Physical Description - The most obvious feature that distinguishes P. pauleyi from P. wehrlei, P. punctatus, P. dixi, and P. jacksoni is the presence of two rows of yellow, dorsal spots. These loosely paired spots begin at or posterior to the insertion of the forelimbs and run down the dorsum to just posterior to the insertion of the hind limbs. These spots normally number between 6 and 12 on a side. Neither P. dixi nor P. punctatus normally have dorsal spots, and spots on P. wehrlei and P. jacksoni are reddish in color, never yellow. The spots are fainter in older individuals. Plethodon pauleyi is also distinguishable from other members of the species group by its ventral coloration. This new species has a grayish, translucent venter with lightly pigmented mottling whereas P. wehrlei and P. punctatus both have darkly pigmented venters with little mottling and a noticeably lighter gular region. Compared to the relatively dark, almost salt-and-pepper mottling on the venter of both P. dixi and P. jacksoni, the mottling on the venter of P. pauleyi is more lightly pigmented. Additionally, P. pauleyi can be diagnosed by having only two costal grooves between the adpressed limbs as opposed to three or four in P. wehrlei, P. jacksoni, and P. dixi (Fowler & Dunn 1917; Pope & Fowler 1949; Newman 1954), and 2 or 3 in P. punctatus (ZIF unpublished data).

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