mud Salamander species, who has a brown iris [1].

Ecology

Red Salamanders are often found in colder springs, seepages, and springs in forested riparian corridors, but can also live away from aquatic environments. [8].







Gonopods of the millipede species Sigmocheir furcata[9]

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Diet and Feeding Behaviors

Symbiotic Julolaelaps gigas mites on Archispirostreptus gigas[10]

Distribution

Ecological Functions

References

  1. ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 Pseudotriton ruber | NatureServe Explorer. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101775/Pseudotriton_ruber
  2. ↑ Miller, R. (n.d.). Pseudotriton ruber (Red Salamander). Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pseudotriton_ruber/
  3. ↑ Todd Pierson. Red Salamander. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://herpsofnc.org/red-salamander/
  4. ↑ AmphibiaWeb—Pseudotriton ruber. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://amphibiaweb.org/species/4198
  5. ↑ Virginia Herpetological Society. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com
  6. ↑ Red Salamander. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/northern-red-salamander/
  7. ↑ Red Salamander | State of Tennessee, Wildlife Resources Agency. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/amphibians/salamanders/red-salamander.html
  8. ↑ Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber)—Indiana Herp Atlas. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://www.inherpatlas.org/species/pseudotriton_ruber
  9. ↑ Marek, P. et al. (2014). A species catalog the millipede family Xystodesmidae (Diplopoda: Polydesmida). Virginia Museum of Natural History. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267810849_A_species_catalog_the_millipede_family_Xystodesmidae_Diplopoda_Polydesmida
  10. ↑ sofkeya. (2023). what are these little bugs on my millipedes and how can i get rid of them?[Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/millipedes/comments/14dnxn2/what_are_these_little_bugs_on_my_millipedes_and/
Retrieved from "http://soil.evs.buffalo.edu/index.php?title=Red_Salamander&oldid=13165"