Validity of the Name teyahalee 67 



The situation on Cheoah requires comment. No hybridization occurs 

 there, and the samples of the two species are therefore distinct. That 

 representative of the P. jordani complex is more distantly related to 

 the other four populations than they are to each other. The average 

 genetic identity between it and them is 0.857 (range = 0.813-0.895); 

 the average identity among the other four populations is 0.932 (range 

 = 0.900-0.967). The population on Teyahalee Bald is closely related 

 to those four representatives of P. jordani, but not to the Cheoah 

 representative. 



It appears, therefore, that what I described as Plethodon jordani 

 teyahalee was a hybrid, and under Article 23(h) of the International 

 Code of Zoological Nomenclature the name teyahalee cannot be used 

 for that part of the glutinosus complex to which it was applied by 

 Highton (1983, 1989), because that is one of the parent species. To 

 avoid future confusion I have collected a new type for this form 

 from an area where hybridization with P. jordani is unknown, and I 

 propose the name Plethodon oconaluftee. 



The following synonomic list is taken from Highton (1989): 

 Plethodon glutinosus (Green): Brimley (1912) (part), Highton (1970) 

 (part) [actually Highton and Henry (1970)]. Plethodon jordani 

 teyahalee Hairston (1950:269). Plethodon jordani Blatchley: Highton 

 (1962). Plethodon (glutinosus) glutinosus (Green): Bishop (1941) 

 (part). Plethodon teyahalee Hairston: Highton (1984) [actually 

 Highton 1983]. 



Holotype— GSMNP 33339, an adult female collected 16 May 

 1991, by N. G. Hairston, Sr., Pisgah National Forest, beside Forest 

 Service Road 140 near the North Fork of the French Broad River at 

 an elevation of 930 m on the south-facing slope of the Balsam 

 Mountains, Transylvania County, North Carolina. Snout to posterior 

 angle of vent, 75 mm; numerous very small white spots on back and 

 top of tail, a few on top of head; numerous irregularly shaped 

 white spots on sides and cheeks; underside dark throughout, including 

 throat and chin, which have a number of irregular white spots. 



Paratype — GSMNP 33340, an immature female (about 3 years 

 old) collected in same place as the type on 17 May 1991 by M. P. 

 Hairston. Snout to posterior angle of vent, 39 mm; dorsum, sides, 

 head, and cheeks as for type; belly dark, throat and chin paler than 

 in type, with many melanin-free spots, but with white pigment only 

 in a few lateral ones. Both types have been deposited in the collections 

 of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 



The following diagnosis and distribution are quoted from Highton 

 (1989), which I use because we discuss the same taxonomic entity: 

 "Diagnosis: A large, light-chinned species with very small white dorsal 



