Spring Salamander
During my recent trip to the Smoky Mountain National Park, I was delighted to have found a Spring Salamander.
Spring Salamander - aka - king of salamanders
The spring salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) is a large, slender-bodied amphibian native to cool, fast‑flowing springs and streams in eastern North America.
It typically reaches 15–23 cm in length, boasting a pinkish to reddish hue speckled with faint spots and a broad, flattened head.
A nocturnal predator, it not only consumes insects and aquatic invertebrates but is also notorious for preying on other salamanders, including smaller larvae and species.
