text: Feeding Male and female alpine salamanders have relatively similar diets. Some specific organisms they prey on include species such as beetles, snails, millipedes, and spiders, but alpine salamanders display preferences among prey. S. atra typically consume organisms from the Coleoptera and mollusca taxa. These taxa are the most crucial component of their diet. They also tend to eat larger prey since they themselves are larger salamanders. Such preference indicates a dimensional selectivity, in which the energy intake of prey consumption is maximized. Though alpine salamanders have definite dietary preferences, they have a substantial amount of variation in their diet that corresponds to their own optimized physical needs and prey-catching abilities.
  Mating and interactions
  Mating pattern
  The alpine salamander engages in a promiscuous mating pattern, meaning that they engage in multiple partner pairings. Males travel farther than females do, potentially to follow a scent emitted by females, and typically while still in their juvenile stage. Female S. atra find and defend their shelters, which is a potential reason that they may stay more local than males.
  Male-male behavior
  Males are more likely to engage in chasing other males, as well as actually fighting with each other. Oftentimes, one male will mount the other, loosely grasp it with his forearms, and start rubbing his head on the other male. The two males will switch roles, and in one studied interaction, continued like this for seven minutes before parting ways. In a second documented fight, the behavior was more intense. When one member tried to leave, the other male chased it to re-engage. This encounter lasted eight minutes. There is both photographic and video evidence of these behaviors. Researchers are unsure if it is caused by territoriality, confusion on sexual identification and mistaken mating, or true combat.