Description: The northern ravine salamander is a small terrestrial salamander, 3.0 to 4.5 inches in total length. It is elongated, slender, and short-legged. Its coloration is brown to nearly black, sprinkled with minute silvery white and bronzy or brassy specks. It has very small, irregular white blotches on the lower sides, and a virtually plain dark belly with a lightly mottled chin.

Habitat: The natural habitats of P. electromorphus are temperate forests and rocky areas.

Range: The northern ravine salamander has been found in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Found in these States: IN | KY | OH | PA | WV

Diet: The Ravine salamander has a diet that consists mainly of small insects such as ants and beetles. They will also eat pill bugs, earthworms, spiders, and snails.

Reproduction: Eggs are deposited in the summer under rocks. The larval stage is completed within the egg. The eggs hatch in late summer or early fall and the juvenile salamanders remain underground until the following spring. Sexual maturity is reached at 2 to 3 years.

Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution and presumed large population.

Taxonomy: The northern ravine salamander was previously considered to be a part of Plethodon richmondi (southern ravine salamander). Electrophoresis, from which the specific name electromorphus is derived, was used to distinguish them.