Herpetology Lab

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Herpetology Lab

• Cameron A. Young
• cayrip_at_yahoo.com
• Office Hours
• Wednesday 12pm 3pm
• Mailbox in Ecology

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Salamanders of Georgia

• Identifying Characteristics, Natural History, and
  Geographic Distribution

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Lateral folds

• Highly vascularized folds of skin on the sides of
  a salamander

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Gill slits

• Openings on the sides of the neck that allow
  water to pass over the gills after it is brought
  into the mouth

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Neotenic condition

• Paedomorphosis
• Retains larvae characteristics such as gills and
  no eyelids

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Mental Gland

• Courtship glands on the chin of plethodontid
  salamanders

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Reduced eyes

• Characteristic of cave dwelling salamanders

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External gills

• Larval condition of all salamanders
• Retained in neotenic/paedomorphic aqautic species

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cirri

• Downward projection from the nostrils in male
  Eurycea spp.
• Used in courtship

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Costal grooves

• Lines that extend vertically on the sides of
  salamanders associated with a ribthe indentation
  where muscle joins the rib
• Use to distinguish species by counting the number
  of grooves

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Snout-vent length

• Standard herpetological measurement used to
  determine body size of salamanders, snakes, and
  lizards

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Absence of hind limbs

• Characteristic of the Family Sirenidae

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Palmar tubercles

• Hard bumps on the hind feet of newts
  (Notophthalmus sp.)

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Tail flattened for swimming

• Lateral (up and down) compression of the tail
• Has a knife-edge appearance

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Desmognathine eye stripe

• Characteristic light stripe extending through the
  eye down to the corner of the mouth in
  desmognathine salamanders

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Canthus rostralis

• Ridge on the head of Gyrinophilus spp. Between
  the eye and nostril

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Basal constriction of the tail

• tail appears to be pinched where it joins the
  body in Hemidactylium spp.

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Cranial ridges

• Crests on the head of newtsthe only salamander
  in GA that has them

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Nasolabial groove

• Trough from the lip to the nostril in
  plethodontine salamanders
• Used in chemoreception

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balancers

• Protusions behind the gills in larval
  ambystomatid salamanders

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Appressed limbs

• Press front leg backward and the back leg forward
• Costal grooves are then counted to differentiate
  between some species

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Family Hynobiidae

• 7 genera and 36 species
• Asia mostly north of the Himalayan Mountains

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Hynobiidae Geographic Distribution
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Hynobiidae Characteristics

• Heavy bodies with thick tails
• Most are less than 10 cm long
• Adults lack gills, gill slits, and nasolabial
  grooves
• Adults have moveable eyelids and costal grooves.
• Lungs well developed

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Family Dicamptodontidae

• One genus with four species
• Pacific Northwest Distribution

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Dicamptodontidae Geographic Distribution
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Dicamptodontidae Characteristics

• Heavy bodies with heavy tails
• Four short legs
• Adults lack gill and gill slits
• Adults have moveable eyelids and costal grooves
  but no nasolabial grooves

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Family Rhyacotritonidae

• One genus with four species
• Pacific Northwest

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Rhyacotritonidae Geographic Distribution
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Rhyacotritonidae Characteristics

• Heavy bodies with heavy tail and four legs
• Up to 12 cm
• Adults lack gills and gill slits
• Eyelids and costal grooves are present
• No nasolabial grooves
• Small lungs present

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Family Ambystomatidae

• One Genus with more than 30 species
• North American Distribution south to the Mexican
  plateau

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Ambystomatidae Geographic Distribution
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Ambystomatidae Characteristics

• Mole salamanders
• Small mostly under 16 cm but up to 25 cm
• Adults lack gills and gill slits, no nasolabial
  grooves
• Adults have moveable eyelids, costal grooves, and
  lungs
• Four well-developed legs

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Family AmbystomatidaeMole Salamanders

• Fossorial
• Explosive breeders in winter and spring
• Internal fertilization (spermatophores)
• some are neotenic

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Ambystoma cingulatumFlatwoods Salamander

• Lichenlike markings across back
• Federally Threatened
• Slashpine/wiregrass flatwoods
• Fall Breeder

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Ambystoma cingulatum
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Ambystoma maculatumSpotted Salamander

