Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Kanawha Black-bellied Salamander

Desmognathus kanawha

Pyron and Beamer, 2022

Kanawha Black-bellied Salamander

G4Apparently Secure Found in 23 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1256212
Element CodeAAAAD03290
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusDesmognathus
Other Common Names
New River Black-bellied Salamander (EN)
Concept Reference
Pyron, R. A. and D. A. Beamer. 2022b. Nomenclatural solutions for diagnosing 'cryptic' species using molecular and morphological data facilitate a taxonomic revision of the Black-bellied Salamanders (Urodela, Desmognathus 'quadramaculatus') from the southern Appalachian Mountains. Bionomina 27(1): 1-43.
Taxonomic Comments
The former Desmognathus quadramaculatus E lineage of Pyron et al. (2022d). Pyron and Beamer (2022) revised the taxonomy of black-bellied salamanders and described this species based on genetic divergence and apparent reproductive isolation from other Black-bellied populations. Populations of this species were described, at least in part, by (Organ 1961), Mills (1996), Wooten (2001) and Merritt (2005) (Pyron and Beamer 2022).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-08-14
Change Date2024-08-14
Edition Date2024-08-14
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L. (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
This species has a limited range in the southeastern United States. It is considered widespread and abundant in the range with no evidence of population declines or significant threats.
Range Extent Comments
This species occurs primarily in the Kanawha River drainage of Virginia and West Virginia, with populations in the drainages of the Upper Pee Dee of North Carolina and Virginia, the Upper Tennessee of southwestern Virginia and potentially adjacent northeastern Tennessee, the Roanoke of north-central North Carolina and south-central Virginia, and the Lower Chesapeake of west-central Virginia, USA. The southwestern and northeastern distributional extents of this species are unknown (Pyron and Beamer 2022). Using iNaturalist (2024) records, range extent is estimated to be approximately 37,086 km².
Occurrences Comments
Applying a 3 km separation distance to iNaturalist (2024) records, there are approximately 107 occurrences.
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats are known at this time. Mills (1996) noted overcollection of this species for fishing bait at one site in West Virginia. Logging activities in national forests have the potential to degrade habitat and reduce populations (Petranka et al. 1993).
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Pyron and Beamer (2022) state "this species cannot, to our knowledge, be reliably differentiated from closely related, Black-bellied congeners by any feature of external phenotype."

Habitat

This species occupies large and small streams, and is found within the stream and along stream banks (Organ 1961, Mills 1996). All age classes shelter under rocks and seasonally available leaf packs, with adults generally preferring rocks (Mills 1996). Found at elevations from 3100-5100 ft. (944-1554 m) in the Balsam Mountains of southwestern Virginia (Organ 1961). Found at 549-605 m at one site in West Virginia (Mills 1996).

Ecology

At the upper elevational limits in the Balsam Mountains of southwest Virginia, this is often the only Desmognathus species occupying the water (Organ 1961).

Reproduction

Females lay 21-43 (average 31) eggs attached to the underside of rocks, from June-August (Organ 1961). Females brood egg clusters (Organ 1961, Mills 1961). Eggs hatch in August-September, with hatchlings measuring 12-16 mm SVL (Organ 1961, Mills 1996, Pyron and Beamer 2022). Metamorphosis takes place at 2-5 years of age (Organ 1961, Mills 1996). Males may mature as early as 4 years (Organ 1961) and females as late as 8 years (Mills 1996). Adult males may be slightly larger than females (Organ 1961, Pyron and Beamer 2022).
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
West VirginiaS3Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
North CarolinaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
5 - Biological resource usePervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)
5.1 - Hunting & collecting terrestrial animalsUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.1.1 - Intentional use (species being assessed is the target)UnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingPervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)
5.3.4 - Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]Pervasive - largeUnknownHigh (continuing)

