Two Erythristic Plethodon cinereus from Nova Scotia

Sherman Bleakney; Francis Cook

doi:10.2307/1439405

High incidence of limb skeletal variants in a peripheral population of the red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus (Amphibia: Plethodontidae), from Nova Scotia

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z83-249 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 61 (8) ◽

pp. 1925-1931 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

James Hanken

Keyword(s):

Nova Scotia ◽

Genetic Basis ◽

Plethodon Cinereus ◽

Peripheral Population ◽

Single Population ◽

High Incidence ◽

Frequent Absence

A single population of Plethodon cinereus from northwestern Nova Scotia shows a high incidence of limb skeletal variants, which is exceptional for this morphologically conservative species. Included are nine carpal patterns and five tarsal patterns, which result from the variable occurrence of 11 different combinations of fused adjacent mesopodial elements, and frequent absence of one or more ossified phalanges; one instance of increased phalangeal number also is noted. Primitive plethodontid carpal and tarsal patterns, which characterize P. cinereus from other parts of its range, occur in 69 and 71% of the carpi and tarsi examined, respectively. Modal phalangeal formulae also are those typical of P. cinereus generally. Several mesopodial variants resemble those seen in other plethodontid genera; they may have appeared independently in P. cinereus. Others are unique to this population. Both the genetic basis and geographical extent of this variation are unknown.

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Two Amelanistic Eastern Red-backed Salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) from Eastern Canada

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v125i1.1126 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 125 (1) ◽

pp. 58 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jean-David Moore ◽

John Gilhen

Keyword(s):

Nova Scotia ◽

Plethodon Cinereus ◽

Eastern Canada ◽

Black Skin ◽

Colour Morphs ◽

Skin Pigment

Three colour morphs of the Eastern Red-backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus, are known in eastern Canada: red-backed, lead-backed, and erythristic. Anomalies, including two albino and four leucistic individuals, are also known from eastern Canada. We report the first salamander individuals exhibiting amelanism, which is a lack of black skin pigment, but with black eyes, one from Quebec and one from Nova Scotia, Canada.

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A Second Amelanistic Eastern Red-backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus, from Nova Scotia, Canada

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v125i4.1265 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 125 (4) ◽

pp. 359

Author(s):

Ronald W. Russell ◽

Wilfried Beslin ◽

Maia Hudak ◽

Ayokunle Ogunbiyi ◽

Avery Withrow ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nova Scotia ◽

Plethodon Cinereus ◽

Disturbed Habitat

In 2011, an amelanistic Eastern Red-backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus, was discovered in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This is the second amelanistic Eastern Red-backed Salamander that has been documented from the Halifax area. Albino and leucistic individuals have also been identified from Nova Scotia. These aberrant conditions, including the two amelanistic individals, were discovered in isolated, fragmented, and disturbed habitat.

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