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Home/Species/ Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander

Desmognathus ochrophaeus

Cope, 1859

Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander

G5Secure Found in 37 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100634
Element CodeAAAAD03070
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusDesmognathus
COSEWICPS:E,T
Other Common Names
Allegheny Dusky Salamander (EN) Allegheny mountain dusky salamander (EN) Mountain Dusky Salamander (EN) Salamandre sombre des montagnes (FR)
Concept Reference
Tilley, 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 Comments
Previously treated as a single species, Desmognathus ochrophaeus is recognized as a species complex by Tilley and Mahoney (1996). Based on patterns of allozyme variation, they split Desmognathus ochrophaeus into four species: D. ochrophaeus, D. carolinensis, D. ocoee, and D. orestes. Populations across the Appalachians are now divided into D. abditus, D. carolinensis, D. ochrophaeus, D. ocoee, and D. orestes, which do not form a clade but are instead scattered across the phylogeny of Desmognathus (Pyron and Beamer 2022).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-06-29
Change Date2001-10-16
Edition Date2025-06-29
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G. (2005); rev. R. L. Gundy (2025)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
This species is widespread and abundant along mountains of the eastern U.S. and southeastern Canada. The population appears to be stable and no major rangewide threats are known.
Range Extent Comments
Ridges of the Ridge and Valley Physiographic Province, including Brumley, Clinch, Walker, and Potts mountains of southwestern Virginia; Cumberland Mountains and Plateau of southeastern Kentucky, and the Allegheny Mountains and Plateau of West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York through the Adirondack Mountains to southern Quebec and southern Ontario (recently confirmed in the latter province; K. Vlasman, pers. comm., 2005, based on information from David Green); populations in the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee have not been studied electrophoretically and may or may not represent this species (Tilley and Mahoney 1996). Elevational range at least 168-1,280 m (based on data in Tilley and Mahoney 1996). Range extent is estimated to be 365,542 km² (GBIF 2025, RARECAT 2025).
Occurrences Comments
Represented by many and/or large occurrences throughout the range.
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats of widespread significance.
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. It has also been found in vernal pool-type wetlands in Virginia (Collins et al. 2022). Eggs are laid in wet rock crevices or under rocks, logs, or moss in seepage areas or near small streams.

Reproduction

Lays up to about 30 eggs in spring, summer, or fall. Female remains with eggs until hatching. Larvae hatch summer to fall, metamorphose in 2-8 months.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Palustrine Habitats
Bog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
West VirginiaS4Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
MarylandS5Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
New YorkS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
New JerseySUYes
OhioSNRYes
CanadaN2
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecSNRYes
OntarioS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
No known threats———

—

Roadless Areas (37)
Pennsylvania (5)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
CornplanterAllegheny National Forest2,929
Hearts ContentAllegheny National Forest221
Minister ValleyAllegheny National Forest1,417
Tracy RidgeAllegheny National Forest9,034
Virginia (14)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Beartown Addition BJefferson National Forest2,985
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Hunting Camp Little Wolf CreekJefferson National Forest8,953
Laurel ForkGeorge Washington National Forest9,967
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
Mountain Lake Addition B (VA)Jefferson National Forest3,405
North Fork PoundJefferson National Forest4,757
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Shawvers Run AdditionJefferson National Forest1,927
West Virginia (18)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cheat MountainMonongahela National Forest8,191
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Dry ForkMonongahela National Forest657
East Fork Of GreenbrierMonongahela National Forest7,167
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Gauley MountainMonongahela National Forest13,285
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Laurel ForkMonongahela National Forest1,172
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Mountain Lake Addition B (WV)Jefferson National Forest557
North Mountain HopevilleMonongahela National Forest6,525
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
Turkey MountainMonongahela National Forest6,421
References (17)
  1. Barbour, R. W. 1971. Amphibians and reptiles of Kentucky. Univ. Press of Kentucky, Lexington. x + 334 pp.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Collins, G., G. Hall, M. Roark, S. Wright, I. Romans, and W. H. Smith. 2022. Desmognathus ochrophaeus (Allegheny Mountain <br/>Dusky Salamander). Habitat. Herpetological Review 53(4): 640-641.
  5. Conant, R., and J. T. Collins. 1998. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America. Third edition, expanded. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 616 pp.
  6. 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]
  7. DeGraaf, R. M., and D. D. Rudis. 1983a. Amphibians and reptiles of New England. Habitats and natural history. Univ. Massachusetts Press. vii + 83 pp.
  8. 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
  9. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  10. Green, N. B., and T. K. Pauley. 1987. Amphibians and reptiles in West Virginia. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. xi + 241 pp.
  11. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  12. Pyron, R. A., and D. A. Beamer. 2022e. Systematics of the Ocoee Salamander (Plethodontidae: <i>Desmognathus ocoee</i>), with description of two new species from the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Zootaxa 5190: 207-240 (https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5190.2.3).
  13. Sharbel, T. F., and J. Bonin. 1992. Northernmost record of <i>Desmognathus ochrophaeus</i>: biochemical identification in the Chateauguay River drainage basin, Quebec. J. Herpetol. 26:505-508.
  14. Species at Risk Branch. 2002. Species at risk range maps. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. Online. Available: http://www.sis.ec.gc.ca/download_e.htm.
  15. Tilley, S.G. 1973. <i>Desmognathus ochrophaeus</i>. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. 129:1-4.
  16. Tilley, S. G. 1974. Structure and dynamics of populations of the salamander <i>Desmognathus ochrophaeus</i> Cope in different habitats. Ecology 55:808-817.
  17. 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.