Wednesday, April 16th
April's meeting will focus on how to safely handle and present your reptile to the public. Please feel free to bring your own animal to show off.
Meetings start promptly at 8pm in the Alumni Room of Medaille College.
Annual Banquet
PLEASE NOTE: The annual banquet and recognition dinner will be rescheduled due to conflicts. The new date will likely be a Saturday in May, please contact a board member for more information.
Northern Redback Salamander
(Plethodon c. cinereus)
Photo Courtesy of Aaron Greene
The Northern Redback Salamander is 2.5 - 5 inches in length and tends to have a long and slender body. They have a dark colored body with light belly mottled with black and a broad stripe running from the head to tail. The stripe is usually reddish in color with a dark border but can also be yellow, orange, pink or gray.
Mating occurs from October to April. In June or July an egg mass of 6 - 12 eggs is usually laid in debris. The female will lay near and care for the eggs for two months. Females generally lay eggs every other year.
This salamander is completely terrestrial and is one of the most common species encountered in the field. This nocturnal species spends its days hiding in debris or under rocks and logs. At night it can be found hunting in leaf litter for small invertebrates.
Remember that in many places it is illegal to take wildlife out of the wild without the proper permits from local, state, or federal authorities. Please do not release any captive reptiles or amphibians into the wild as this will disrupt the natural order of our environment. See our amphibian and reptile adoptions page for more information on what to do with unwanted herps.
Help further herpetology research and education by donating to the Marvin R. Aures Herpetological Grant