Herpetology Salamanders

 Kingdom: Animalia  Phylum: Chordata  Subphylum: Vertebrata  Class: Amphibia  Order: Caudata  Family:  Genus:  Specific:

Family: Cryptobranchidae Eastern Hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis  5 toes on hind foot  Gill slits  Huge  Breathes from folds on sides

Family: Proteidae Common Mudpuppy Necturus maculosus maculosus  External gills  Four toes on feet

Family: Salamandridae Red spotted Newt Notophthalmus v. viridescens  Longitudinal ridge on head  No costal grooves  No nasolabial grooves

Family: Ambystomatidae 1) Ambystoma barbouri Streamside Salamander 2) Ambystoma texanum Small-mouthed Salamander 3) Ambystoma jeffersonianum Jefferson Salamander 4) Ambystoma maculatum Spotted Salamander 5) Ambystoma opacum Marbled Salamander

Stream-side and Small Mouth Ambystoma barbouri Found in Wayne county Has a small mouth The barber by the stream from Wayne Co. Ambystoma texanum Found in Wood county Small mouth

A. texanum/A. barbouri Distribution

Stream-side Salamander Ambystoma barbouri  Found in Wayne county  Has a small mouth  Black or brown color  Toes do not meet

Small-mouthed Salamander Ambystoma texanum  Found in Wood, Mason counties  Small mouth  Toes do not meet  Black / brown color  Short face

Jefferson Salamander Ambystoma jeffersonianum  Has a flat head  Slender  Long long toes

Spotted Salamander Ambystoma maculatum  Has spots  Dark color  2 rows of spots down back  Costal grooves  Chunky salamander

Marbled Salamander Ambystoma opacum  Black and white hourglass spots on back  Chunky Monkey

Family: Plethodontidae

Genus: Aneides

Green Salamander Aneides aeneus  Head is broad and flat  Toe tips are square and expanded  Slender

Family: Plethodontidae Genus: Desmognathus

Northern Dusky Salamander Desmognathus fuscus  Bottom lighter than belly  Spots on back random  Keeled tail  Distinct lines down sides

Seal Salamander Desmognathus monticola  No strip at sides  Belly is pale  Keeled tail  Back is darker with scallop like spots

Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus  Looks like 2 line but mouth downward  Slender  Line from eye to mouth  Light line down back

Black-Bellied Salamander Desmognathus quadramaculatus  Costal grooves  Nasolabial grooves  Line from eye to mouth  Black body, brown head  Keeled tail

Black Mountain Salamander Desmognathus welteri Not on Lab Exam

Family: Plethodontidae Genus: Gyrinophilus

Spring Salamanders  Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus Northern Spring Salamander  Gyrinophilus porphyriticus duryi Kentucky Spring Salamander  Gyrinophilus subterraneus West Virginia Spring Salamander

Gyrinophilus Distribution

Spring Salamanders  Nasolabial grooves  Central pedicel  Line posterior from eye toward back of body  Keel on tail  Spots on back  Lighter belly

Family: Plethodontidae Genus: Hemidactylium

Four-toed Salamander Hemidactylium scutatum  Tail longer than body  Tail pinched at base  4:4 toes

Family: Plethodontidae Genus: Eurycea

Two-Lined Salamanders  Eurycea bislineata Northern Two-lined Salamander  Eurycea cirrigera Southern Two-lined Salamander

E. bislineata/E. cirrigera Distribution

Two-Lined Salamanders  Narrow black line down both sides  Light mid-dorsal strip  Slender

Long-tailed Salamander Eurycea l. longicauda  Yellow in color  Spotted on back  Lateral black bars on the tail  No spots on belly  Tail longer than body

Cave Salamander Eurycea lucifuga  Tail longer than body  Irregular black spots and dashes  Big eyes  Slender

Family: Plethodontidae Genus: Plethodon

Eastern Red-backed Salamander Plethodon cinereus  Nasolabial grooves  Costal grooves  Large line down back  Spotted (salt and pepper) belly  Slender

Plethodon (large) Slimy  Plethodon cylindraceus White-spotted Slimy Salamander  Plethodon glutinosus Northern Slimy Salamander  Plethodon kentucki Cumberland Plateau Salamander

P. glutinosus Complex

Slimy Salamanders  Spots uniformly distributed along body  Lighter chin

Plethodon (small)  Plethodon electromorphus Northern Ravine Salamander  Plethodon hoffmani Valley and Ridge Salamander  Plethodon nettingi Cheat Mountain Salamander  Plethodon richmondi Southern Ravine Salamander  Plethodon virginia Shenandoah Mountain Salamander

Plethodon (small)  Small  Slender  Dark Bodies  Worms with legs

Eastern Small Plethodon Complex

Plethodon (large)  Plethodon wehrlei Wehrle’s Salamander  Plethodon punctatus Cow Knob Salamander

Wehrle’s or Cow Knob  Dark salamander  Lighter throat  White spots mainly along sides (faint) Cow Knob

P. werhlei/P. punctatus Distribution

Family: Plethodontidae Genus: Pseudotriton

Midland Mud Salamander Pseudotriton montanus diastictus  Nasolabial groove (faint)  Central pedicel  30 –40 spots scattered  Salmon, red color

Northern Red Salamander Pseudotriton r. ruber  Nasolabial grooves  Costal grooves  Irregular black dots (40+)  No spots at end of tail  Belly pale

Map of Counties of West Virginia

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