On our final excursion out into the field we had one of the greatest finds of the semester. Dr. Boone was able to catch a longtail salamander (Eurycea longicauda) which she said has never been caught during any lab in the past. It was found in Indian Creek close to the shore. They are most commonly found under logs, stones, or along streams under rocks. There habitat ranges from Tennessee up into southern New York. The salamander is just barely in our range so it was very exciting to see a live specimen. The specimen was about 4" which is a typical size for these types of salamanders although they can grow up to about 6 or 7". These salamanders are easy to identify in the field due to there very long tails. Also the pattern on their tails are quite unique. Along the length of the tail they posses vertical black markings which can be somewhat seen in the picture above. The rest of their orange bodies are covered in black spots. Overall this was a very cool find and to have the opportunity to see one on our last day of class was amazing. -Roland T. Lefebvre
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