PhoenixWench wrote:
-snip-

Maybe someone here can help me with a two year old puzzle related to
this in a way. My hubby had left a 2'x 5' wide piece of plywood on a bit
of open ground over a period of about two years. When I decided to clean
up the area and piked up the wood I fully expected to pi$$ off a bunch
of worms. However, along with some very big healthy worms I also found a
couple of weird beasties - the same approximate 6 inch length, ruddy
pink color and slick skin as the average healthy earthworm, but with a
planarian looking wedge shaped head.... and four legs.


Here's a list of the NY Salamanders--\
http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7485.html
I can't believe the DEC couldn't put a picture by each one-- but
Cortland did-
http://www.cortland.edu/herp/keys/salapix.htm

I nominate
Northern Spring Salamander
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Redback

-snip-
amphibian, but so far I have been unable to get a reasonable answer. I
am in about zone 5a/b in the central NY Catskills, and since that day
have not seen these exact critters
-snip-

I do what I can to create habitats for snakes, toads and other regional
critters - not squeamish about slime at all ;-) My entire property (a
bit over 1 acre) is organic and friendly habitat, as well as I can
manage. However I have not found an answer to the ID on these critters
in two years of asking :-P

If their budget hasn't been cut, there used to be some real talkative
herp folks in the DEC in Albany. If you don't see your critter
listed on the Cortland page-- give them a call and try to describe it
to them.

Jim