# Desmognathus

Desmognathus is a genus of lungless salamanders in the family Plethodontidae known as dusky salamanders. They range throughout the eastern United States as far west as Texas, and north to southeastern Canada.

## Characteristics

Species of the genus Desmognathus have a unique jaw-opening mechanism where the lower jaw is stationary and the skull swings open. There are additional stalked condyles, an atlanto-mandibular ligament, along with other skeletal and musculature features that have evolved to accompany this type of jaw-opening mechanism. Additionally, they are known to exhibit maternal care by brooding over their eggs.

## Species

This genus includes the following 39-40 species:
| Binomial Name and Author | Common Name |
| Desmognathus abditus Anderson & Tilley, 2003 | Cumberland dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus adatsihi Pyron and Beamer, 2022 | Cherokee mountain dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus aeneus Brown & Bishop, 1947 | Seepage salamander |
| Desmognathus amphileucus Bishop, 1941 | Nantahala blackbelly salamander |
| Desmognathus anicetus Pyron and Beamer, 2023 | Foothills dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus apalachicolae Means & Karlin, 1989 | Apalachicola dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus aureatus (Martof, 1956) | Golden shovelnose salamander |
| Desmognathus auriculatus (Holbrook, 1838) | Holbrook's southern dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus bairdi Pyron and Beamer, 2023 | Piedmont dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus balsameus Pyron and Beamer, 2022 | Great Balsams mountain dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus brimleyorum Stejneger, 1895 | Ouachita dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus campi Pyron and Beamer, 2023 | Savannah dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus carolinensis Dunn, 1916 | Carolina mountain dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus catahoula Pyron and Beamer, 2023 | Catahoula spotted dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus cheaha Pyron and Beamer, 2023 | Talladega seal salamander |
| Desmognathus conanti Rossman, 1958 | Spotted dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus folkertsi Camp, Tilley, Austin & Marshall, 2002 | Dwarf blackbelly salamander |
| Desmognathus fuscus (Rafinesque, 1820) | Northern dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus gvnigeusgwotli Pyron and Beamer, 2022 | Cherokee blackbelly salamander |
| Desmognathus imitator Dunn, 1927 | Imitator salamander |
| Desmognathus intermedius (Pope, 1928) | Central shovelnose salamander |
| Desmognathus kanawha Pyron and Beamer, 2022 | Kanawha blackbelly salamander |
| Desmognathus lycos Pyron and Beamer, 2023 | Wolf dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus marmoratus (Moore, 1899) | Shovelnose salamander |
| Desmognathus mavrokoilius Pyron and Beamer, 2022 | Pisgah blackbelly salamander |
| Desmognathus monticola Dunn, 1916 | Seal salamander |
| Desmognathus ochrophaeus Cope, 1859 | Allegheny mountain dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus ocoee Nicholls, 1949 | Ocoee dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus orestes Tilley & Mahoney, 1996 | Blue Ridge dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus organi Crespi & Browne, 2010 | Northern pygmy salamander |
| Desmognathus pascagoula Pyron, O'Connell, Lamb, and Beamer, 2022 | Pascagoula dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus perlapsus Neill, 1950 | Tallulah dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus planiceps Newman, 1955 | Flat-headed salamander |
| Desmognathus quadramaculatus (Holbrook, 1840) | Blackbelly salamander (defunct) |
| Desmognathus santeetlah Tilley, 1981 | Santeetlah dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus tilleyi Pyron and Beamer, 2023 | Max Patch dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus valentinei Means, Lamb, and Bernardo, 2017 | Valentine's southern dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus valtos Pyron and Beamer, 2022 | Carolina swamp dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus welteri Barbour, 1950 | Black Mountain dusky salamander |
| Desmognathus wrighti King, 1936 | Pygmy salamander |