How to Identify Plethodontidae

Plethodontidae is a animal family in the Animalia kingdom, order Caudata, class Amphibia. The family contains 125 accepted species worldwide.

Key Identification Features

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Representative Plethodontidae Species

How to identify Eurycea chamberlaini Harrison & Guttman, 2003

Eurycea chamberlaini Harrison & Guttman, 2003

Eurycea chamberlaini Harrison & Guttman, 2003

Eurycea chamberlaini, or Chamberlain's dwarf salamander, is a tiny endemic salam…

How to identify Bolitoglossa lignicolor (Peters, 1873)

Bolitoglossa lignicolor (Peters, 1873)

Bolitoglossa lignicolor (Peters, 1873)

Bolitoglossa lignicolor is a plethodontid salamander from Costa Rica and Panama,…

How to identify Aneides lugubris (Hallowell, 1849)

Aneides lugubris (Hallowell, 1849)

Aneides lugubris (Hallowell, 1849)

Aneides lugubris, the arboreal salamander, is a large lungless climbing salamand…

How to identify Eurycea aquatica Rose & Bush, 1963

Eurycea aquatica Rose & Bush, 1963

Eurycea aquatica Rose & Bush, 1963

Eurycea aquatica, the brownback salamander, is a small sexually dimorphic salama…

How to identify Desmognathus wrighti King, 1936

Desmognathus wrighti King, 1936

Desmognathus wrighti King, 1936

Desmognathus wrighti (pygmy salamander) is a tiny, mostly terrestrial salamander…

How to identify Eurycea cirrigera (Green, 1831)

Eurycea cirrigera (Green, 1831)

Eurycea cirrigera (Green, 1831)

Eurycea cirrigera, the southern two-lined salamander, is a plethodontid salamand…

How to identify Bolitoglossa savagei Brame & Wake, 1963

Bolitoglossa savagei Brame & Wake, 1963

Bolitoglossa savagei Brame & Wake, 1963

Bolitoglossa savagei is a salamander that lives primarily in arboreal bromeliads…

How to identify Plethodon metcalfi Brimley, 1912

Plethodon metcalfi Brimley, 1912

Plethodon metcalfi Brimley, 1912

Plethodon metcalfi, the southern gray-cheeked salamander, is a plethodontid sala…

How to identify Plethodon ouachitae Dunn & Heinze, 1933

Plethodon ouachitae Dunn & Heinze, 1933

Plethodon ouachitae Dunn & Heinze, 1933

Plethodon ouachitae, the Rich Mountain salamander, is a small sky island salaman…

How to identify Isthmura bellii (Gray, 1850)

Isthmura bellii (Gray, 1850)

Isthmura bellii (Gray, 1850)

Isthmura bellii, or Bell's salamander, is an endemic Mexican plethodontid terres…

How to identify Aneides niger Myers & Maslin, 1948

Aneides niger Myers & Maslin, 1948

Aneides niger Myers & Maslin, 1948

Aneides niger is a uniformly black salamander from the Aneides flavipunctatus co…

How to identify Bolitoglossa pesrubra (Taylor, 1952)

Bolitoglossa pesrubra (Taylor, 1952)

Bolitoglossa pesrubra (Taylor, 1952)

Bolitoglossa pesrubra is a plethodontid salamander endemic to Costa Rica’s Cordi…

Browse all 125 Plethodontidae species →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you identify Plethodontidae?

Plethodontidae animals belong to the Caudata order in the Animalia kingdom. Males of this species can be distinguished by their broad triangular head, with the front jaw teeth extending beyond the bottom lip. For instant identification, use the iNature app — AI-powered and works offline.

What are the key characteristics of Plethodontidae?

Plethodontidae is classified in the order Caudata, class Amphibia, phylum Chordata. All members of the genus Aneides are characterized by the loss of the aquatic larval stage common to most salamanders, as well as their unusual arboreal and climbing tendencies.

Sources: GBIF, iNaturalist, Wikipedia · Disclaimer

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