Name: __________________________________________________ Date: ____________________
Salamander Classification & Dichotomous Key
Background: Scientists use dichotomous keys to
Word Origin
identify organisms. It is a series of statements that allow
Dikho = in two
the user to determine the identity of the organism from
Temnein = to cut
a set group of organisms. Each set of statements has
Dichotomous = to cut in
two options (generally). The option that applies to the
two
organism you are trying to identify will either tell you
the next set of statements to refer to, or give you the identity of that organism.
Below is a very simple example of a dichotomous key.
1 a Hard exoskeleton present Go to 2
b No hard exoskeleton present Go to 3
2 a Has 8 legs Spider
b Has 6 legs Insect
3 a Has wings Bird
b Does not have wings Go to 4
4 a Has fur Mammal
b Does not have fur Reptile
Procedure: Carefully examine the pictures of salamanders and use the dichotomous key
provided to correctly identify each salamander species. Drawings of each salamander
are provided in the upper right corner of each picture to show relative body size, but
are NOT drawn to scale. Write your answers below.
#1 __________________________________ #7 __________________________________
#2 __________________________________ #8 __________________________________
#3 __________________________________ #9 __________________________________
#4 __________________________________ #10 __________________________________
#5 __________________________________ #11 __________________________________
#6 __________________________________ #12 __________________________________
Salamander Classification Dichotomous Key
1 a Hind limbs present Go to 2
b Hind limbs absent Siren sp.
2 a External gills present (feathery structures protruding Ambystoma mexicanum
from head)
b External gills not present Go to 3
3 a Body brightly colored (orange) with small speckles Notophthalmus viridescens
b Body not brightly colored (orange) with small speckles Go to 4
4 a Body is mostly dark with large irregularly shaped Go to 5
coloration (varies from spots to stripes) extending the
entire length of the body
b Body does not have irregularly shaped coloration Go to 6
extending the entire length of the body
5 a Body is mostly dark with green irregularly shaped Ambystoma tigrinum
markings that vary from spots to stripes and extend the
entire length of the body
b Body is mostly dark with white/grey irregularly shaped Ambystoma opacum
colorations extending the entire length of the body
6 a Tail is laterally flattened into a fin (similar to a tadpole) Go to 7
b Tail is rounded (NOT laterally flattened) Go to 8
7 a Dorsal surface of body and tail has pointed (spikey) Triturus cristatus
extensions and body has black spots throughout
b Body has dark dorsal surface and light ventral surface Notophthalmus viridescens
with small black speckles throughout and some red
spots along dorsal surface
8 a Body is dark with large yellow spots extending from Ambystoma maculatum
head on either side of the midline of the dorsal surface
of the body
b Body does not have spots/speckles or spots/speckles Go to 9
are not extending along either side of the midline of the
body
9 a Body has small spots or speckles Go to 10
b Body does not have spots or speckles Go to 11
10 a Body is black with light speckles along head and Plethodon glutinsus
abdomen – speckles do not extend onto tail
b Body is dark with blue speckles throughout Ambystoma jeffersonianum
11 a Body and head are mostly black with a red stripe Plethodon cinereus
extending from neck to tail
b Head and back are yellow to orange in color, with dark Eurycea bislineata
speckles extending down the midline, while sides are
black
