Found a wild salamander last night

[jeffrey]

We found a wild salamander last night on the wet sidewalk. It was a real deep sparkly blue and about 5 inches long. I live in Pennsylvania so I was thinking eastern newt but looks more like a plethodontidae possibly a colour morph of jordani? What do you think? I hope the pictures works... here they are, Sorry about the quality.
I should mension that we released it after we took the pictures.
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<font color="ff0000">Edited links to photos, June 7, 2005</font>

(Message edited by apples on June 07, 2005)

 

[joseph]

No expert but could it be a leadback phase plethodon cinereus?

 

[meghan]

Those look exactly like what I caught last year on my father's hunting property here in PA. That's what they were, cinereus.

 

[john]

Probably lead-back phase of cinereus. Long one too. Definitely in upper percentile in terms of size. High ratio of body to tail length could indicate its a female.

However, if you live in Western PA, it could also be Pl. Hoffmani (valley and ridge salamander).

(Message edited by stormcrow73 on June 08, 2005)