Spotted Dusky Salamander

Desmognathus conanti is a medium sized salamander, between 35-40 mm in body length at sexual maturity and is moderately stout with a moderately keeled tail. It is described as having a bright color pattern and colored stripe behind its eyes. It has several pairs of golden spots on the dorsum, which are larval spots often retained as adults that may sometimes fuse to form a light dorsal stripe in adults. The belly is light with dark flecks. It closely resembles D. fuscus and D. santeetlah, and is thus best distinguished from them by range.

Desmognathus conanti has a wide range in the southeastern and south-central United States, ranging from southern Illinois south to the panhandle of Florida, and west to Louisiana and southern Arkansas. They are semiaquatic, typically inhabit cool, forested seeps or streams/streamsides.