Plethodon shermani
Stejneger, 1906
Red-legged Salamander
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
Near threatenedIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Max Ramey, CC BY-NC 4.0
Max Ramey, CC BY-NC 4.0
Riley Stanton, CC BY-NC 4.0
Riley Stanton, CC BY-NC 4.0
Riley Stanton, CC BY-NC 4.0
Riley Stanton, CC BY-NC 4.0
Jon Becker, CC BY-NC 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100811
Element CodeAAAAD12470
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNNear threatened
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusPlethodon
Concept Reference
Highton, R., and R. B. Peabody. 2000. Geographic protein variation and speciation in salamanders of the Plethodon jordani and Plethodon glutinosus complexes in the southern Appalachian Mountains with the description of four new species. Pages 31-93 in R. C. Bruce, R. G. Jaeger, and L. D. Houck, editors. The biology of plethodontid salamanders. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York. xiii + 485 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Highton and Peabody (2000) examined allozyme and morphological variation in the Plethodon jordani and P. glutinosus complexes, and they also looked at interactions in contact zones. As a result of these studies, Highton and Peabody split P. jordani into multiple species as follows: P. jordani, P. montanus, P. metcalfi, P. amplus, P. meridianus, P. shermani, and P. cheoah. This revision was adopted by Crother et al. (2000).
Conservation Status
Review Date2010-11-01
Change Date2010-11-01
Edition Date2010-11-01
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent250-5000 square km (about 100-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 80
Rank Reasons
Common in small range in western North Carolina and adjacent Tennessee and Georgia; several geographical isolates; at least somewhat resilient to habitat degradation; no major threats.
Range Extent Comments
The species occurs in isolated populations in extreme southwestern North Carolina and adjacent southeastern Tennessee and northern Georgia, USA, 853–1494 m elevation (Frost 2020).
Moskwik (2014) documented significant elevational range changes since the 1940s (Frost 2020).
Moskwik (2014) documented significant elevational range changes since the 1940s (Frost 2020).
Occurrences Comments
Highton and Peabody (2000) listed eight locations from which they obtained genetic data sets. At least 18 occurrences exist in North Carolina, and some of these represent multiple discrete sampling points (H. LeGrand, pers. comm., 2010).
Threat Impact Comments
Clearcutting may deplete local populations of some members of the P. jordani complex (Petranka et al. 1993); time required for recovery is debatable but is at least a few decades (Ash 1997, Petranka 1999, Ash and Pollock 1999). However, P. shermani appears to be resilient to habitat degradation; it is presently common in second-growth forests that were at one time severely degraded by feeding activities of hogs (Beamer, pers. comm., 2003; Bishop 1928). Currently, this species faces no known major threats.
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
Mesic forest, often under leaf litter, logs, or mossy rocks. Terrestrial breeder.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - Mixed
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | S2 | Yes |
| North Carolina | S3 | Yes |
| Tennessee | S2 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 - Biological resource use | — | — | High (continuing) |
| 5.3 - Logging & wood harvesting | — | — | High (continuing) |
Roadless Areas (13)
North Carolina (11)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Barkers Creek (addition) | Nantahala National Forest | 975 |
| Big Indian (addition) | Nantahala National Forest | 1,155 |
| Boteler Peak | Nantahala National Forest | 4,205 |
| Cherry Cove (addition) | Nantahala National Forest | 836 |
| Chunky Gal (addition) | Nantahala National Forest | 3,336 |
| Little Indian (addition) | Nantahala National Forest | 640 |
| Overflow Creek | Nantahala National Forest | 3,379 |
| Sam Knob (addition) | Pisgah National Forest | 2,576 |
| Snowbird | Nantahala National Forest | 8,489 |
| Tusquitee Bald | Nantahala National Forest | 13,670 |
| Wesser Bald | Nantahala National Forest | 4,061 |
Tennessee (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Brushy Ridge | Cherokee National Forest | 7,469 |
| Upper Bald River | Cherokee National Forest | 9,202 |
References (12)
- Ash, A. N. 1997. Disappearance and return of plethodontid salamanders to clearcut plots in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Conservation Biology 11:983-989.
- Ash, A. N., and K. H. Pollock. 1999. Clearcuts, salamanders, and field studies. Conservation Biology 13:206-208.
- Bishop, S. C. 1928. Notes on some amphibians and reptiles from the southeastern states with a description of a new salamander from North Carolina. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 43:153-170.
- Blackburn, L., P. Nanjappa, and M. J. Lannoo. 2001. An Atlas of the Distribution of U.S. Amphibians. Copyright, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA.
- Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
- Frost, D.R. 2020. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Online: http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html
- Highton, R., and R. B. Peabody. 2000. Geographic protein variation and speciation in salamanders of the <i>Plethodon jordani </i>and <i>Plethodon glutinosus</i> complexes in the southern Appalachian Mountains with the description of four new species. Pages 31-93 in R. C. Bruce, R. G. Jaeger, and L. D. Houck, editors. The biology of plethodontid salamanders. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York. xiii + 485 pp.
- Mahoney, M. J. 2001. Molecular systematics of <i>Plethodon </i>and <i>Aneides </i>(Caudata: Plethodontini): phylogenetic analysis of an old and rapid radiation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 18:174-188.
- Moskwik, M. 2014. Recent elevational range expansions in plethodontid salamanders (Amphibia: Plethodontidae) in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Journal of Biogeography 41:1957-1966.
- Petranka, J. W. 1999. Recovery of salamanders after clearcutting in the southern Appalachians: a critique of Ash's estimates. Conservation Biology 13:203-205.
- Petranka, J. W., M. E. Eldridge, and K. E. Haley. 1993. Effects of timber harvesting on southern Appalachian salamanders. Conservation Biology 7(2): 363-370.
- Pope, C. H. 1928. Some Plethodontid Salamanders from North Carolina and Kentucky with the description of a new race of <i>Leurognathus</i>. American Museum Novitates 306: 1-19.