Caudata Flashcards
Plethodontidae
Typhlomolge rathbuni
- Black dots as eyes; no pigmentation
- Limited to caves in Texas
Ambystomatidae
- Dicamptodon ensatus*
- Pacific Northwest (including northwestern California)
Sirenidae
Siren lacertina
- Eastern Seaboard, Florida Peninsula
- robust, dark, 4 toes
- No hind legs
Plethodontidae
Plethodon yonahlosee
- dorsum lighter than head; sides white/light; 0-1 grooves between adpressed limbs
- Appalachian Mountains
Plethodontidae
Plethodon glutinosus
- dark bodies with dark chin & venter; white flecks on dorsum, maybe extending to sides
- Eastern North America (east of Great Plains)
Proteidae
Necturus maculosus
- Weak grooves
- Gills
- Dark spots
- 4 toes on hind limbs
- Midwest, Appalachians
- sometimes confused with larval ambystomatids, but note indistinct costal grooves
Plethodontidae
Plethodon cinereas
- similar to P. vehiculum; 17-22 costal grooves
- Northeastern United States (Midwest, Appalachians, northeastern seaboard)
Plethodontidae
Eurycea longicauda
- long tail
- Appalachian Mountains
- Like plethodon but smaller, thin-bodied
Plethodontidae
Plethodon vehiculum
- red stripe extends to tip of tail, 15-17 costal grooves
- Pacific Northwest
Plethodontidae
Ensatina eschscholtzii
- no banding
- California Floristic Province
- basal constriction at tail
Sirenidae
Siren intermedia
- Florida, Gulf Coast, Eastern Seaboard, Mississippi River basin
- robust, dark, 4 toes
- No hind Legs
Amphiumidae
Amphiuma tridactylum
- 4 small limbs, 3 toes per limb
- Gulf Coast/Mississippi River region
Plethodontidae
Pseudotriton ruber
- black spots in “orange-red” background
- Eastern U.S. (mostly east of Mississippi River, except Florida)
Plethodontidae
Ensatina klauberi
- orange/black banding
- Southern California Floristic Province – northern peninsular ranges, eastern transverse ranges)
- basal constriction at tail
Plethodontidae
Plethodon jordani
- venter distinctly lighter than dorsum; 2-3 costal grooves between adpressed limbs
- Appalachian Mountains
Ambystomatidae
Ambystoma gracile
- prominent paratoids
- Pacific Northwest, including northwestern California
Plethodontidae
Batrachoseps
- elongate, thin, tiny legs, 4 digits on hindlimbs
- California Floristic Province
Sirenidae
Pseudobranchus
- “gracile”, lighter stripes, 3 toes
- Florida Peninsula
- No hind legs
Proteidae
Necturus maculosus
- Weak grooves
- Gills
- Dark spots
- 4 toes on hind limbs
- Midwest, Appalachians
- sometimes confused with larval ambystomatids, but note indistinct costal grooves
Plethodontidae
Stereochilus marginatus
- stripes/lines
- Eastern seaboard
Sirenidae
Siren lacertina
- Eastern Seaboard, Florida Peninsula
- robust, dark, 4 toes
- No hind legs
Plethodontidae
Eurycea bislineata
- 2 lines
- Eastern U.S. (mostly east of Mississippi River, except Florida)
- Like plethodon but smaller, thin-bodied
Ambystomatidae
Ambystoma maculatum
- dark body with yellow/orange spots
- Eastern North America, except Florida (east of Great Plains)
Sirenidae
Siren lacertina
- Eastern Seaboard, Florida Peninsula
- robust, dark, 4 toes
- No hind legs
Plethodontidae
Desmognathus sp.
- thick neck, white patch between eyes and lips, shovel-shaped snout
- Appalachians, Eastern Seaboard, Florida, Gulf Coast
Plethodontidae
Plethodon dunni
- red stripe terminates well before tip of tail
- Pacific Northwest
Ambystomatidae
Ambystoma texanum
- “short” snout, 13+ costal grooves
- Eastern North America around Mississippi River drainage (east of Great Plains, west of Appalachians)
Plethodontidae
Eurycea guttolineata
- three lines
- Southeastern U.S. (Gulf Coast, Eastern Seaboard)
- like plethodon but smaller, thin-bodied
cryptobranchidae
Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
• Appalachian Mountains
Salamandridae
Taricha
- slightly broader head; sometimes bumpy skin, except during breeding
- Western North American (California Floristic Province and Pacific NW)
- No grooves
Plethodontidae
Aneides lugubris
- trips of digits truncated or squared
- California Floristic Province
Ambystomatidae
Ambystoma opacum
- white/grayish dorsal bands
- Eastern North America (east of Great Plains) except Florida and Appalachian Mountains
Ambystomatidae
Ambystoma jeffersonium
- ~12 costal grooves. “larger” snout
- Northeastern U.S. (Midwest, northeast Appalachians, northeastern seaboard)
Salamandridae
Notophthalmus
- parallel cranial crests
- Eastern North America (east of Great Plains)
- No grooves
Plethodontidae
Plethodon glutinosus
- dark bodies with dark chin & venter; white flecks on dorsum, maybe extending to sides
- Eastern North America (east of Great Plains)
