Tucked away in the high-elevation forests of northern New Mexico lives a salamander so elusive that you’d be lucky to spot one at all — the Jemez Mountains Salamander (Plethodon neomexicanus). This little amphibian is a lungless salamander found only in the Jemez Mountains and nowhere else on Earth. Because it’s so specific in its habitat needs and so sensitive to environmental changes, it’s become a bit of a conservation icon in its corner of the Southwest.
Size & Physical Appearance
These salamanders are fairly small, usually measuring between 2.5 to 3.5 inches long from snout to tail. They’re slender and smooth-skinned, with a dark brown to grayish-brown body often flecked with fine coppery or bronze-colored specks that can give them a subtle shimmer in the right light.
Males and females look very similar, and juveniles are mostly just smaller versions of adults without dramatic changes in color or markings. If you get the chance to see one up close, notice their long toes — this helps them move nimbly through damp underground spaces and leaf litter.
Habitat and Range
This species is a true homebody. Jemez Mountains Salamanders are found only in the Jemez Mountains of north-central New Mexico, typically between 7,200 and 9,500 feet in elevation. That means they’re a high-elevation specialist, which makes them particularly sensitive to climate change and land use changes.
They live in moist, mixed-conifer forests with plenty of downed logs, rocks, and leaf litter. They prefer areas where they can stay damp and cool — especially important because they breathe through their skin and the lining of their mouths.
Here’s the cool (and limiting) part: during dry or cold conditions, they retreat deep underground into cracks and crevices in volcanic rock. That makes them very difficult to observe outside of the brief wet periods in summer and fall.
Diet
In the wild, Jemez Mountains Salamanders are nocturnal hunters. They feed mostly on tiny invertebrates such as ants, beetles, mites, springtails, and small worms. Basically, if it’s small, squishy, and crawling around in the forest duff, it’s fair game.
Like other salamanders in their genus, they use a quick flick of their sticky tongue to snatch prey — think of it as the amphibian version of a frog’s famous tongue trick.
Lifespan
Not much is known for sure, but like many plethodontid (lungless) salamanders, they’re believed to live a moderate to long life for a small amphibian — possibly 10 years or more in the wild. Lifespan in captivity is largely unknown because this species is rare and not commonly kept.
Identification Tips
Telling the Jemez Mountains Salamander apart from other salamanders in New Mexico isn’t too tricky once you know what to look for:
- Range: This is your biggest clue. If you’re not in the high elevations of the Jemez Mountains, it’s probably not this species.
- Color and size: Its dark body with tiny coppery or bronze flecks helps set it apart from the more boldly colored Tiger Salamander, which is much bigger and has bright yellow markings.
- Lack of lungs: Okay, you won’t see this directly, but lungless salamanders tend to have a more slender body and are more reliant on moist skin, so they are usually found in more hidden, humid places rather than out in the open.
When in doubt, use location and size to guide your ID. Plus, most other salamander species in New Mexico prefer different habitats or elevations.
Fun Fact
It may surprise you, but this salamander has no lungs — none at all! It gets all its oxygen by absorbing it through its skin and mouth. That’s one big reason why it needs consistently moist microhabitats and why dehydration is a major risk.
Final Thoughts
The Jemez Mountains Salamander is a standout example of how specialized and sensitive amphibians can be. It’s also a reminder of how much we still have to learn about these quiet, hidden neighbors. Because it’s so range-restricted and threatened by changing climate and habitat disruption, it’s federally listed as an endangered species. If you happen to come across one, consider yourself lucky — and tread lightly.
And if you’re exploring the Jemez Mountains and flipping a log to look for critters, be sure to put it back just the way you found it. These salamanders (and lots of other animals) depend on those microhabitats to survive.