THE AMPHIBIA OF OKLAHOMA - 



Keys to Species of the Various Genera 



Only four genera have more than one species, so keys are given for Ambystoma, 

 Plethodon, Eiirycea, and Typhlotriton. 



Genus AMBYSTOMA 

 1. Tongue without a median groove, the plicae radiating from the posterior part to 

 the margins, or plicae narrow, nearly parallel and extending to anterior margin 

 of tongue; costal grooves 13 or less but occasionally 14 2 



1. Tongue with median groove from which the plicae extend obliquely outward; 

 costal grooves 14 or 15; the Texas salamander. Ambystoma texaniim (Matthes). 



2. With silvery gray cross bands on back; costal grooves usually 11; the marbled 

 salamander. Ambystoma opacum (Gravenhorst). 



2. Without silvery gray cross bands; bands, if present, black and yellow 3 



3. Ground color dark without vertical bars but usually with rounded spots of yellow 



or orange color; costal grooves 12 or less, rarely 13; eastern Oklahoma only. . . 4 



3. Ground color dark with vertical yellow bars on sides and back; costal grooves 

 usually 13 but occasionally 12 or 14; western Oklahoma; the western or Great 

 Plains tiger salamander. Ambystoma tigrinum mavortiiim Baird. 



4. Costal grooves 11 or more; yellow or orange markings on back 5 



4. Costal grooves 10; dorsal markings light lichen-like clusters; the mole salamander. 



Ambystoma talpoidettm (Holbrook). 



5. Dorsal spots in a dorso-lateral position and small and rounded in outline; the 

 spotted salamander. Ambystoma macitlatttm (Shaw). 



5. Dorsal spotting on sides and back; belly spotted; outlines of spots more elongate; 

 abundant spotting; the eastern tiger salamander. Ambystoma t. tigriiitim (Green). 



Genus PLETHODON . 

 1. With a median, dorsal band having definite edges; costals 15-20; often with red or 

 chestnut-brown dorsally 2 



1. No median dorsal band; never any red on dorsum; costals not over 16; the slimy 

 salamander. Plethodon g. glittiiiostis (Green). 



2. Costal grooves 17 or more, usually 18 or 19; rarely over 4 inches 3 



2. Costal grooves 15 to 17, usually 16; large size, up to 7 inches 4 



3. Dorsal band not too well demarcated; edges of dorsal band straight; in Ozark 

 area (northeastern Oklahoma); Ozark red-backed salamander. 



Plethodon cinereus angtistulaviiis Grobman. 



3. Dorsal band usually very distinct and serrate; in Ouachita area (southeastern Okla- 

 homa); Ouachita red-backed salamander. Plethodon cineretis serrattts Grobman. 



4. In life, a very dark blue or black above with many small whitish specks on dorsum. 

 The whitish flecks concentrated on the sides to form a band but this band without 

 well marked edges; often over 5 inches; in both Ouachita and Ozark regions; the 

 slimy salamander. Plethodon g. gliitinosiis (Green). 



4. In life with chestnut-brown color above and golden splotches on back; bands on 

 side and back well marked; rarely over 5 inches. In preservation the brown fades 

 and this form may look like P. g. gliitinostis but with experience one can note the 

 distinctive lateral bands; found only on Rich Mountain in LeFlore County, and one 

 in southeastern McCurtain County; the Ouachita salamander. 



Plethodon oiiachitae Dunn and Heinze. 

 Genus EURYCEA 

 1. Costal grooves 17 or less; no gills 2 



1. Costal grooves 19-22; often neotenic, with external gills 3 



2. Venter immaculate; ground color of back yellow to orange or reddish-orange; 

 spots not concentrated into a dorsolateral dark line. Found only in northeastern 

 Oklahoma; cave salamander. Eiirycea Itirijtiga Rafinesciue. 



2. Venter more or less spotted or mottled; ground color m.iinly yellow; tlark spots 



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