Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 52
by Rob Criswell
photos by the author
Folks enjoying the Keystone State's outdoor environs frequently
encounter one or more of our many salamanders. Some are sighted
in and along springs, streams and damp woods by anglers, hikers
and explorers. Others are found crossing roads, sidewalks, lawns
and parking lots in the darkness after a spring or early summer
rain shower. A few, like Mudpuppies and Eastern Hellbenders,
occasionally startle anglers when inadvertently caught on hook
and line or exposed by rock-flipping bait collectors. But, one salamander lives in isolation so complete that it is only seen by those
searching for it.
This amphibian hermit dwells in forested settings, where it is at
ease in the dark and narrow interconnecting cracks of sandstone
outcrops and giant boulders. It is primarily nocturnal, rarely
showing itself during daylight hours. A homebody, it seldom
ventures more than a few yards from its lair. When it does leave its
subterranean sanctuary, it wears a camouflage outfit that makes it
nearly indistinguishable from its surroundings.
Welcome to the world of the Green Salamander, a species so
reclusive that it wasn't known in Pennsylvania until recently.
52
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * March/April 2014
First detected in 1951, it was known
only from a single colony adjacent
to the West Virginia state line until
the 1980s.
A glance at its life history, habits
and habitat reveals why it is so easily
overlooked. The crevices it utilizes for
hiding and resting provide near-perfect
protection-they are a mere ¼ to less
than ¾ of an inch from floor to ceiling.
The Green Salamander is one of our most
attractively-colored amphibians. It sports irregular bright
green and/or yellowish-green blotches that contrast
boldly with its brownish-black background. This pattern
extends from the back and tail to the animal's sides
and legs. Although this coloration may seem showy, it
is really cryptic, mimicking the lichens that encrust its
sandstone surroundings and irregularities in the surface
of the rocks.
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014
Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - CT1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - CT2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 17
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 20
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 22
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 23
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 24
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 25
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 26
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 27
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 28
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 30
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 31
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 38
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 42
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 43
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 44
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 45
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 46
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 47
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 48
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 49
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 50
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 51
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 52
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 53
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 54
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 55
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 56
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 57
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 58
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 59
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 60
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 61
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - 62
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - Cover4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - CT3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - March/April 2014 - CT4
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