The genus, Gyrinophilus, means "tadpole lover" and refers to the long period of time it spends as a gilled larva before maturing.

The light line from eye to nostril is bordered below by gray pigment, but the markings are not always conspicuous.

Adults reach larger sizes at higher elevations as a consequence of delay in development to maturity after metamorphosis in high-level populations.

The dorsal coloration can be clear reddish, salmon, or orange-yellow marked with black or brown spots or flecks.

They require being in areas that provide them with adequate oxygen and moisture because they conduct cutaneous respiration.

[11] Its distribution ranges from southern Quebec to northern Alabama and extremely northeast Mississippi.

The distribution range of G. p. danielsi is the southern Appalachian Mountains and the adjacent Piedmont from North Carolina to Alabama.

G. p. dunni is distributed through the southern portion of the Blue Ridge Province and the Piedmont from southwest North Carolina to eastern to central Alabama.

Fish are the main predators of the spring salamander, including the Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis).

However in the states of New Jersey, Connecticut, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Texas, G. porphyriticus is listed as threatened.

These state populations are threatened primarily due to deforestation, agriculture, and introduction of fish for sport such as trout.

[15] The Adirondack / Appalachian population in Québec, Canada has been listed as threatened on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act since 2017.