Plethodon metcalfi
Brimley, 1912
Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101421
Element CodeAAAAD12440
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusPlethodon
Concept ReferenceHighton, 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 CommentsHighton 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). See Weisrock and Larson (2006) for discussion on the phylogenetic status of this species.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2013-04-18
Change Date2013-04-18
Edition Date2013-04-18
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Range Extent CommentsRange includes the Cowee isloate, Balsam isolate (except the extreme northern part), and the Blue Ridge isolate (except the extreme northeastern part) of the Plethodon jordani complex, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia (Highton and Peabody 2000, Jensen et al. 2008). Elevational range is at least 256-1,295 meters (usually above 800 meters) (Highton and Peabody 2000). This species has been observed at elevations up to 1,658 meters in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where it likely occurs higher than 1,768 meters (Dodd 2004). Moskwik (2014) documented significant elevational range changes since the 1940s.
Occurrences CommentsNumber of distinct occurrences is unknown. Highton and Peabody (2000) listed 13 sampling locations.
Threat Impact CommentsClearcutting strongly depletes local populations (Petranka et al. 1993); time required for full recovery is debatable but may be at least a few decades (Ash 1997, Petranka 1999, Ash and Pollock 1999).
Compared to nearby forest populations, populations in clearcut areas may exhibit altered age distributions, masses, and reproductive output (Ash et al. 2003). Sparse dry litter in recently cut areas may be unfavorable with respect to water balance and food availability for immatures (Ash et al. 2003).
Beamer and Lannoo (2005), citing Gordon et al. (1962) and personal observations, stated that these salamanders "are relatively resilient to disturbances, such as those associated with timbering operations, and frequently are found in second-growth forests and relatively small, fragmented woodlots."
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
Mesic forest, often under leaf litter, logs, or mossy rocks. Terrestrial breeder.
Terrestrial HabitatsForest - HardwoodForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - Mixed
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|
| South Carolina | S4 | Yes |
| Georgia | S2 | Yes |
| North Carolina | S5 | Yes |
References (15)
- 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.
- Ash, A. N., R. C. Bruce, J. Castanet, and H. Francillon-Viellot. 2003. Population parameters of <i>Plethodon metcalfi</i> on a 10-year-old clearcut and in nearby forest in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Journal of Herpetology 37:445-452.
- Beamer, D. A., and M. J. Lannoo. 2005. <i>Plethodon metcalfi</i> Brimley, 1912. Southern gray-cheeked salamander. Pages 823-825 in M. Lannoo, editor. Amphibian declines: the conservation status of United States species. University of California Press, Berkeley.
- 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]
- Dodd, C. K., Jr. 2004. The amphibians of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville. xvii + 283 pp.
- 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.
- Jensen, J. B., C. D. Camp, W. Gibbons, and M. J. Elliot, editors. 2008. Amphibians and reptiles of Georgia. University of Georgia Press, Athens. xvii + 575 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.
- Weisrock, D. W., and A. Larson. 2006. Testing hypotheses of speciation in the <i>Plethodon jordani</i> species complex with allozymes and mitochondrial DNA sequences. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. London 89:25-51.