THE FOUR-TOED SALAMANDER (HEMIDACTYLIUM SCUTATUM) IN INDIANA: PAST AND PRESENT

Currently listed as an endangered species by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the four-toed salamander, Hemidactylium scutatum, is found in widely separated populations at sites with specialized habitat conditions necessary for its reproduction. Its historical distribution in Indiana includes the northern two-thirds of the state. However, until recently, records had been few and largely limited to northern Indiana. From 2003 through 2010, we conducted surveys of potential sites for the salamander throughout the state and report the discovery of several new populations, some from counties where the salamander had not been previously reported. We summarize certain aspects of the natural history of this salamander, review historical records, report new records, list dates when nesting females with eggs were found, discuss nest sites chosen, and annotate where voucher specimens or photo vouchers are known to exist. In addition, we introduce an updated statewide distribution map and discuss relative abundance of the species and its conservation status in Indiana.