Post on 12-Jan-2016
Looking at Salamanders at the
Species Level
Kindom: AnimaliaPhylum: Chordata
Subphylum: VertebrataSuperclass: Tetrapoda
Class: AmphibiaSubclass: Lissamphibia
Order: CaudataFamilies: Cryptobranchidae, Proteidae, Salamandridae,
Ambystomatidae & Plethodontidae
Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis
• Family: Cryptobranchidae• “Hidden Gills”• Eastern Hellbender• Largest salamander• Big skin folds
Necturus m. maculosus
• Family: Proteidae• “Swimming”• Common Mudpuppy• Bushy gills• 4 – 4 (1 of 2 WV salamanders
w/ this toe characteristic)
Notophthalmus v. viridescens
• Family: Salamandridae• “Eyes on back”• Red-spotted Newt / Eft• Black bordered red spots on back & side• Longitudinal crests on head
Family: Ambystomatidae
• “Cup-shaped mouth”• The Mole Salamanders • Costal grooves• Ambystoma jeffersonianum • Ambystoma maculatum • Ambystoma opacum• Ambystoma barbouri• Ambystoma texanum
Ambystoma jeffersonianum
• Jefferson Salamander• EXTREMELY long toes• Small bluish flecks on body • Light belly• 14 costal grooves
Ambystoma maculatum• Spotted
Salamander• 2 irregular rows
of yellow spots on the dorsum that extend from the head to the tail
• Dark belly• 12 costal
grooves
Ambystoma opacum
• Marbled Salamander• Alternating light & dark crossbands on the
dorsal side that form an hourglass shape• Dark belly • 12 costal grooves
Ambystoma texanumAmbystoma barbouri
• Smallmouth Salamander & Streamside Salamander
• Sibling species (look at distribution map)• Numerous bluish/ grey or silvery/gray
markings along the sides of the body• Small head & mouth• 14 costal
grooves
A. texanum/barbouri Distribution Map
Family: Plethodontidae
• “Lots of teeth”
• Largest & most diverse group of salamanders
• Lungless, respire through skin
• Nasolabial groove is present
• WV has 7 genera & 25 species
Genus: Desmognathus
• “Band on jaws” (lower jaw held in place via ligaments connected to the upper backbone) = VERY strong jaws
• Robust
• Larger hind legs
• 5 species in WV
5 Desmognathus species
• D. ochrophaeus• D. fuscus• D. monticola• D. quadramaculatus• D. welteri• Note: These are in increasing
order of water affinity so it will be helpful to look at the keel of the tail in each species
Cross Sections of Desmognathus Tails
Desmognathus ochrophaeus
• Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander• Chevron markings• 14 costal grooves• Most terrestrial so there is NO KEEL IN THE
TAIL
Desmognathus fuscus
• Northern Dusky Salamander• Dorsally, there is usually a reddish
stripe (may be broken up) w/ wavy borders
• Mottled belly• DORSAL KEEL
Desmognathus m. monticola
• Appalachian Seal Salamander• Dorsally, there are worm-like markings
scattered all over• Immaculate belly• 14 costal grooves• Stronger keel
Desmognathus quadramaculatus
• Black-bellied Salamander• Dark in color a row of brownish/gold
specks along each side of the body• Head is usually brownish• Dark belly and body (except for the
chocolate head)• 14 costal grooves• STRONGLY KEELED TAIL
Desmognathus welteri
• Black Mountain Dusky Salamander
• Most terrestrial• Biggest keeled tail
Genus: Gyrinophilus
• The Spring Salamanders
• “Tadpole loving”
• Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus
• Gyrinophilus p. duryi
• Gyrinophilus subterraneous
• Sibling species (Look at the map)
Genus: Gyrinophilus
• Robust• Pink/Red/Brown• Free tongue• Keeled tail• Canthas rostralis
Genus: Gyrinophilus Distribution Map
Genus: Pseudotriton
• The Red Salamanders
• “False newt”
• Richly colored with black dots
• Robust
• Keeled tail
• Pseudotriton montanus diastictus
• Pseudotriton r. ruber
