What Am I?

Hmmm, yesterday's "What Am I?" was pretty easy.  Today's is a lot tougher.  I found three of these creatures, hiding under logs, during Sunday's hike to Bear Church Rock.  I am pretty sure that I had never seen one before.  I needed my herpetology field guide back at home to identify them.  You may need the same.

You know already, with no guile
That I'm a type of shy herptile

My body form is lean and long
If you think "lizard," you are wrong.

And I am not a type of snake
I have four legs, make no mistake!

Invertebrates make a fine meal
Beetles or worms will seal the deal

My skin is rather smooth and damp
In cool places I make my camp

My color's black like night, not day
With pattern like the Milky Way

With many silver colored spots
And how many? Let's just say lots!

My skin is coated with a slime
And that, pray tell's, my final rhyme!

Enough
Clues!
Take your
Guess and
Scroll
D

O

W

N
for the answer....


I tell you now, with all candor
I'm a slimy salamander!

Based on my photos and my field guide, I am pretty sure that this species is a slimy salamander.  They were about 5-6 inches long.  I am almost certain that this was a new species for me.