Hurler — Herpetology of Missouri. 85 



12. Spelekpes longicaudus Green. Long-tailed Sala- 

 mander. Cave Salamander. 



Salamandra longicauda, Salamandra longicaudata, Spelerpes lucifuga, 

 Cylindrosoma longicauda, Saurocercus longicauda, Spelerpes longi- 

 cauda. 



Description. — Head of moderate size, slightly wider than the neck, 

 depressed. Eyes prominent. Gape large. Jaws week, margin of upper 

 lip angulate on each side and slightly excavated between the angula- 

 tions. Tongue attached hy a distinct pedicle. The palatine teeth 

 form a short arch, which begins behind and on a line with the inner 

 border of the choanae, and curves inward and backward for a short 

 distance. The parasphenoid teeth begin a short distance behind the 

 palatine teeth, with a decided interval, however, and form two patches 

 in contact along the median line. Gular fold distinct, arched, with 

 the convexity forward. A slight groove from the eye to the fold. 



Body very slender, with 13 costal furrows. The limbs are well 

 developed; the digits lengthened, cylindrical, depressed, and slightly 

 swollen into bulbs at the ends. The third and fourth toes are the 

 longest, the second and fifth nearly equal. The first finger and toe 

 very short but not rudimentary. Tail extremely long, about 1.5 times 

 longer than the head and body, compressed vertically to an attenuated 

 tip. Skin smooth and shining. 



Color. — The ground color is of a clear bright yellow, paler beneath, 

 the back and sides irregularly sprinkled with black dots. These are 

 generally (but not always) more thickly crowded along the sides, some- 

 times almost forming a distinct band. On the sides of the tail are 

 vertical black bands. The muzzle and entire under-parts are immac- 

 ulate. The shade of yellow varies sometimes to reddish. Legs spot- 

 ted with black above, uniformly pale or with a few spots below. (Cope.) 



Size. — 50 mm. from tip of snout to vent, 80 mm. from vent to end 

 of tail. Total length 130 mm. 



Habitat, — ^This species ranges from Maine and Wiscon- 

 sin south to Louisiana and Florida. Missouri localities : 

 St. Louis, Jefferson, Crawford, Miller, Ozark, and Wash- 

 ington counties. Illinois, St. Clair county. 



Habits, — This salamander is generally common where 

 found. It occurs on the sides of cold water creeks under 

 flat stones at the entrances to caves, where they are found 

 under rocks partly in water. In Green ^s Cave, near Sulli- 

 van, Crawford Co., Mo., I found one under a large slab, 

 nearly 300 feet from the entrance of the cave where no 