Pseudotriton montanus diastictus
• Midland Mud Salamander
• Red w/ few black spots
• 17 costal grooves
Pseudotriton r. ruber
• Northern Red Salamander
• Red w/ numerous small black dots scattered over body
• 16-17 costal grooves
Aneides aeneus
• The climbing salamanders
• “Shapeless”• Green Salamander• Flattened body• Squared-off toe
pads (for climbing)• Dark w/ bright green
patches over body• 14 – 15 costal
grooves
Genus: EuryceaThe Brook Salamanders
• “Wide”• The Brook Salamanders• Free tongue• Eurycea lucifuga• Eurycea l. longicauda • * Eurycea cirrigera • * Eurycea b. bislineata • * Denotes sibling species
Eurycea lucifuga
• Cave Salamander• Tail > half of the body• Orange – Red w/ numerous black dots over
body• Flattened head w/ well developed eyes• 14 – 15 costal grooves
Eurycea l. longicauda
• Long-tailed Salamander
• Tail > half the body
• Slender• Herringbone
style on tail• Black speckles
over body• 13 – 14 costal
grooves
Eurycea bislineataEurycea cirrigera
• Northern Two-lined Salamander & Southern Two-lined Salamander
• Light, median dorsal stripe bordered on each side by dark lines which originate at the eyes and extend the length of the body
• 15 – 16 costal grooves
• Sibling species (know your distribution map)
Eurycea bislineataEurycea cirrigeraDistribution Map
Hemidactylium scutatum
• “Half finger”• Four-toed
Salamander• 4 – 4• Brown back• Salt & pepper
belly• Constriction at
base of tail
Genus: PlethodonFamily: Plethodontidae
• Woodland salamanders are divided into small & large size classes
• Completely terrestrial & nocturnal
• Entire larval stage is spent in the egg
• 4 Complexes (DISTRIBUTION MAPS)
small Woodland Salamanders
• Plethodon cinereus
• Plethodon richmondi
• Plethodon electromorphus
• Plethodon hoffmani
• Plethodon virginia
• Plethodon nettingi
LARGE Woodland Salamanders
• Plethodon punctatus
• Plethodon wehrlei
• Plethodon kentucki
• Plethodon cylindraceus
• Plethodon glutinosus
Plethedon cinereus(small)
• Eastern Red-backed Salamander• Straight-edged stripe down the back that
usually extends to the tail (color varies due to different phases)
• Belly sprinkled w/ black & white• 18 – 19 costal grooves
Plethodon richmondi & Plethodon electromorphus
(small)• Southern Ravine
Salamander & Northern Ravine Salamander
• Sibling species (refer to map)
• Long & slender• Dark back w/ lots of
gold/silver flecks & sometimes white specks on side
• In NRS, the belly and throat are more white
• Costal groove numbers overlap
Plethodon richmondi & Plethodon electromorphus
Distribution Map
Plethodon hoffmani & Plethodon virginia
(small)• Valley & Ridge Salamander &
Shenandoah Mountain Salamander• Sibling species (map)• Morphologically similar to the ravine
salamanders
Plethodon nettingi(small)
• Cheat Mountain Salamander• Federally protected species endemic to WV
(Pendleton, Grant, Tucker, Randolph & Pocahontas Counties)
• Dark back w/ metallic-like speckles • Dark belly and throat• 17 – 19 costal grooves
Plethodon glutinosus &Plethodon cylindraceus &
Plethodon kentucki(LARGE)
• Northern Slimy Salamander & White-spotted Slimy Salamander & Cumberland Plateau Salamander
• Sibling Species (map)
• Grey belly• Dorsally black &
covered w/ many white speckles
• 16 costal grooves
Plethodon glutinosus &Plethodon cylindraceus &
Plethodon kentuckiDistribution Map
Plethodon wehrlei & Plethodon punctatus (LARGE)
• Wehrle’s Salamander & Cow Knob Salamander
• Sibling Species• More charcoal than black• In PW, back feet are partially webbed & red
flecks are present usually on sides• In CK, dark back w/ yellow spots all over
Plethodon wehrlei & Plethodon punctatus
Distribution Map