Juvie Van Dyke's

[warren]

Here is a picture of a juvenile Van Dyke's salamander. There were actually two others that I located along the same area of the streambank. This was about the only thing that went well on that camping trip. I didn't realize that they were logging so heavily in the Willapa Hills area. There isn't much more depressing than seeing a truly clearcut forest area-just clay, not even the undergrowth left.

 

[jennifer]

Very nice find! Are you (and other people reading this) confident of the ID? If so, and it's OK with you, I would like to use the photo on Caudata Culture.

 

[warren]

Hey, Jen, yeah, it had the pale throat patch which is the main distinguishing feature from the Dunn's and western red-backs. ALthough hard to distinguish in the photo, there is the slight webbing on the toes as well. This is the so-called "dark" phase. As with many of the Plethodons, there are several morphotypes. If it is verified by others, you are more than welcome to use the photo.

 

[simon]

Fantastic photo Warren! Definitely not a vehiculum I think, too bulky. Almost definitely Van Dykes. Nice find.

 

[mike]

That's a great salamander. Do you have any habitat photos?

 

[warren]

Thanks, Mike. Unfortunately, no, I did not take any photos of the habitat. It was secondary deciduous growth- I am guessing in the range of 40 to 60 years old along a stream bank. There were some old fallen logs near the stream as well which is one of vandykei's preferred nesting sites. The animals were actually found by lifting rocks along the so-called splash zone, pretty much the same way you would find Rhyacotriton specimens. The also would flee into the water just as Rhyacotriton will.

 

[jennifer]

I asked someone who lives in Washington and has seen P. vandykei to look at this photo. He agrees that it is not a western redback, but his opinion is that it is Plethodon dunni, not vandyke's.

I checked vandykei and dunni in a field guide, and they look very similar. The distinguishing trait is whether or not the yellow on the tail reaches all the way to the end. On the photo, I can't tell.

It's surely an interesting find, either way. And, by the way all you Washingtonians with cameras, CC has no photos of either P. dunni or P. vandykei, so please go shoot some for us.