Melanism in European plethodontid salamanders (Amphibia, Plethodontidae, Hydromantes)

Melanism represents a well-known chromatic aberration within reptiles, but very few information is available on amphibians. During five years of field surveys we observed more than 3000 individuals of European cave salamanders (genus Hydromantes), five of which showed melanistic pattern. Our observations report the first cases of melanism for European cave salamanders.