Yellow-Spotted Woodland Salamander

Range

The yellow-spotted woodland salamander (Plethodon pauleyi) is distributed throughout the Cumberland Plateau in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee.

Habitats

Plethodon pauleyi is nocturnal and a rock-outcrop specialist. Plethodon pauleyi can be found in shale and sandstone outcrops and rock faces common along the Cumberland Plateau. It may also be found on leaf litter or rocks at the base of outcrops, or in the surrounding woodlands.

Identification

Plethodon pauleyi has a dark and variable dorsal coloration, ranging from black to brown to gray. The dorsal surface also has small white specks and two rows of yellow spots with irregular edges. The lateral and ventral sides are gray with white mottling that varies in intensity and size. The throat is lighter than the rest of the ventral side and has larger mottling. The coloration of Plethodon pauleyi changes with age, with younger individuals having darker dorsa and more prominent white flecks and mottling than older ones.

Learn more with Schechter Natural History's Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians