About Plethodon richmondi Netting & Mittleman, 1938
An adult ravine salamander (Plethodon richmondi Netting & Mittleman, 1938) reaches a total length of 7.5–11.5 cm (3–4½ inches), including its tail. It has short limbs, and has a somewhat worm-like appearance and movement. Its dorsal and lateral surfaces are dark brown or black, marked with silvery or brassy flecks. Unlike other small plethodontids, its ventral surface is dark brown or black. The ravine salamander is distributed across eastern Kentucky, Ohio, southern West Virginia, western Virginia, northwestern North Carolina, and northeastern Tennessee. Its natural habitat is temperate forests, where it prefers the slopes of valleys and ravines. This terrestrial species lives among leaf litter, and hides under logs, stones, or stumps. It hibernates underground during winter, and aestivates at the height of summer. Eggs of Plethodon richmondi are laid in cracks and crevices, and develop directly into juvenile salamanders without a larval stage in between.