—

Roadless Areas (23)
Tennessee (2)
AreaForestAcres
London Bridge BranchCherokee National Forest3,387
Rogers RidgeCherokee National Forest4,738
Virginia (18)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Horse HeavenJefferson National Forest4,748
Lewis Fork AdditionJefferson National Forest749
Little Walker MountainJefferson National Forest9,818
Little Wilson Creek Addition BJefferson National Forest1,725
Long SpurJefferson National Forest6,417
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
Mountain Lake Addition B (VA)Jefferson National Forest3,405
Mountain Lake Addition CJefferson National Forest494
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
Peters Mountain Addition A (VA)Jefferson National Forest1,268
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Rogers RunJefferson National Forest181
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Shawvers Run AdditionJefferson National Forest1,927
West Virginia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Mottesheard (WV)Jefferson National Forest3,964
Mountain Lake Addition B (WV)Jefferson National Forest557
Peters Mountain Addition A (WV)Jefferson National Forest343
References (17)
  1. 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.
  2. Camp, C. D., and D. G. Lovell. 1989. Fishing for "spring lizards": a technique for collecting blackbelly salamanders. Herpetol. Rev. 20:47.
  3. Camp, C. D., and T. P. Lee. 1996. Intraspecific spacing and interaction within a population of <i>Desmognathus quadramaculatus</i>. Copeia 1996: 78-84.
  4. Conant, R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xvii + 429 pp.
  5. Hairston, N. G., Sr., and R. H. Wiley. 1993. No decline in salamander (Amphibia: Caudata) populations: a twenty-year study in the southern Appalachians. Brimleyana 18:59-64.
  6. Huheey, J. E., and A. Stupka. 1967. Amphibians and reptiles of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Univ. Tennessee Press, Knoxville. ix + 98 pp.
  7. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  8. Martof, B. S., W. M. Palmer, J. R. Bailey, and J. R. Harrison, III. 1980. Amphibians and reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 264 pp.
  9. Merritt, D. S. 2005. Analysis of genotypic and phenotypic differences in <i>Desmognathus quadramaculatus</i> across the Southern Appalachians. M.S. Thesis, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia:1-56.
  10. Mills, G. 1996. A study on the life history and seasonal foraging habits of the salamander <i>Desmognathus quadramaculatus</i> Holbrook, in WV. M.S. Thesis, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia:1-122.
  11. Organ, J. A. 1961. Studies of the local distribution, life history, and population dynamics of the salamander genus <i>Desmognathus</i> in Virginia. Ecological Monographs 31(2): 189–220. doi: 10.2307/1950754
  12. Peterman, W. E., J. A. Crawford, and R. D. Semlitsch. 2008. Productivity and significance of headwater streams: population structure and biomass of the black-bellied salamander (<i>Desmognathus quadramaculatus</i>). Freshwater Biology 53: 347–357.
  13. Petranka, J. W., M. E. Eldridge, and K. E. Haley. 1993. Effects of timber harvesting on southern Appalachian salamanders. Conservation Biology 7(2): 363-370.
  14. Pyron, R. A. and D. A. Beamer. 2022b. Nomenclatural solutions for diagnosing 'cryptic' species using molecular and morphological data facilitate a taxonomic revision of the Black-bellied Salamanders (Urodela, <i>Desmognathus </i>'<i>quadramaculatus</i>') from the southern Appalachian Mountains. Bionomina 27(1): 1-43.
  15. Pyron, R. A., K. A. O'Connell, E. M. Lemmon, A. R. Lemmon, and D. A. Beamer. 2022d. Candidate-species delimitation in <i>Desmognathus </i>salamanders reveals gene flow across lineage boundaries, confounding phylogenetic estimation and clarifying hybrid zones. Ecology and Evolution 12:e8574.
  16. Valentine, B.D. 1974. <i>Desmognathus quadramaculatus</i>. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. 153:1-4.
  17. Wooten, J. A. 2001. Distribution, morphometrics, and tooth morphology of the genus <i>Desmognathus </i>in West Virginia. M.S. Thesis, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia:1-395.