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Ambystoma gracile

(Baird, 1857 [1859])

Northwestern Salamander

G5Secure Found in 59 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103251
Element CodeAAAAA01040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyAmbystomatidae
GenusAmbystoma
Other Common Names
northwestern salamander (EN) Salamandre foncée (FR)
Concept Reference
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.
Taxonomic Comments
Titus (1990) concluded that available genetic and morphological information do not support recognition of subspecies; systematics may be complex and warrant further study. Titus and Gaines (1991) studied allozyme variation in coastal metamorphosing and montane nonmetamorphosing populations in Oregon; in both groups of populations, 98-100% of the total genetic variation for each locus was attributable to within-population variation. See Kraus (1988) and Shaffer et al. (1991) for phylogenetic analyses of North American Ambystoma; allozyme data indicate that A. maculatum is the closest relative of A. gracile (Shaffer et al. 1991), a conclusion that is not supported by any morphological data (Kraus 1988).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-05-10
Change Date2001-10-03
Edition Date2008-01-11
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Many stable populations exist throughout the historical range in the Pacific Northwest; not acutely sensitive to modern timber harvest practices; can coexist with introduced fishes and bullfrogs.
Range Extent Comments
Range includes the Pacific coast of North America from extreme southeastern Alaska south through western Canada and the northwestern United States (mainly west of the Cascades) to the Gualala River, California, at elevations from sea level to about 10,200 feet (3,110 meters) (Stebbins 2003).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by many occurrences (subpopulations).
Threat Impact Comments
Ambient ultraviolet radiation causes increased mortality of eggs (compared to UV-B-shielded eggs) (Blaustein et al. 1995), but natural oviposition sites often may not be subject to damaging levels of UV.
Experimental data indicate that larvae are negatively impacted by the presence of trout (Tyler et al. 1998), yet salamanders and trout coexist in some areas (Leonard et al. 1993). Embryos in egg masses easily survive several weeks of prolonged exposure to air as may occur with recession of water level in breeding ponds (Marco 2001).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Open grassland, woodland, and forest near breeding ponds. Nonpaedomorphic adults are underground most of the year. During the breeding season, they often are found under rocks and logs. Larvae have been reported to be restricted to shallows in lakes with fishes, but adult and larval northwestern salamanders are distasteful to fishes and bullfrogs, allowing coexistence (Leonard et al. 1993). Eggs are laid in ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams; usually attached to vegetation in shallows (Blaustein et al. 1995) or deeper water (e.g., 0.5-1.0 m below water surface) (Nussbaum et al. 1983).

Ecology

Preyed on by introduced trout, which reduce salamander abundance.

Reproduction

Breeding season is variable; begins as early as January in south, extends as late as July in north or at higher elevations. Lays masses of 15-35 eggs or 100-200 eggs, which hatch in 2-4 weeks. Larval period lasts 1-2 years. Montane populations often paedomorphic, some obligately so; incidence of paedomorphosis is positively correlated with increasing elevation, stability of the aquatic habitat, lack of fishes, and slower larval growth rates. Metamorphic and paedomorphic individuals may coexist in the same population.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedGrassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOL
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS4Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
AlaskaS3Yes
OregonS5Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
WashingtonS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial development——High (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areas——High (continuing)
1.2 - Commercial & industrial areas——High (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridors——High (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroads——High (continuing)
5 - Biological resource use——High (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvesting——High (continuing)
9 - Pollution——Moderate - low
9.5 - Air-borne pollutants——Moderate - low

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Roadless Areas (59)
California (11)
AreaForestAcres
Bell QuinbyShasta-Trinity National Forest11,556
Cow CreekShasta-Trinity National Forest22,627
Mt. LassicSix Rivers National Forest6,643
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
Pilot CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,192
Siskiyou BSix Rivers National Forest18,871
Slide CreekSix Rivers National Forest11,458
South ForkShasta-Trinity National Forest16,786
Oregon (28)
AreaForestAcres
Badger CreekMt. Hood National Forest847
Bulldog RockUmpqua National Forest6,056
Bulldog RockWillamette National Forest559
DoneganUmpqua National Forest5,914
Drift CreekSiuslaw National Forest6,333
EagleMt. Hood National Forest16,841
French Pete (a)Willamette National Forest1,668
Gordon MeadowsWillamette National Forest9,463
Hebo 1aSiuslaw National Forest13,930
Jackson Creek AppendageUmpqua National Forest4,673
LarchMt. Hood National Forest12,961
Lonesome Meadow AppendageUmpqua National Forest930
Maiden PeakWillamette National Forest9,627
Maiden PeakDeschutes National Forest26,432
Mt. JeffersonDeschutes National Forest2,282
Mt. BaileyUmpqua National Forest18,401
Mt. HagenWillamette National Forest6,406
Mt. Hood AdditionsMt. Hood National Forest13,061
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
Roaring RiverMt. Hood National Forest27,316
Rolling Grounds AppendageUmpqua National Forest1,987
Salmon - HuckleberryMt. Hood National Forest17,570
SherwoodUmpqua National Forest2,449
TahkenitchSiuslaw National Forest5,799
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
Waldo - FujiWillamette National Forest15,273
Waldo - LakeWillamette National Forest2,993
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
Washington (20)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekGifford Pinchot National Forest7,980
Big Lava BedGifford Pinchot National Forest19,043
Boulder RiverMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest32,563
Dark DivideGifford Pinchot National Forest52,483
Glacier Peak IMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest15,175
Glacier Peak JMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest26,482
Glacier Peak KMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest47,269
Glacier Peak LMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest14,084
Green MountainOlympic National Forest4,617
Jefferson RidgeOlympic National Forest6,512
Mt. Baker MaMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest24,847
Mt. Baker NorthMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest16,873
Mt. Baker WestMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest25,390
Mt. BaldyOlympic National Forest3,557
Mt. ZionOlympic National Forest3,544
Norse PeakWenatchee National Forest10,169
QuilceneOlympic National Forest18,656
Red LakeGifford Pinchot National Forest2,162
South QuinaultOlympic National Forest11,081
Upper SkokomishOlympic National Forest9,311
References (32)
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