A new distribution record of Salamandra salamandra (Amphibia) in the Getic Subcarpathians, Romania

Abstract

Salamandra salamandra, a species considered in Romania related to the Carpathian arch, was identified in a new locality south of the Southern Carpathians, in Oltenia region. The new distribution record indicates that the species is well represented in the region, despite its few and recent records. In October 2024, we identified two adults at about 400 m altitude, in a hilly region covered with beech forests. In April 2025, we identified larvae in a puddle situated near an abandoned railway that served an abandoned coal mine. The aquatic habitat created alongside the railway offered favorable conditions for larval development. As the recent years have been dry and warm, this aquatic habitat, alongside the region's beech forest, has helped maintain the fire salamander population.