herpetology practical amphibians

salamander distinguishing characteristics

Ambystomidae

mole salamanders, live underground

Ambystoma maculatum

large, black with yellow spots

Ambystoma opacum

medium, black with whit/gray bands, males bands are lighter than females

Ambystoma talpoideum 

short, dark with flecks, big head, larvae have yellow stripe

Ambystoma jeffersonianum

long and skinny, very long toes, small head for body size

Ambystoma tigrinum

tiger strips, very large

Salamandridae

skin is rougher, indistinct costal grooves, newts

notophthalmus viridescens

spots down back on either side 

Plethodontidae

lungless salamanders, naso-labial grooves

Desmognathus

diagonal line from eye to angle of jaw, lower jaw is immovable, hind legs are larger than front

Desmognathus fuscus fuscus

medium size, belly is light with peppering

desmognathus planiceps 

same as fuscus, range restricted to a few counties in Virginia

Desemognathus lycos

large, dorsal and ventral colors more sharply distinct than other duskys, stippling mostly on margins of belly

Desmongathus bairidi

medium size dusky, dorsal stripe, keeled tail, shorter head and very slender, belly dark with light flecks

Desmognathus monticola

medium, laterally compressed tail, knife tip, sharp separation between dorsal and venter , little mottling on belly

Desmognathus kanawha

black belly, two rows of spots on side of body, short tail

Desmognathus orestes

small, tail equal in length to body and head, gray belly with not mottling, dorsolateral stripe

Plethodon

woodland salamanders

plethodon cylindraceus

large, black with white spots, black belly with light chin and throat, hands and feet white-pink

plethodon chlorobryonis

fewer, smaller spots, belly is black with dark throat and chin, hands and feet are darker

plethodon glutinosus

fewer spots, belly is black and dark chin, throat and feet more pink

plethodon cinereus

salt and pepper belly, throat is more light than dark

plethodon sherando

wider head, longer limbs, more broken dorsal stripe

plethodon shenandoah

belly is black

plethodon hubricti

gold flecking on back, belly is solid black

plethodon richmondi

restricted to southwestern counties, belly dark with lighter mottled throat, tail is longer than body and head

plethodon montanus

uniform black-gray

plethodon yonhalossee

light sides, red stripe on back, belly light gray

plethodon wehrlei

webbed hind feet

plethodon pauleyi

two rows of yellow spots on back

plethodon jacksoni

mottling only on tail and back,

plethodon punctatus

looks like a cow, some webbing on hind feet

plethodon hoffmani

mottling only on chin, long tail

gyrinophilus porphyriticus porphyriticus

large, line running from eye to nostril

pseudotriton ruber ruber

red with dark spots 

pseudotriton montanu

fewer larger spots shorter snout

hemidactylum scutatum

only four toes on hind feet

Eurycea bislineata

two stripes go down onto tail

Eurycea cirrigera

stripes extend more than half way down tail

Eurycea guttolineata

three stripes on back, long tail

Eurycea longicauda longicauda

orange, long tail with vertical bars on it

eurycea lucifuga

orange to red, black spots, shorter tail and lacks vertical bars

aeides aeneus

green, looks like lichen