• Round, Yellow spots on back
• Breeds in early Spring
• Egg masses characterized by algal growth

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Ambystoma maculatum
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Ambystoma opacumMarbled Salamander

• Marbled appearance
• Fall breeder

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Ambystoma opacum
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Ambystoma talpoideumMole Salamander

• Large head and feet
• Often neotenic

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Ambystoma talpoideum
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Ambystoma tigrinumTiger Salamander

• Densely patterned with large oval spots
• Large
• winter and spring breeder
• Rare in the southeast

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Ambystoma tigrinum
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Family Amphiumidae

• One genus with three species
• Southeastern United States distribution including
  the Mississippi River and east Texas

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Amphiumidae characteristics

• Eel like body structure up to 1 meter in length
• NO external gills (single pair of gill slits and
  internal gills)
• Four small vestigial limbs
• No eyelids, tongue, or nasolabial grooves
• Lungs and costal grooves present

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Amphiuma meansTwo-toed Amphiuma

• Two toes on each foot
• No external gills
• Ditches, sloughs, pools, ponds, swamps, streams,
  etc.
• Bite savagely??

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Amphiuma means
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Amphiuma pholeterOne-Toed Amphiuma

• Small size
• One toe on each foot
• Belly is not lighter than back
• muck-bottomed stream floodplains
• State listed RARE

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Amphiuma pholeter
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Family Crytobranchidae

• Two generaonly 3 species total
• East Central China, Japan, and the Appalachian
  and Ozark Mountains in the United States
• Large wrinkled appearance
• Cold Mountain Streams
• Lay eggs under large rocks

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Cryptobranchidae Geographic Distribution
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Cryptobranchidae Characteristics

• Giantup to 1.5m (Andrias davidianus)
• Stout bodied with four legs and laterally
  compressed tail
• Single pair of gills slits (closed in Asia)
• Vestigial lungbreaths through skin
• No costal grooves above the ribs
• No nasolabial grooves

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Cryptobranchus alleganiensisHellbender

• Head flattened
• Wrinkled, fleshy fold of skin on sides of body
• Clear, cold, and rocky mountain streams
• State listed Rare

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Crytobranchus alleganiensis
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Family Plethodontidae

• Lungless salamanders
• Two subfamilies (Desmognathinae and
  Plethodontinae)
• 27 genera and approximately 270 species
• North, South and Central America
• Also in the Mediterranean

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Plethodontidae Distribution
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Plethodontidae Characteristics

• Four limbs with a variety of body shapes
• Various tail shapes depends on ecology
• Adults lack gills, gill slits, and lungs
• Adults have costal grooves and nasolabial grooves

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Aneides aeneusGreen Salamander

• Green lichenlike pattern on a dark background
• Square tips on toes
• Cliff dweller
• State listed Rare

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Aneides aeneus
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Desmognathus aeneusSeepage Salamander

• Wide, wavey edged stripe down back
• mid-dorsal stripe forms a Y on the head
• Top of head smooth
• Small mental gland
• Found near seeps or small streams
• Terrestrial larvae

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Desmognathus aeneus
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Desmognathus apalachicolaeApalachicola Dusky
Salamander

• 10-14 pairs of round dorsal blotches
• belly immaculately white
• Tail longer than body and round
• Found near streams in deep ravines

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Desmognathus apalachicolae
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Desmognathus auriculatusSouthern Dusky Salamander

• Tail compressed posteriorly and knife edged
• portholes between legs arranged in a double row
• found near stagnant pools in cypress swamps

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Desmognathus auriculatus
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Desmognathus conanti Spotted Dusky Salamander

• Tail moderately keeled
• 6-8 pairs of dorsal spots
• mouth line only slightly sinuous
• Found near streams

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Desmognathus conanti
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Desmognathus folkertsiDwarf Blackbelly Salamander
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Desmognathus folkertsi
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Desmognathus marmoratusShovelnose Salamander

• Formerly Leurognathus (see field guide)
• Tail less than ½ of total length and knife edged
• Head flattened and wedge shaped
• Narrow slitlike openings on roof of mouth
• Small mountain streams with sandy or rocky bottoms

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Desmognathus marmoratus
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Desmognathus monticolaSeal Salamander

