1. Looking at Salamanders at the Species Level

2. Kindom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Superclass: Tetrapoda Class: Amphibia Subclass: Lissamphibia Order: Caudata Families: Cryptobranchidae, Proteidae, Salamandridae, Ambystomatidae & Plethodontidae

3. Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis
Family: Cryptobranchidae
“Hidden Gills”
Eastern Hellbender
Largest salamander
Big skin folds

4. Necturus m. maculosus Family: Proteidae “Swimming” Common Mudpuppy
Bushy gills
4 – 4 (1 of 2 WV salamanders w/ this toe characteristic)

5. Notophthalmus v. viridescens
Family: Salamandridae
“Eyes on back”
Red-spotted Newt / Eft
Black bordered red spots on back & side
Longitudinal crests on head

6. Family: Ambystomatidae
“Cup-shaped mouth”
The Mole Salamanders
Costal grooves
Ambystoma jeffersonianum
Ambystoma maculatum
Ambystoma opacum
Ambystoma barbouri
Ambystoma texanum

7. Ambystoma jeffersonianum
Jefferson Salamander
EXTREMELY long toes
Small bluish flecks on body
Light belly
14 costal grooves

8. 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

9. Ambystoma opacum Marbled Salamander
Alternating light & dark crossbands on the dorsal side that form an hourglass shape
Dark belly
12 costal grooves

10. Ambystoma texanum Ambystoma 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

11. A. texanum/barbouri Distribution Map

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Cross Sections of Desmognathus Tails

16. Desmognathus ochrophaeus
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Chevron markings
14 costal grooves
Most terrestrial so there is NO KEEL IN THE TAIL

17. Desmognathus fuscus Northern Dusky Salamander
Dorsally, there is usually a reddish stripe (may be broken up) w/ wavy borders
Mottled belly
DORSAL KEEL

18. Desmognathus m. monticola
Appalachian Seal Salamander
Dorsally, there are worm-like markings scattered all over
Immaculate belly
14 costal grooves
Stronger keel

19. 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

20. Desmognathus welteri Black Mountain Dusky Salamander Most terrestrial
Biggest keeled tail

21. Genus: Gyrinophilus The Spring Salamanders “Tadpole loving”
Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus
Gyrinophilus p. duryi
Gyrinophilus subterraneous
Sibling species (Look at the map)

22. Genus: Gyrinophilus Robust Pink/Red/Brown Free tongue Keeled tail
Canthas rostralis

23. Genus: Gyrinophilus Distribution Map

24. Genus: Pseudotriton The Red Salamanders “False newt”
Richly colored with black dots
Robust
Keeled tail
Pseudotriton montanus diastictus
Pseudotriton r. ruber

25. Pseudotriton montanus diastictus
Midland Mud Salamander
Red w/ few black spots
17 costal grooves

26. Pseudotriton r. ruber Northern Red Salamander
Red w/ numerous small black dots scattered over body
16-17 costal grooves

27. 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

28. Genus: Eurycea The Brook Salamanders
“Wide”
The Brook Salamanders
Free tongue
Eurycea lucifuga
Eurycea l. longicauda
* Eurycea cirrigera
* Eurycea b. bislineata
* Denotes sibling species

29. 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

30. Eurycea l. longicauda Long-tailed Salamander Tail > half the body
Slender
Herringbone style on tail
Black speckles over body
13 – 14 costal grooves

31. Eurycea bislineata Eurycea 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)

32. Eurycea bislineata Eurycea cirrigera Distribution Map

33. Hemidactylium scutatum
“Half finger”
Four-toed Salamander
4 – 4
Brown back
Salt & pepper belly
Constriction at base of tail

34. Genus: Plethodon Family: 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)

35. small Woodland Salamanders
Plethodon cinereus
Plethodon richmondi
Plethodon electromorphus
Plethodon hoffmani
Plethodon virginia
Plethodon nettingi

36. LARGE Woodland Salamanders
Plethodon punctatus
Plethodon wehrlei
Plethodon kentucki
Plethodon cylindraceus
Plethodon glutinosus

37. 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

38. 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

39. Plethodon richmondi & Plethodon electromorphus Distribution Map

40. Plethodon hoffmani & Plethodon virginia (small)
Valley & Ridge Salamander & Shenandoah Mountain Salamander
Sibling species (map)
Morphologically similar to the ravine salamanders

41. 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

42. 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

43. Plethodon glutinosus & Plethodon cylindraceus & Plethodon kentucki Distribution Map

44. 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

45. Plethodon wehrlei & Plethodon punctatus Distribution Map

46. Any Questions??????