NC and TN Salamanders, May 2013
Brian and Jason Folt and I spent a few days in mid May camping and
exploring the mountains around the North Carolina - Tennessee border.
This area, the Southern Appalachian region, has the highest diversity of
salamanders of any place on earth. Need I say more?
Here's a few of the things we saw, in chronological order.
White-spotted Slimy Salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus).
Northern Gray-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon montanus).
Worth another pose...
White-spotted Slimy Salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus).
Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus).
Blue Ridge Dusky Salamander ( Desmognathus orestes).
Yonahlossee Salamander (Plethodon yonahlossee).
A closer look.
Weller's Salamander (Plethodon welleri).
Up close.
Another pose.
A Red-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens)
found crawling across a road.
Blue Ridge Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus danielsi),
as found by Brian while hiking around at night.
A closer look.
White-spotted Slimy Salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus),
found while hiking at night.
I think this is a juvenile Black-bellied Salamander
(Desmognathus quadramaculatus).
Blue Ridge Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus danielsi).
A closer look.
The Folt boyz photographing the above Spring Salamander.
A brook and rhododendron.
Northern Gray-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon montanus).
A closer look.
Yonahlossee Salamander (Plethodon yonahlossee).
Up close.
Another pose.
Red-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens),
as found on the forest floor.
Waterfall.
Yonahlossee Salamander (Plethodon yonahlossee).
Another look.
Black-bellied Salamander (Desmognathus quadramaculatus).
Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea wilderae).
Blue Ridge Red Salamander larva (Pseudotriton ruber nitidus).
Blue Ridge Spring Salamander larva
(Gyrinophilus porphyriticus danielsi).
Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monticola).
Imitator Salamander (Desmognathus imitator).
A closer look.
A Desmognathus, not sure of the species.
Shovel-nosed Salamander (Desmognathus marmoratus).
They really do have a shovel nose...
A ventral shot.
Another Desmognathus, where I am not sure of the species...
Imitator Salamander (Desmognathus imitator).
Another Imitator Salamander.
Red-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon jordani).
Another pose.
A loser look.
Imitator Salamander (Desmognathus imitator).
Up close.
Pygmy Salamander (Desmognathus wrighti).
We were very happy to see one of these.
I lifted a large rock and immediately saw two large
Red-cheeked Salamanders. Fortunately my companions noticed
this guy...
Southern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon serratus).
Blue Ridge Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus danielsi).
A closer look.
A Desmognathus, not sure of the species.
Black-chinned Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber schencki).
A closer look.
Another Black-chinned Red Salamander.
A different pose.
They don't call it a Black-chinned Red Salamander for nothing.
Mountain scenery. The trees were just starting to leaf out at the higher
elevations.
Green Salamander (Aneides aeneus).
A closer look.
That's it. a good time was had by all.