Description
This species of plethodon is sometimes described as a “worm with legs.” In adults, the elongated body averages 40 mm SVL and is fit with short legs set far apart. The rounded tail is usually as long as the body, ranging from 65-143 mm. Adult P. electromorphus individuals are dark brown in coloration. Around the dorsal and venter regions, spots of color ranging from a very dark gold to greenish-gold to silver-white break up the otherwise uniform brown. Only the area around the throat is found to be a lighter color.

Newly hatched individuals are light gray above and black with patterns of white spots below. They range from 14-15 mm SVL (Regester 2000).

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: United States

U.S. state distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

Plethodon electromorphus prefers moist habitats found under logs, stumps, leaves, and rocks in wooded valleys and ravines. Although a terrestrial salamander, it has been found living within a few centimeters of running streams. The distribution of this species ranges from southeastern Indiana, Ohio, northern Kentucky, southwestern Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia (Regester 2000).

Comments
Etymology:

The species name, electromorphus, comes from the electrophoretic protein characteristics that differentiates this species from Plethodon richmondi (Regester 2000).

References

Regester, K. J. (2000). ''Plethodon electromorphus.'' Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, 706.1-706.3.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2003 Plethodon electromorphus: Northern Ravine Salamander <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/5517> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Nov 28, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 28 Nov 2024.

AmphibiaWeb's policy on data use.