Desmognathus marmoratus

Molecular data indicate that this taxon and D. quadramaculatus may not be reciprocally monophyletic (Rissler and Taylor 2003, Kozak et al. 2005, Jones et al. 2006, Wooten and Rissler, 2011). Voss et al. (1995) found a relatively high genetic distance between a population in the Tennessee River drainage and populations in the Chattahoochee River and Savannah River drainages. They stated that further studies of morphological and allozymic variation were underway. None of these studies propose taxonomic revisions but Dubois and Rafaëlli (2012) and Fouquette and Dubois (2014) resurrect two taxa, Desmognathus aureatus and Desmognathus melanius, from synonymy under this species (Crother 2017). Crother (2017) does not recognize these two species, however, Amphibian Species of the World (Frost 2020) recognizes these taxa pending publication of counter-evidence. Pyron and Beamer (2023) confirm the reduction of the definition of this species to 'marmoratus E/G/H' from Beamer and Lamb (2020) as well as a new population from the New River Gorge.

Formerly included in the genus Leurognathus. Titus and Larson (1996) examined mtDNA variation in the genera Desmognathus and Leurognathus and found that Leurognathus forms a clade within D. quadramaculatus; they regarded Leurognathus Moore a junior synonym of Desmognathus Baird.

This species has a limited geographic range in western North Carolina, adjacent eastern Tennessee, and southern West Virginia. It is considered widespread and abundant in the range.

This species ranges from southern West Virginia to northwestern North Carolina and adjacent northeastern Tennessee. It is found in the Appalachians, on the Blue Ridge northeast of the Pigeon River to southwestern Virginia. Populations are known from the South Fork Holston, Watauga, and Nolichucky (Upper Tennessee), and Upper Broad and Upper Catawba (Santee) River drainages. It is also known from a handful of riffle zones along a 2–3 km stretch of Glade Creek near Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia in the Lower New (Kanawha) River drainage. This population is widely (~120 airline km) disjunct from the nearest known populations in the Upper Tennessee drainage in southwestern Virginia (Smyth and Washington Counties). It is apparently absent from several other similar creeks in the New River Gorge (Pyron and Beamer 2023). Using iNaturalist (2024) records, range extent is estimated to be 10,741 km².

Applying a 3 km separation distance to iNaturalist (2024) records, there are approximately 40 occurrences.

Dams have eliminated many populations by flooding streams and eliminating suitable habitat (Petranka 1998). Forestry and agricultural practices that result in stream siltation are a threat (Martof 1962, Petranka 1998). Deforestation or forest fires may render streams unsuitable (Mitchell 1991).