Peaks of Otter salamander

Description

Plethodon hubrichti ( Peaks of Otter salamander ) is a species of salamander in the Plethodontidae family.The Peaks of Otter salamander (Plethodon hubrichti) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae,endemic to the Peaks of Otter area in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.ARKive is working with IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature,to source images of the world's threatened amphibian species.Together with Conservation International and NatureServe,IUCN has led a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status for the world's known species of frogs,toads,salamanders,newts and caecilians.To date,the project has involved the input of more than 600 herpetologists from around the world.IUCN Red List category,and details of range,ecology,threats and conservation information for every known amphibian species,can be.PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: This is a slender species up to 13 cm in length.The dorsum is black or very dark brown with abundant brassy metallic spots or blotches occasionally forming an irregular stripe.The sides and ventral surface are plain,dark gray to black.There are usually 19 costal grooves *891,1171*.The body has purplish reflections due to blood and visceral pig- ments and the body and tail are slender and elongate.The body and tail base is rounded,slightly flattened,and has a median dorsal impressed line.The tail is round,tapering very gradually from behind the vent to near the tail tip.It has a triangular skull and rectangular branchial area posteriorly making up the head.It is widest just behind the eyes at the angle of the mouth.The toes are slightly webbed at the base and vomerine teeth number 6-6,in two rows curving inward and backward from behind the outer edge of the internal nares.The males have a large but poorly defined mental gland area.Large hedonic gland openings are clustered around the vent and along part of the tail ventrum.There is no mental gland and ventral hedonic gland develop ment in the females *979*.