The rest of my salamanders in 2014 (PA, NC, GA, TN)

As the weather is starting to warm and inevitably more salamander pictures will be taken, I figured I'd clear out some of the older pictures I haven't posted yet. I'll start with the ones that I have taken most recently.

This first group is from central Pennsylvania at a Wildlife Management Area accompanied by some beautifully wet weather. These are all fairly common Caudata, but it's always fun to document what is hanging out in any given area.


A one-eyed red-backed (Plethodon cinereus) found under a flat rock


A bountiful log harboring two color phases of P. cinereus and a Northern Two-lined (Eurycea bislineata)


A very bright white spotted Northern Slimy (Plethodon glutinosus)


A young Eastern Red-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens)


A cool shot of the habitat I was walking through

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otterwoman said:

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Thanks for sharing matamander! These are great finds and great pictures. I especially like the one eyed P. cinereus as I have found a few one eyed herps in my day as well.

otterwoman said:

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1. A one-eyed red-backed (Plethodon cinereus) found under a flat rock


2. A bountiful log harboring two color phases of P. cinereus and a Northern Two-lined (Eurycea bislineata)


3. A very bright white spotted Northern Slimy (Plethodon glutinosus)


4. A young Eastern Red-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens)


5. A cool shot of the habitat I was walking through

sde said:

Thanks for sharing matamander! These are great finds and great pictures. I especially like the one eyed P. cinereus as I have found a few one eyed herps in my day as well.

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Thanks, this is the first odd P. cinereus I've found. I'd like to find the erythristic morph one day, but I think they're more north eastern than I am.

These are from several spots in SW North Carolina earlier last year before a lot of foliage was on the trees. Although the temperature was perfect, it was fairly dry under many logs. The places with rhododendron cover and seepage areas were the most fruitful.


An Ococee Salamander (Desmognathus ococee) found near a seepage area across the trail. It looks like an imitator, but this was southwest of the park where they commonly occur.


Another D. ococee? These Desmogs are tricky


Seepage Salamander (Desmognathus aeneus) found in another seepage area away from larger Desmogs


A Black-bellied Salamander (Desmognathus quadramaculatus) found in a more substantial creek


The species I was aiming for the Red-legged Salamander (Plethodon shermani). These guys are awesome!


P. shermani 2 of 3


P. shermani 3 of 3


Example of great Plethodon habitat ensconced in Rhododendron

Here are some from Georgia from even earlier in March. Oddly enough the best spots in this area were under logs close to man-made structures like parking lots and buildings (still in the forest though).


Northern Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus) found under a log right by the car


It was my first time seeing the Southern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon serratus) and we found a bunch!


Not the best picture of a P. serratus, but I thought the pattern was pretty awesome on this guy.


This had to be one of my favorite finds of the year, even though it was one of the first trips I went on, a Pigeon Mountain Salamander (Plethodon petraeus)


P. petraeus #2


P. petraeus #3, these guys were hard to get. I think we saw 13, but most were deep in crevices and we didn't want to disturb them unless they were sitting out

Great photos!

Very cool finds and some great photos as well!

hawnzd said:

Very cool finds and some great photos as well!

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numpty said:

Great photos!

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Thanks guys!

So these are actually from 2013, but I didn't want to start another thread.
These first three are from June when I was visiting SW VA. I was just stating to learn to use salamanders as my subjects, so the pictures aren't the best.


A Northern Gray-Cheeked Salamander (Plethodon montanus)


A very large Yonahlossee Salamander (Plethodon yonahlossee), this guy was 8.5"!! Just 0.2" shy of the state record


1 of 10 Pygmy Salamanders (Desmognathus wrighti) I encountered. These guys were the most rambunctious and agile of any of the salamanders I took pictures of!

Last, but not least, here are a bunch from the Smoky Mountains a few days before SW VA in late June 2013


A one-eyed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) laying eggs next to the campsite


A close-up, luckily I snuck over from her "bad-side" so I was undetected, it took her all night to lay the eggs and cover up the cavity


Salamander heaven (or haven)!


Spotted Dusky (Desmognathus conanti). Again, these guys are hard to ID, anyone have a better ID?


Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monitcola). This guy was pretty charismatic!


Imitator Salamander (Desmognathus imitator), this was definitely a good sign of what was to come. Where there are imitators there are jordani!


A juvenile Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea wilderae)


The one salamander I made this whole trip for, the Red-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon jordani)! I only found one, hope to find some more this June when I venture back down to the Smokies!


Red Eft (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens)


Salamanders everywhere! I found this guy wandering around the campsites after a light rain and a non-existant fire

matamander said:

Salamanders everywhere! I found this guy wandering around the campsites after a light rain and a non-existant fire

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This guy is a Black-chinned Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber schencki)

The P. jordani turned out a little dark, here's a lighter version of what it actually looked like