About Plethodon serratus Grobman, 1944
Common Name & Base Coloration
Plethodon serratus, commonly called the southern red-backed salamander, is typically gray or black, with a fading red-brown stripe running across the width of its back.
Adult Size
Adults reach a total length between 8 and 11 cm (3 to 4 inches).
Typical Color Form Prevalence
Like the closely related Plethodon cinereus, Plethodon serratus has several atypical color variations, though most individuals match the typical red-backed form that has a red dorsal stripe.
Documented Atypical Color Morphs
Documented atypical variations include a lead-backed phase with a dark grey stripe, a silver back phase with a light grey dorsal stripe, and hypomelanistic (leucistic) variants of the standard red-backed form.
Rare Color Morph
A very rare atypical morph is the white-backed, or ghost, phase.
Interspecific Color Variation Difference
Unlike P. cinereus, erythristic color variation has never been recorded in P. serratus.
