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Dicamptodon tenebrosus

Baird and Girard, 1852

Coastal Giant Salamander

G5Secure Found in 103 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104691
Element CodeAAAAH01040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyDicamptodontidae
GenusDicamptodon
Other Common Names
Coastal Giant Salamander (EN) Grande salamandre (FR) Pacific Giant Salamander (EN)
Concept Reference
Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. 3rd ed. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Herpetological Circular No. 19. 41 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Good (1989) examined genetic relationships and concluded that the genus Dicamptodon comprises 4 species: D. ensatus (west-central California), D. aterrimus (Rocky Mountains of Idaho and adjacent Montana; see also Daugherty et al. (1983), D. tenebrosus (southern British Columbia to northern California), and D. copei (Washington and northern Oregon). A previous study of morphological variation (Nussbaum 1976) concluded that Dicamptodon includes only 2 species, copei and ensatus (the latter including aterrimus and tenebrosus). D. tenebrosus and D. ensatus hybridize in narrow zone in northern California, but there appears to be selection against hybrids, and introgression beyond the hybrid zone apparently is nonexistent (Good 1989).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-03-12
Change Date2001-10-17
Edition Date2025-03-05
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L. (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 within its limited range in northwestern North America. No major threats or declines are reported.
Range Extent Comments
This species is found in northwestern North America from extreme southwestern British Columbia (Chilliwack River drainage) south through western Washington and western Oregon to northwestern California (Good 1989, Petranka 1998). Using Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (2025) records from 2000-2025, range extent is estimated to be 239,261 km² (RARECAT 2024).
Occurrences Comments
The population is represented by many and/or large occurrences throughout most of the range.
Threat Impact Comments
No major rangewide threats are known.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Larvae and paedomorphic adults usually inhabit clear, cool or cold, well-oxygenated streams and often take cover under stones (Parker 1991); aquatic stages also occur in some mountain lakes and ponds. Larvae may occupy wet sub-benthic habitat (interstitial spaces among substrate particles) of intermittent streams when water is not flowing on the surface (Feral et al. 2005). Metamorphosed adults are found in humid forests under rocks and logs, etc., near mountain streams or rocky shores of mountain lakes (Stebbins 1985).

Eggs are attached to logs or rocks in creeks (Nussbaum and Clothier 1973, Jones et al. 1990).

Reproduction

Breeds in both spring and fall. Lays clutch of 100-200 eggs in spring. Female attends eggs until hatching. At an elevation of 275 m in Oregon, a clutch with limb-bud-stage embryos was found in mid-July; hatching occurred by mid-September (Jones et al. 1990). Larvae metamorphose usually in 18-24 months, but sometimes they become sexually mature in the larval stage (Nussbaum et al. 1983, Stebbins 1985).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferForest - Mixed
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN2
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS2Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
WashingtonS5Yes
OregonS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
No known threats———

