Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.844117
Element CodeAAAAD03100
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNNear threatened
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusDesmognathus
Other Common NamesPygmy Salamander (EN) Southern Pygmy Salamander (EN)
Concept ReferenceCrespi, E. J., R. A. Browne, and L. J. Rissler. 2010. Taxonomic revision of Desmognathus wrighti (Caudata: Plethodontidae). Herpetologica 66: 283-295.
Taxonomic CommentsDesmognathus organi (Crespi et al. 2010) formerly was included in this species. Crespi et al. (2010) referred to this species as "pygmy salamander." The English name "southern pygmy salamander" is provisionally adopted here in order to help distinguish this species from the one that was called "pygmy salamander" before D. organi (northern pygmy salamander) was recognized as a distinct species. Beamer and Lamb (2020), in their discussion of Desmognathus mtDNA phylogenetics, confirmed the placement of this species as the sister taxon of Desmognathus organi (Frost 2020).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-07-01
Change Date2010-09-08
Edition Date2025-07-01
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G. (2010); rev. R. L. Gundy (2025)
Threat ImpactHigh
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank ReasonsThis species has a limited range in the southern Appalachian Mountains of southwestern North Carolina and southeastern Tennessee. The apparently stable with healthy populations, but loss of forest habitat due to logging, recreational development, acid rain, and insect pests is a concern.
Range Extent CommentsThis species has a restricted range in southwestern North Carolina and southeastern Tennessee (Crespi et al. 2010). Range extent is estimated to be 7,804 km² (GBIF 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025).
Occurrences CommentsThis species is known from at least a few dozen sites within its small range (see map in Crespi et al. 2010). Applying a 3 km separation distance to occurrence records, 42 occurrences are estimated (GBIF 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025).
Threat Impact CommentsThe most immediate threats to this species involve habitat degradation in the form of reduced canopy. Clearcuts and logging cause the groundlayer to become drier, reducing moist microhabitat for this species (Pague 1991, J. Organ, pers. comm., 1997). The same occurs from canopy loss caused by hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) and spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) (Pague 1991; J. Organ, pers. comm., 1997; Rossell Jr. et al. 2018). Red spruce-Fraser fir forests are declining in many high elevation sites of the southern Appalachians. Acid rain has also been implicated in the reduction of canopy cover (Rossell Jr. et al. 2018). Any loss of habitat would be a serious threat to populations in Virginia (Pague 1991). This species is projected to lose 94% of its climatic niche by 2050 due to climate change (Sutton et al. 2015). Overcollection is also a potential threat (Mitchell 1991, Rossell Jr. et al. 2018).