260 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. iie 



UIMNH University of Illinois, Museum of Natural History, Urbana, 111. 

 UMMZ University of Michigan, Museum of Zoologj', Ann Arbor, Mich. 

 UNMCV University of New Mexico, Collection of Vertebrates, Albuquer- 

 que, N.M. 

 USNM United States National Museum, Washington, D.C. 



Class Amphibia: Order Caudata 



Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum Hallowell 



The subspecific status of tiger salamanders on the Colorado Plateau 

 and in adjacent areas has been interpreted variously. Allocation of 

 Zuni specimens was left in doubt by Dunn (1940, p. 162), Bishop 

 (1943) and Stebbins (1951; 1954) included the Zunis within the 

 range of A. t. nebulosum, possibly because some of Dunn's specimens 

 resembled material from Utah and Colorado then known as A. t. 

 nebulosum through confusion of type locality. Lowe (1955d, p. 244) 

 correctly reassigned the name nebulosum to A. tigrinum of the 

 Mogollon Plateau and vicinity. But as evidence now indicates, 

 Lowe (1955d, p. 247) inadvertently confused the status of Colorado 

 Plateau populations by describing A. t. utahense from this region. 



Adult specimens, above 80 mm. snout-vent length, of A. tigrinum 

 from the Zunis have relatively longer tails in larger individuals, 

 especially the males (fig. 5) . With two exceptions, their color pattern 

 consists of yellow spots or reticulations on a brownish to black ground 

 (pi. 2C). Five adults have reticulate patterns and five subadults, 

 60-73 mm. snout-vent, resemble them (pi. 2D). In 15 other adults 

 the number of dorsal spots between extremes of limb insertions ranges 

 from 11 to 50 (x 30.8±2.8); tail spots number 8 to 37 (13.0±2.9). 

 These resemble A. t. stebbinsi on the basis of dorsal spots but are closer 

 to A. t. nebulosum as regards tail spots (cf. Lowe, 1955d). When 

 compared to the topotypic A. t. nebulosum described by Lowe (1955d, 

 table 1), the Zuni salamanders average more dorsal body spots and 

 fewer tail blotches. Their venters are mottled as in A. t. nebulosum 

 or variously suffused with dark pigment as in A. t. stebbinsi or A. t. 

 utahense (pi. 2B; cf. Lowe, 1955d, figs. 4A, C, 5A). They are as 

 distinct from topotypic A. t. nebulosum as A. t. stebbinsi is and com- 

 bine the diagnostic features of both races. I suggest that A. t. steb- 

 binsi belongs in the synonymy of A. t nebulosum. 



In contrast to the specimens described above, one adult male 

 (KUMNH 45762, 95 mm. snout-vent) is much darker in general 

 aspect, with dorsal spots reduced to minute points of dull yellow, 

 although the tail spots are plainly indicated. Another large, dark 

 male is olive brown with irregular black body markings and light- 

 olive tail spots (pi. 2A). These specimens resemble A. t. utahense or 

 A. t. utahense x nebulosum, as does a similar specimen from San 



