The Cheat Mountain salamander is a special creature found only in West Virginia. It's small, only about four inches long as an adult. It has a black or dark-brown back with shiny, brassy spots. Its belly is a plain dark gray. Its tail is shorter than the length of its head and body combined. This helps tell it apart from other salamanders. It was listed as a threatened species in 1989 because it lives in a very small area and is losing its habitat.

This salamander lives in high elevations with cool temperatures. In fact, it’s been found in only five counties: Grant, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph, and Tucker.

During the day, it hides under logs, rocks, or underground. At night, it comes out to hunt small insects and mites for food. It's a "woodland salamander," which means it has no lungs. It breathes through its skin. Because of this, its skin must stay moist to breathe. If the weather is too dry, it will stay underground until it gets damp again. Females lay small groups of eggs inside rotten logs or under rocks.