Larch Mountain salamander

Larch Mountain salamander
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Caudata
Family: Plethodontidae
Genus: Plethodon
Species: P. larselli
Binomial name
Plethodon larselli
Burns, 1954

The Larch Mountain salamander (Plethodon larselli) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae endemic to the United States. It occurs in the Cascade Mountains of southern Washington and northern Oregon. In Washington, it occurs from the Columbia River Gorge to just north of Snoqualmie Pass. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and rocky areas. It is threatened by habitat loss.[1]

Taxonomy

The Larch Mountain salamander was originally described as a species by D.M. Burns in 1962. Originally considered a subspecies of Van Dyke's salamander, the Larch Mountain salamander's closest genetic relative is the Jemez Mountains salamander, endemic to New Mexico.[2]

Description

The Larch Mountain salamander is a small, terrestrial salamander. The species is characterized by a variable dorsal stripe, typically orange, light brown, or yellow, which is often blotchy. The ground color is brown, with light speckling in certain areas. This species is easily distinguishable from other western Plethodon by its reddish-salmonish venter. Adults are typically 35 to 55 mm in snout-to-vent length, with a mode of 15 costal grooves.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Hammerson, G. & Herrington, R. 2004. Plethodon larselli. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Archived 2014-06-27 at the Wayback Machine. Downloaded on 23 July 2007.
  2. ↑ Washington Department of Wildlife. 1993. [https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01519/wdfw01519.pdf "Status of the Larch Mountain salamander (Plethodon larselli) in Washington"] Unpub!. Rep. Wash. Dept. Wild!., Olympia. Accessed 31 March 2018.
  3. ↑ AmphibiaWeb. 2018. "Larch Mountain salamander" University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 31 Mar 2018.


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