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Desmognathus aeneus

Brown and Bishop, 1947

Seepage Salamander

G4Apparently Secure Found in 18 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Seepage Salamander (Desmognathus aeneus). Photo by bdholt, CC BY-NC 4.0, via iNaturalist.
bdholt, CC BY-NC 4.0
Seepage Salamander (Desmognathus aeneus). Photo by bdholt, CC BY-NC 4.0, via iNaturalist.
bdholt, CC BY-NC 4.0
Seepage Salamander (Desmognathus aeneus). Photo by Dean Hester, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, via iNaturalist.
Dean Hester, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Seepage Salamander (Desmognathus aeneus). Photo by Derek Hudgins, CC BY-NC 4.0, via iNaturalist.
Derek Hudgins, CC BY-NC 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100247
Element CodeAAAAD03010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusDesmognathus
Other Common Names
Cherokee Salamander (EN) seepage salamander (EN)
Concept Reference
Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Desmognathus aeneus includes D. chermocki (Harrison 1992). Also called the "Cherokee salamander". Pyron et al. (2024) solidified the status of D. aeneus as a single species.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-07-25
Change Date2024-07-25
Edition Date2024-07-25
Edition AuthorsClausen, M. K., and G. Hammerson (2004); rev. R. L. Gundy (2024)
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
This salamander is restricted to mountainous regions of the southeastern United States. Most populations are protected on conservation lands and the population appears to be stable.
Range Extent Comments
Ranges in the southeastern United States in southwestern North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, extreme northwestern South Carolina, northern and central Georgia, and northeastern Alabama (Harrison 1967, Graham et al. 2012, Batistella et al. 2014). Using a combination of Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF 2024) and iNaturalist (2024) records, range extent is estimated to be 84,842 km².
Occurrences Comments
Applying a separation distance of 3 km to GBIF (2024) and iNaturalist (2024) records, the number of occurrences was estimated to be 154. Some of these sites may no longer be extant (Graham et al. 2012).
Threat Impact Comments
Logging activities evidently have extirpated some Alabama populations (Folkerts 1968). Moderately threatened in Alabama by conversion of hardwood forest to pine plantation (M. Bailey, pers. comm., 1997). Southern populations are vulnerable to intensive forest management practices such as clearcutting (Petranka 1998). This species can become infected with the chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) (Huang and Wilson 2013), but it is not yet known how this salamander is impacted by the fungus.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

A small, slender, round-tailed salamander with a relatively short tail; dark-bordered, yellowish to reddish-bronze, normally straight-edged dorsal band (frequently obscured by uniformly brown or dark brown pigment in large males), with a dark middorsal line or series of spots or chevrons; most adults have a dark Y-shaped mark on top of the head posterior to the eyes; maximum snout vent-length (to anterior margin of vent) 29 mm in males and 26 mm in females (Harrison 1992).

Diagnostic Characteristics

This species somewhat resembles the southern redback salamander (Plethodon serratus) as well as some spotted dusky salamanders (Desmognathus conanti) and Ocoee salamanders (D. ocoee). Redback salamanders are more terrestrial and lack the light line that extends from the eye to the corner of the jaw in Desmognathus salamanders. Desmognathus ocoee is more robust than the slender D. aeneus; in the Great Smoky Mountains their ranges do not overlap, with D. ocoee only at the highest elevations (Dodd 2004). Some D. conanti can be difficult to distinguish from D. aeneus, but seepage salamanders differ by usually having a Y-shaped mark on the head behind the eyes, a light area on the dorsal side of the thighs, and a rounded tail (versus keeled at the top in cross section) (Dodd 2004).

Habitat

Seepage salamanders inhabit moss, leaf litter, or surface debris on the floors of mixed hardwood forests near small creeks, springs, and seepage areas (Harrison 1967, Hining and Bruce 2005). They also occur in damp shaded ravines (Harrison 1967). Eggs are laid under moss or in small protected depressions (Harrison 1967).

Ecology

Susceptible to infection with chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) (Huang and Wilson 2013).

Reproduction

Eggs usually laid in April-June, though late winter and spring in western Alabama (Harrison 1967). Female stays with clutch of 5-17 eggs 5-7 weeks until hatching. There may be two annual nesting periods in some areas. Eggs hatch from June to August (Harrison 1967). No aquatic larval stage. Matures in 2-3 years (Harrison 1967, Bruce 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - Mixed
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
AlabamaS2Yes
GeorgiaS3Yes
South CarolinaS2Yes
North CarolinaS3Yes
TennesseeS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureRestricted - smallSerious - moderateHigh (continuing)
2.2 - Wood & pulp plantationsRestricted - smallSerious - moderateHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesPervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesPervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (18)
Georgia (9)
AreaForestAcres
Boggs CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,073
Cedar MountainChattahoochee National Forest1,083
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Lance CreekChattahoochee National Forest9,025
Miller CreekChattahoochee National Forest701
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Rocky MountainChattahoochee National Forest4,269
Tate BranchChattahoochee National Forest1,069
Turner CreekChattahoochee National Forest1,495
North Carolina (6)
AreaForestAcres
Barkers Creek (addition)Nantahala National Forest975
Big Indian (addition)Nantahala National Forest1,155
Chunky Gal (addition)Nantahala National Forest3,336
Little Indian (addition)Nantahala National Forest640
SnowbirdNantahala National Forest8,489
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Tennessee (3)
AreaForestAcres
Brushy RidgeCherokee National Forest7,469
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Upper Bald RiverCherokee National Forest9,202
References (36)
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  4. Beamer, D. A., and T. Lamb. 2020. Towards rectifying limitations on species delineation in dusky salamanders (<i>Desmognathus</i>: Plethodontidae): An ecoregion-drainage sampling grid reveals additional cryptic clades. Zootaxa 4734: 1-61.
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  25. Huang, R., and L. A. Wilson. 2013. <i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</i> in amphibians of the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Provinces in northern Georgia, USA. Herpetological Review 44(1): 547–550.
  26. LeGrand, Harry E., Jr. Zoologist. North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. Division of Parks and Recreation, Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, Raleigh, North Carolina
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  34. Redmond, W. H., and A. F. Scott. 1996. Atlas of Amphibians in Tennessee. Miscellaneous Publication No. 12. Center for Field Biology, Austin Peay State University, Clarkville, Tennessee. v + 94 pp.
  35. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2011. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; partial 90-day finding on a petition to list 404 species in the southeastern United States as threatened or endangered with critical habitat. Federal Register 76(187):59836-59862.
  36. Williamson, G. K., and R. A. Moulis. 1994. Distribution of amphibians and reptiles in Georgia, Volume 1-maps; Volume 2-locality data. Special Pub. No. 3, Savannah Science Museum, Inc. Savannah, Georgia.