Desmognathus ochrophaeus

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	PLETHODONTIDAE

Scientific Name:

Desmognathus ochrophaeus

Species Authority:

Cope, 1859

Common Name/s:

English

–

Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander

Taxonomic Notes:

Populations in the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee have recently been described as a new species; D. ochrophaeus (Anderson and Tilley, 2003).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2004
Assessor/s:	Geoffrey Hammerson
Reviewer/s:	Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson, Neil Cox and Bruce Young)
Contributor/s:
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 in the USA. Ridges of the Ridge and Valley Physiographic Province, including Brumley, Clinch, Walker, and Potts mountains of southwestern Virginia; Cumberland Mountains and Plateau of southeastern Kentucky, and the Allegheny Mountains and Plateau of West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York through the Adirondack Mountains to southern Quebec (Tilley and Mahoney 1996). Populations in the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee have recently been described as a new species; D. ochrophaeus (Anderson and Tilley, 2003).
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 likely exceeds 100,000.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It can be found at lower elevations and in winter it usually concentrates near seepage areas, springs, and small streams. Animals may range into adjacent wooded areas in wet weather. It is more terrestrial at higher elevations, characteristic inhabitant of floor of spruce-fir forests. It is often abundant on wet rock faces. Eggs are laid in wet rock crevices or under rocks, logs, or moss in seepage areas or near small streams. The larvae develop in water.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

It can be found at lower elevations and in winter it usually concentrates near seepage areas, springs, and small streams. Animals may range into adjacent wooded areas in wet weather. It is more terrestrial at higher elevations, characteristic inhabitant of floor of spruce-fir forests. It is often abundant on wet rock faces. Eggs are laid in wet rock crevices or under rocks, logs, or moss in seepage areas or near small streams. The larvae develop in water.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	No major threats of widespread significance.

Major Threat(s):

No major threats of widespread significance.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	None needed. It occurs in many protected areas.

Conservation Actions:

None needed. It occurs in many protected areas.

Citation:	Geoffrey Hammerson 2004. Desmognathus ochrophaeus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2013.
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