Southern Zigzag Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander

Both are small striped woodland salamanders, and both have unstriped dark forms; they meet in eastern Kentucky and the southern Appalachians. A: 17 to 19 (usually 18) in the Southern Zigzag Salamander; 18 to 20 (usually 19, often 20) in the Eastern Red-backed Salamander. B: Wavy, lobed or zigzag-edged, often narrowing or breaking up near the base of the tail in the Southern Zigzag Salamander; straight-edged and even in width, running cleanly down the body onto the tail in the Eastern Red-backed Salamander. C: A bright, high-contrast mix of black, white and red, orange or yellow, most on the chest and throat in the Southern Zigzag Salamander; even salt and pepper: dark grey finely mottled with cream, with no red or orange in the Eastern Red-backed Salamander. Count the grooves between the front and hind legs. The belly settles the unstriped (lead-backed) forms.

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

More comparisons

• Ravine Salamander vs. Southern Zigzag Salamander
• Southern Zigzag Salamander vs. Southern Red-backed Salamander
• Southern Zigzag Salamander vs. Four-toed Salamander
• Southern Zigzag Salamander vs. Northern Dusky Salamander
• Southern Zigzag Salamander vs. Spotted Dusky Salamander
• Eastern Red-backed Salamander vs. Northern Zigzag Salamander
• Northern Ravine Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Four-toed Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Northern Dusky Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Valley and Ridge Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Wehrle's Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Spotted Dusky Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Ravine Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Northern Pygmy Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Northern Gray-cheeked Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Yonahlossee Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Weller's Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Cheat Mountain Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Shenandoah Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Peaks of Otter Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander
• Big Levels Salamander vs. Eastern Red-backed Salamander

Wildsight identifies the reptiles and amphibians of the United States. Every comparison