Plethodon richmondi
Netting and Mittleman, 1938
Southern Ravine Salamander
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103596
Element CodeAAAAD12150
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusPlethodon
Concept ReferenceFrost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
Taxonomic CommentsThis salamander was included in P. cinereus until 1938, when it was described as P. richmondi.
Plethodon electromorphus formerly was included in this species (see Highton 1999). Highton (1999) described Plethodon electromorphus as distinct from Plethodon richmondi on the basis of protein characteristics detectable by eletrophoresis; P. electromorphus and P. richmondi do not share common alleles at one of 24 genetic loci and have a fixed difference at another locus in all but one population (Highton 1999). These two salamanders hybridize in a narrow zone of contact, with low introgression (Highton 1999). Plethodon richmondi and P. cinereus hybridize on Iron and Holston Mountain, Tennessee (Thurow 1969). Some taxonomists would regard P. electromorphus as questionably valid as a species distinct from P. richmondi.
Conservation Status
Review Date2002-03-26
Change Date2001-11-09
Edition Date2011-05-06
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank ReasonsRelatively common and widely distributed in eastern Kentucky, southern West Virginia, western Virginia, northwestern North Carolina, and northeastern Tennessee.
Range Extent CommentsRange includes eastern Kentucky, southern West Virginia (west of the New and Kanawha rivers and south of the Teays River valley), western Virginia, northwestern North Carolina, and northeastern Tennessee (Highton 1999).
Occurrences CommentsThis species is represented by many and/or large occurrences (subpopulations) throughout most of the range (Regester 2000).
Threat Impact CommentsDeforestation and urbanization have eliminated local populations (Petranka 1998).
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
Terrestrial. Found under logs, stumps, rocks, or leaf litter on moist wooded slopes of valleys and ravines; high densities on wooded talus; rarely on dry ridge crests, hilltops, or valley floors (Regester 2000). Generally underground in mid-winter and summer. Lays eggs under rocks or in underground cavity.
Reproduction
Lays cluster of about 6 eggs in spring. Larval stage passed in egg. Hatching occurs in August-September.
Terrestrial HabitatsForest - HardwoodWoodland - Hardwood
Palustrine HabitatsRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|
| Ohio | SNR | Yes |
| Kentucky | S5 | Yes |
| North Carolina | S3 | Yes |
| Virginia | S4 | Yes |
| West Virginia | S4 | Yes |
| Tennessee | S3 | Yes |
Roadless Areas (15)
Kentucky (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|
| Wolfpen | Daniel Boone National Forest | 2,835 |
References (13)
- Barbour, R. W. 1971. Amphibians and reptiles of Kentucky. Univ. Press of Kentucky, Lexington. x + 334 pp.
- Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
- 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. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 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
- Green, N. B., and T. K. Pauley. 1987. Amphibians and reptiles in West Virginia. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. xi + 241 pp.
- Highton, R. 1999a. Geographic protein variation and speciation in the salamanders of the <i>Plethodon cinereus</i> group with the description of two new species. Herpetologica 55:43-90.
- Highton, R. 1999b. Hybridization in the contact zone between <i>Plethodon richmondi</i> and <i>Plethodon electromorphus</i> in northern Kentucky. Herpetologica 55:91-105.
- 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.
- Minton, S. A., Jr. 1972. Amphibians and reptiles of Indiana. Indiana Academy Science Monographs 3. v + 346 pp.
- Petranka, J. W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.
- Regester, K.J. 2000. Plethodon richmondi. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. 707:1-3.