170 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences^ Arts and Letters. 

 ORDER URODELA. TATLED AMPHIBIANS, 



KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF URODELA. 



1. Gills persistent ProteidcB. 



2. Gills caducous; gill slit closed in the adult Salamandridoe. 



FAMILY PROTEID.E. THE MUD PUPPIES. 

 Repi'esented by one genus and one species. 



Menobranchus, Harlan. 



M. lateralis, Say. Mud Puppy. Dog Fish. Water Dog. 



Body cyKndrical and smooth; general color brownish with spots of 

 darker; a black lateral line is sometimes present; giUs red and bushy, in 

 three groups on each side; tail compressed; nocturnal and aquatic, liv- 

 ing but a few moments on land; L. 1 to 2 ft. ; common and carnivorous. 



FAMILY SALAMANDRID.E. THE SALAMANDERS. 

 Represented by five genera and eleven species. 



KEY TO THE GENERA OF SALAMANDEID^. 



a. Tongue fleshy, attached by the center, the lateral and anterior margins 



being free; costal grooves very distinct; vomero -palatine teeth trans- 

 versely arranged; posterior toes, 5; color dark; skin smooth with nu- 

 merous pores ; tail compressed Anibly stoma. 



b. Tongue attached by the anterior and posterior edges, a small part of 



the lateral being free; costal grooves indistinct; vomero-palatine teeth 

 longitudinal and divergent behind; posterior toes, 5; tail compressed 

 from the base ; colors bright Notophthalmus. 



c. Tongue roundish, the anterior edge and center attached, the lateral 



and posterior free ; vomei-ine teeth in two patches; posterior toes, 5; 



general color dark; tail tapering to tip Plethodon. 



d. Tongue oval, attached by the anterior edge; toes, four in front and 



behind; costal grooves distinct; general color above brown; beneath 

 white with black spots; tail, long, round at the base and then com- 

 pressed Hemidactylium. 



e. Tongue attached by the center, the entire edge being free (boletoid) 



costal grooves distinct: vomerine teeth in a tranverse row ; posterior 



toes, 5; color yellowish or red; tail long, tapering and compressed Spelerpes. 



Amblystoma, Tschudi. 



A. opacum, Gravenhurst. Blotched Salamander. 



Color above dai'k with tranverse bluish gray bars or blotches; head with 

 a triangular spot; below slaty; costal furrows or grooves, 11; no large pores 

 on head. L. about three inches; tail about li inch; rare. "Racine." Hoy. 



