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Great Balsams Mountain Dusky Salamander vs. Santeetlah Dusky Salamander

The Santeetlah Dusky is the only other dusky in the Great Balsams it is easily confused with (NC Parks). A: Round all along, no keel in the Great Balsams Mountain Dusky Salamander; a keel on top of the tail in the Santeetlah Dusky Salamander. B: A wavy-edged brown, yellow or reddish stripe on darker sides in the Great Balsams Mountain Dusky Salamander; greenish-brown, with a yellowish wash on the belly and under the legs and tail in the Santeetlah Dusky Salamander. The Santeetlah lives at the water's edge; the Great Balsams Mountain Dusky moves out onto the forest floor in summer.

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Great Balsams Mountain Dusky Salamander

Desmognathus balsameus

Santeetlah Dusky Salamander

Desmognathus santeetlah

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

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