Neha Patil (Editor)

Shenandoah salamander

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Order
  
Caudata

Genus
  
Plethodon

Higher classification
  
Woodland salamander

Phylum
  
Chordata

Family
  
Plethodontidae

Scientific name
  
Plethodon shenandoah

Rank
  
Species

Shenandoah salamander wwwcaliforniaherpscomnoncalmiscmiscsalamander

Similar
  
Salamander, Woodland salamander, Amphibians, Peaks of Otter salamander, Weller's salamander

The Shenandoah Salamander (Plethodon shenandoah) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the United States and the state of Virginia. It is only known from North facing talus slopes on three mountain tops inside the Shenandoah National Park. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and rocky areas.

Contents

Shenandoah salamander Shenandoah Salamander

Hawksbill mountain shenandoah salamander


Reproduction

Shenandoah salamander Shenandoah salamander

Males and females typically establish separate feeding and/or mating territories underneath rocks and logs. Breeding occurs in fall and spring, with females attending clutches of eggs laid in crevices between rocks in their talus habitat.

Conservation

Shenandoah salamander Shenandoah Salamander Plethodon shenandoah

The Shenandoah salamander's range is entirely protected by the Shenandoah National Park, so habitat loss is unlikely to be a major threat, but the FWS identifies 1) defoliation of trees by gypsy moth, 2) its extremely restricted range size, and 3) competition with redbacked salamanders as reasons for its 1989 endangered listing under the Endangered Species Act. Subsequent to this listing, Climate change, and the deadly amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis have been suggested as possible threats to highly restricted mountain-dwelling Appalachian salamanders.

Shenandoah salamander Shenandoah salamander photo Plethodon shenandoah G68927 ARKive

Shenandoah salamander Shenandoah Salamander Shenandoah National Park US National Park

Shenandoah salamander FileShenandoah Salamander 08jpg Wikimedia Commons

References

Shenandoah salamander Wikipedia