Unusually pigmented Plethodon cinereus

[mathieu]

Here are two pictures I want to share with Plethodontidae enthusiasts. It is an unusually pigmented Plethodon cinereus from Vaudreuil-Soulanges MRC, Québec. The specimen was seen on April 9th 2005. Both "redback" and "leadback" phases specimens were observed nearby. I have seen pictures of albino and erythristic specimens, but how should we qualified this specimen? I am also aware of a picture in Klemens (1993)* (plate 6) that looks a bit like mine.

Mathieu Ouellette

* KLEMENS, M.W. 1993. Amphibians and Reptiles of Connecticut and Adjacent Regions. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut, Bulletin no. 112, 318 p.

 

[jennifer]

Very interesting specimen. I would be tempted to invent the term "partially erythristic".

 

[ravenous]

I'm no cinereus expert, but it does look interesting, and like you said, looks like it has a mixture of both redback and leadback phases in it.

Let us know if you find a positive ID for it, or if you have to invent a new nickname for it.