Ravine Salamander

Plethodon richmondi is an eastern member of the cinereus group. Like other P. cinereus species, P. richmondi is sometimes described as a “worm with legs.” The rounded tail is slightly compressed along the sides and it accounts for almost half of the species TL, which ranges from 65-143 mm. Adult female individuals are usually larger than adult males, but adult males have cloacal papillae and large mental glands that are lacking in adult females. The dorsal region and sides are dark brown, almost black, and sprinkled with various colored spots, from gold to greenish-gold to silvery-white. Along the ventral area, the dark coloration predominates. The only area of the species that is light in color is the throat region, although this coloration creates a mottled effect. The throat also has a developed gular fold.When they hatch, P. richmondi individuals are light gray above with large white spots on a black network along the dorsum. They average about 14-15 mm SVL (Regester 2000).Etymology:The species is named in honor of Neil D. Richmond, a Virginia-born herpetologist (Regester 2000).

Plethodon richmondi prefers the moist conditions found under logs, stumps, leaf litter, and rocks in wooded valleys and ravines of the eastern US. The species’ distribution ranges from west of the New and Kanawha rivers and south of the Teays River Valley in West Virginia, through Kentucky, and into the southwestern regions of Virginia. P. richmondi can even be found in the very northwestern areas of North Carolina and northeastern Tennessee. Although a terrestrial salamander, it is rarely found on ridges, hilltops or valley floors where conditions are frequently very dry. Large populations of this salamander are found on wooded talus slopes (Regester 2000).

Deforestation and urbanization are the primary factors that have eliminated the local populations of this species throughout its range (Petranka, 1998).

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Development - Life Cycle: metamorphosis

With their affinity to habitats with steep gradients, Ravine salamanders seem to be more specialized than other Great Lakes plethodon. They are important members to the woodland floor community (Harding, 1997).

The Ravine salamander has a diet that consists mainly of small insects such as ants and beetles. They will also eat pill bugs, earthworms, spiders, and snails (Harding, 1997).

This salamander ranges from western Pennsylvania to Indiana. It occurs in the Lake Erie basin also (Harding, 1997). There are no conspicuous patterns of geographic variation in coloring or patterning, instead regional populations are distinguished by the number of costal grooves (Petranka, 1998).

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )

The ravine salamander gets its name from inhabiting the slopes of woodland ravines and valleys, it is usually found under a flat rock. In the hottest parts of the summer they move into the ground, a depth of over a meter (3.3ft.) has been reported (Harding, 1997). Little evidence has been found to indicate that this salamander is territorial, it is in fact less aggressive than other Plethodon species (Petranka, 1998).

Terrestrial Biomes: forest

This species is very long and slender with short legs, it has been described as a "worm with legs," (Conant and Collins 1998). The tail of adults makes up about 50% of the total body length. The dorsal coloration is seal brown to nearly black but sprinkled with silvery-white and bronze speckles. The sides have very small irregular white blotches and 20-33 costal grooves (Petranka, 1998). The belly is dark gray with lighter gray speckles, leading to an even more heavily mottled chin. The adult length runs from 7.5 to 14.4 cm. (3 to 5.6 in.) Males are slightly larger than the females with a conspicuous mental gland on the chin (Harding, 1997).

Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; bilateral symmetry

The mating season for this salamander extends from autumn through early spring. Most females oviposit in deep underground passageways, and are likely to brood their eggs through hatching. Hatching occurs in late summer or early fall; however most hatchlings do not move to ground surface until the following spring. Hatchlings are light grey above with an immaculate belly, and reach an average length of 14-15mm. SVL. Females reproduce biennially. Male salamanders reach sexual maturity slightly more than 2 years after hatching while females begin maturing when 2 years old (Petranka, 1998).

Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)

The ravine salamander (Plethodon richmondi) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. The species is endemic to the United States, and it is threatened by habitat loss.