• Tail compressed and knife edged
• distinct lateral separation between dorsum and
  venter
• Sometimes a single row of light spots between
  legs
• Varied habitat preferences
• sometimes poses like a seal

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Desmognathus monticola
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Desmognathus ocoeeOcoee Salamander

• Highly variable pattern
• Mouth strongly sinuous
• Tail Round
• More terrestrial than other desmognathids

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Desmognathus ocoee
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Desmognathus quadramaculatusBlackbelly Salamander

• Large, robust salamander
• Tail stout at base, less than ½ total length, and
  knife edged
• Belly Black
• Conspicuous double row of light spots along side
  of body
• Streams and waterfalls with boulders
• BITE!!

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Desmognathus quadramaculatus
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Eurycea aquatica

• Tail 50 body length
• 2-4 costal grooves between adpressed toes
• Belly yellow
• Light brown stripes on dorsum that extend as a
  light band to tip of the tail

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Eurycea aquatica
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Eurycea chamberlainiChamberlains Dwarf
Salamander

• Four toes on hind foot
• dark dorsolateral stripe
• swampy areas
• Sympatric with E. quadrigitatta

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Eurycea chamberlaini
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Eurycea cirrigeraSouthern Two-lined Salamander

• 14 costal grooves
• two dark stripes bordering a light mid-dorsal
  stripe
• saturated areas near springs and seeps

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Eurycea cirrigera
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Eurycea guttolineataThree-lined Salamander

• Three dark stripes
• large size
• river-bottom swamps, wet ditches, seepage areas

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Eurycea guttolineata
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Eurycea longicaudaLong-tailed Salamander

• Large yellowish salamander
• Vertical black markings
• Long tail with black herringbone pattern

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Eurycea longicauda
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Eurycea longicauda
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Eurycea lucifugaCave Salamander

• Very long tail
• red to yellow with black spots
• entrances of caves
• prehensile tail

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Eurycea lucifuga
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Eurycea quadridigitataDwarf Salamander

• Four toes on hind foot
• dark dorsolateral stripe
• swampy areas

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Eurycea quadridigitata
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Eurycea wilderaeBlue Ridge Two-lined Salamander

• Two broad black lines
• Vivid color
• springs and rills

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Eurycea wilderae
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Gyrinophilus palleucusTennessee Cave Salamander

• External gills
• Lacks eyelids
• reduced eyes
• caves

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Gryinophilus palleucus
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Gyrinophilus porphyriticusSpring Salamander

• Light line from eye to nostril bordered below by
  a darker pigment
• Color varies from salmon to brownish pink
• cold mountain streams

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Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
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Haideotriton wallaceiGeorgia Blind Salamander

• Opalescent
• Head broad and long
• External gills
• Caves and wells
• Probably occurs in aquifer
• State listed Threatened

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Haideotriton wallacei
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Hemidactylium scutatumFour-toed Salamander

• Enamel white belly with black spots
• four toes on hind foot
• constriction at base of tail
• usually associated with sphagnum

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Hemidactylium scutatum
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Plethodon glutinosus complexSlimy Salamanders

• Plethodon chattahoochee
• Plethodon chlorobryonis
• Plethodon glutinosus
• Plethodon grobmani
• Plethodon ocmulgee
• Plethodon savannah
• Plethodon variolatus

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Plethodon glutinosus complex
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Plethodon metcalfiSouthern Graycheek Salamander

• Red cheek and red leg variants
• 16 costal grooves
• No larval stage
• woodland salamander

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Plethodon metcalfi
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Plethodon teyahaleeSouthern Appalachian
Salamander

• small red spots often present on legs
• 16 costal grooves
• chin lighter than slate gray belly
• Higher slopes of mountains

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Plethodon teyahalee
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Plethodon petraeusPigeon Mountain Salamander

• reddish brown dorsal pattern
• upper surfaces of legs flecked with light brassy
  color
• belly black
• thick, blunt toes
• Limestone crevices on forested mountain slopes
• State listed Rare

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Plethodon petraeus
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Plethodon serratusSouthern Redback Salamander

• Light reddish mid-dorsal stripe (may have
  saw-toothed pattern corresponding with costal
  grooves
• 18-21 costal grooves
• forested areas

