Southern Red-backed Salamander
Plethodon serratus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAmphibia (Amfibis)
- OrderCaudata (Caudats)
- FamilyPlethodontidae (Lungless Salamanders)
- GenusPlethodon (Woodland Salamanders)
- SpeciesPlethodon serratus (Southern Red-backed Salamander)
The southern red-backed salamander (Plethodon serratus) is a species of salamander endemic to the United States. It is found in four widely disjunct populations: one in central Louisiana; one in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma; one in central Missouri; and one from southeastern Tennessee, to southwestern North Carolina, western Georgia, and eastern Alabama. It is sometimes referred to as the Georgia red-backed salamander or the Ouachita red-backed salamander. It was once considered a subspecies of the red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus. Wikipedia →
30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Red-backed Salamander sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 224 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Red-cheeked Salamander
Plethodon jordani
Northern Slimy Salamander
Plethodon glutinosus
Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander
Plethodon metcalfi
Southern Appalachian Salamander
Plethodon teyahalee
Southern Zigzag Salamander
Plethodon ventralis
White-spotted Slimy Salamander
Plethodon cylindraceus
Northern Gray-cheeked Salamander
Plethodon montanus
Tellico Salamander
Plethodon aureolus
Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea wilderae
Spring Salamander
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
Seal Salamander
Desmognathus monticola
Imitator Salamander
Desmognathus imitator
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Southern Red-backed Salamander in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Red-backed Salamander sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 224 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Southern Red-backed Salamander in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Southern Red-backed Salamander in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in our monthly data.