About Speleomantes strinatii (Aellen, 1958)
Speleomantes strinatii (Aellen, 1958) is a fully terrestrial plethodontid salamander, and one of seven plethodontid salamander species native to southern Europe. This species shows wide variation in adult size and strong sexual dimorphism. Males average around 96 millimeters in total length, and reach a maximum length of 116 millimeters. Females average approximately 100 millimeters in length, with a recorded maximum length of 123 millimeters. S. strinatii has an oval-shaped head, a rounded snout, and a slight overbite that is more prominent in males. Its hind limbs are slightly longer than its front limbs; each hind foot has five digits, while each front foot has only four digits. Coloration and patterning are highly variable across individuals. Most individuals are brown and black, but some have spots, blotches, or striped reticular patterns in red, yellow, gray, or green, or exhibit a metallic sheen. S. strinatii occurs in southeastern France and northwestern Italy. Its range extends from Alpes de Haute Provence to northwestern Tuscany, spanning the Maritime Alps, Ligurian Alps, and Ligurian Apennines. It is most commonly found at elevations between 0 and 2290 meters above sea level, but has been recorded at up to 2432 meters in the Maritime Alps. The species is not an obligate cave dweller, though it prefers humid environments like the caves it is named for. During periods of extreme heat, individuals retreat to cooler underground spaces. S. strinatii can be active year-round, and is found in caves, crevices, and other rocky cavities from late spring through summer.
