Dicamptodon tenebrosus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	CAUDATA	AMBYSTOMATIDAE

Scientific Name:

Dicamptodon tenebrosus

Species Authority:

(Baird and Girard, 1852)

Common Name(s):

English

–

Pacific Giant Salamander

Synonym(s):

Amblystoma tenebrosum Baird and Girard, 1852

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2004
Date Assessed:	2004-04-30
Assessor(s):	Geoffrey Hammerson
Reviewer(s):	Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson, Neil Cox and Bruce Young)
Justification: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species occurs from Western North America from southern British Columbia (Chilliwack River drainage) south through western Washington and western Oregon to northwestern California (Good 1989; Farr, 1989 COSEWIC report; Petranka 1998).
Countries:	Native: Canada; United States
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Total adult population size is unknown but probably exceeds 10,000. Larvae are often abundant and are far more common than the adults.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Larvae and paedomorphic adults usually inhabit clear, cool or cold, well-oxygenated streams and often take cover under stones (Parker 1991); aquatic stages also occur in some mountain lakes and ponds. Metamorphosed adults are found in humid forests under rocks and logs, etc., near mountain streams or rocky shores of mountain lakes (Stebbins 1985). Eggs are attached to logs or rocks in creeks (Nussbaum and Clothier 1973, Jones et al. 1990).
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Larvae and paedomorphic adults usually inhabit clear, cool or cold, well-oxygenated streams and often take cover under stones (Parker 1991); aquatic stages also occur in some mountain lakes and ponds. Metamorphosed adults are found in humid forests under rocks and logs, etc., near mountain streams or rocky shores of mountain lakes (Stebbins 1985). Eggs are attached to logs or rocks in creeks (Nussbaum and Clothier 1973, Jones et al. 1990).

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Logging and associated water temperature increases and siltation are a potential threat. Abundance is much greater in old growth and mature forests than in young forests (see Petranka 1998). However, overall, this species is not significantly threatened at present.

Major Threat(s):

Logging and associated water temperature increases and siltation are a potential threat. Abundance is much greater in old growth and mature forests than in young forests (see Petranka 1998). However, overall, this species is not significantly threatened at present.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Habitat protection is needed.

Conservation Actions:

Habitat protection is needed.

Citation:	Geoffrey Hammerson 2004. Dicamptodon tenebrosus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 29 January 2015.
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