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Looking at Salamanders at the Species Level

Looking at Salamanders at the Species Level. Kindom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Superclass: Tetrapoda Class: Amphibia Subclass: Lissamphibia Order: Caudata Families: Cryptobranchidae, Proteidae, Salamandridae, Ambystomatidae & Plethodontidae. Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis.

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Looking at Salamanders at the Species Level

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  1. Looking at Salamanders at the Species Level

  2. Kindom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: VertebrataSuperclass: TetrapodaClass: AmphibiaSubclass: LissamphibiaOrder: CaudataFamilies: 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 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

  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 • “Tadpoleloving” • 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: GyrinophilusDistribution 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: EuryceaThe 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 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)

  32. Eurycea bislineataEurycea cirrigeraDistribution Map

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

  34. 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)

  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 electromorphusDistribution 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 kentuckiDistribution 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 punctatusDistribution Map

  46. Any Questions??????

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