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Plethodon serratus
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Plethodon shermaniRed-legged Salamander

• Red cheek and red leg variants
• 16 costal grooves
• No larval stage
• woodland salamander

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Plethodon shermaniRed-legged Salamander
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Plethodon ventralisZigzag Salamander

• Plethodon dorsalis in field guide
• zigzag dorsal pattern
• mottled orange belly
• Usually 18 costal grooves
• no larval stage
• woodland species

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Plethodon ventralis
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Plethodon websteriWebsters Salamander

• Identify by geographyvery similar to Plethodon
  serratus
• 17-19 costal grooves
• Forested hillsides

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Plethodon websteri
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Pseudotriton montanusEastern Mud Salamander

• Black spots round and well separated
• spots inconspicuous in old adults
• Iris is brown
• Muddy edges of streams

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Pseudotriton montanus
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Pseudotriton ruberRed Salamander

• Profusely spotted with irregular rounded black
  dots
• Iris of eye is yellow
• Chin often flecked with black
• clear, clean streams

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Pseudotriton ruber
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Stereochilus marginatusMany-lined Salamander

• Narrow, indistinct, longitudinal stripes on sides
• small head and short tail
• pools and streams in swampy woodlands

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Stereochilus marginatus
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Family Proteidae

• Two genera and 5 species
• Eastern United States and the eastern Adriatic
  coast of Europe

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Proteidae Geographic Distribution
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Proteidae Characteristics

• Four stubby limbs with four toes and a well
  developed laterally compressed tail
• Up to 48 cm long (Necturus maculosus)
• All are paedomorphic
• Adults have external gills, two pairs of gill
  slits, and no eyelids
• Costal grooves present
• Nasolabial grooves absent
• Lungs present but very small

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Necturus beyeriGulf Coast Waterdog

• Necturus alabamensis in your field guide
• Center of belly unmarked
• tips of toes whitish
• low dorsal fin
• Medium to large streams with lots of hiding places

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Necturus beyeri
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Necturus maculosusMudpuppy

• External gills
• Four toes on all feet
• Dark stripe through eye
• Habitat includes almost any large permanent water
  source

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Necturus maculosus
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Necturus punctatusDwarf Waterdog

• No conspicuous markings
• Throat whitish
• central portion of belly invaded by dorsal color
• Sluggish streams with leaf packs

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Necturus punctatus
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Family Salamandridae

• 15 genera and 55 species
• Europe, Western Asia, Southeast Asia, Japan,
  Northern Africa, and North America

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Salamandridae Geographic Distribution
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Salamandridae Characteristics

• Four well developed legs
• Most under 20 cm
• Adult lack gills and gill slits
• Functional Lungs
• Costal grooves present
• No Nasolabial groove

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Notophthalmus perstriatusStriped Newt

• Red dorsolateral stripes (also present on eft
  stage)
• Eft stage remains close to water
• any shallow standing water
• State protected

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Notophthalmus perstriatus
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Notophthalmus viridescensEastern Newt

• Normally without red spots in southern half of
  state
• Eft stage uncommon in south
• swamps and river bottoms

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Notophthalmus viridescens
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Family Sirenidae

• Two genera and four species
• Southeastern United States, Texas, and the
  Mississippi River Drainage

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Sirenidae Geographic Distribution
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Sirenidae Characteristics

• Only two front legsno hind limbs
• Paedomorphic
• Adults have external gills, 1 or 3 gill slits,
  small lungs, no eyelids, and costal grooves
• No nasolabial grooves

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Pseudobranchus striatusNorthern Dwarf Siren

• Narrow wedge shaped snout
• Two bright tan or yellow stripes on sides of body
• vegetation choked habitats

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Pseudobranchus striatus
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Siren intermediaLesser Siren

• External gills
• Only has front legs (with four toes)
• 31-35 costal grooves
• Minute black spots on dorsum
• may have red band across snout and side of head
• Mud in the bottom of aquatic habitats

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Siren intermedia
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Siren lacertinaGreater Siren

• Legs and gills crowded together
• Front legs with four toes
• 36-40 costal grooves
• heavy set bodies with faint flecks of green or
  yellow on sides and belly
• Slow, muddy aquatic habitats

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Siren lacertina