—

Roadless Areas (103)
California (39)
AreaForestAcres
BackboneShasta-Trinity National Forest11,466
Bell QuinbyShasta-Trinity National Forest11,556
BlackKlamath National Forest6,530
Blue Creek Rare ISix Rivers National Forest12,134
Bonanza KingShasta-Trinity National Forest16,402
Castle Crags AShasta-Trinity National Forest113
Castle Crags BShasta-Trinity National Forest1,619
ChanchelullaShasta-Trinity National Forest3,915
Cow CreekShasta-Trinity National Forest22,627
Devils RockShasta-Trinity National Forest16,209
Dog CreekShasta-Trinity National Forest5,001
EagleShasta-Trinity National Forest6,553
East GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest27,894
Elk CreekMendocino National Forest23,182
Indian CreekKlamath National Forest5,011
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
KellySix Rivers National Forest5,195
Kettle Mtn.Shasta-Trinity National Forest4,589
Lake EleanorShasta-Trinity National Forest397
Little French CShasta-Trinity National Forest11,529
Monkey CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,017
Mt. EddyShasta-Trinity National Forest7,232
North Fork SmithSix Rivers National Forest37,898
Orleans Mtn.Klamath National Forest49,090
Orleans Mtn. BSix Rivers National Forest17,183
Orleans Mtn. CSix Rivers National Forest15,589
PacksaddleSix Rivers National Forest3,862
Pilot CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,192
PortugueseKlamath National Forest18,915
RussianKlamath National Forest21,771
ShacklefordKlamath National Forest1,679
SiskiyouKlamath National Forest54,039
Siskiyou BSix Rivers National Forest18,871
Slide CreekSix Rivers National Forest11,458
SnoozerKlamath National Forest23,414
Snow MountainMendocino National Forest14,457
SoliderSix Rivers National Forest14,918
Weaver BallyShasta-Trinity National Forest829
West GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest37,516
Oregon (39)
AreaForestAcres
Bull Of The WoodsMt. Hood National Forest8,843
Calf - Copeland CreekUmpqua National Forest15,696
Castle Rock AppendageUmpqua National Forest4,649
Cougar BluffUmpqua National Forest5,574
Drift CreekSiuslaw National Forest6,333
EagleMt. Hood National Forest16,841
Echo MountainWillamette National Forest8,098
ElkhornWillamette National Forest9,380
FairviewUmpqua National Forest7,417
French Pete (a)Willamette National Forest1,668
Gordon MeadowsWillamette National Forest9,463
Hardesty MountainUmpqua National Forest2,597
Hebo 1aSiuslaw National Forest13,930
LakeMt. Hood National Forest1,327
LarchMt. Hood National Forest12,961
Limpy RockUmpqua National Forest6,782
Maiden PeakDeschutes National Forest26,432
Maiden PeakWillamette National Forest9,627
Mclennon MountainWillamette National Forest8,085
Menagerie (rooster Rock)Willamette National Forest374
Middle SantiamWillamette National Forest7,316
Moose LakeWillamette National Forest5,013
Mt. HagenWillamette National Forest6,406
Mt. Hood AdditionsMt. Hood National Forest13,061
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
Opal CreekWillamette National Forest5,417
Roaring RiverMt. Hood National Forest27,316
Salmon - HuckleberryMt. Hood National Forest17,570
Skimmerhorn AppendageUmpqua National Forest1,820
Smith UmpquaSiuslaw National Forest7,622
South KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests104,477
TahkenitchSiuslaw National Forest5,799
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
Twin LakesMt. Hood National Forest6,055
Umpqua SpitSiuslaw National Forest2,090
Waldo - FujiWillamette National Forest15,273
Waldo - LakeWillamette National Forest2,993
Williams CreekUmpqua National Forest5,844
Wind CreekMt. Hood National Forest5,438
Washington (25)
AreaForestAcres
Alpine Lakes Adj.Wenatchee National Forest57,104
Bear CreekGifford Pinchot National Forest7,980
Big Lava BedGifford Pinchot National Forest19,043
Boulder RiverMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest32,563
BourbonGifford Pinchot National Forest4,512
Canyon CreekWenatchee National Forest7,983
Dark DivideGifford Pinchot National Forest52,483
Dixon MountainGifford Pinchot National Forest6,339
Eagle RockMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest34,064
Glacier Peak BMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest19,328
Glacier Peak JMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest26,482
Glacier Peak KMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest47,269
Glacier Peak LMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest14,084
Higgins MountainMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest13,185
Mt. Baker MaMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest24,847
Mt. Baker WestMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest25,390
Nason RidgeWenatchee National Forest19,329
PompeyGifford Pinchot National Forest23,985
PressentinMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest14,545
Red LakeGifford Pinchot National Forest2,162
Rock CreekWenatchee National Forest32,239
TaneumWenatchee National Forest26,140
Thorp Mtn.Wenatchee National Forest22,717
TumwaterGifford Pinchot National Forest8,676
Twin LakesWenatchee National Forest22,496
References (30)
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