2 Richard Highton 



in the narrow overlap zones where the ranges of some of the above 

 parapatric forms are in contact. The species described here differs genet- 

 ically from all of the above types and throughout its range it is sympat- 

 ric with the white-spotted southern Appalachian variant of P. glutino- 

 sus. The two forms appear to be both morphologically and genetically 

 distinct at all 28 localities where they have been taken sympatrically. 



The new species is characterized by possessing abundant brassy- 

 colored dorsal spots and by its small size. It is very distinct from the 

 sympatric, white-spotted, large-sized populations of P. glutinosus, but 

 some other nearby brassy-spotted populations of P. glutinosus are very 

 similar to it in appearance. Using the same electrophoretic methods and 

 genetic loci described in Highton and MacGregor (1983), the new spe- 

 cies was compared genetically to 11 samples of P. kentucki, 128 samples 

 of P. glutinosus and 41 samples oi P. jordani taken from localities scat- 

 tered throughout their ranges. It was also compared with a single sam- 

 ple of each of the other four species of the group (yonahlossee, cad- 

 doensis, ouachitae and fourchensis). Geographic genetic variation in the 

 latter three species was studied by Duncan and Highton (1979) and the 

 remaining results are being prepared for publication. The new species is 

 genetically distinguishable from samples of all of these species, just as it 

 is from sympatric P. glutinosus. However, I have failed to find any 

 morphological characters that may be used to distinguish it from some 

 allopatric types of brassy-spotted P. glutinosus. The diagnosis presented 

 here is therefore valid only for comparisons with the three forms of 

 eastern large Plethodon with which it is sympatric. This is the second 

 cryptic species of Plethodon discovered by electrophoretic studies of 

 genetic variation in proteins, the first being P. websteri Highton (1979). 



The new species is named for its brightly-colored brassy dorsal 

 spots. The name is from the Latin word meaning gilded, ornamented or 

 very beautiful. 



Plethodon aureolus, nevj species 



Diagnosis. — An eastern Plethodon of the P. glutinosus group 

 (Highton and Larson 1979). It differs from sympatric white-spotted P. glutin- 

 osus by its smaller size, its relatively larger dorsal spots, the presence of 

 abundant brassy flecking in the dorsal iridophore spots, and more 

 abundant lateral white or yellow spotting. It differs from most nearby 

 populations of brassy-spotted P. glutinosus by its smaller size and light- 

 er chin. It differs from Unicoi Mountain P. jordani by the presence of 

 dorsal spots and by its more abundant white iridophore spotting on the 

 sides and legs. 



Holotype.— USNM 238341, an aduh male collected at Farr Gap 

 (locality 1, Table 1), Unicoi Mountains, Monroe County, Tennessee, on 

 30 June 1979, by Richard Highton and Jeffrey K. Streicher. 



