Plethodon kentucki

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:

Plethodon kentucki

Species Authority:

Mittleman, 1951

Common Name/s:

English

–

Cumberland Plateau Salamander

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 relatively 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 can be found in Eastern Kentucky, northeastern Tennessee, southern West Virginia, and southwestern Virginia, USA (Petranka 1998). Primarily in the Cumberland Plateau, but extending into the Valley and Ridge of Russell and Washington counties, Virginia.
Countries:	Native: 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. There are probably reduced populations in past; expanded with current trend to reforestation.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Optimal conditions include mature hardwood forests (Petranka 1998). Generally they are found under or in rotting logs, stumps, or leaf-litter, or under rocks, during the day. Goes underground during dry or freezing weather. Eggs are laid in rotting logs, underground, or in rock crevices. It is a terrestrial breeder.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Deforestation, agriculture, and strip-mining constitute potential threats. However, the general trend within its range is reforestation.

Major Threat(s):

Deforestation, agriculture, and strip-mining constitute potential threats. However, the general trend within its range is reforestation.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There are several occurrences in Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, Jefferson National Forest, and Beaks Interstate Park. Maintaining the availability of mature hardwood forest habitat is important to the long-term persistence of viable populations.

Conservation Actions:

There are several occurrences in Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, Jefferson National Forest, and Beaks Interstate Park. Maintaining the availability of mature hardwood forest habitat is important to the long-term persistence of viable populations.

Citation:	Geoffrey Hammerson 2004. Plethodon kentucki. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2013.
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