Desmognathus orestes
Tilley and Mahoney, 1996
Blue Ridge Dusky Salamander
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.106222
Element CodeAAAAD03150
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusDesmognathus
Concept ReferenceTilley, S. G., and M. J. Mahoney. 1996. Patterns of genetic differentiation in salamanders of the Desmognathus ochrophaeus complex (Amphibia: Plethodontidae). Herpetological Monographs 10:1-41.
Taxonomic CommentsFormerly included in Desmognathus ochrophaeus. Based on patterns of allozyme variation, Tilley and Mahoney (1996) split D. ochrophaeus into four species: D. ochrophaeus, D. carolinensis, D. ocoee, and D. orestes. Mead and Tilley (2000) and Highton (2000) presented evidence that D. orestes exists as two forms; further study is needed to determine if the forms warrant recognition as distinct species. Mead et al. (2001) examined variation in allozymes, mtDNA, and behavior and concluded that D. orestes is best regarded as a single species.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-06-29
Change Date2001-10-17
Edition Date2025-06-29
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G. (2004); rev. R. L. Gundy (2025)
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank ReasonsThis species has a limited range in the Blue Ridge area of southwestern Virginia, northwestern North Carolina, and northeastern Tennessee. It is abundant and the population appears stable.
Range Extent CommentsThis species occurs in the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province from Floyd County, Virginia, to somewhere between Linville Falls and McKinney Gap on the Blue Ridge Divide (Burke and McDowell counties, North Carolina) and to the headwaters of Toms and Clark creeks about 1.5 km northeast of Iron Mountain Gap on the North Carolina-Tennessee boundary (Tilley and Mahoney 1996) (this headwaters area is in Mitchell and Unicoi counties, according to Tilley and Mahoney 1996, or in Avery and Carter counties, according to Petranka 1998). Elevational range at least 609-1,432 m (based on data in Tilley and Mahoney 1996). Range extent is estimated to be 19,241 km² (GBIF 2025, RARECAT 2025).
Occurrences CommentsNumber of occurrences has not been determined but may fall within the indicated range.
Threat Impact Comments"Local populations are often severely depressed after clear-cutting, and low-elevation populations may take many decades to recover following intensive timbering" (Petranka et al. 1994, Petranka 1998). This species does not appear to be particularly susceptible to diseases (Hamed et al. 2013, Lentz et al. 2021)
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
At lower elevations and in winter usually concentrates near seepage areas, springs, and small streams; may range into adjacent wooded areas in wet weather. More terrestrial at higher elevations, characteristic inhabitant of floor of spruce-fir forests. Often abundant on wet rock faces. Eggs are laid in wet rock crevices or under rocks, logs, or moss in seepage areas or near small streams.
Ecology
This species appears to have low rates of infection of ranavirus, Bd (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), or Bsal (B. salamandrivorans) (Hamed et al. 2013, Lentz et al. 2021).
Terrestrial HabitatsForest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Palustrine HabitatsBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|
| Virginia | S3 | Yes |
| Tennessee | S3 | Yes |
| North Carolina | S3 | Yes |
References (11)
- 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
- Hamed, M. K., M. J. Gray, and D. L. Miller. 2013. First report of ranavirus in plethodontid salamanders from the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Virginia, USA. Herpetological Review 44(3): 455-457.
- Highton, R. 2000. Detecting cryptic species using allozyme data. Pages 215-241 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.
- Lentz, T. B., M. C. Allender, S. Y. Thi, A. S. Duncan, A. X. Miranda, J. C. Beane, D. S. Dombrowski, B. R. Forester, C. K. Akcali, N. A. Shepard, J. E. Corey, III, et al. 2021. Prevalence of Ranavirus, <i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, B. salamandrivorans,</i> and <i>Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola</i> in Amphibians and Reptiles of North Carolina, USA. Herpetological Review 52(2): 285–293.
- Mead, L. S., and S. G. Tilley. 2000. Ethological isolation and variation in allozymes and dorsolateral pattern between parapatric forms in the <i>Desmognathus ochrophaeus</i> complex. Pages 181-198 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.
- Mead, L. S., S. G. Tilley, and L. A. Katz. 2001. Genetic structure of the Blue Ridge dusky salamander (Desmognathus orestes): inferences from allozymes, mitochondrial DNA, and behavior. Evolution 55:2287-2302.
- Petranka, J. W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.
- Petranka, J. W., M. P. Brannon, M. E. Hopey, and C. K. Smith. 1994. Effects of timber harvesting on low elevation populations of southern Appalachian salamanders. Forest Ecology and Management 67:135-147.
- Tilley, S. G., and M. J. Mahoney. 1996. Patterns of genetic differentiation in salamanders of the <i>Desmognathus ochrophaeus</i> complex (Amphibia: Plethodontidae). Herpetological Monographs 10:1-41.