Seepage salamander

Seepage salamander
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Family: Plethodontidae
Subfamily: Plethodontinae
Genus: Desmognathus
Species:
D. aeneus
Binomial name
Desmognathus aeneus

The seepage salamander (Desmognathus aeneus) is a small, terrestrial species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the United States. They are found in small areas of Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.[3] Its natural habitats are temperate forests, intermittent rivers, and freshwater springs. It gets its name from the seepages around which it lives. It is very similar in its appearance and life history to the pygmy salamander (Desmognathus wrighti). These two species differ greatly from the other Desmognathus species. They are the smallest salamanders in the genus, measuring only 3–5 cm (1–2 in) in length. They are also the only two terrestrial, direct-developing Desmognathus species. However, the two species are not often seen to coexist, differing in distribution by elevation; although there are exceptions. The seepage salamander is currently listed as Near Threatened, with its numbers declining in most of states in which it is found. It is threatened by habitat loss, with logging having a major effect.

  1. ^ Geoffrey Hammerson, Julian Harrison (2004). "Desmognathus aeneus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T59243A11905725. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T59243A11905725.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference ref1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Desmognathus aeneus Brown and Bishop, 1947". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 1 March 2015.